1952 ES-175 conversion help please

[Dutch53GT]

Hello to you all,

After reading all the posts and thinking it over (and playing the guitar) I have decided NOT to change the guitar... I love it as it is and (being a history teacher myself) I agree that 'we' have to treasure the old and vintage guitars, not only for ourselves but also for the future. It really is a great sounding AND great looking guitar as it is and I think I will buy me another one (cheaper and not that old) to do the things I want to. I just don't have the guts to rout it....thanks everyone for all your help and comments! This forum rules!!!

My 2 year old son would like to thank you for keeping dutch vintage guitars original so the next generation of guitar-lovers can enjoy them to.

[Troels]

My 2 year old son would like to thank you for keeping dutch vintage guitars original so the next generation of guitar-lovers can enjoy them to.

Give your son all my regards, love and respect... and don't forget to by him a good mandolin in about three years from now (why not an unmodified Gibson scroll)... that's how it all began for me (not with a Gibson but with some plywood box from DDR, I'm afraid). Then he will be ready for an ES-175 some years after

[BillyB]

I believe that an 1952 ES-175 and other finely crafted vintage guitars invites to a more sophisticated playing styles rather than playing "the shit out of it". With these types of guitars we are much more in the department of virtuousity where tones are produces as part of an art performed with brain, heart and fingersrather than plucking a piece of wood into a Marshall stack set on 10.

I believe the term 'playing the shit out of it' just means intensively using the instrument - all over the fingerboard, coaxing as many nuances out of it as possible. Doesn't mean destroying it.

For me, Wes did it all the time, George Benson did it back in the '60's, Joe Pass did it, Jim Hall did it, Pat Metheny does it. None of those guys has ever been in the same room as a Marshall on 10. And wisely, probably wouldn't want to be. They just 'played the shit' out of their 175s L-5s Super 400s at reasonable volumes......

[Mahalo]

Mahalo, are you from down under? if so i was on R&R from RVN in '68 in Manly.

Hey there ES345. I am indeed down under, and live real close to Manly Beach. I had an uncle in Viet Nam, he was in an arty bn. I remember the US Services currency he used to bring back with him on R&R. I was a young'n at the time, all a bit fuzzy.

Nowaday's Manly is full of backpackers. Still a great place tho!

Cheers

[Michael Minnis]

I believe the term 'playing the shit out of it' just means intensively using the instrument - all over the fingerboard, coaxing as many nuances out of it as possible. Doesn't mean destroying it.

For me, Wes did it all the time, George Benson did it back in the '60's, Joe Pass did it, Jim Hall did it, Pat Metheny does it. None of those guys has ever been in the same room as a Marshall on 10. And wisely, probably wouldn't want to be. They just 'played the shit' out of their 175s L-5s Super 400s at reasonable volumes......

Amen!

[Troels]

I believe the term 'playing the shit out of it' just means intensively using the instrument - all over the fingerboard, coaxing as many nuances out of it as possible. Doesn't mean destroying it.

For me, Wes did it all the time, George Benson did it back in the '60's, Joe Pass did it, Jim Hall did it, Pat Metheny does it. None of those guys has ever been in the same room as a Marshall on 10. And wisely, probably wouldn't want to be. They just 'played the shit' out of their 175s L-5s Super 400s at reasonable volumes......

...arhhh... the professor simply want us to know, that he's a great player...

[Wally]

'play the shit' out of it.....in reference to the sounds of Wes Montgomery...
I suppose one can use whatever language one chooses. I prefer to use something more eloquent to describe what Montgomery achieved on a guitar.
Shit evokes foul thoughts in my mind, stench.....
Montgomery created beautiful music. I would describe his playing maybe as 'played with all of his heart' or 'wrung every nuance of life's troubles and joys'...
Play the shit.....have you ever sat in a foul restroom or outhouse? Play the shit, indeed....
There's my rant on the decline of the English??? language in this modern world. "The Jesus dude preached the shit out of it on the mount yesterday, man!"????
Yeah, fuckin' A dude.
Ya'll live the shit out of your lives, now, ya'hear? (8^)
And do have a good day.

[BillyB]

Agreed Wally - it's not a term that I particularly like to use, but I understand its meaning without getting offended. Maybe I should become a little more uptight. I was merely interpreting the phrase in context for our Dutch + Danish amigos.

[professor]

...arhhh... the professor simply want us to know, that he's a great player...

Far from it. Just a passionate one.

[ES345]

Mahalo, ask your uncle if he was at Nui Dat, aussie, artillery base, i worked with many of your country men. Anyway you have a great country, nice, welcoming people. Back to the thread, i am glad that dutch has decided to keep this guitar as is, it probably has a fantastic tone, most of the old ones just have that indescribable tone.



peace

[Troels]

Far from it. Just a passionate one.

... I do understand that... and I was just joking ...

[ES-347]

@ Theo Scharpach: I had been ripped off by this man, unbelieveable story, I just can warn the comunity according mine and other experiences I learned in the meantime about "crazy Theo", my recommendation is not to trust this man... PM me for details if interested, I am glad to share these incl. all prooves.

I'd take it to a luthier who builds archtops for a living - NOT your standard repair guy..

Daniel Slaman and Richard Heeres in The Hague, Theo Scharpach in Limburg. Possibly there are more guys. Problem is they usually have a large workload and are not that interested in repairs, but they are the most qualified for the job.

50s P90s are plentiful on Ebay.

Here's a useful link:
http://www.gitaarnet.nl/magazine/art...elen/adam.php3

[Walter Broes]

Do it, or rather, have it done right. I have a friend who did exactly this to a single pickup 175, and if he hadn't told me or I'd never looked at the label, I would have never known it.

You're going to need a "narrow cover" P90 for this guitar, and the antiquities have those. Around 1954 P90 covers got a lot bigger. And you'll need a spacer to put that bridge pickup on. No real need to worry about the bracing, because sitting on that spacer, chances are you won't have to do a full pickup rout, it'll sit on the spacer and probably not even go through the top.

Btw, your Bigsby is most definitely not original - there weren't any in 1952. And the one on your guitar is a fairly recent one at that.

[buckaroo]

nice save.

[Daniel Marques]

@ Theo Scharpach: I had been ripped off by this man, unbelieveable story, I just can warn the comunity according mine and other experiences I learned in the meantime about "crazy Theo", my recommendation is not to trust this man... PM me for details if interested, I am glad to share these incl. all prooves.

I have quite dubious impressions about this luthier. Would like to hear better what happened.
A couple of years ago he almost convinced me of buying a guitar. Let me know better about your experience.