Bill Frisell reunited with his 1968 Gibson ES-175 after 37 years apart

[@wowowawawaw5530]

The way he tells the story is so kind and and so humble. Pure joy listening to him talk or play.

[@That52TeleGuy]

Wow, this actually brought tears to my eyes thinking about long lost guitars sold for one reason or another. I sold my loved Gibson ES-347 to buy a Martin D-28 and it is one of they select few of what was I thinking at the time except for lack of cash. To be reunited with a lost love is beyond emotional. After 40 years and many guitars I still long for a return of that ES-347, unfortunately no idea what the serial number was only where the infamous deal went down. I eventually bought another Gibson ES and traded it for an LS4 that I still have and love. I added an ES-335 historic, but what can I say, nothing can replace what once was. Got to go and dry my eyes

[@gringochucha]

"Man, you gotta check out Charlie Parker." xD

[@anotherheadlessdemo]

:)

[@josuecintron7230]

I am so happy for you Mr. Bill Frisell

[@sandrovaldrighi3528]

It's very good to know that you find your precious 175, Bill. Amazing story! I admire you very much, Bill. I live in Brazil but I'm a happy man 'cause I had the opportunity to watch you playing at the Blue Note, in NYC, a couple of years ago with Lee Konitz, Joey Baron and Gary Peacock. A real dream team in my opinion! It was an amazing experience. All the best, Bill.

[@byrdlandplayer1]

I could feel the passion you have for that guitar as you told the story. So glad you are reunited. Enjoy.

[@Younguitarplayer]

Incredible how the love we put into some things comes back no matter what!

[@southernmonkey64]

If you love something set it Free."..Of it comes back to you,it's ment to be yours Forever!

[@jeddak]

Great story. Really glad BF was reunited. The gear we regret letting go of is usually never seen again.

[@Brazosarts]

What a happy and wonderful journey and story. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@gaca2737]

Awesome - you're the best Mr Frisell - love the line about checking out Bird!

[@alexdante]

The sweetest person I've ever met! So Happy for Mr.Frissell.

[@yoshy321]

These videos are so precious thank you! Bill please keep living! I can't wait to see you in Brisbane in a few months x

[@sethmilman]

Kind of cool to think about the people who owned it in the interim never new they were playing Bill Frisell's guitar.

[@philmaz14]

Love this story and love Bill. Thank you!

[@mylesandmore]

Such a similar story... I had mine from 1966 thru 1972. I played in a great R&B band at Michigan State, but after graduation no longer played professionally, and wanting to get a great deal on a Pioneer Stereo system at the music store, I decided to sell my ES 175 D for $250.00. Last November I was able to re-buy an ES-175D... not my original '66 mind you, but a stunning 1995 version that in some ways is finer than the one I had. This was inspired by seeing "Riki and the Flash" where Rick Springfield is forced to sell his beloved vintage SG. My wife felt very sad that I had to sell my fabulous 175 when we were young and I was able to find a very nice one at Mckenzie River Guitars. It joined by 92 Fender Strat Deluxe Plus. I'm still enjoying playing.

[@drgruvloch]

I was just thinking today that I might sell my ES 175D that I bought new in 1973. It's been sitting in its case in the corner since I fixed up my Stratocaster. I think I'll go pick up my Old friend and play a couple tunes ... and hang on to the Gibson and the memories...

[@JRandallS]

So I watched this video and then found myself in the kitchen retelling the story to my wife...and I got choked up. Holy smokes. Well Bill, if I ever get my old 1978 Roland G808 (Ibanez Musician) back, I'll feel the same way.

[@gangnamstylegrandpa6352]

Touching video , I remember so many guitars I wish I would have kept . After a while they get like family , some are good dependable tools , some are part of you . I started playing in 63' , I still think of the guitars I wish I would have kept , and the guitars I wish I would have never bought or traded for !

[@MrEnzoprestinenzi]

I was riunited with my old 1984 Gibson ES 335 Custom Shop just a few days ago, after almost 30 years after I sold it. It took me a while to have it back, and quite some money, but it was worthwile :)

[@macsarcule]

Bill Frisell is a goddamn treasure 💜

[@johnfenner347]

A Great Player, And Story. This Is What It’s All About. I’ve Just Gone Back To A “175”, After 40 Years. Sadly, Not My Original Guitar !. Greetings From Scotland.

[@robertchallen]

great story. Glad you didn't drop it while you were talking..there were a couple of moments there when I thought it was going Down!

[@Dedhedted71]

I find it also amazing that the guitar wound up in the same city that Bill lives in. This reunion was destiny.

[@MrDuncmck]

thats great !!! fan from way back.you and mike miller .so cool.i used to hang out with the old band ..Air pocket.that band changed my life ,the fowlers were from salt lake in the old days.westminster thing.zappa recruited a few from the department ,the old hole in the wall saloon on 400 south state street in salt lake.thanks bill !! congradulations!!!

