Gibson '61 Les Paul SG Custom Historic Reissue

Antique Ivory SG. Similar to an '87 re-issue SG Custom.
Gotoh ABR-1 style bridge
Custom built Sperzel locking Tuners
Long Tenon one piece LP Custom neck, 22 frets
Gibson TP-6 fine tuning tailpiece.
3 '57 Humbuckers. 2 standard, 1 Hot.
3 Volumes and 1 tone control
Mahogany body and neck with rosewood fretboard
Neck and headstock vaneer binding
3 ply white pickguard (black insert)

Sounds like a true Les Paul SG.
The pickups are very close to what you would expect them to sound out like.
Digitech RP 250 and a Fender FM 212r amp for the most part.
You have to know how to dial in the pickup volumes or you may find it muddy I've heard but I've never really had an issue with it.
Neck pickup is the one for Blues!
I like everything about this guitar now.
I believe the hardware that came with the Gibson/Epiphone as far as bridge, tuners and the like were cheap and therefore replaced. Everything else is basically Top-Notch.

Set up was high but intonation was OK. Neck showed signs of transport. Getting the neck adjusted and action lowered showed immediate fault with the bridge. It was simply not adequate for adjustment and needed to be exactly like Gibsons'. Wider. Gotoh had the wider bridge, retainerless and a perfect match. To keep the current body studs I did have to drill the holes wider on the Gotoh. No big deal.
TP-6 was added for that ever so slight string adjustment. Yes, ol' B buddy needs a hand sometimes.
No flaws beyond that

This seems like the guitar that will age as good as any $3699 Gibson out there. They took great care when making this guitar. It is fabulous. Aside from the initial hardware I believe this Epiphone is every bit the Gibson it's looking to be. Gibson guitars aren't always perfect either, and I've seen my fair share of replaced tuners and the like. BB King had TP-6 put on Lucille to tigten her down, so...
It is every bit the guitar I wanted at a fraction of the cost.
I put Scaller strap locks on it and bought a wide leather strap, so the neck heavy baby is holding even.
I would use it at every gig. Backup? sure why not...the way I hit srings, but I can say that with the current set-up, string change is enormously quick. Unlock, pull, lift. Seat, pull, lock wind n' go.
TP-6 is the easiest I've ever had to deal with.

Gibson is wonderful. They answered the phone in 3 minutes, gave me solid advice, congratulated me on my purchase and recommended a guitar expert in my area who would expertly set up my guitar.
Very Good Indeed.

I've been playing off and on for 20 years
If it was stolen I would cry heaps and loads, then I would look for another built at the same plant with a serial # close to what it was.
Love it all but hated the cheap hardware. I understand they can't be as good as the Gibson, but come on. The hardware I bought was an extra $130 maybe. That's not too much of a climb for better quality parts made in Asia (Sperzels are USA made of course)and would justify a slightly higher price.

2005 Limited Edition 62 Les Paul SG. I have only seen 2 of these so far, so I grabbed it!
Silver Grovers, long neck tenon, crown inlay in headstock, aged classic 57's and ABR bridge/stop-piece ( thats right, NO Lyre or Maestro tailpiece), small pickguard, and faded (nitro) cherry finish.
Bell housing says "Les Paul" Frets are like the 60's....HUGE! Love'em. CTS pots, bumble-bee caps, New Gibson "Custom" case, COA, ect...

This plus Marshalls.......Can you see me smiling?
Has more raw guts than my 57 LP.

One word....PERFECT (and how often can you say that with ANY Gibson?)

No where as durable as my Strats for sure, but that sound!
With reasonable care.......

Customer What???

Hey, its an SG....(just a DAMN GOOD ONE!)

2005 Made at the Gibson Custom Shop. Mahogany body and neck. Faded Cherry. Rosewood fingerboard. 22 Frets. 2 volume, 2 tone...2 '57 Classic pickups. Small black pickguard. Hardware is nicely aged nickel. The Custom Shop made this guitar to be identical to an early sixties model and they did a hell of a job. It is very much like a real '61 SG/Les Paul. However, instead of the ridiculous sideways vibrato tailpiece, it has the almost as ridiculous but beautiful Lyre/Vibrola which actually came in to prevelence more like around '64. By that time of coure, Les Paul had his name taken off the guitar. I had the neck pickup volume control converted to master volume, such that the bridge pickup volume control does nothing. This is the only way I can play a Gibson...can't deal with the old fashion two volume thing, not practical for me.
Kuson tulip style tuning keys.

I have a ton of guitars, amps and effects and play a lot of different music professionally. I won't bore you with all of the details of my rigs, why should you give a crap? More to the point, I find this be a versatile guitar suitable for many styles and particularly great for classic rock and blues. I used to think the SG was just a lame version of a Les Paul. Actually, a really well built SG like this is capable of some great sounds that are unique and useful. The lack of a maple top results in an overall mellower sound. A wonderful woman tone for instance. Put the pickup switch in the middle and turn the tone all the way down on the neck pickup, kick in the OD. Can't beat it. When playing power chords in bridge pickup position, the SG gets a smoother warmer tone than the Paul. Anyway, it's all subjective and personal, but I have found this guitar to be a joy. Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE my '59 Les Paul, but the SG is a different animal...lighter in weight, darker in sound with quite a bit of spank.

