Some non-Warmoth NGDs inbound

[Hodgo]

Wednesday my work took me to Seattle. Couldn’t pass up checking out some vintage guitars, ended up picking a bit of a holy grail for me: a 1967 ES-175D


The following morning the crew at Historic Makeovers sent me an update on a project I sent them back in December:



This was a 2013 SG “50s Tribute” that I felt Gibson hadn’t done enough 50s things with, so I asked the HM crew to put together something between a ‘54 LP Custom and a ‘64 SG. Thrilled with the result, hope it plays half as nice as it looks!

I elected to have the ES-175 shipped, so both guitars should land sometime next week or so.

To make room I will be downsizing my collection a bit, so be on the lookout for a Hodgo parts clearance sale soon

 

[Tretgeraet]

ended up picking a bit of a holy grail for me: a 1967 ES-175D

Nice! I immediately thought of Steve Howe, though.

Also killer SG, black and gold always works.

 

[Spud]

Wednesday my work took me to Seattle. Couldn’t pass up checking out some vintage guitars, ended up picking a bit of a holy grail for me: a 1967 ES-175D
View attachment 65848

The following morning the crew at Historic Makeovers sent me an update on a project I sent them back in December:

View attachment 65849

This was a 2013 SG “50s Tribute” that I felt Gibson hadn’t done enough 50s things with, so I asked the HM crew to put together something between a ‘54 LP Custom and a ‘64 SG. Thrilled with the result, hope it plays half as nice as it looks!

I elected to have the ES-175 shipped, so both guitars should land sometime next week or so.

To make room I will be downsizing my collection a bit, so be on the lookout for a Hodgo parts clearance sale soon

That ES-175 is killer!

 

[Hodgo]

Nice! I immediately thought of Steve Howe, though.

Also killer SG, black and gold always works.

Steve Howe is the reason I have pined after a 175 since I was a teenager! We have equally attractive guitar faces and are both prone to playing a mess of notes in odd time signatures. He does it intentionally though…

That ES-175 is killer!

Thanks Spud! I wasn’t sure about the Norlin era 1 9/16” nut, but it actually played like butter. My first proper jazz box.

 

[Spud]

Steve Howe is the reason I have pined after a 175 since I was a teenager! We have equally attractive guitar faces and are both prone to playing a mess of notes in odd time signatures. He does it intentionally though…



Thanks Spud! I wasn’t sure about the Norlin era 1 9/16” nut, but it actually played like butter. My first proper jazz box.

Emerald City Guitars?

 

[Hodgo]

Emerald City Guitars?

Mike and Mikes Guitar Bar

 

[ejphotos]

Nice!

I always chuckle at "SG 50's Tribute" since the SG wasn't around in the 50's haha.

 

[rockandroller]

Wow, those are both guitars I would gladly own. I have had a few SGs but been jonesing for another lately. Been craving an ES-175 FOREVER, tho...

 

[Hodgo]

Nice!

I always chuckle at "SG 50's Tribute" since the SG wasn't around in the 50's haha.

Yep, but it had a few “features” that made it a great base for what I wanted it to be: Honduran mahogany construction, P-90 routing with the pickups spaced further apart than the typical specials, and a chunkier neck than the usually skinny SGs.

It also had a “PROTOTYPE” stamp on the headstock, which I had HM keep intact so this really felt like something unearthed from a closet in Kalamazoo:



The embossed “Made in USA 2013” and serial details were filled in before paint, and the serial was shortened to fit a 50s style stamp (the last 4 from the original serial with a ‘54 date code in front).

It also had the right tenon size that made routing room for the staple pickup elevators possible without interfering with the neck.

 

[Hodgo]

Wow, those are both guitars I would gladly own. I have had a few SGs but been jonesing for another lately. Been craving an ES-175 FOREVER, tho...

I have been an SG fan since I started playing at 13 on an Ibanez SG type guitar. Haven’t owned one in a while, and I’m kind of in a phase of converting my collection away from quantity and into quality. I had a dream about a “Black Beauty” SG, as I’d never seen one with staple pickups… that led to a conversation with Kim LaFleur (RIP) last August who was very enthusiastic about taking the project on!

I hear you on the 175 desire. This one is certainly more on the player grade side - the headstock has been repaired with an added volute, and that section was resprayed quite nicely with matching nitro. The rest body is the original finish, as are the pat # pickups, hardware and electronics.

The only downside is that I traded away my Les Paul to fund this, so now there’s a burning hole in my collection I feel only a lovely Goldtop could fill…

 

[TBurst Std]

Wonderful

You’ll love that Staple neck if it’s of original design.

 

[Hodgo]

Wonderful

You’ll love that Staple neck if it’s of original design.

It is indeed! Both pickups are from the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop, based on ‘54 specs, wound by MJ.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Love the 175, takes me back to the Howard Robert’s Fusion that Lifeson used all over Moving Pictures.

 

[Hodgo]

Love the 175, takes me back to the Howard Robert’s Fusion that Lifeson used all over Moving Pictures.

Love Lifeson, considered the Howard Roberts at one point. Howard Roberts himself penned, in my opinion, the most comprehensive guitar education system ever with his Praxis Guitar Compendium

 

[Hodgo]

The 175 landed today, spent the last hour picking my brains out on this thing.

But wow, the care that went into packaging the thing…. Should’ve taken a pic. Totally padded, pickguard, floating bridge removed, low tact tape marks to index the bridge location, three layers of bubble wrap, paper inside the case to keep it snug. Seattle adjacent folks, M&M Guitar Bar is the real deal.