Gibson ES-175DN Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1957), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-24905, natural lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, brown tolex hard shell case.
This is a good player's example of one of the very last ES-175D's with the original P-90 pickups, the more versatile version of Gibson's classic "Working Man's" hollowbody archtop guitar. When this one was built in early 1957 the single-pickup ES-175 was already an established success with players for its combination of sound and playability at a moderate price. The ES-175 first appeared in 1949 but the two-pickup ES-175D was not catalogued as a stock model until 1953 (a few custom examples had been built earlier). The second pickup at the bridge creates a wider sonic palette, although many jazz players (even today) prefer the sound of the neck PU alone. All other features of both models were the same, the "D" just adding the extra pickup, knobs, and switch to the mix.
The laminated maple body is finished in a natural lacquer that has ambered nicely over the decades, triple-bound on the front and single-bound on the back. The neck is single-bound with split parallelogram inlay in the rosewood fingerboard. The headstock carries the pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay and Kluson Deluxe tuners with "keystone" buttons. The hardware includes double P-90 pickups with black plastic covers, the standard Gibson rosewood bridge, a 5-ply beveled-edge pickguard, earlier L-7 style tailpiece, and tone and volume controls with amber "hatbox" knobs.
The orange Gibson label bears an "Artist" serial number dating the original shipment to early February 1957; the factory order number stamped under the treble F-hole indicates fabrication in late 1956. Poetically enough 175 of these double pickup natural ES-175's were shipped in 1957; many of those would have had the new humbucking pickups. This one has had some adventures along the way but remains an excellent playing and sounding instrument. This era's ES-175 has been used by too many jazz guitar greats to count; double-pickup examples like this one are fully suitable for that classic "Blue Note" sound but also make great early rock'n'roll, rockabilly and R&B guitars.
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 5/16 in. (8.4 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.). Overall this is fairly clean, nice playing and sounding guitar. It shows some general play wear and has had probably several surgeries on the electronics over the years but is now restored to its original configuration. The clear lacquer finish is original, with no wholesale overfinishing bit a small touch up in one spot (we'll get to that!). Overall it shows some moderate checking and light average playwear, mostly some dings in the back of the neck. The headstock is fairly well worn and checked as well, and there is a large spot worn off the lower heel from play.
The pickups are original 1950s dog-ear P-90's (we can't say for sure they are original to THIS guitar, but they are correct style and era) but pretty much the entire wiring rig is newer including the pots, caps and switch, with a chrome jackplate added to the side. There is a filled hole in the top below the pickguard on the level with the neck pickup; we have no idea what this was for but is was sealed up and topically touched up long ago. There were humbuckers installed in the guitar at some point, and small holes remain under the P-90 covers attesting to this.
Most of the rest of the hardware is original including the cast tailpiece, adjustable rosewood bridge, laminated B/W/B pickguard and amber knobs. The tuners are later repros of the correct Kluson Deluxe style, something else was likely fitted for a time but there are no obtrusive marks left behind.
The neck angle is excellent, and the guitar has been refretted with wire appropriate to the period. These frets show some wear but are still fully playable. The sound is the typical warm 1950's P-90 Gibson tone, with the brighter honk of the bridge pickup that can be added if desired. While no longer a fully original instrument this is an excellent player's example, with no really notable external evidence of a checkered past except that mysterious plugged hole! It looks and sounds as it should, complete in a modern brown Gibson HSC. Overall Very Good + Condition.
