Gibson ES-175D Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1962), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 49784, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This is a truly superb double-pickup ES-175D from early 1962, completely original with amazingly little wear. This guitar represents the design apex of Gibson's 16" electric Jazz guitar perennial, with late examples of the truly amazing twin "PAF" humbucking pickups controlled by the four knob/one switch wiring rig that became the classic Gibson electric layout. Over the years, many of these very fine instruments have been stripped of their electronics which are highly sought after for Les Paul re-creations; an unaltered example even from this late final-PAF-era stage is increasingly rare these days.
This guitar features a sunburst finished laminated maple body with triple-bound top and single-bound back. The mahogany neck is topped with a single-bound rosewood fingerboard inset with pearloid double parallelogram inlays. This guitar has the noticeably flatter neck profile common to early '60s Gibsons but has more depth than some earlier examples and feels very comfortable. The nickel-plated tailpiece is a special design used only on the ES-175 and the bridge is the standard rosewood adjustable style. The unbound headstock features a pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay, and carries Kluson Deluxe tuners with the recently introduced "double line" keystone buttons.
While to many players an ES-175 instantly murmurs "jazz" when plugged in, the double pickup D model is actually a fairly versatile guitar suitable for a wide range of styles. Numerous jazz greats including Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Kenney Burrell, Pat Metheny and more have made it a mainstay but sophisticated rock players including Steve Howe of Yes and Richard Thompson (in the earliest Fairport Convention days) made good use of this model as well. This ES-175D can lend class or badass depending on the context!
The serial number puts this guitar as shipped in early 1962. At that time the list price was $340, plus $50 for the "Faultless" case; it was more expensive than either an ES-335 or (by $50) a Les Paul/SG Standard. Although considered a "common'" model these are rarer than many think; only 373 double pickup sunburst finish 175s left Kalamazoo that year and few will have survived as brilliantly as this one. The instrument is completely original with no alterations and the original untouched PAF pickups intact showing only some light wear, still housed in the original yellow-lined black HSC.
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 one of the nicest early '60s ES-175s we have seen; a shaded sunburst beauty with a maximum of grace and style. The all-original finish shows some very light checking but only minimal play wear. The headstock face has the heaviest checking and a touched-up chip to the upper side of the truss rod cavity, likely from someone turning a wrench too quickly long ago; This is just visible under the edge of the cover. Ther is a small scratch above this, a shallow mar on the other side of the cover and a flake out of the lacquer on the "crown" inlay; all really pretty minor stuff.
The body finish shows a few tiny scuffs and dings; the back of the neck is extremely clean with a little feelable checking and a couple of tiny dents. All hardware is complete and original; The PAFs have never had the covers removed; the decal is fully intact on the beck pickup and slightly flakes on the bridge unit. The nickel plating on the pickup covers and tailpiece show some light tarnish. The original frets look to have been crowned down just a bit and this is a very fine-playing and sounding guitar, not quite a time capsule but close. The original yellow-lined black HSC is included, in fine shape overall. Excellent + Condition.
