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I just got a 1959 Gibson ES-175 with the "S" FON. The serial number indicates it was completed in early 1960.
It has vintage-correct replacement tuners (except made in Japan and looking slightly green), and the PAF bobbins were harvested (I knew this when I bought it), but they kept the pickup backing plate with the original sticker (which got me hopeful for a minute). When I saw the covers had been off, I replaced the incorrect scratched up chrome ones (like very early 1957). I got some aged nickel covers to go on after I verified the replacement bobbins. Nevertheless it is in great shape - a beautiful box and neck. I have a 1957 with the original PAF and, to be honest, I don't know if I could pass a blindfold test on an original PAF vs. later (full disclosure, I am hard of hearing).
All I know is the neck feels great and it plays like butter. I am a very happy player, but feeling slightly guilty of hoarding. I have five Gibson ES-175's now, but this is my first ES 175D. And now I have 5 other guitars on consignment to help pay for this obsession.
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04-18-2020 09:29 PM
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She *is* a beauty!
Enjoy.
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I have three ES-175's myself (all of them blonde 2 pickup examples) so I understand the obsession. Along with L-5's, Super 400's and vintage D'Angelicos, the 175 is, IMO, one of the classic archtops.
Looks like you scored a beauty! May she inspire your playing for many years to come.
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Wow, you lucky man. I avevac’53 and a ‘57 both with P90s. Someone called me a hoarder the other day - envious yes, right, no...
enjoy it in good health
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That is very nice. ES-175s are a thing unto themselves. I will not give up my 2004 while I breathe. Congratulations, and play it in good health!
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That’s a beautiful piece! I have 2 59 vos and am really addicted to the sound and feel of these guitars. I really would love to have an original. Enjoy!
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That is a beautiful es175d! I absolutely love the '50s versions of these. I've owned a '72 since, well, '72. Great guitar. A few years ago, I had an opportunity to play a mid-50s 175 for an hour during a private session with Mordy Ferber. Afterwards, I offered to buy on the spot i liked it so much. The owner declined. I couldn't get that guitar out of my mind.
About 6 months later, I responded to a local craigslist post on a different archtop, not a 175, but described my experience with this stranger, and he says, well, I don't have it posted, but I have a '55 with p90s, all original, he'd consider selling. Didn't take 2 seconds to get in the car. He gave me a great deal, and better yet, we've become the best of friends and turns out he's got the same archtop guitar mental illness as I do.
What a great outcome!
Congratulations on the guitar! Make some great sounds!
Cheers!
Steve
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Tbh I don’t play all the guitars I have. Always gives me pause to think about getting any more.
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Marco you are a professional musician. As it is your livelihood I believe the 15 guitars is more justified. I just play now at church, home, and once a year with 3 members of the SF symphony doing a yearly Christmas concert. Yes I agree it is hard to part with your beloved guitars but as I get older I see it as time to downsize. It is hard now for me to get enough play time on 10 guitars. It is a sin if they sit in the case too much. A fine guitar needs to be played constantly. Not sit in a closet. GAS is a serious addiction. I think we all struggle with it.
On a side note....I love 175’s. Hope Gibson gets back to making them.
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Thanks Vinny. This shutdown has put my musician career on hold and if it does not come back by next year, I may look at downsizing my collection. I suspect others may need to do this as well. What will then happen to the guitar market? We "hoarders" of guitars need to consider this........
Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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I've kidded you about that Tal Farlow. But if you ever do become of a mind to sell it, I likely won't have the cash, but I'd like to know just in case. I might arrange a car accident and draw a bit insurance payment or something... Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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Sorry Easy we drifted off your very special guitar. Do enjoy your new honey pie 175 !!!
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Easy...
Back to our regularly scheduled programming... Having just picked up a ‘56 L5 I know there’s a magic, a mojo if you will, about 50s era Gibson's that’s unbeatable. Yeah I’m sure they knocked out a couple of dog rockets once in a while but they’re just better. Rich Severson talked about how the old school laminated plates were thinner and more resonant - you got a real beauty there. It IS HOLY GRAIL and kudos to you for pulling off that score.
