Gibson

Gibson ES-175 (1956)

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Product information

A beautiful sounding mid-century ES-175 that has a vintage patina only decades of play time can create

One look at this 1956 Gibson ES-175 and you know the kind of action this guitar has seen over the years. It's got the kind of patina that even Gibson itself is trying to approximate in their own Murphy Lab, yet we're reminded that sometimes the true effect time has on these old guitars cannot be fully replicated.

Single pickup ES-175s still remain a bit of gold standard when it comes to Jazz guitar. The original P90 pickup in this guitar sounds like old records, plain and simple. The acoustic "chirp" is undoubtedly pushing forth a level of clarity that makes notes pop right out of the guitar. Even light adjustments of the volume and tone controls can take this guitar from cutting and powerful to warm and smooth with little effort.

The neck profile is quintessential 50s Gibson - nice and round with a moderate taper. Combined with being played steadily over the years, it's beautifully broken in.

We refretted the guitar with Jescar 45100 fretwire for a slightly more modern and smoother playing experience than the original smaller wire can allow. Beyond that, the guitar is as we received it, almost completely original with the exception of a replaced pickguard bracket screw. The original Kluson tuners (five of which are "no line" and one "single line") work nicely. The low E tuner is slightly bent but it's not so distorted that you can't get normal revolution out of it. The original bonnet knobs are in nice shape, and the Rosewood bridge and nickel plated "shield" tailpiece wear their age proudly while still doing their job as intended.

We love when a vintage guitar comes through our shop that intersects perfectly at vibe and originality. Honest wear and all there!

Priced with new Crossrock western tooled hardshell case.

Body
Style
Hollowbody
Body
Laminated Maple
Finish
Nitrocellulose
Color
Sunburst

Hardware
Pickups
Original P90 | 7.34k
Electronics
Original
Controls
Volume / Tone
Bridge
Original
Tuners
Original Kluson
Pickguard
Original
Knobs
Original Amber Bonnet

Neck
Neck
Mahogany
Binding
White
Carve
Mid 50s C | .89-1.00"
Fingerboard
Brazilian Rosewood
Radius
12"
Inlays
Parallelogram
Frets
Jescar 45100
Nut
Original
Scale Length
24 3/4"

Other
Serial #
A 23280 / FON V4939 x
Weight
5lb 14oz
Case
Crossrock HSC

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.

Pricing

We price vintage instruments using current market trends and our extensive in-house sales history, ensuring each piece is accurately valued and fairly positioned.

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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