Gibson ES-175 Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1955)
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Item # 12510
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Gibson ES-175 Model Arch Top Hollow Body Electric Guitar (1955), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-21196, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black gig bag case.
This is an interesting player-modified example of a mid 1950s ES-175, Gibson's classic "Working Man's" electric archtop guitar. While some parts have been replaced the guitar still retains much of the classic character, with the unusual addition of a custom ebony fingerboard without any position markers. This modification appears to have been done a long time ago, as a player's upgrade. Interestingly jazz great John Pisano had a similarly modified ES-175 customized with an ebony board by John D'Angelico in the 1950s, but that one featured pearl block inlay.
Gibson introduced the ES-175 in 1949 and the model quickly proved successful, finding immediate acceptance for its excellent combination of sound and playability at a moderate price. Based on the factory order number ink-stamped inside this example was built in 1955, and the "Artist" serial number indicates it shipped out in August that year, one of 485 that left Kalamazoo in '55. The introduction of the double-pickup ES-175D in 1952 affected sales of the single pickup model somewhat, but many jazz players then and now still consider this original one pickup 175 the all-time classic for that genre.
The 16" wide sunburst-finished laminated maple body is triple-bound on the front and single bound on the back. The rosewood fingerboard is single bound with split parallelogram fingerboard inlays. The headstock carries the pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay. The tuners are older "Grover deluxe" Kluson style machines with "keystone" buttons, as fitted to some later Gibsons. The volume and tone controls are capped with repro numbered amber knobs, later-style rosewood adjustable bridge is fitted along with a repro tailpiece; the original laminated black plastic pickguard is still intact.
The single black plastic covered P-90 pickup is original; the wiring rig has been re-done with an interesting modification. There is a mini-plug inside the guitar connecting to the rig and the single coil P-90 can be quickly replaced with a humbucker. A later PAF style pickup is included; the small screw holes required to mount is are just about hidden under the P-90 cover, and the switch can be done fairly quickly if desired.
This particular style ES-175 was used by far too many jazz guitar greats to count; in the 1950s and '60s Herb Ellis especially is often pictured one. This one is a fine player with an eccentric modification but nothing that detracts from its musical value.
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall even considering the modifications this is a relatively clean example of this 1950s classic. The original finish shows some typical lacquer checking with only some minor dings, scrapes and dents overall. The headstock shows some dings and rubs but really for an almost 70 year old guitar this one has survived better than many. There are a few laminate checks to the back, but no structural repairs, not even the usual crack by the jack.
The replacement ebony fingerboard appears to have been installed decades ago, with side dots but no markers in the board itself. It feels like the neck was slightly reshaped and thinned a bit at the same time; it has a sleek, comfortable feel. As one would expect the back of the neck was refinished in lacquer from the heel up to the top rear of the headstock; all other finish on the instrument remains original. The frets are not overly wide but are taller than the typical Gibson wire. This was all likely done for a player in the 1980s; although not the original style for the instrument this would have been considered a player upgrade at the time.
The hardware as noted is a mixed bag of original and later. The P-90 pickup is original with the more modern "quick change" wiring rig. The pickguard and clamp are original, the bridge, tailpiece, tuners and knobs are later but all appropriate style. A strap button added on upper side above the neck heel, and small screw holes from a previous Schaller tuner installation are visible on the back of the headstock. This is an excellent player's ES-175, with the classic sound combined with slightly different, more "modern" feel from the typical mid-'50s example thanks to the modified neck. It lives in a heavy-duty gig bag, ready to gig! Very Good + Condition.
This is an interesting player-modified example of a mid 1950s ES-175, Gibson's classic "Working Man's" electric archtop guitar. While some parts have been replaced the guitar still retains much of the classic character, with the unusual addition of a custom ebony fingerboard without any position markers. This modification appears to have been done a long time ago, as a player's upgrade. Interestingly jazz great John Pisano had a similarly modified ES-175 customized with an ebony board by John D'Angelico in the 1950s, but that one featured pearl block inlay.
Gibson introduced the ES-175 in 1949 and the model quickly proved successful, finding immediate acceptance for its excellent combination of sound and playability at a moderate price. Based on the factory order number ink-stamped inside this example was built in 1955, and the "Artist" serial number indicates it shipped out in August that year, one of 485 that left Kalamazoo in '55. The introduction of the double-pickup ES-175D in 1952 affected sales of the single pickup model somewhat, but many jazz players then and now still consider this original one pickup 175 the all-time classic for that genre.
The 16" wide sunburst-finished laminated maple body is triple-bound on the front and single bound on the back. The rosewood fingerboard is single bound with split parallelogram fingerboard inlays. The headstock carries the pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay. The tuners are older "Grover deluxe" Kluson style machines with "keystone" buttons, as fitted to some later Gibsons. The volume and tone controls are capped with repro numbered amber knobs, later-style rosewood adjustable bridge is fitted along with a repro tailpiece; the original laminated black plastic pickguard is still intact.
The single black plastic covered P-90 pickup is original; the wiring rig has been re-done with an interesting modification. There is a mini-plug inside the guitar connecting to the rig and the single coil P-90 can be quickly replaced with a humbucker. A later PAF style pickup is included; the small screw holes required to mount is are just about hidden under the P-90 cover, and the switch can be done fairly quickly if desired.
This particular style ES-175 was used by far too many jazz guitar greats to count; in the 1950s and '60s Herb Ellis especially is often pictured one. This one is a fine player with an eccentric modification but nothing that detracts from its musical value.
Overall length is 40 1/2 in. (102.9 cm.), 16 in. (40.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 1/4 in. (8.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall even considering the modifications this is a relatively clean example of this 1950s classic. The original finish shows some typical lacquer checking with only some minor dings, scrapes and dents overall. The headstock shows some dings and rubs but really for an almost 70 year old guitar this one has survived better than many. There are a few laminate checks to the back, but no structural repairs, not even the usual crack by the jack.
The replacement ebony fingerboard appears to have been installed decades ago, with side dots but no markers in the board itself. It feels like the neck was slightly reshaped and thinned a bit at the same time; it has a sleek, comfortable feel. As one would expect the back of the neck was refinished in lacquer from the heel up to the top rear of the headstock; all other finish on the instrument remains original. The frets are not overly wide but are taller than the typical Gibson wire. This was all likely done for a player in the 1980s; although not the original style for the instrument this would have been considered a player upgrade at the time.
The hardware as noted is a mixed bag of original and later. The P-90 pickup is original with the more modern "quick change" wiring rig. The pickguard and clamp are original, the bridge, tailpiece, tuners and knobs are later but all appropriate style. A strap button added on upper side above the neck heel, and small screw holes from a previous Schaller tuner installation are visible on the back of the headstock. This is an excellent player's ES-175, with the classic sound combined with slightly different, more "modern" feel from the typical mid-'50s example thanks to the modified neck. It lives in a heavy-duty gig bag, ready to gig! Very Good + Condition.