barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have been enjoying jamming on an ES137 at a local shop and I dig it. I believe it is pretty much the same thing as a H525 outside of the pickups and tailpiece. From what I have read, the trap tailpiece was dropped from the 135 to the 137 which has a stop bar due to the vibration when played acoustically. Has anyone experienced this with the H525? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxdx99 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Hi Barry - no (unwanted) vibration on my 525. That is, the stop piece isn't creating any noise. It was, however, designed and built by this group of guys that's been building them for a few decades... just a bit of experience there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 I know that this is quality you can generally trust. Just a curiosity. That is all. It is a real bummer that there isn't a dealer around Atlanta that actually stocks Heritage. Hopefully I can make it to PSPIII and play on a couple. This is definitely one I wanna play. This, a 575 and a Sweet 16. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
111518 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 A couple of things. First, 135 and 137 are both semi's, so the trapeze on the 135 was cosmetic, in the sense that the guitar could have had a stop originally, or one could be easily retrofitted, as so many people did to 335's with trapeze tailpieces. I think Gibson did eventually make some 135's with stops, just as they made some with 'buckers. I think perhaps the "vibration" issue you are talking about is simply the long standing idea that a stop on a semi gives more sustain than a trapeze, with dissipates more energy. I have a 135, play it a lot, and the design of the bridge and trapeze is the same as on generations of semi-hollow guitars --335s, Riveras, etc. No particular vibration in the sense of something that produces noise. The 525, as I understand it, is hollow --no center block. Some have floating bridges, some have bridges mounted into the top (which I assume is braced to accept it), but I don't think you could put a traditional stop on a hollow body without some kind of block to receive it. If sustain is the primary concern, why would you buy a full hollow guitar? All of course my humble 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Sustain isn't the issue. Just read that there was a vibration noise issue with the 135s. Just curious. I have noticed that some have the 525 listed as a semi hollow. Of course, this is the net........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psda Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Sustain isn't the issue. Just read that there was a vibration noise issue with the 135s. Just curious. I have noticed that some have the 525 listed as a semi hollow. Of course, this is the net........... I've never had any vibration issues with my 525. Has no center block, so should pass off as a hollow body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Cool deal. Now I wonder the sound difference between the 525 and 137/135. Anyone who has has played both? Particularly the 135 with P100's and the 525 P90's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
111518 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I haven't had the chance to play a 525, but I can offer the fact that my 135 went from being an ok guitar to being a real favorite when I changed out the P-100s for P-90s. The P-100s were not horrible, but just like every version of a noise-reducing strat pickup that I've ever played, it was sort of like throwing a blanket over your amp. A single coil is a single coil, and a bucker is a bucker, and P-100s are buckers that just look a lot like P-90s. (I have a my pair of P-100s in a drawer somewhere, if anyone is interested.) The only downside of the 135 now is that it makes it really difficult for me to justify chasing a 525, even though it is a very appealing guitar to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 I haven't had the chance to play a 525, but I can offer the fact that my 135 went from being an ok guitar to being a real favorite when I changed out the P-100s for P-90s. The P-100s were not horrible, but just like every version of a noise-reducing strat pickup that I've ever played, it was sort of like throwing a blanket over your amp. A single coil is a single coil, and a bucker is a bucker, and P-100s are buckers that just look a lot like P-90s. (I have a my pair of P-100s in a drawer somewhere, if anyone is interested.) The only downside of the 135 now is that it makes it really difficult for me to justify chasing a 525, even though it is a very appealing guitar to me. The killer for me is that the 137 does sound great and it is priced at 1999 at local stores. I have no idea what a 525 would run, but I am sure it is around there somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 The killer for me is that the 137 does sound great and it is priced at 1999 at local stores. I have no idea what a 525 would run, but I am sure it is around there somewhere. Another killer is, I was offered a 135 at a KILLER deal and just wasnt in a position to take advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundersteel Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I bought my ES-137 new this past spring for $1200. I sold it because I couldn't get past the snot-green plastic inlays. Also, there were extra holes drilled beneath the neck pup ring. I'm guessing they mis-drilled and the pup ring covered up their mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 I bought my ES-137 new this past spring for $1200. I sold it because I couldn't get past the snot-green plastic inlays. Also, there were extra holes drilled beneath the neck pup ring. I'm guessing they mis-drilled and the pup ring covered up their mistake. Doesn't surprise me in the least. Sounds like nothing has changed since I last sold Gibsons nearly 8 years ago. I do have to ask, how did you swing getting it for 1200? I haven't seen anything less than 1950. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I have been enjoying jamming on an ES137 at a local shop and I dig it. I believe it is pretty much the same thing as a H525 outside of the pickups and tailpiece. From what I have read, the trap tailpiece was dropped from the 135 to the 137 which has a stop bar due to the vibration when played acoustically. Has anyone experienced this with the H525? I've got the same tailpiece on both my 525 and my 575. The one on my 525 is fine while the one on my 575 makes noise. The only solution I've been able to come up with so far is threading a piece of black felt through the strings near the bottom of the tailpiece on the 575. Kills the noise but looks ugly. At some point I'll probably try changing it out altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Another killer is, I was offered a 135 at a KILLER deal and just wasnt in a position to take advantage. Do yourself a favor and save for the 525. You'll be glad you did! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyguy Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 The killer for me is that the 137 does sound great and it is priced at 1999 at local stores. I have no idea what a 525 would run, but I am sure it is around there somewhere.I owned a brand new es 137 couple of years ago.MUD is the best way to describe the tone.I even took the pup's out of my '67 335(they are very bright,same as early 60's paf's)and put them in the dog.No change at all.I finally figured out why.The 137 is a wolf in sheeps clothing.It looks like an archtop but sounds exactly like a Les Paul w/full compression on it.Got rid of that POS.Oh Yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 I actually played a 137 in a store not long ago... it actually sounded nice. I wouldn't describe it as mud. Knowing Gibson's consistency, I would completely believe you had a dog and I got a good one. haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundersteel Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I do have to ask, how did you swing getting it for 1200? I haven't seen anything less than 1950. My local music store was having their semi-annual "blowout" sale. That's also how I picked up my Marshall DSL 50 head for only $850! It looks like an archtop but sounds exactly like a Les Paul w/full compression on it. To me, it sounded like a cross between a Les Paul and an ES-335. It had a 3-piece neck, and the wood was very flamey, but it just didn't say "keep me" when I played it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzpunk Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 I actually played a 137 in a store not long ago... it actually sounded nice. I wouldn't describe it as mud. Knowing Gibson's consistency, I would completely believe you had a dog and I got a good one. haha. I don't know man, being the overlord of the Heritage myspace and all, I think you should be savin' up to add another Heritage to your list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrymclark Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share Posted December 8, 2009 I don't know man, being the overlord of the Heritage myspace and all, I think you should be savin' up to add another Heritage to your list! haha. No, i don't own one of the ES (any models). Just played one in a store. Of course, I do have a bias. A slant towards Heritage. One day, I will order one. Money just has to get there. Surprised you knew that I ran the myspace page. haha. SEEING AS HOW THERE IS NO LINK FROM HERE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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