ALL THINGS BIG AND SMALL 2.0

  From L to R: 1989 Greco FA-750, 1972 Gibson ES175, 2024 Tokai FA-320, 1968 Morris MB-1, 2006 Archtop Tribute AT-101. The tone of the Gibson ES-175 can be said to be what most people perceive as the tone of a jazz guitar. Users include some of the most well-known jazz guitarists of the time including Joe Pass, Pat Metheny, Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, Pat Martino, Howard Roberts, and countless others. Unfortunately, Gibson stopped production of jazz archtop guitars in 2019. Thus you can only find ES-175s on the used guitar market, and they still cost an arm and a leg ranging ranging from US$4,000 to US$18,000 depending on the year of manufacture, and condition of the guitar.  However, there are many Japanese guitar brands that sell copies of the ES-175 whether new or old or from the 70's Lawsuit era when Gibson sued Ibanez over copyrights of guitar design. They are affordable ranging from US$1500 to US$3000. The Japanese versions are not to be sneeered at. They are extremely well...

1. Indonesian Rock Star: Eross Candar of superband Shelia On 7 with me and my Gibson ES-335 2. 2009 Peerless New York. Street value US$ 1300 3. 1972 Gibson ES-175D: Street value US$4000 At last, after years of looking for an old Gibson ES-175D with the 'Mojo' , I am now the proud owner of a 1972 ES-175D. I must have tried out scores of ES-175D's but they either had no Mojo, or had the Mojo but were too expensive, especially those from the 50's and 60's. How this particular guitar ended up in Indonesia is a mystery since there were no Gibson dealers in Indonesia back then. Eventually it ended up in the hands of of Indonesian rock super-star Eross Candar, who used it for many years before selling it to well-known Indonesian guitar collector Hardianto Thenario also known as 'Ah Lok', the supplier of many beautiful guitars to top Indonesian musicians. On hearing of my quest for a ES175, and having heard me play jazz at a Surabaya club, Ah Lok graciously offere...