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1956 Gibson ES-175

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Serial #: A 22588, orange oval label.

Finish: original sunburst finish, nitrocellulose type

Body size at lower bout: 16". Scale length: 24 3/4" Nut Width: 1 11/16"

Materials: Solid mahogany neck; solid Brazilian rosewood fingerboard; arched maple top and back; dual-parallelogram mother of pearl fingerboard inlay and crown peghead inlay; triple bound top, bound back.

Hardware: 100% original hardware includes original nickel Kluson Deluxe tuners, original nickel trapeze tailpiece with raised-parallelogram crossbar; original P-90 single coil pickup, electronics and amber bonnet knobs; original beveled 5 ply pickguard; original compensated Brazilian rosewood bridge.

Notes: Introduced in 1948, 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 pickup provides a bright, rich tone unduplicated before or since, but was available on this model only until mid-1957, and this stunning example is from the last full year for this version. Lightweight and resonant, the 16" body sits easily in the lap, and the 24 3/4" scale makes stretch chords and fast runs a pleasure.

The instrument is in exceptionally pristine condition, with all original hardware and finish, and is without pick, buckle, thumb or fingerboard wear. A pampered California guitar from the family of the original owner, this remarkable example is absent even the typical checking one expects in a guitar over half a century old. The neck is gently rounded and plays effortlessly, and the tone is as rich and warm as the deep sunburst finish. The action is low and smooth over excellent original frets. Finally, the guitar is complete with its original brown Gibson Lifton "California Girl" hardshell case with the pink plush lining, including the original dealer medallion from Fife and Nichols Music in Hollywood. A stunning example of the ultimate closet classic.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, recrowned and polished; 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 wound strings (.013-.057). The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" 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.

Case: Original brown Gibson Lifton hardshell case with pink plush lining

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