[@joepalooka2145]

Great story, I wish we all could get back the guitars we used to have years ago that we sold by mistake, or were stolen. My 1957 Fender Telecaster was stolen from me back in the '70s and I still miss it.

[@anaktorias]

this incredible, fantastic, Avant-Guardian Angel...thanks mr. Frisell...

[@davidweden1413]

Bill, the music store where you sold your ES-175 was the Record Garage, a very popular hangout in the 1970s. I used to frequent the RG back in those days, they had dozens of vintage guitars in there, wish I had bought them all!

[@VoodooDewey69]

Happy reunion for sure .

[@DwightMS1]

Thanks for the happy ending. And let that be a lesson to all of us: think, feel, before you sell.

[@telecasterbear]

This is the good stuff. Thanks Bill.

[@brycejamesfilm5]

That’s so cool I’m glad you got your guitar back!

[@davidweden1413]

The name of he store in Harvard Square was "The Record Garage", I remember walking downstairs, they had awesome used stuff.

[@justinbeech2681]

David Weden that was a great store , I purchased my first electric guitar there back in 1980 , an Ibanez AR 50 , still have it !

[@SuperCarver2011]

Wow! What a find after 37 years..that guitar had to be part of your soul and no amount of money could every compensate (priceless) or replace it for it's history. If it could talk, I'm sure it would have lots of stories to tell. Good thing you found a scrap of paper in your mother's home with the serial number. 1966 was the last year of the Ted McCarty era at Gibson, and those guitars from that period before Norlin acquired Gibson resulting in the quality of their instruments to suffer, are highly prized by collectors for their exquisite tone. An ES-175 with a P90 definitely is one of these.

[@Disharmonikash]

what kind of savage dislikes this kind of videos? apaling

[@reah7213]

@@vhollund one day the dislikes will have a moment of clarity and in a rage, tear down their CD-towers of the entire Tony Macalpine catalogue.

[@j.jester7821]

I dont know, Bill is a pretty dull speaker.

[@davidweden1413]

The little music store in Cambridge, downstairs, was called, "The Record Garage". It closed in the early 80s.

[@sparkletune]

I remember that store. As you went down there was an ancient Gibson acoustic sign that could be rotated to show different models - kind of a row of blocks with one piece of the picture on each.

[@Multiwizard]

I still have my Fresher ES-175 which sounds still great too... :-D

[@jameskrys5286]

Wow. It's like that guitar followed him to Seattle! I've been to Thunder Road Guitars, very cool store.

[@steveb9325]

What a beautiful story! All us guitarist have "the one that got away or sold or stolen away" stories that hurt and never or rarely get back. Happy for Bill. Know its personal though I'd love to know what they charged him. Of course being who he is, I'm sure they were more than fair.

[@christopherhanna5754]

I just can't hit like enough times for this story.

[@michaeljconway5983]

It would be great to hear the guitar's story, where it went and who with all the 37 years in between... It made it from Cambridge MA to Seattle WA - it must have been an interesting journey.

[@JavierTijuana]

Sweet story. Loved it.

[@guitargoalie27]

In high school, I paid $400 for a 1963 ES-175 D I found in the music closet of the band room. 15 years later, I traded my beloved 1963 ES-175 D for a 1964 Jazzmaster, and I will forever regret it. It haunts me every day. I can only hope I am reunited with my guitar someday.

[@Yannplaysguitar]

Barry Crider crossing my fingers buddy

[@StevenClements]

What a fantastic story!

[@3340steve]

It makes me wish I still had the SG I bought in 1973...or the butter coloured Tele I had in 1995....

[@EricWagram]

Cool - you got lucky . One question though. This guitar looks like a 50's model the way its set up with one pickup , two knobs. etc. You mention some mods you/your teacher made. Was that the intent? Its also a little tricky reading Gibson serial numbers...

[@Yannplaysguitar]

God I could cry to that

[@FriendM2010]

Great story ... I graduated HS 1976, we did stupid things in the 70’s 🥴. I was on my way back from Ann Arbor to SoCal in ‘78, I did a smart thing and bought a brand new Martin HD 28 from a small shop... Case was vac sealed to a shipping sheet... I said, what’s that one, he got the razor knife out and broke the seal .. 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳. The second owner will get it when I am planted 🤘

[@horstlippitsch]

Bill, The living legend🙏🙏

[@d1i2a3n4n5e6]

Bill,the Guitar found you!

[@NN-tk7uw]

Great story!

[@PaoloManzini24]

"No one put a Floyd Rose on it!" ahahahah

[@juliusdocj7731]

bill frisell the magician. grande bill, immenso.

[@abdelahmadi]

the internet delivers on its promise.

