audiobriefs
8:28in productionCh. 1 · Built to Complement/ 8:28 · ceiling 15 min
Guitars & amps

Gibson ES-295

Gibson

A gold-plated archtop built to stand beside the Les Paul — not to replace it, but to answer it.

The ES-295 is a hollow body guitar introduced in May 1952. It shares dimensions with the ES-175. It was conceived as a full-sized hollowbody archtop intended to complement the solidbody Les Paul. Its original price was $295. Les Paul claimed involvement in its creation. The first ES-295s came outfitted with one pickup. By 1953 the guitar was shipping with two pickups. It was discontinued in 1959 and reissued multiple times. Scotty Moore used it.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:57
    Built to Complement

    It is a full-sized hollowbody archtop, designed to sit alongside the solidbody Les Paul.

  2. 2:20
    Priced Against the Solid

    It launched in May 1952 at $295 — a deliberate price anchor against the Les Paul.

  3. 3:38
    Two Pickups by ’53

    Same size as the ES-175, but evolved from one to two pickups by 1953.

  4. 5:20
    His Name, Not His Design

    Les Paul claimed responsibility — but it is an archtop, not a solidbody.

Worth your time?

Yes. Use the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • as a responsive, open-sounding archtop
  • alongside solidbodies in mixed rig setups
  • in studio contexts where warmth and immediacy matter more than isolation
What does not
  • replace the ES-175 for pure jazz articulation
  • handle high-gain without feedback
Use it if
  • players seeking a resonant, full-bodied archtop voice
  • those building a mid-century electric guitar collection around function
Skip it if
  • players needing modern switching or noise rejection
  • those prioritising portability or solidbody attack
The written brief1 min read

What it is and what it was built for

It is a hollow body guitar introduced in May 1952. It was built as a full-sized hollowbody archtop to complement the solidbody Les Paul. Its original price was $295.

How it works, in terms a player would use

It is a hollow body guitar with a trapeze bridge/tailpiece. Early models have one pickup. By 1953, it ships with two pickups. It shares dimensions with the ES-175.

What it does better than anything else

It delivers a warm, open archtop voice with immediate string response, aided by its full-sized hollow body and gold finish’s tonal reflectivity.

What it does badly

It does not isolate feedback at high volume. Its hollow construction and trapeze bridge limit sustain and increase acoustic bleed in loud settings.

What people made with it

Scotty Moore used it. Les Paul claimed involvement in its creation.

Who should use it, and who should not

Players who want a responsive, full-bodied archtop for jazz, rockabilly or studio work should use it. Players needing tight feedback control, high-gain distortion or modern switching should not.

Is it worth your time

It is worth your time if you need a full-sized hollowbody archtop that sits alongside a solidbody Les Paul in tone and role — not as a vintage collector’s item, but as a working instrument with gold finish and distinct bridge mechanics.

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