1957 Gibson ES-175
The first PAF-equipped ES-175 — the definitive collector version. The warm, woody tone of the archtop body with PAF humbuckers is the sound of classic jazz guitar. Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, and Pat Metheny are all associated with this model.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Specifications
| Body Wood | Maple (pressed archtop hollow body) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 24.750" |
| Frets | 20 |
| Pickup Config | HH |
| Bridge | Adjustable rosewood bridge, trapeze tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe |
| Finish Options | Sunburst |
| Est. Production | 800 |
Pickups & Electronics
Two PAF humbuckers — first year of humbuckers in the ES-175. Game-changing for jazz tone.
What Changed in 1957
PAF humbuckers replaced P-90s — a transformative change for the ES-175. The combination of the archtop hollow body with PAF humbuckers created one of the warmest, most refined jazz tones ever achieved on an electric guitar.
Notable Examples
Joe Pass played an ES-175 for much of his career. The model is associated with virtually every major jazz guitarist from the late 1950s onward.
Collector's Notes
Original PAF humbuckers are critical — the ES-175 was heavily used by jazz players who often modified electronics. Verify full originality. The trapeze tailpiece should be original. These are still actively used instruments, not just shelf pieces.
How to Authenticate a 1957 Gibson ES-175
Gibson serial numbers from this era are ink-stamped on the back of the headstock. Cross-reference with known Gibson serial tables — numbering was not strictly sequential. Potentiometer date codes are critical: look for CTS pots (code 137) with two-digit year codes matching 1957 or up to 18 months earlier. This is the most reliable dating method for Gibson guitars of this era. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer showing age-appropriate checking (fine crazing). Under blacklight, original nitro fluoresces a distinctive green-yellow — refinished instruments lack this characteristic. Verify original P-90 pickups with correct construction. Full-depth hollow-body archtop. Laminated maple body with single Florentine cutaway. Parallelogram inlays. Check binding condition — deterioration common. Original Kluson Deluxe should be present with no evidence of replacement (no oversized bushing holes). Original hardshell case adds provenance value.