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Gibson ES-175 (1954)

Hollow-Body · Vintage

Currently unavailable
DOCUMENTED HONESTLYEvery repair, every change
VETTED ON THE BENCHBefore it's listed
SINCE 1968Still independent
This 1954 Gibson ES-175 just came into the shop on consignment, and WOW, does this guitar just beg to be played!

As you might have guessed in looking through the photos, this 175 has been through it. Decades of play wear are clearly evident here - the original Sunburst finish has faded in various stages all throughout the guitar (and has old overspray throughout), old cracks have been glued and repaired, parts have been replaced, and it's been refretted at least once in its life. But that hasn't slowed this guitar down one bit. In picking it up for the first time, we recognized that the guitar had some amazing energy. Set up with flatwounds, it has a nice warm tone with such strong fundamental presence about it. The trebles are nearly as loud as the wound strings, so it's incredibly well balanced both acoustically and plugged in.

The neck feels slightly slimmer in profile to a true '54 neck - closer to a '59 carve in some ways. With the back of the neck having been refinished, it's possible that it was partially shaved down a bit.

This '54 ES-175 won't win any beauty contests, but it'll sure go toe to toe with some of the best vintage archtop electrics you're bound to come across.

Condition: Vintage. Fully inspected and set up by TME staff before it ships or leaves the showroom.
Style Hollowbody
Body Laminated Maple
Finish Nitrocellulose
Color Sunburst
Pickups P90
Electronics Modern
Controls Volume / Tone
Bridge Rosewood adjustable bridge w/ repro tailpiece
Tuners Repro Gotoh/Kluson
Pickguard Repro
Knobs Repro Amber bonnet
Neck Mahogany
Binding White
Carve Mid 50s C | .87-.95"
Fingerboard Brazilian Rosewood
Radius 12"
Inlays Parallelogram
Frets Med Jumbo (Refret)
Nut Replacement (Bone)
Scale Length 24 3/4"
Serial # A 20087
Weight 5lb 10oz
Case Aftermarket HSC

Every instrument is thoroughly checked and set up before shipping fully insured via UPS with tracking to your door. We reuse boxes and materials to cut waste when they meet our protection standard.

Inspect it, play it, and if it isn't right, contact us within 48 hours of delivery to arrange a return or one-time exchange. Returns are subject to a 5% restocking fee, and the buyer covers shipping both ways.

Preserving The Past. Played Into The Future.
Whether you're chasing a tone, honoring the history, or building a collection, we seek out the finest vintage instruments and, when needed, perform tasteful restoration to ensure they'll play beautifully for decades to come.
Gibson ES-175 (1954)
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Glenn Nichols, Repairs & Restorations

Tasteful Restoration

When restoration is needed, we approach it with respect and restraint - always in service of preserving the instrument’s integrity and extending its musical life for decades to come.

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