Home Gibson ES-175D, Natural (1956)
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Gibson ES-175D, Natural (1956)

Vintage

Currently unavailable
DOCUMENTED HONESTLYEvery repair, every change
VETTED ON THE BENCHBefore it's listed
SINCE 1968Still independent

If you're all about tone and feel, this 1956 Gibson ES-175D in its original and rare Natural finish is sure to deliver.

What To Know

The Gibson ES-175 has long been a jazz and blues titan in the guitar world ever since its introduction in 1948. With its laminate maple construction, it offered players a more stage-friendly archtop electric with increased playability and comfort.

This player-friendly example has maintained all of its critical original components like the great sounding dogear P90 pickups, tuners, bridge, and tailpiece. It has been refretted with a slightly larger fretwire than what was originally used by Gibson, but still retains the vintage feel. The most notable repair can be seen on the treble side surrounding the input jack. In what is presumed to be a fairly substantial input jack "tear-out" likely from a drop directly on the cable or some other type of blunt force, there's some significant body repair in the area by way of some patched in laminate along with a large metal jack plate to reinforce the structural damage once suffered. Not the most aesthetically pleasing repair work, but the work itself is solid.

The original Kluson 'single line' tuners are stable and work great, with little to no button shrinkage or degradation. Volume and tone controls feature the original amber knobs, and the rosewood adjustable bridge and nickel-plated tailpiece remain unchanged. The original Natural finish has faded slightly to a rich, deep blonde, with light to moderate finish and play wear throughout. The original wiring harness was replaced and features recent volume and tone pots. The neck was also shaved down at some point from what would've been a fairly full C carve to a 62/63 carve, measuring approximately .82" at the first fret and tapering to about .88" at the tenth fret.

When it comes to tone, 50s ES-175s are often unequaled in their class. The original P90 single coil pickups represent quintessential 50s "dogear" tone - beautiful chime and sparkle on the top end with a well-defined bass response and clear midrange.

If you can live some with bruises, this is a fantastic guitar in a rare finish that delivers on playability and tone.
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 Natural
Pickups Original P90s
Electronics Replacement
Controls Volume (x2) / Tone (x2) / 3-Way Toggle
Bridge Original Rosewood adjustable bridge w/ Original tailpiece
Tuners Kluson Single Line
Pickguard Original
Neck Mahogany
Binding White
Carve Early 60s C: .82-.88"
Fingerboard Rosewood
Radius 12"
Inlays Parallelogram
Frets Medium Vintage (Refret)
Nut Replacement
Scale Length 24 3/4"
Condition Good | Light to moderate play and handling wear throughout / repaired treble side body damage surrounding input jack / shaved neck / replaced pots
Serial # A 24699
FON V6949 4
Weight 6lbs 5oz
Case Gibson Hardshell

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.

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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-175D, Natural (1956)
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Glenn Nichols, Repairs & Restorations

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