Yooper Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 These days I'm narrowing my desires down to these two. P-90s of course. Any input from those with experience with both models? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElNumero Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 These days I'm narrowing my desires down to these two. P-90s of course. Any input from those with experience with both models? What are the build and cosmetic differences? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yooper Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 What are the build and cosmetic differences? They are both hollow. The 525 has a single Florentine cut and a deeper body, and the 530 is a double cut like a 535. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bob Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I believe they are both laminate top and back. The 525 is a 575 with a laminate top and shallow rim. It will have a bigger body cavity and quite a bit less upper fret access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalismanRich Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I can't compare the 530 to the 525, but I can compare the 535 to the 525 in terms of playing. They're TOTALLY different feeling. I think you'll get a bigger, fuller sound out of the 525, the body can pick up resonance from an amp pretty readily. When I pull out the 525, it leads me to a different path. The song choices differ because the sound is different. I think that about 80% of the guitar's character is from the pickups, so a 525 and 530 should share a lot tonally in that respect. Obviously, the best way to tell is to play them both. Let your heart and soul decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhoadsScholar Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I have owned both. I still have a 530 but it is a custom 3"" depth jazz box with a 25 1/2 in scale. Between the standard 530 and the 525, I would pick the 525. It is slightly deeper and really reminded me of a nice older p90 175. A great rockibilly axe too if I didn't already have a Gretch. I found it to be quite versitle. When I tried to play the 525 live, I just could not tame those p90s. I also found the neck to be more fuller and slightly more stable with the 525 design. Don't know if all this helps but I believe if you narrowed it down to those two and could play them side by side (and wanted p90s) you would pick the 525. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad dog Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 What Rhoads is saying. I own a 525 now, tried out a 530 at length just before getting the 525, and had also tried a number of older Gibson ES-330s, and the RI ES-330s from Gibson. The H530 is essentially a more stable, better built version of the "extended neck" version of the Gibson ES-330 that was available for a few years starting in the late 60s. Earlier 330s came with the neck meeting the body at the 16th fret. Gibson tried a variant with neck/body joint at the 19th fret. Same scale, but a rather different playing and sounding instrument. They had some problems with neck stability on the 19th fret model. The H530 has that extended neck, joining at the 19th fret. I've not tried an original ES-330L (as Gibson now calls it their reissue of that model), but have tried a number of the regular neck ES-330s, vintage and reissue. The sound and feel is pretty different. I loved the playability of the H530, the upper fret access, but found the sound not to be as warm as the original style neck ES-330s. A bit harder edge on the 530, not quite the jazz depth I hear in the older ES-330s. The H525 seems to be inspired by both the original neck style ES-330s and the ES-225. Has the body depth of the ES-225 but a fixed bridge instead of the rather strange, one-piece trapeze/bridge that came stock on the 225. On this model, no arguments at all with the warmth and depth of sound. It is much like a P90 ES-175. Just one of those perfect sounds. I use it to learn jazz, along with an H-575 custom. Both are remarkable sounding guitars. If I had to choose just one, it would be the H525. The 530 has the same Lollar p/us, a great feel, a fine sound of its own. If I were playing louder and more on the rock side, that 530 would probably be the better choice. MD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Yooper~ I'll pile on to the already excellent comments/reviews above. I own both models and love them both for what they are. And they are different animals, but definitely from the same jungle. I tend to play my 525 more than most of my guitars. It just has so much going for it. It has pushed and shoved its way to being one of my favorite jazz guitars. With flatwounds, it simply sounds amazing. I didn't like it as much however, with roundwounds, even though the latter increased the instrument's versatility. The 530 is an excellent instrument, and would likely be great for Grant Green stylings, if flats used. However, since I already have the 525 with flats, the 530 gets the rounds. And I have no complaints about the tone. It is a unique, sweet tone that can get angry as you want if overdriven. But since both of the guitars compared here are full hollow, they will feedback if pushed for more volume, or if you are too close to your amp speaker. Bottom line...Much of your decision between a 530 and 525 may be depend on what type of music you plan on playing. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad dog Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Git: Beautiful instruments. That 530 is striking! md Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Flying Bird Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Yooper~ I'll pile on to the already excellent comments/reviews above. I own both models and love them both for what they are. And they are different animals, but definitely from the same jungle. I tend to play my 525 more than most of my guitars. It just has so much going for it. It has pushed and shoved its way to being one of my favorite jazz guitars. With flatwounds, it simply sounds amazing. I didn't like it as much however, with roundwounds, even though the latter increased the instrument's versatility. The 530 is an excellent instrument, and would likely be great for Grant Green stylings, if flats used. However, since I already have the 525 with flats, the 530 gets the rounds. And I have no complaints about the tone. It is a unique, sweet tone that can get angry as you want if overdriven. But since both of the guitars compared here are full hollow, they will feedback if pushed for more volume, or if you are too close to your amp speaker. Bottom line...Much of your decision between a 530 and 525 may be depend on what type of music you plan on playing. I hope this helps. This one really turned out well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yooper Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Thanks ever so much all. I would use the 525 for jazzier stuff. I'm thinking a 525 is the one. The "one" to compliment a couple 150s , an Eagle Classic, and a Tele... and maybe a 535 with Seths. That should do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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