Gibson ES175 Hollowbody Electric Guitar (with Case)

Feature:
It's basic; 2 pickups, 2 volume and 2 tone. It's what it has always been, and you don't need anything else. It's a jazz box. ALthough it would be nice if Gibson would offer a Bigsby option so you could gently modulate chords.

Quality:
Nearly all Gibsons have some sort of cosmetic blemish. They are usually very tiny and you don't notice them unless you look closely. That's because they aren't made in some automated factory. Real people touch these and every one is unique, has it's own personality and sound, and I wouldn't have it any other way. When you own a Gibson you'll never need to buy another one because they last a lifetime.

Value:
There's only one way to get a Gibson, and that's to buy a Gibson. Yeah, they are pricey, but there's something about a Gibson that you instantly feel, some sort of magic that makes it what it is. No other affordable guitar feels this way. Over time your pricey Gibson will most likely be worth more than you paid for it.

Desirability:
The ES175 is a great guiter, and so are the offshoots that Gibson made of the model. It's a guitar that will make you feel good about owning it, every time you open the case.

Sound:
The sound is good, but doesn't have that toneful woody pop that you get from an L5 or L4. For the price it's a great instrument because the next higher level is almost 50% more. If you are familiar with Gibson 57's then you know the sound. I play mine through a 1966 Fender Pro Reverb and it sings. Live at high volume it will resonate and feed back, but chances are you are playing Jazz and don't have the need to crank. The tone is predictable and nice, just what you would expect from it.

Ease of Use:
Huh? Plug it in and play; it's a guitar. It's very playable. The action sets up very low and fast.

Support:
Gibson is one of the few companies that really does stand behind their products. The Lifetime Warranty is real. You can call their help line and they will help. I'm convinced that they love these guitars as much as the people that buy them do.

Overall:
If you have it set up correctly you should never be dissatisfied with it. If I lost mine today I would be shopping around for another one tomorrow. For the price this guitar is a best value. Sure, you can buy other brands for less but they aren't the same thing and you'll wish you had bought the real thing.

Feature:
Tone controls can really create a host of music. Whether you like a mellow tone for jazz or metal, this guitar can do it. My friend is a shredder and after a few minutes, he was tearing the guitar apart. It was funny watching him try to adjust to the larger fretboard.

Quality:
Very well made. Unfortunately, the Epiphone ES-175 Reissue is not that far off the tone mark and is $2600 cheaper. I own both. Quality is about the same.

Value:
Definitely not worth $3100. Once, again, the Epiphone ES-175 is a really great instrument. Since I did NOT buy the Gibson (got it as a pass down from my brother), I bought the Epiphone and a Fender Thinline (hollow body).

Desirability:
4 inches deep hollow body. Very well made. Wood appears to have some blemishes/knots that I would have thought they would have cured. When you see the product, you will see the "sex" appeal and every gig you perform, you are not going to leave this guitar on stage. Drunk people do weird things like stealing guitars to sell and pay their bills.

Sound:
Very nice guitar. Tone machine. Works well as a hollow body or, better yet, use your glass or metal slide and some overdrive and distortion. Can sound a bit like a dobro if mixed correctly.

Ease of Use:
It's a guitar, not a computer. The more you practice...

Overall:
Once you master the tone and volume, you will have great sessions. On songs where the guitar isn't played throughout, you have to be careful of feedback. The hollow body is truly hollow. Some people stuff the guitar with cloth or materials to deaden feedback. That works, but just placing your fingers over the strings will accomplish same thing.