[@emptymusic5305]

Apparently my comment below got truncated. (clears throat...) In conclusion and going by the evidence, this is either a pre 1958 L4, or a post 1958 L4 custom order with a P-90, or a post 1958 L4 that happened to have a P-90 mounted because Gibson was notorious for doing that kinda stuff. Calling Sherlock Holmes... calling Sherlock Holmes...

[@babybison]

we'll have to wait until Bill takes this onto UK Antiques Road Show to find out what he paid for it at Thunder Road Guitars but as this was back in 2014 and not 2022, he made a sound investement

[@garyssimo]

Too funny! I went from a big body Gibson L 5 copy with same colors by Samik and bought an SG by Epiphone. Im keeping my big girl but the SG is way lighter and easier r to play. I paid 700 for both amazingly. The Samik came wit Seymore Duncans pickups

[@Bobby007D]

Dale liked my '48 L-4C

[@justinbeech2681]

That store in Harvard sq was called at one point “ the record garage”

[@arts4money]

In 1971 I worked in a little guitar shop on Mass Ave between Harvard & Central Square, down a few steps, next to Jack’s bar. It was owned by a classical guitarist/teacher named Gil de Jesus.

[@emptymusic5305]

It's a great story, but, it is unlikely in the extreme that this is a 175. But what it IS... that's another matter. As others have pointed out, the f holes and headstock are bound, and they weren't on the 1968 ES-175, or any other 175 for that matter. That was an ornamentation that was reserved for the fancy Gibson solid top archtops like the L4 and L5. Go on Reverb and look at the 1960 ES-175s. All plain headstocks, all unbound f holes. Also, look at the bridge. See the white ornamentation on either side? That's what's on a L4, not a 175, though the bridge could easily not be original. But it's the pickup that confounds things. On the ES-175 the bridge pickup is mounted away from the end of the fretboard. On the L4, it's right up against the end. It's impossible to tell without a ruler, but to my eyes, this pickup is in neither position. It's farther away that on a L4 but closer than on a 175. I'm looking at my VOS es-175 right now, and it seems farther away. Of course, this is subjective on my part. Let it pass. But what isn't subjective is this - this is a dogeared P-90 pickup. Gibson stopped using P-90s on 175s AND L4s in 1958. They still appear on ES-125s, which was considered the student model. But this is definitely not a 125. I own one, and it doesn't have the fancy binding mentioned above. version Other's probably know a lot more about this stuff than I do. Any thoughts?

[@burnwash8174]

Cool story.

[@rhmayer1]

For another great reunited-with-old-guitar story, check out Michael Hedges' story about his stolen duBorg (plus some of his wonderful playing at the beginning of the vid): kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYbWl5ZulpmWj7s

[@davidallen346]

I wonder if I'll be united with a black strat I've sold / traded in 1994 Nope

[@richardhewitt3470]

Are we all SURE this is an ES-175? With mahogany back and sides, a bound headstock, and bound f-holes? Looks more like an L4CES to me. Lovely story though, thanks for posting.

[@chrishenson4450]

Fantastic! You sold it for $400 37 years ago. I'm dying to know what you paid to get it back. None of my business, I know.

[@Peter-em7wl]

In other words, $400 in 1968 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $2,886.29 in 2018, a difference of $2,486.29 over 50 years. The 1968 inflation rate was 4.19%. The inflation rate in 2018 was 2.44%

[@danielstoddard943]

If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you(37 years later),it was meant to be… 😂

[@stevenedwards4470]

Good

[@signalahead8865]

Very cool story and video. I just wish the interviewer would stop saying "Yeah" in the background. He literally says nothing else for like six and a half of the seven damn minutes. I guess I shouldn't be angry, but he's like, "Then my mom died..." The interviewer, "Yeah."

[@bandicoot5412]

I've done this too many times, get these dumb ideas that getting rid of something to get something else, or not into a certain style, never say never, its all human dopey condition stuff, glad ya got it back. Wish I kept some of my axes, ya know.

[@cwsingerjr8805]

I'll bet so many guitarists have let their "children" go only to regret it later. I know I have but none with the pedigree of Mr. Frisell's.

[@drfunkology8164]

awesome. glad your a great player and not a story teller. :)

[@MastanehNazarian]

david zepeda if you ever see him perform or do a clinic, he is the most amazingly engaging talker ever! Seriously.

[@mediumcool1]

Link is dead.

[@perrysar5954]

Bill can't put a sentence together so he speaks so eloquently through his guitar,the majority of virtuosos suffer the same brain short circuit

[@Toddobvious]

It’s beautiful, but doesn’t suit his mature style

[@j.jester7821]

I love Bill Frisell, but listening to him talk is Soooo boring.

[@orbodman]

Hard to listen to.

[@advidoo]

a 175 with bound 'f'' holes ?

[@bogthing1]

Great story!