This gorgeous ES-175 is in excellent condition. It has only some light scratches on the pickguard and the frets are at about 80%. I played this guitar lightly for about a year, then sold it to someone else who had it for a year, almost to the day before I bought it back because I knew how good it is. He bought an L-5 Wes and needed to raise money to pay off the Wes.
I kept in a climate and humidity controlled room as part of my personal collection and played one restaurant gig with it. I had planned on keeping it, but acquired an actual vintage ES-175 and didn’t have the need for it anymore.
This is the one that had a usual street price of $5500-6500, but Gibson is not currently making any ES-175s at all.
The unpotted MHS pickups Gibson is now making have really wowed me with their tone, very warm and full. This particular guitar has a much warmer sound than the other 1959 reissues I've played and is by far the closest thing to sounding like an actual vintage in an new ES-175 that I’ve ever played.
Here is what the interim owner had to say about the guitar. “Something tells me I'm definitely going to regret selling it. It is a very special guitar. It has meant a lot to me over the past year. Thanks very much for everything.”
Weight - 6 lb 8 oz
Nut width - 1 11/16 inches
Features
100% American made, in Memphis, TN
Aged celluloid split parallelograms
Aniline Dye neck filler
MHS Unpotted Humbuckers Alnico III Neck, Alnico II Bridge
Vintage style Kluson Single-Ring Tulip Button tuners
Historically accurate Zig-Zag Tailpiece
Single-ply rim with vintage fabric rim-stays
Compensated Rosewood bridge
Hot-hide glue Neck Joint
550K Audio Taper Close tolerance individually matched-set potentiometers with historic wiring featuring "Bumblebee" capacitors
Includes reproduction "Cali-girl" case
From Gibson:
A dead-accurate reproduction of the ES-175 that set the standard, with dual PAF-style pickups, rounded ‘C’ playing feel, authentic archtop tones, and vintage-correct ’59 looks
The ES-175 was an instant classic right from its debut in 1949, but most players agree that it reached its peak in 1959, with two PAF humbuckers and the legendary neck profile that makes late-’50s Gibsons so highly sought after. The 1959 ES-175 from Gibson Memphis represents the finest re-creation of this hallowed 'jazz box' that has ever been produced. Accurate arched laminated maple top and back, solid maple sides, tan vintage binding, single-ring Kluson tuners, VOS nickel hardware, quartered Adirondack spruce braces, rolled fingerboard binding and Historic truss rod all take this outstanding archtop back in time more than 55 years, while a pair of PAF-style MHS humbuckers ensure it delivers every ounce of sweet ’59 tone. Add the unparalleled quality of 100% made-in-Memphis craftsmanship and a host of 2015 upgrades, and it’s an unbeatable archtop-electric for a wide range of styles.
Free shipping in the continental US.