Gibson | ES-175

The Gibson ES-175 is an electric guitar manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Corporation, currently still in production. It is a 24​ 3⁄4″ scale full hollow-body guitar with a trapeze tailpiece and Tune-O-Matic bridge. It is one of the most famous jazz guitars in history.

The ES-175 debuted in 1949, as Gibson’s mid-level laminate top alternative to the L-5 and as an electric version of the L-4. It was also the first Gibson electric to feature a stylish Florentine cutaway. Its first incarnation had one single-coil pickup (a P-90) in the neck position, and a carved rosewood bridge. The model’s name is derived from its original price of $175. In 1953, the ES-175D, a two-pickup model, was introduced (previous to this a two-pickup model could be custom ordered, and came with a volume knob for each pickup and a master tone located on the lower bout). The ES-175 or ES-175D could be ordered in either sunburst finish or in natural finish (for an additional charge).

Beginning in February 1957, ES-175s came equipped with humbuckers. Many new jazz guitarists such as Pat Metheny used these to emulate the sound of Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery’s “heart” L5. The ES-175 with humbuckers is prized for its full, rich tone. Some guitarists will try to mimic the rich resonant sound of this rather large hollow-body instrument by turning the tone knob all the way down on smaller, or solid body, guitars.

In 1969, shortly before Norlin acquired Gibson from CMI (Chicago Musical Instruments), Gibson began to implement changes across the line, including changing the headstock pitch from 17 degrees to 14, phasing in three-piece maple necks in lieu of one piece mahogany, and the addition of a volute to the neck. The ES-175 was largely spared these changes until the mid-1970s. In 1976, the three-piece maple neck replaced the one-piece mahogany neck, a volute was added, and the wooden bridge was replaced by a Nashville bridge.

By the mid-1970s, Gibson had discontinued the single-pickup model. In 1976 Gibson introduced the ES-175T, a thin-body variant on the ES-175 (much like an ES-125TCD with more fancy appointments). It was made for only three years, and available in sunburst, natural (more expensive) and wine red. The model proved fairly unpopular and was discontinued in 1979.

In 2002, Gibson released a Steve Howe signature model, based on Howe’s 1964 ES-175. In 2012, Gibson released a pair of 1959 ES-175 reissues, a single-pickup and a dual-pickup model. It is the first production ES-175 single pickup model since the 1970s.

Jazz guitarist Joe Pass played his ES-175, donated to him ca. 1962, for many years. This model guitar is used not only by jazz guitarists. Scotty Moore, the guitarist for Elvis Presley, played an ES-295, dual P-90-equipped, all gold ES-175. Steve Howe also plays an ES-175. Gibson released the Herb Ellis ES-165 as a signature reissue of his original 1953 ES-175. Roddy Frame used one during the first years of Aztec Camera.

The Epiphone company also produces an ES-175 model, available only in golden and black colours. The Epiphone model has an arched back as well. It is also equipped with two AlNiCo wax-dipped humbuckers. It also produced an ES-295, with all the original trimmings, plus a B-7 bigsby vibrato tailpiece.