Calling es-175 owners

[Roxy13]

Mine is a MIJ model that is incoming from Japan, so I'll understand if you ignore me, but I'm hoping you won't.

There seems to be not as much information on these guitars as I was hoping and it seems Gibson isn't even making them anymore?

Anyway, my question is about pickups. What do you have in yours? I may like the pickups in the guitar, but I have a feeling I won't. I know a lot of people like the '57 Classics in their 335s, but I don't see anywhere near as much talk about the hollow bodies. I have found some info on the jazz guitar forums.

 

[Gtarzan81]

I've heard good feedback about SD Seth Lovers in semi hollow and full hollow guitars.

 

[wmachine]

MIJ? What year is it?

 

[Roxy13]

MIJ? What year is it?

1991.

 

[wmachine]

A 1991 Gibson ES-175 made in Japan?

 

[dspelman]

I think he means that it's an ES-175...alike. As in non-Gibson.

Mine has the original P90 (neck position) in the case, but the guitar (1949 single pickup) has had a DiMarzio something or other humbucker since the late '70's.

 

[garybaldy]

I think he means that it's an ES-175...alike. As in non-Gibson.

Mine has the original P90 (neck position) in the case, but the guitar (1949 single pickup) has had a DiMarzio something or other humbucker since the late '70's.

a 1949 175! would it be possible to return it to original?
In the 90s I played bass in a band where the guitar player used an original '49 thru a polytone. It was gorgeous and he was/is a great player.

 

[Roxy13]

A 1991 Gibson ES-175 made in Japan?

It's a Greco,but I suppose it's possible there are Orville by Gibson ones that were MIJ. I've not seen a MIJ Epiphone version either, but they might exist as well. So while Gibson has made guitars in Japan, this is not one of them.

 

[74JMP]

Got a 93 and it had 57s in it. The guitar and pups are perfect, would never think of hanging them

 

[gnappi]

57's were pretty much a staple pup for the 335 and 175 for a pretty long time, then Gibson started a "fad of the month" pup in the 335 to where what a 335 sounds like became a crap shoot.

IMO these models the 335, and 175 should be called another model without 57's

 

[dspelman]

a 1949 175! would it be possible to return it to original?
In the 90s I played bass in a band where the guitar player used an original '49 thru a polytone. It was gorgeous and he was/is a great player.

It would certainly be possible to return the P90 to the original position. Might do that in the next year or two; my fretboard (Brazilian) is rutted and the frets are worn (but still playable), and if I do that, the original P90 will probably go back in. The DiMarzio has been in longer than the P90 ever was. The case is pretty beaten and the carrying handle is a piece of wire from a coat hanger.

 

[Roxy13]

I'm pretty much decided on '57 Classics. I do have one here already so I'll just have to get a second one.

Do most of you have 2 '57s or is one a Classic Plus for the bridge?

 

[Roxy13]

What kind of toggle switch do these use? It would be nice to have one on hand before I pull everything out of there. Is it a LP type or a right angle SG type?

 

[BrianB]

More in common with the 90's ES-165 (AKA the Herb Ellis model), but my 1998 Epi Zephyr Regent (top) has a SD Seth Lover in it. Upgraded the harness to 550K CTS pots and one of those Russian PIO caps. Sounds freakin amazing.

The bottom guitar (1981 Epi Emperor T) has a pair of Seths installed, same harness as well. This has a construction akin to a 335, but with lam spruce for the top and a mahogany center block, so it's a bit darker tonally.

 

[BrianB]

What kind of toggle switch do these use? It would be nice to have one on hand before I pull everything out of there. Is it a LP type or a right angle SG type?

For a Greco 175 clone, you can't really miss with a standard long Switchcraft toggle. That's what I used in the Epi (Emperor T) in the pic above.

 

[BrianB]

I think he means that it's an ES-175...alike. As in non-Gibson.

Mine has the original P90 (neck position) in the case, but the guitar (1949 single pickup) has had a DiMarzio something or other humbucker since the late '70's.

Just acquired a '48 L-7N.... Nothing like that old wood, eh?

 

[dspelman]

Just acquired a '48 L-7N.... Nothing like that old wood, eh?

That's what I keep telling her.

 

[parts]

1965 ES175 I've had since early 70s.. It has reverse mounted PAF..with A3 magnets.

 

[Roxy13]

It's all finished. Refret, Stormy Monday pickups, CTS 550k pots, Vitamin Q caps, 50s wiring, Switchcraft long toggle and jack, new bridge and tuners, pickguard and TRC. I guess the only thing I haven't done was replace the TP, but I plan to eventually as it has a fair amount of corrosion.

I really like the guitar. It was the biggest PITA due to the rust and corrosion though. Most of the screw heads just crumpled into rust dust. There was green and black crud all in the bridge, in the tuners, all over the FB and even under the frets and in the binding. I couldn't even get the bridge off the base as it was so rusted to one post nothing I did could break it loose. I actually had to saw up the pickup rings to even get the mounting screws after the heads disintegrated.

 

[parts]

Good work Roxy..sometimes we need to salvage.. My 175 was given to me for somework I did on a P bass and Dani that I was asked to put a HB and a Fender single coil and a brace.
The 175 was a semi basket..scalloped neck//no tuners..parts in a box..no bridge base,
Luckily it has thick RW board that took to the razor scrape and then I leveled frets..
Pots were stuck and dead..but I have a bunch of 60s..early 70s parts..so all rewired, all work I did in the 70s,,
Plays excellent now..just needed a hard case..which I got a new Epi recently that fits perfect.. I put the ABR replacing the RW fixed bridge.
Used a lot of oil..on it..Almond mineral..
I never had a PG for it..maybe someday..