GOD BLESS
Big
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I wonder who's gonna buy the massive arch top collections, going forward? . Even the super rich who amass huge collections, like the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, puts a premium on the factory made planks and slabs of his rock and roll heroes. Or Dreadnoughts.
I mean, how much did Barney's ES350 sell for? Anybody know? And THAT is a member of the the gold standard of legendary guitars by great players.
I suspect there will still be an audience of guitar collectors who are wealthy. But I I also suspect they have no idea who Billy Bauer was and worship at the feet of the classic rock legends.
I'm just happy I sold most of my guitars and am left with stuff that I'll never sell, because of sentimental value (my teacher's old L5C) or because I love playing them too much.
So, the question I leave you with, is there any reason to reasonably believe the the arch top guitar market will come back to life? I don't see any hope or glimmer.
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$23,750 + shipping and tax Originally Posted by NSJ
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My ‘53 single pickup and my factory stock ‘57 double
The smoking lamp is lit
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It doesn't matter to me because I don't buy guitars to put them on the market. I buy them because I am an archtop addict. Originally Posted by NSJ
In fact, the only time I made money flipping a guitar was the one I sold that I had gotten for free from a friend. lol
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as grails go, that's fairly holy. especially around these parts. wouldn't mind a few sounds.
as for me, in addition to being cursed with unbearable sexiness, i kinda like guitars. and since i've done a lot of stuff over the years, i have a fair amount. but not a crazy amount, if you consider i play acoustic and electric guitar and bass. but i've purposely avoided redundancy and standards, so i don't have any fenders, single coils, dreadnoughts and things like that. so my guitars are interesting, but there are definite "holes", from a normal person's point of view.
do i have enough? yes. do i want more? yes. will i get more? probably. do i need more? no. i fight the demon off by shuffling my gear around. better understanding what i have and trying to stretch it further. but things only go so far. and i'm sort of into pretty things, so it'll probably happen again. been looking really hard at dreads and penguins all weekend long.
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Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
My ‘53 single pickup and my factory stock ‘57 double
The smoking lamp is lit
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I do love an ES175.......here's my blonde DN from 1956.
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WOW that is a beauty, and older cousin to my '57... damn.
These older ones have the thinner laminates and you hear it...
I consider myself Very Blessed and I try to Pay Back and Pay Foreward to show God my appreciation. My pursuit of rescuing helpless abandoned animals will be one of my legacies and that too I have no regrets about. I'm in the midst of funding the extended care of a cat found cold, dehydrated and starving. Miss Fiona is showing better lab results and yesterday she sat up and started cleaning herself, a good sign she's getting a tiny bit better. I am so glad I'm in a position to act on my desires not just wish I could...
Big
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>My ‘53 single pickup and my factory stock ‘57 double
>The smoking lamp is lit
Those are lovely guitars! Your '56 L5 is also a real classic. The single pickup ES175 probably has some decent acoustic sound as well. Yes?
Thanks for posting the photos. ( I prefer the humbucker version!)
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These are my other 175's (includes Tommy Tedesco's and Billy Bean's)...time for another family picture I guess.
All five will go on the market after my death.
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Very cool collection of my favorite guitar model! Originally Posted by Easy2grasp
These are my other 175's (includes Tommy Tedesco's and Billy Bean's)...time for another family picture I guess.
All five will go on the market after my death.
No matter what your heirs get for them after your demise, you will have enjoyed owning them for many years. And I would bet that the total cost of all five minus the residual value to your heirs will be less than the depreciation of a Porsche Carrara. And your guitars only contribution to global warming will be the heavy breathing of those of us looking at your family pictures.
Congrats on a very cool 175 collection!
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The future of the market is unknowable. Prices are strange things...
Guitars are nice things. I understand why people like looking at them. I prefer playing them, have limited space, can’t have them put to look at anyway, and realise I can’t play all my guitars as it is.
i would like a single pickup ‘50s ES175. I would also like a good carved modern archtop. And a 16” non cutaway verison of an early L5 by a good luthier (or the real thing.) and a nice tele. And a nice flat top. Oh should get a better Macaferri type as well... and it goes on...
but even that’s too much for me to actually play. One in one out at the moment. It’s kind of much cooler to have one guitar that you always play and is an extension of your being... can’t do it though!
Anyway by no means a criticism of others. Everyone’s different...
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