GUEST: My mother bought it new for me, and I've been playing it ever since I was 16. And I just love the guitar, I love everything about western music, and then I got into jazz music and then I taught for a music studio a couple of years later. And I just love playing it and just being around music.
APPRAISER: Well, this would be the perfect guitar for western, western swing or jazz. This model is a Gibson ES 175, as you know, and what year did your mom buy this guitar, do you remember?
GUEST: 1954.
APPRAISER: '54.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: It's a very early ES 175. This was Gibson's attempt to get into the electric guitar business. They really wanted to compete with Fender, who was nipping at their heels. They put a cutaway on it so you could play further down the neck. They put the electric pickup in it, and this is very much like a traditional arch-top jazz guitar that Gibson has made since 1929. But they made it into a hot rod version to appeal to the up-and-coming electric guitar players. They still make this guitar today in a little different model. This is what they call a P-90 pickup. And even though in years since then they switched to what they call a Humbucker pickup, lots and lots of players prefer this pickup. The guitars play beautifully, it has a unique sound that is very desirable. The thing that really impressed me about this guitar, besides the fact that it is a very significant guitar in the history of guitars, is the condition. It just glows in the dark, so you took absolutely great care of it.
GUEST: Well, thank you.
APPRAISER: All of the finish is pristine, the pick guard is pristine, the knobs are pristine. It's a wonderfully clean guitar. How much did she spend in 1954, do you remember?
GUEST: I think it was about $200 or $225.
APPRAISER: $225.
GUEST: And then she paid it off ten dollars a week.
APPRAISER: Uh-huh.
GUEST: So it was a real treat to have this guitar when I was young.
APPRAISER: I feel that in this condition, with this beautiful case, that in a current retail market this guitar would sell for about $5,500.
GUEST: Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. That is unbelievable.
APPRAISER: Well, it's a very nice thing and I'm so glad I got to see it.
GUEST: Oh, thank you so much. That is just thrilling.
