Of the many iconic guitars that became popular during the 1950s, Gibson’s ES-175 is one of the most enduring. Launched in 1949, it holds the record as Gibson’s longest electric model in continuous production – for 70 years until 2019. (The equally revered ES-335, which debuted in 1958, is showing no signs of obsolescence and so is likely to overtake it in 2028.)
Also in 1949, Gibson introduced the 175’s acoustic equivalent in the L-4C model, which had a premium carved spruce top more typical of the jazz guitars of the day. By contrast, the ES-175 has a laminated top reinforced with two parallel braces whose resistance to feedback proved popular with players as concerts got bigger and performances got louder.
