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1954 Gibson ES-175DN
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Serial #: A-18252, orange oval label. FON#: X-8957-34
Body size at lower bout: 16" Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut width: 1 11/16" Neck depth: .90/.99, 1st/10th frets
Materials: Solid mahogany neck; solid Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; arched slab-cut maple laminate body; dual-parallelogram mother of pearl fingerboard inlays and crown peghead inlay; triple bound top, bound back.
Hardware: All original nickel hardware includes Kluson Deluxe single ring tuners; trapeze tailpiece with raised-parallelogram crossbar; twin P-90 pickups and electronics; amber barrel knobs; beveled 5 ply pickguard; compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge, 5-ply wide beveled pickguard; 3 way pickup selector switch; adjustable truss rod with bell cover.
Notes: Introduced in 1949, the Gibson ES-175 quickly became the most popular jazz guitar ever made. Fast, clean and road-ready, the 175 has been the workhorse of the touring player and studio from Joe Pass to Pat Metheny. The legendary P-90 pickups provide a faithful, detailed tone unduplicated before or since, but was available on this model only until mid-1957.
Scarce and highly desirable, natural finish models constitute less than one in five guitars in many years. One of just 129 examples from its model year, this handsome guitar is the most sought-after of all P-90 versions, with its lustrous original amber blonde finish, twin original pickups, and all original hardware and electronics.
At just 6lb 1oz, the guitar is substantially lighter than later versions, and the 16" body sits easily in the lap, with the 24 3/4" scale making stretch chords and fast runs a breeze. Free of pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear, the body shows handsome slab-cut figure, and is fitted with the tall amber barrel knobs in their final year. The golden lacquer finish remains remarkably free of checking, with the original multi-ply binding still tight to the body as well. Apart from a short, stable hairline crack in the side near the tailpiece, virtually the only sign of age is the imprint of a long vanished guitar strap, which left its traces on the finish across the upper back.
The neck profile is a classic gentle C, with smooth low action over a fresh high precision setup, The Brazilian rosewood fingerboard shows no divots, and retains its original fretwork in fine shape, with binding nibs still intact at their ends. The tone is as rich and warm as the butterscotch finish, with the clarity and fidelity for which the P-90 single coil pickups have been prized since their debut after WWII.
Still accompanied by its original factory hang tag, this stunning guitar remains nestled in its original brown five latch Lifton pink plushlined case, every bit as handsome as the guitar it's held for almost seven decades. Do blondes really have more fun? Only one way to find out: 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 roundwound 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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