Up for sale, a 1969 Gibson ES-175D in near-mint condition and in perfect working order, complete with a vintage chipboard case. This extremely well-kept ES-175D is one of the last orange Kalamazoo-label 175s of the ‘60s, featuring a pair of Gibson’s last pre-T Top Patent Sticker humbuckers.

Acoustically, the fully hollow maple body delivers a big, open sound with both the immediate attack and clarity of maple, and an airy, smooth quality befitting the hollowbody construction. The pre-T Top patent sticker humbuckers are warm and detailed: the bridge is wound particularly hot (9.5k ohms) and has a spongy growl and focused midrange cut, while the neck pickup is expansive and harmonically rich, wound much more conservatively at 7.45k ohms. Each sound is distinct on the three-way pickup selector, and the pickups balance well in terms of perceived output. This ES-175D weighs 6lbs 6oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-52 roundwound strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

• Wood: Mahogany (three-piece)
• Shape: Medium C, measuring .830” 1st fret, .980” 9th fret
• Fretboard: Rosewood, pearloid split parallelogram inlays
• Frets: Medium jumbo, refret, no wear
• Scale Length: 24 3/4”
• Nut: 1 11/16”, nylon
• Tuners: Kluson Deluxe double-line, double-ring
• Serialization: Six-digit stamp dates to 1969

Body Specs:

• Wood: Maple
• Pickups: Pat. # T Top humbucker x2, Neck 7.45k ohms, Bridge 9.50k
• Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, Three-way pickup selector
• Hardware: Raised diamond trapeze tailpiece, compensated rosewood bridge
• Plastics: Five-ply pickguard, witch hat knobs
• Serialization: Orange Kalamazoo label (serial matches headstock)

There are two small holes beneath the bridge (presumably to pin the bridge or for an ABR-1), and the gloss Ice Tea Sunburst nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, exhibiting tight lacquer checking on all sides. This is an extremely clean vintage Gibson, with just a few tiny marks on the rims at the lower bout. The nitro gloss on the neck profile is smooth and clean.

A vintage chipboard case is included, along with a vintage Gibson hangtag.