Brand: Gibson
Instrument Categories: Archtop, Electric, Guitars, SOLD
Here’s a guitar that brings back many musical memories. This is a Gibson ES-175 Steve Howe Signature model from 2002, reproducing the 1964 model Howe used on the breakthrough Yes albums and tours. Along with countless others, we listened to those albums repeatedly when they were new.
The Gibson ES-175 is a fully hollow, archtop electric guitar. As such, in a situation like an arena stage with rock band volumes, it should feed back to the point of detonation, but Howe made it work. Since the late 1940’s, Gibson has used maple laminates on guitars like this because of its improved feedback rejection compared to the solid maple and spruce used on acoustic archtops.
Steve Howe ordered his 1964 ES-175 at age 17. His major influence at that point was Barney Kessel. Kessel often used a Super 400 CES, but that was out of reach and the ES-175 was the next best thing. There are a few changes compared to the basic 1964 model, primarily Grover Roto-Matic tuners and a pickup selector switch knob based on the keystone Kluson tuner button, and a ‘ZigZag’ type tailpiece.
The finish is a standard Gibson tobacco sunburst in nitrocellulose lacquer, and is very clean and showing its natural aging process – sinking slightly and taking a light amber tint.
This Steve Howe Signature model dates to February 26, 2002 and was built at the Gibson Nashville plant. It is in very good condition with very little wear, and plays well with a fairly low action. It’s currently strung with flat wound strings. The original Gibson hard shell case is included.
- Model: ES-175 Steve Howe Signature
- Year: 2002
- Finish Sunburst
- Class: Used
- Serial Number: 00572743
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Very Good
- Date Posted: 22/03/2018
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Required CITES documentation
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 7.5lbs 3.4kg
- Scale Length: 24.75in 628mm
- Nut Width: 1.69in 43mm
