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2012 Tom Painter P-175
Status: For pricing and hold status for this instrument, please check our Instruments page here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold, and is no longer available. Photos and descriptions of Previously Sold instruments may by found here. To be notified of examples of this or any other model in the future, please contact [email protected].
Signed: By the builder, 2012. Body size at lower bout: 16". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut Width: 1 11/16" Neck depth, 1st/10th frets: .84/.94
Materials: Curly maple laminate body; solid mahogany neck; solid ebony fingerboard with graphite nut.
Hardware: Ebony hardware includes contoured finger rest, compensated adjustable bridge, volume and tone control knobs, and tuner keys; Benedetto A-6 humbucking pickup; chrome trapeze tailpiece.
Notes: From its introduction in 1949, to it's farewell in 2019, the Gibson ES-175 was the single most popular jazz guitar in the world. The versions from the first decade of production are renowned for their light weight and superlative tone, due to Gibson's mastery of ultralight maple laminate production. By the '60s however, this fabled model had beefed up considerably, and lost much of its nimble feel and supple resonance.
Fast forward six decades, and an inspired luthier from Rockland, Maine became captivated by the tone and feel of those bop era 175s. Using a vacuum pressing technique, Painter was able to recreate the ultralight laminate of the Gibson originals, to craft a small but notably impressive run of golden era jazz guitars, between roughly 2008 and 2012, when this striking guitar left his bench.
At a scant 5lb 2oz, this handsome guitar is pounds lighter than Gibsons of recent decades, and balances nimbly on the lap or the strap. With a body of striking curly maple, the P-175 is crafted with premium features throughout, including all ebony hardware and fingerboard, and a Benedetto A-6 humbucking pickup, as fitted to some of the most costly custom archtops today.
With a lustrous matte lacquer finish, this gleaming instrument is free of pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear, and remains in virtually pristine condition. With brightly polished medium frets, the fingerboard is utterly effortless to play, with gentle D profile neck, and a fresh high precision setup. The 24 3/4" scale is fast and nimble, the A-6 pickup is rich and warm, and the 16" body is easy to cradle and substantially resistant to feedback.
With its first-rate fit and finish, and peerless attention to detail, this striking guitar is a splendid version of the best loved jazz box of all time, and an unquestioned best buy in a true pro quality US built archtop guitar. A rare and welcome find indeed: one only, call now.
Setup: Trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.
This instrument is strung with medium gauge nickel flat wound strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 4/64" to 5/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.
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