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A friend asked me if I could build him an acoustic guitar that looked like a Gibson ES-175. The 175 is one of Gibson's flagship jazz guitars - pressed laminated top and back, fairly deep body, f-holes, Florentine cutaway. They usually have P90 pickups and are almost always played plugged in.

I told him I could make a flat top in that shape but had no idea how it would sound - he gave me the go ahead. The guitar is Lutz spruce braced more or less like an archtop with a little more dome than is normal, mahogany back and sides, and a few special touches to suit the customer (he is a painter of custom motorcycles and did the cherry burst). The fretboard markers were his request and altho he says he won't plug it in I did install a K&K soundboard transducer while the box was open.











Here is the insides



I'm pleasantly surprised by the sound - it is clear, balanced, with lots of fundamentals - sounds remarkably like an archtop (duh). Since I've got all the jigs and tooling I figure I'd better make one for myself.

I like it!..except for the skulls.

I love it. Is the lower bout 16"?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

That is way cool. The ES-175 is one of my favorites. What is the volume like compared to a similar sized standard flat top?

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Nicely done!

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Sweet!!!!!!

Freeman,
I think you pretty well knocked it out of the park. Do I understand correctly that this is a flat top? Induced arch into the top and back? You mentioned "dome" and I assume you are referring to that. I love the ES-175 and I like red guitars, too. I also like mahogany guitars. The only thing I don't like about it are the skulls. Who can account for personal taste? I am glad you installed the transducer. At least it's there if he decides he wants to use it. I think this was a difficult challenge and I think you stepped up to the plate in a very nice way. I'm glad you posted this! Congratulations.

Patrick

Kick-ass!
I love the skulls: they help deter someone from playing country music on it.
I'd love to build one just like it!
Of course, I'd electrify it.
Really nice looking guitar!
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Totally cool. I dig it.

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George :-)

Very nice looking guitar. I love the red burst and even like the skulls.

I first decided to learn to build because I wanted to build a replica of the Gibson CF-100 which is on the same order as what you built so I like it a lot...

Nice to hear it has a good sound too.

Any chance you have any plans for it you would want to give me? I may even be willing to pay you for them if the price is right.

Cheers,
Bob

That looks fantastic. Is he using electric or Gypsy Jazz strings or just regular bronze? That makes a huge difference in guitars like that. How does it sound?

Skulls sound perfect for a motorcycle paint artist or Grateful Dead fan

Thank you, everyone. When we were designing this thing I told the owner that I could do the split block fret markers like an 175 - he kind of grinned at me and said "could you do skulls?" If you knew him, you would understand and after all, he is the Customer.

It was built from ES-175 plans (sourced from Australia) so it is the same size and depth. The cutway got shortened a tad (I broke it during the bending process....) and I simply built the top in my 16 foot radius dish so it is slightly more domed. With the bracing tapering at the sides it actually has a very slight recurve which wasn't expected. A couple of other fun parts - the owner brought me a guitar that he really likes (an old Goldtop Les Paul) and asked if I could duplicate the neck - it is slightly deeper than the 175 neck on the plans but feels good. Putting the transducer in was one of those last minute decisions - it had to go in before the back was put on since there isn't a sound hole - if he never plugs it in he's only out 90 bucks but I kind of like the plugged sound. I reinforced the insides of the f-holes with surgical tape and CA glue and bound them - when he did the finish he added a little black pinstripe around the f-holes and edge of the top - sets everything off nicely. The finish is nitro with StewMac tints to make the burst and the back color, the freboard, headplate, truss rod cover and pick guard are all ebony.

It really does sound like an archtop (and much better than the ES-175's that I've played unplugged) - bright, clear, lots of fundamentals - I naturally find myself playing the few jazzy things that I know. I strung it with medium/light coated PB's (Elixers) to try to tame some of the brightness - obviously that is one area that we can experiment.

A fun project and an interesting person to work with. I delivered it tonight but told him I want it back in a month to go over the setup.

Looks great. I'm amazed by the transformation of the mahogany under the finish.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

That looks really nice, sure wouldn't mind adding one of those to the collection.

Steve

Looks great! It will be interesting to see how it holds up long term -- conventional wisdom (which I admit many times is incorrect) does indicate that there should be a "lot" of arching, a fold (like Selmer), longitudinal braces or a heavyish ladder brace to resist the downward force of a tall movable bridge and trapeze/tail piece set up. I guess time will tell.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Very beautiful skulls and all. Your right give the client what they want wether it's your taste or not.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Do you happen to have pictures of the build in progress? Also do you have slink for the plans in Australia? thanks

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The completed guitar looks great. Another idea for the one you are building for yourself (or yet another): cat's eye soundholes and no cutaway. I love the look of old Gretsch arch tops, probably better than I like ES-175s, which I like a lot.

Build thread from a different forum

http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/for ... -an-es-175

Plans (for a ES-175) were from http://www.luthierssupplies.com.au