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The net tells me Gibson ES 175 was discontinued in 2019.
It does not appear to me that Gibson has resumed making them. Is that accurate?
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07-21-2023 04:36 PM
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They were discontinued in 2017 and they have not been made since. HTH
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Thanks.
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Maybe we could get Slash or Dave Mustaine or Kirk Hammett to ask for a signature version of the 175 and they might bring it back.
I can see it now ... the ES-175M ... M for Metallica
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...Or simply bring back the Steve Howe signature ES175.
Originally Posted by Bluedawg
(Discussed here): Gibson ES-175 Steve Howe Model Opinions?
Here's a beautiful one that sold a few years ago...
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Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
...Or simply bring back the Steve Howe signature ES175.
(Discussed here): Gibson ES-175 Steve Howe Model Opinions?
Here's a beautiful one that sold a few years ago...
That would be great, but as much as I love Yes and Steve Howe ...
Gibson's current management seems to be more interested in aging heavy metal players. They might actually listen to some 80s and 90s heavy metal guys.
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They’re interested in people who sell records. Then they can help sell guitars.
Do we really have to have the same threads over and over and over and over again…..
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Originally Posted by AllanAllen
Yes, I'm afraid so.
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No worries the Heritage H 575 is the equivalent , and it's carved , not laminate .
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…And so it lacks an important ingredient for distinctive the 175 sound. Originally Posted by Greywolf
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I would say , it's the other way around .. Laminates are used due to the expense and fragility of carved tops . Can you imagine a lam body violin sounding good .. seriously ? 40 years as a luthier tells me no way
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I sure appreciate the difference between my L4 and a 175 . (carved not carved) but the tone is in the perceiver.
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People say that about 335's all the time but I fail to hear any differences that amount to more than a hill of beans in a gigging instrument. And half the guys who say it play with the gain up. Maybe on full hollows played clean it matters a little more but I still find it mostly irrelevant. People cork sniff wine, I just drink it as long as it isn't strawberry hill, mad dog 20/20, or manischewitz. Ain't nobody want a headache, I get that. But either a guitar sounds good or it doesn't. I don't think that many guys would be able to pick the laminate out of a lineup of similar quality guitars, lam and carved, in a blind taste test. As long as a guitar sounds good and plays good and does what you want it to I don't care if it's made out of plywood or prehistoric bubinga pulled from the bottom of a lake by carmelite nuns nor do I care what name is on the headstock. It's mass produced stuff. This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine..... Originally Posted by RyanM
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Welp, for starters the guitar *isnt* a violin and (IMO) it’s a mistake to believe what ‘works’ for a violin also works for an archtop guitar. I’m not saying that carved plate archtops can’t be great, because of course they can, but more that ply guitars can be just as great - and aside from Gibson, I almost never like solid top guitars. Originally Posted by Greywolf
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I can, actually. If it's amplified. Originally Posted by Greywolf
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The good news is there are a plethora of similar guitars available in all price ranges!
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Carved vs. laminate: I think we’ve been down this path a few million times already.
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Indeed. But if we keep at it with bone-headed determination maybe we'll have the definitive answer in a year or two :-) Originally Posted by Bach5G
Just like 'The James Bond Chord' threads!
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Wow...never knew that. But it makes sense. It's a relatively small market, with high quality competition (Ibanez, Sadowsky, Heritage, Collings, etc). Originally Posted by Stringswinger
But most of all, I think Gibson priced themselves right out of the market on that one. New ones had been ridiculously overpriced for decades. Probably targeted affluent hobbyists instead of middle class people (ie, musicians).
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Acoustic flat-tops are an even closer to home example… I have yet to come across a great sounding laminated flat-top acoustic. Originally Posted by Greywolf
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Actually I don't think Gibson priced themselves right out of the market, the fact is very few young modern players even look at these guitars for playing. They appeal mostly to older traditional players who already have them or can find them. I wish they would make them for the sake of history but realistically I don't think they will sell many. The L5 possibly is one that priced itself out of the marker which is quite small. Remember than Mark C makes about 15-18 guitars a year and others like him doing high end carved tops. So Gibson proabably realistically would not sell more than 25 new ones in a year. I am just guessing but it is not like they would get near selling 50. Originally Posted by Joseph2
Take $12k apiece times 25 and you get $300,000. That is not a huge amount of money for 25 players. To make a guitar the quality of a good L5 in my estimation cost in materials at least $6000. To tool up and get things super quality requires large layout of funds for not many guitars. The custom boutique carved top is probably the way of the future unless Gibson can work some magic. A Gibson 175 would require I believe about as much materials cost as an L5 really. Once you have a body and binding that is substantially more than a solidbody it simply get more expensive. The only think more on an L5 is the choice woods cost a bit more and hardware but time to set them up about the same.
As someone who repairs many guitars the amount of space for non hollowoobody guitars needed is much less. I just got through going over and setting up an players Fender American Deluxe Telecaster. It was a breeze in the shop compare to a L5 for working space. The guitar much easier to mover around on the bench and simply easier to work on due to construction. It is a no-brainer that a 175 could simply not be relevant any more. In fact we already are seeing issues related to guitars and vintage work that no one will work on.
Imagine you need your 1940 Super 400 or D'angelico Excel rebound. Frankly I don't know many luthiers who can do it and the ones that can really do not want to do the work. A 175 is really expensive if it needs binding and finishing.
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Most of the best Selmer style flattops use laminated sides and backs. Originally Posted by bertiman
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While historically significant guitars, I personally don’t think they sound terribly good. Especially when compared to a good Martin or other comparably built guitar. Of course others may feel the exact opposite… Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Has anyone tried to play gypsy jazz in anger on a Martin style guitar? In theory GJ and bluegrass style instrumentation is much similar and the instruments fill a similar role. Otoh I believe country flatpickers still have trouble cutting through acoustically on solos? (Of course amplified they can do the one mic thing and work it for balance, I saw punch brothers do that live with one central mic, in a concert hall with their insanely intricate arrangements, it was incredible.)
Some guitars sound good on their own. Others sound good in a band. I’m sure that’s true within, say, classic American flattops but I lack the knowledge honestly… SelMacs have cut if nothing else. Sometimes almost nothing else (though modern SelMacs are more nuanced.)
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