EPI ES-175

[Schadenfreudian]

+1. Put some BB's in an Epi, and how many players could tell that apart from a Gibson by sound alone?

 

Indeed! Interestingly, I a/b'd the Epi 175 alongside the Gibson 175, and was frustrated with the latter. Now I have no problems with Gibson, no personal vendettas if you will, but playing that 175 was just plain difficult. Everything I played seemed like a struggle. Don't know any other way to explain it, and I was quite shocked with the experience...especially given the price (around $3700).

 

Chordy: Listen, for an extra $200 (Burstbucker plus professional install), you couldn't go wrong. I can't speak for the Gibson 57's, but I'm sure that would be a valid option, too. Best decision I ever made: the Epi 175 PLUS the Burstbucker 2's. Can I post sound files here? If so I'm going to try it so y'all can hear.

[chordchunker]

Indeed! Interestingly, I a/b'd the Epi 175 alongside the Gibson 175, and was frustrated with the latter. Now I have no problems with Gibson, no personal vendettas if you will, but playing that 175 was just plain difficult. Everything I played seemed like a struggle. Don't know any other way to explain it, and I was quite shocked with the experience...especially given the price (around $3700).

 

Chordy: Listen, for an extra $200 (Burstbucker plus professional install), you couldn't go wrong. I can't speak for the Gibson 57's, but I'm sure that would be a valid option, too. Best decision I ever made: the Epi 175 PLUS the Burstbucker 2's. Can I post sound files here? If so I'm going to try it so y'all can hear.

 

Thanks!

[Fred Patton]

Chordy: Listen, for an extra $200 (Burstbucker plus professional install), you couldn't go wrong. I can't speak for the Gibson 57's, but I'm sure that would be a valid option, too. Best decision I ever made: the Epi 175 PLUS the Burstbucker 2's. Can I post sound files here? If so I'm going to try it so y'all can hear.

 

I'd love to hear it as well, especially if you have some "before" recordings for comparison. I'm giving some thought to upgrading, but don't have a good handle on what the BB2s would sound like installed. That said, my first thought when I heard my guitar played by someone really competent (about five minutes before I plunked down my credit card for it) was that it sounded absolutely gorgeous. However, for better or worse, I'm a serial "improver"...

 

Fred

[lblack]

My first post on this forum and I just wanted to praise my 4 month old Epi es 175 reissue..Simply LOVE this thing.. I play for a living and this is my play-around-the-house guitar.. I`ve only played one gig with it as I`m primarily an acoustic guitar player, but damn what a bargain!!

 

Any other proud es-175 reissue owners on this forum?

 

I bought my ES-175 Reissue in January 2012, so I am going on 5 months now. I really do like it. The only thing that I have done is to change the strings one time, and that was today. While changing the strings I also adjusted the bridge to lower the strings for better action. The factory / out of the store setting was good, but I like the lower action. I waited until now so I would have a better feel as to what I needed for the adjustments. I do not have any plans to change anything about it -- it works great just as it came from the store. I play it on a Gibson GA5 Les Paul Junior Reissue amp, and also on a Fender Vibro Champ XD. I am a beginner, just having started lessons about 6 months ago. I also have a Les Paul Studio 60's Tribute that I bought last month. Between the two, the Epiphone ES-175 and the Les Paul Studio, I like both! What I like about the ES-175 is that I can practice unwired -- no amp needed, and also plug in when I want to.

[Pin]

Absolutely, a pickguard isn't necessary on an archtop, if it has a nice finish, better off seeing that finish than a lump of plastic IMHO.

 

I wouldn't say it was necessary to have a pickguard (e.g. Fender models haven't really got what I regard as pickgaurds) but I perceive it as desirable to make the guitar more playable.

 

But I always think that people answer this question mostly in terms of where they rest their picking hand. A lot of players park their hand on the bridge and it never leaves that region (except when strumming) whereas many jazz players play almost exclusively over the neck pickup and having a pickguard becomes a great help (but not absolutely necessary)in doing that.

 

I find that I just naturally play mostly over the top of the neck pickup but not always - I often find myself moving backwards and forwards from bridge region to neck as the mood takes me.