Gibson · ES-175 · 1953–1969 (the vintage two-pickup ES-175D years)
The ES-175 arrived in 1949 as Gibson's first production guitar with the sharp Florentine cutaway, a laminated maple archtop with a single P-90. It stayed in the catalog for seventy years, selling around 37,000 in its first fifty by one count, and became the working jazz guitar. Joe Pass, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell and Wes Montgomery played them, and later Pat Metheny and Steve Howe of Yes. The two-pickup ES-175D followed in 1953, and in 1957 the 175 became the first of Gibson's electric Spanish models to get the new PAF humbuckers. Les Paul owners have raided 175s for those PAFs for decades, and plenty of 175s have picked up a Bigsby or a different bridge along the way. Gibson dropped the single-pickup version in 1971 and the model itself in 2019. The one we'd want is a 1950s or early-1960s 175D with untouched electronics, a sound neck and no extra holes in the top.
1950s ES-175s carry an A-prefix serial on the orange label inside, and a factory order number stamped inside can show when work began. Pot codes only give the earliest possible date. P-90s mean 1957 or earlier, humbuckers 1957 on, and a nut narrower than 1 11/16 inches means 1965 or later.
Les Paul owners have pulled PAFs out of 175s for decades, so check the pickups and solder. Bigsbys, replacement bridges, added strap buttons and shrunken Kluson tuner tips are common, and a Bigsby that has sat on the top for decades may not come off cleanly.
Buying guide
Buy a 1950s P-90 ES-175 from a US dealer, where raretoyzz's 1956 titled 100% original asks $7,690 delivered, less than Japanese dealers want for their circa-1956 guitars at $9,705–11,689. About 33 are listed and the $6,625–15,125 band covers 1950s P-90 guitars and late-1960s 175Ds, with US 1968–69 175Ds the cheapest at $4,343–4,384, PAF-era 1957–61 guitars at $14,125–25,100 and a 1959 natural at the top for $28,829. Date it from the guitar, where an A-prefix serial on the label means 1960 or earlier, P-90s mean 1957 or earlier and humbuckers 1957 on, a nut under 1 11/16 inches means 1965 or later, and a title without the D may be a single-pickup guitar, so count the pickups. PAFs pulled for Les Pauls are the classic swap, so ask for the pickup decals and solder and the top around the tailpiece for Bigsby holes, and pass on the zero-feedback 1965 and the listing titled both 1966 and 1969.
$4,343.00est. delivered
The cheapest 175 here, a two-pickup 1968 175D from a US seller at $4,343 delivered. Late-1960s guitars have the narrower nut, so make sure the neck suits you, and ask for photos of the pickup solder and the top around the tailpiece.
1968 Gibson ES-175D Sunburst
$7,690.00est. delivered
A 1956 titled 100% original from a US dealer at $7,690 delivered, about $2,000 under the Japanese dealers' circa-1956 guitars. Ask for the label serial and the pickup solder to back up the claim.
1956 Gibson ES-175 a wonderfull 100% original example from its original family.
$4,384.33est. delivered
A 1969 175D from a US seller at $4,384 delivered, within $45 of the cheapest, and a sensible first vintage archtop for a jazz player. Ask for neck-relief and fret photos.
1969 Gibson ES-175D Sunburst
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$4,343.00est. delivered
$4,249.00 + $94.00 shipping
Buy It Now$4,249.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Good buy
1968 175D, two pickups. In the US.
Seller: reedurbanse
100% positive
Used$7,690.00est. delivered
$7,495.00 + $195.00 shipping
Buy It Now$7,495.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Good buy
Titled 1956, 100% original, from its original family. In the US.
Seller: raretoyzz
100% positive
Used$4,384.33est. delivered
$4,299.00 + $85.33 shipping
Buy It Now$4,299.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Good buy
1969 175D, no originality claim. In the US.
Seller: griffenkranz
100% positive
Used$9,705.00delivered
$9,705.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$9,705.00
Our take
Circa 1956, no originality claim. Ships from Japan.
Seller: spp-international
99.3% positive
Used$25,100.00est. delivered
$25,000.00 + $100.00 shipping
Buy It Now$25,000.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Our take
1957 175D, titled original PAF pickups. In the US.
Seller: subwayguitars_berkeley
99.3% positive
Used$28,829.44est. delivered
$28,299.00 + $530.44 shipping
Buy It Now$28,299.00
Our take
1959 natural 175D, titled 1 of 37 with a pro setup. The top ask.
Seller: soundinvestmentsusa
100% positive
Used$7,240.00est. delivered
$7,150.00 + $90.00 shipping
Buy It Now$7,150.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
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Check the seller
Zero feedback. Pay only through eBay checkout.
Seller: eddiej9
No feedback yet
Used$9,245.00est. delivered
$8,995.00 + $250.00 shipping
Buy It Now$8,995.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Title names both 1966 and 1969, with OHSC. Ask which year it is.
Seller: karolina
98.1% positive
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