Brand: Gibson
Instrument Categories: Archtop, Electric, Guitars, SOLD
Built in limited numbers at the Kalamazoo plant during 1978 and 1979, the Gibson ES-175/CC is based on the venerable ES-175 cutaway archtop design, with a single 1930’s style Charlie Christian pickup installed. In total, fewer than 500 were built.
This Gibson ES-175/CC dates to January 31, 1979. It’s in very good, original condition and plays well. This model is unusual, and this particular example even more so. Researching the model, most descriptions mention a ‘Second’ or ‘2nd’ stamp on the back of the headstock. This one doesn’t have that stamp, and so was deemed first quality.
The Gibson ES-175/CC uses typical construction, with Maple laminate hollow body and a florentine cutaway; the neck is 3-piece Maple with a bound Rosewood fingerboard and late 70’s style volute. Gibson branded tuners and the classic ES-175 tailpiece are installed, and the bridge is a floating Rosewood model. A Gibson hard shell case, likely the original, is included.
Charlie Christian was an extremely popular influential and busy guitarist in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, famously in the Benny Goodman band. Unfortunately he contracted tuberculosis, and died in 1942 at the age of 25. He most often used a Gibson ES-150, with the single coil pickup that has come to be named after him.
The Charlie Christian pickup was one of the first successful pickup designs. Christian wanted to emulate the tenor saxophone, and this pickup offers deep, rich tones. The original designs used a rather large, heavy metal mount with three screws through the guitar top for installation and adjustment. Later models and modern reproductions, such as those by Lollar and Duncan, offer a smaller base and conventional suspension mounts as well as the original layout.
- Model: ES-175/CC
- Year: 1979
- Finish Sunburst
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: 70319029
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 13/11/2018
- This instrument has been sold
- Consignment Item
- Required CITES documentation
- Including original Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 7.4lbs 3.36kg
- Scale Length: 24.75in 628.6mm
- Nut Width: 1.68in 42.75mm
