Gibson ES-175D Natural 732000 (1972)

ES-175s might be one of the least evolved production models Gibson has ever made, and for good reason. With the exception of transitioning from P90s to humbuckers in 1957, the legendary hollowbody electric underwent very little changes throughout the course of its life. Gibson seemed to get it right very early on with this model, and jazz greats over the years who've wielded these guitars are proof.

This early 70s Natural-finished 175 boasts some of the cool and rare transitional humbuckers featuring embossed chrome covers, unique to late 1971 into 1972. For whatever reason (assuming cost), Gibson was quick to abandon this and went back to traditional covers by 1973. Aside from their look, they're internally identical to the late 60s and early 70s Patent # humbuckers with T-top bobbins. They sound fantastic in this guitar, with great focus and clarity that excels in a larger bodied archtop.

The guitar arrived here in our shop having sat in its case for quite some time unplayed. We identified some finish wear on the back of the body where some case migration caused a small blemish in the lacquer. There's also some finish degradation on the lower bout treble side rim indicating some trapped moisture that reacted with the lacquer. There's some slight separation in the finish there, but no damage done to the laminate itself.

Though 100% structurally intact and never addressed until now, our repair staff closed up a very minor gap between the back of the neck heel and the body. The neck is seated without issue into the body and is not moving, and the function of the neck is excellent. We looked at it purely as a cosmetic annoyance than anything else, and determined that it was likely a less-than-perfect fitment from the factory that opened up a little bit over an extended period of time. Sealing up that seam makes for a much better presentation in our opinion.

The overall condition of the guitar is great, showing very little mileage. The bridge was replaced with a quality floating replacement, and the setup is great with nice comfortable action. The case is era-correct and functional, but did suffer some wear worth mentioning. For starters, a section of the vinyl/tolex was torn from the lid shell, and the case handle got chewed up a bit by a household pet. Still, the latches are good, the shell is solid, and the interior lining is strong.

This shouldn't come as a surprise, but it's worth mentioning just how great of a value this '72 ES-175 is. A versatile hollowbody in a rare Natural finish with original electronics - hard to beat an old 175 like this!