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Gibson ES175.


Bilbo
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I have a vintage sunburst ES175 I am thinking of selling and need to get a valuation. I bought it new in 2002-ish for £1500 but they appear to be up to £4k new and £2500 second hand. It's not making sense to me. Has anyone got any ideas on what it's all about?

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I wasn't expecting much more than £1k so these prices are a bit of a surprise. It hasn't been gigged (actually, I did one tune with it about 6 years ago) and is basically mint. It has been in it's case for over a year without coming out! I am thinking of selling it so I can get a decent electro-acoustic guitar I want but, at these prices, I could get TWO new guitars!! :lol:

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[quote name='bibino' timestamp='1476382035' post='3153864']
I wouldn't call a 2002 a vintage. The common argus would be around 2000€, depending the finish and its condition.
[/quote]

Sorry. The vintage sunburst was the colour, not the age of the instrument. .

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[quote name='Luulox' timestamp='1476384652' post='3153897']
Really depends on the model. A studio will be less than a custom shop. There are many models.
[/quote]

To my knowledge, there is no studio version of the ES175. Given the price you bought it, it's a standard one.
Good luck!

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Didn't the new gibsons go up loads retail wise a few years back hence the generous second hand values? A brand new epi version of the 175 is going for around £700 new, saw a s/h one for sale around the £400 mark yesterday.
There cant be masses of them around the uk either - by there being less of them does that increase their value or decrease due to being less desired? I dunno! I'd have a look at the ebay sold prices to make a judgement.

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I have a 2000, Vintage Sunburst, Gold Hardware, ES 175 and if you only paid £1500 for it back in the day then you got a very good deal. I've had mine since 2003. If yours is anything like mine then they are very good instruments. They are very sensitive to bridge placement and string choice which can make intonation initially hard work to get right, but once dialled in, and respect given to the floating bridge, then they deliver fantastic tone. I've seen people have the bridge pegged or even stuck down - I can understand the reason if gigging hard but personally I wouldn't want one that had been modified in such a way.

If in good condition then this is worth at least what you paid for it. These turn of the century Nashville ES 175s are generally very good instruments indeed. £2K ??, at a push - but even then the buyer is getting a lot of guitar for the money. £4500 new - no, I'd probably go for a used L4 - CES instead - I'd love one but it would mean selling the ES-175, and I like it too much!

If you want something a bit more flexible then try and find a Howard Roberts Fusion III to demo. These give you the smooth tones of the ES 175 and will deliver a clean bite too. They are, generally speaking (as it depends what PUPs are in place) not as aggressive as the 335/345s. They are also a smaller body and so more comfortable. I much prefer HRFIII to the 339/359 series'. They aren't easy to find, but can definitely be had for the value of the 175 - and are much easier to gig with.

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Mine is a lovely sounding guitar and solid in every respect. It was made in Nashville on 28th March, 2000. The pedigree is there but it has stayed in it's case for far too long and I need a new quality acoustic. I have realised that I am never going to be a great Jazz guitarist so don't feel that I can justify keeping it as an ornament.

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My only, pup-equipped, acoustic at the moment is an Avalon Carl Verheyren signature. One of, and possibly the best electro-acoustic that I've owned. If you are using it live then the lack of volume in the bass shoulder takes away a lot of difficult to EQ bloom. It is fitted with BBand electronics - not the latest ones but still very adjustable. These will also go straight to desk without DI but I don't - I use a Tech 21 Acoustic DI for that.

Is it better than miking up a really good acoustic? In a studio setting, no. I find miking up to be so variable though - I'm probably just not so good at it. For pure tone, unplugged, the ACVS is more like a parlour guitar but with added sparkle. My normal, purely acoustic guitar is a late 90's Lowden with Cedar top and that has stayed with me from new. The Avalons are stunning though and, if buying new then talk to them as they will likely voice it for you.

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  • 3 months later...

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1486233256' post='3230267']
£1600. I am reliably informed that there are different ranges of ES175s and mine was the budget model. I know the purchaser well and he knows his guitars.
[/quote]

Job done. I had qualms about selling my Heritage 575 (essentially the same model made on the original jigs in Kalamazoo), but then I discovered that life goes on. Any gigs I might want to do now will get done with my 335 and a cutesy little jazz amp made by the people who make Markbass. Not the same sweetness as the 575/Polytone, but when nobody's really listening (as is generally the case at dinner gigs IME) then who's to know?

Edited by leftybassman392
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[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1486108338' post='3229228']
Have sold it. Ovation Custom Legend here I come!!
[/quote]
I know the Ovations were state-of-the-art in the 70s, do they stand up against todays quality acoustics? I haven't noticed any being used for quite a few years.
Hope you're happy with it anyhow!

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