A Working Jazz Legend From the Kalamazoo Era

Some guitars carry history in every fret, and a mid-seventies Gibson ES-175D is about as loaded with it as they come. Since its introduction in 1949, the ES-175 has been the go-to hollowbody for jazz, blues, and beyond — a guitar that Joe Pass, Pat Metheny, and Wes Montgomery all trusted on stage and in the studio. This 1974/75 example represents the instrument near the tail end of its Kalamazoo production identity, before the bigger Norlin-era changes arrived in the late 70s.

The ES-175D earned its reputation not just from the players who chose it, but from what it actually does: that laminate maple body delivers a focused, warm tone with clear articulation and a notably airy open quality that solid-body guitars simply can't replicate. If you've been on the lookout for a genuine vintage jazz box with a legitimate pedigree, this is the real article.

Laminate Maple Body — Built for Tone and Feedback Rejection

The ES-175D's body is constructed from laminated maple — top, back, and sides — a design that Gibson used consistently throughout the guitar's production life. The laminate construction was a deliberate engineering choice: it keeps feedback under control at stage volumes while still delivering that full, open hollowbody resonance that defines the model's sound.

The body measures 16¼" across and sits at a full 3⅜" deep — what Gibson called a "full depth" body. That depth is a big part of the acoustic character, giving the ES-175D its lush, dimensional quality whether you're playing clean jazz lines or letting the amp breathe a little. The Florentine (sharp) cutaway — a Gibson first on the ES-175 back in 1949 — gives clean access to the upper register without sacrificing the body's full acoustic volume.

Patent Number Humbuckers and Period-Correct Hardware

By the mid-1970s, the ES-175D came equipped with Gibson's "Patent Number" humbuckers — named for the patent number sticker found on the underside of the pickup. These are the transitional pickups that followed the original PAF era, and they carry much of that same warm, clear character that made the ES-175's tone so widely imitated. Two pickups, each with its own independent volume and tone control, give you a wide range of tonal options via the three-way toggle switch.

The bridge on this guitar is the free-floating adjustable rosewood bridge that Gibson used on the ES-175 all the way back to 1949 — the Tune-o-Matic replacement didn't arrive until 1977/78, so this example retains the original bridge type. The trapeze tailpiece is the early 50s-style unit that returned to production in the early 70s, following the zig-zag version of the 1960s.

Set Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, and 24¾" Scale

The neck on this 1974/75 ES-175D is a three-piece laminated mahogany set neck — Gibson transitioned from a one-piece mahogany neck to the three-piece laminate construction around 1969/70, though the neck material itself remained mahogany through mid-decade (the switch to a laminate maple neck didn't happen until around 1976). It joins the body at the 14th fret and features a rosewood fretboard with split parallelogram pearl inlays and 20 frets.

The scale length is Gibson's standard 24¾", which contributes to that slightly looser, warmer string feel and the comfortable, easy-bending character that players associate with Gibson archtops. The nut width of approximately 1 11/16" gives plenty of room for fingerstyle playing and chord work.

Product Features:

• Body: Laminated maple — top, back, and sides; full hollowbody construction
• Body Dimensions: 16¼" wide, 3⅜" deep; Florentine (sharp) cutaway
• Neck: Three-piece laminated mahogany set neck, joins body at 14th fret
• Fretboard: Rosewood with split parallelogram pearl inlays, 20 frets
• Scale Length: 24¾"
• Pickups: Dual Gibson "Patent Number" humbuckers
• Controls: Independent volume and tone for each pickup; three-way toggle switch
• Bridge: Free-floating adjustable rosewood bridge
• Tailpiece: Trapeze-style tailpiece
• Tuners: Kluson model 320-VP

This is a used Electric Guitar from our inventory. Pictures are of the actual item you will receive.

This vintage Gibson ES-175D is in good used condition. The guitar is fully functional and has been well preserved, with normal cosmetic wear including finish checking, scratches, dings, and other signs of age that are to be expected from a vintage instrument. It has multiple fine finish age cracks throughout the body, along with imperfections around the heel. Please review the photos carefully, as they provide the best representation of the instrument's overall condition.

All used gear is sold AS IS.

Brand: Gibson

Model: ES-175D

SKU: U-1967-ES-175|397374

Condition: Used, Good

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