Gibson ES-175D Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1958)
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Item # 12256
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Gibson ES-175D Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1958), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-28717, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
The guitar is a lovely and nicely original example of a double-pickup ES-175D from arguably Gibson's finest era, the late 1950s. It mounts two of the new pickups Gibson had recently developed, the now universally venerated PAF humbuckers. The "Artist" serial number on the white label inside indicates this guitar was shipped in late December 1958 or the first few days of 1959; the factory order number stamped under the treble side f-hole dates to 1958. The ES-175 was the first model to receive the new humbucking pickup upgrade; this guitar carries a stunning set of original untampered with nickel-plated PAFs with clean stickers on the underside and untouched solder joints on the covers and wiring. Over the years, many of these fine hollowbody guitars have been stripped of their electronics (material for all the "extra" 1950s Sunburst Les Pauls floating around had to come from somewhere), so finding one with the pickups and wiring rig completely intact is now a distinct treat.
Apart from its now-legendary electronics this ES-175D features a sunburst finish laminated maple body with triple-bound top and single-bound back. The mahogany neck is topped with a bound rosewood fingerboard inset with pearloid double parallelogram inlays. The unbound headstock features a pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay, and carries original Kluson Deluxe tuners with "single line" keystone buttons. The nickel-plated tailpiece is the second "wavy" version specific to this model, the original bridge is the standard Gibson rosewood adjustable piece.
This guitar represents the apex of Gibson's 16" electric Jazz guitar perennial, which had been in continuous production since its debut in 1949. With two humbucking pickups and the four knob/one switch wiring rig that has become the standard Gibson electric layout, this is a truly classic Gibson creation and remains one of the company standards. While the model has long been a mainstay of too many jazz players to count, the double-pickup ES-175 is actually a much rarer instrument than many believe; only 285 sunburst examples were shipped in 1958, and 324 in 1959; few will have survived as clean as this one. The 1959 list price was $310, plus $42.50 for the flannel-lined brown cast that this guitar is still equipped with.
Although often pigeon-holed as a jazz guitar the ES-I75D is actually a very versatile instrument suitable for a range of styles. Steve Howe famously played one with Yes in the early 1970s; Richard Thompson also did so on the earliest Fairport Convention records. In the lower volume environments common today this ES-175D can handle practically anything with grace, style and that always amazing PAF tone.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a truly beautiful guitar overall, all original and very well preserved with minimal wear overall including some very light checking and tiny dings, dents and scrapes; there is one feelable small dink in the back of the neck behind the third fret and some deeper scratching to the rim above the tailpiece. There is some typical light staining to the top under the bridge feet from the oils leaching out of the rosewood base. The nickel plating shows some clouding and light corrosion; someone discreetly etched their driver's license number in the baseplate of the tailpiece long ago. The tuner buttons on the original Kluson Deluxe machines are exact repros; this is common as '50-59 buttons are notorious for crumbling.
All other parts are original including crucially the two early PAF pickups and wiring, which at this late date are often removed from this model for Les Paul recreations. The ES-175D is the prime victim in these PAF abduction cases, having the two correct pickups plus the original pots, switch, wiring and caps and single-line Kluson Deluxe tuners that are also coveted. This guitar has fortunately escaped that fate, remaining completely intact. The pickguard has some very minor scratching on the top and has only curled up slightly, less than many do.
The original frets and fingerboard on this guitar show very little wear; we can only assume the guitar was simply not played much. It never even had a strap button added. This is, as expected a truly superb sounding instrument; while these pickups are prized for their hard rock capabilities they also offer a lovely touch-sensitive sound on a hollowbody with many nuanced tonal shades. While a perennially popular guitar these original unaltered PAF-equipped ES-175D's are rarer than generally thought of and something of an endangered species today. This is about the nicest '58-9 example we have seen, complete in its original brown HSC with some general wear and a period Gibson Sonomatic string box in the pocket. Overall Excellent + Condition.
The guitar is a lovely and nicely original example of a double-pickup ES-175D from arguably Gibson's finest era, the late 1950s. It mounts two of the new pickups Gibson had recently developed, the now universally venerated PAF humbuckers. The "Artist" serial number on the white label inside indicates this guitar was shipped in late December 1958 or the first few days of 1959; the factory order number stamped under the treble side f-hole dates to 1958. The ES-175 was the first model to receive the new humbucking pickup upgrade; this guitar carries a stunning set of original untampered with nickel-plated PAFs with clean stickers on the underside and untouched solder joints on the covers and wiring. Over the years, many of these fine hollowbody guitars have been stripped of their electronics (material for all the "extra" 1950s Sunburst Les Pauls floating around had to come from somewhere), so finding one with the pickups and wiring rig completely intact is now a distinct treat.
Apart from its now-legendary electronics this ES-175D features a sunburst finish laminated maple body with triple-bound top and single-bound back. The mahogany neck is topped with a bound rosewood fingerboard inset with pearloid double parallelogram inlays. The unbound headstock features a pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay, and carries original Kluson Deluxe tuners with "single line" keystone buttons. The nickel-plated tailpiece is the second "wavy" version specific to this model, the original bridge is the standard Gibson rosewood adjustable piece.
This guitar represents the apex of Gibson's 16" electric Jazz guitar perennial, which had been in continuous production since its debut in 1949. With two humbucking pickups and the four knob/one switch wiring rig that has become the standard Gibson electric layout, this is a truly classic Gibson creation and remains one of the company standards. While the model has long been a mainstay of too many jazz players to count, the double-pickup ES-175 is actually a much rarer instrument than many believe; only 285 sunburst examples were shipped in 1958, and 324 in 1959; few will have survived as clean as this one. The 1959 list price was $310, plus $42.50 for the flannel-lined brown cast that this guitar is still equipped with.
Although often pigeon-holed as a jazz guitar the ES-I75D is actually a very versatile instrument suitable for a range of styles. Steve Howe famously played one with Yes in the early 1970s; Richard Thompson also did so on the earliest Fairport Convention records. In the lower volume environments common today this ES-175D can handle practically anything with grace, style and that always amazing PAF tone.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a truly beautiful guitar overall, all original and very well preserved with minimal wear overall including some very light checking and tiny dings, dents and scrapes; there is one feelable small dink in the back of the neck behind the third fret and some deeper scratching to the rim above the tailpiece. There is some typical light staining to the top under the bridge feet from the oils leaching out of the rosewood base. The nickel plating shows some clouding and light corrosion; someone discreetly etched their driver's license number in the baseplate of the tailpiece long ago. The tuner buttons on the original Kluson Deluxe machines are exact repros; this is common as '50-59 buttons are notorious for crumbling.
All other parts are original including crucially the two early PAF pickups and wiring, which at this late date are often removed from this model for Les Paul recreations. The ES-175D is the prime victim in these PAF abduction cases, having the two correct pickups plus the original pots, switch, wiring and caps and single-line Kluson Deluxe tuners that are also coveted. This guitar has fortunately escaped that fate, remaining completely intact. The pickguard has some very minor scratching on the top and has only curled up slightly, less than many do.
The original frets and fingerboard on this guitar show very little wear; we can only assume the guitar was simply not played much. It never even had a strap button added. This is, as expected a truly superb sounding instrument; while these pickups are prized for their hard rock capabilities they also offer a lovely touch-sensitive sound on a hollowbody with many nuanced tonal shades. While a perennially popular guitar these original unaltered PAF-equipped ES-175D's are rarer than generally thought of and something of an endangered species today. This is about the nicest '58-9 example we have seen, complete in its original brown HSC with some general wear and a period Gibson Sonomatic string box in the pocket. Overall Excellent + Condition.