This guitar came out screaming for a setup, but once that was done, it has played beautifully. Wonderful slim taper neck feel and quick action, smooth bends. The vibrato tailpiece does this guitar no good, however. Sucks up some sustain and makes it go out of tune. I plan on converting to stop/stud tailpiece but keeping the Lyre piece on by attaching it to rosewood. I've done this before to another SG and it came out quite nicely.

Of course, you have to watch it with SGs that you don't break it at the neck joint, other than that, it's pretty solid.

Haven't dealt with Gibson. Haven't had to.

I've been playing all of my life, half of that professionally and I ain't no spring chicken. I have had the luxury of owning many guitars, among them 3 Custom Shop Gibsons that have been made in the past few years. '59 Les Paul, Johnny A and now the SG. They are all terrific, Gibson has outdone themselves. I'm happier than a pig in shit and these instruments will get lost or stolen over my dead body.

This guitar is a great guitar. It has 22 frets like most sg's, beautiful paint job, and great hardware. The controls are still a bit confusing to me cuz I keep forgetting and have 6 other guitars, its hard to remember them all. The only different thing about this is there is 3 humbuckers, so the three way switch and controls are all set up to account for that. One knob controls two of the pickups, and so on. It works out just fine. 57 classic pickups sound like they should. THIS GUITAR ROCKS.

sounds better than the features. It sounds amazing. I love this guitar so much i love it i love it i love it ok thats enough there. its a good one alright. It suits any style basically. It is not noisy. I like it all.

action is great. fit and finish is great. it came without flaws. The neck and action is good, but I am still getting used to it. The frets are bigger than I am used to because they are new and not worn down.

durable, reliable. it will withstand stuff. I havent exactly thrown it onto the ground to test, but from what I tell it is built well. Finish has lasted perfectly, and it was made about 3 or 4 years back. Strap buttons are solid, I can depend on it, I would use it on a gig without a backup, and so on.

no idea. I have never called customer support for gibson. However, I did email them and they emailed me back pretty fast, not about this but something else. Never had to have it repaired or anything, Ive got warranty cards and the stuff that comes with it but I dont know what to do with that. Never needed to know. It works fine. I give this no opinion however...but only because I dont know about gibson, but all other customer supports for anything anyone buys is really really horrible.

BUY THIS GUITAR. thats all ive got to say.

I think this guitar was made in 1998. It is a white, 3 pickup model (classic '57s) with the Tune-O-Matic stop bar tailpiece. Mahogany body, ebony fingerboard, M.O.P inlays on fingerboard and split diamond on headstock. Bound neck and headstock, gold hardware, plastic kluson tuners, funky brown Gibson U.S.A. case with fuschia fur and satin cover. I have wanted on of these Customs ever since I saw Glen Buxton on the back of Alice Cooper's "Love it to Death" album when I was 12. Let's face it, looks are important and this baby has plenty of those. I'll give it a 10 in that department.

I have been playing for 25 years in just about every rock or pop scenario you can name. Raised with a Les Paul Standard in my hand, switched to a Fender Strat for years, and like the prodigal son, returned home to a Black Les Paul Custom for the past 6 years. Have had just about every kind of guitar you could have at one time, (even a Bunker) and find myself playing a Tele and my SG most of the time now. I am using a Line 6 Flextone XL now for most of the gigs and find that this guitar has a pretty cool vibe for a lot of different songs. I was using a Epiphone Sheraton II (with Gibson '57s) that I got on E-Bay for the jazzier numbers but found that the SG does just about as good. It sounds good enough thru the Line 6 but just last weekend I got to run it thru my JCM 800 100 watt half stack at a friends (BBQ and beers) and that's when I really got to hear this thing speak. It really is quite different than my Pauls, lighter and more open sounding. Yet the rhythm pickup sounds huge and fat. The middle position gives you the middle and rear pickups together and the sound is very Fenderish, not quite as thin, but close. Very funky. The bridge pickup to me is the only sore spot. It just does not sound as harmonicly rich and articulate as the other two when used on a clean setting, but then my Les Paul has the same problem. On a distortion setting the pickup really shines though. I do love the middle position the best for the clean stuff. Overall I'm going to give it a 9 in sound as it really does have it's own unique "voice".

Set up on this thing was pretty good. I always have my tech here in town set them up for me and this one was no different. I've put 11-49s on it and it just loves those big strings. The tone and volume are so much better (can't believe I actually used to play 8's 20 years ago!). The middle pickup takes some getting used to as far as picking technique goes but I'll put it with it to get the extra sounds. Everything on this guitar was in excellent shape except the pickup selector switch kept cutting in and out. Contact cleaner took care of the problem. gold plating is in good shape (so far as gold can be on these things). I bought it used at a friends store and it was in mint condition. I'm sure it had spent all it's life in the case

I have alredy taken this to a gig in Thousand Oaks with no backup for a weekend and never thought twice about it. I did put Gold Strap Locks on this because these things can get a little neck heavy at times, and the origional buttons were a bit undersized. If you know Gibsons you know that the gold plating is doomed on the bridge and top of the pickup covers. Nothing can be done about this, short of not playing it anymore. Finish does seem solid on guitar and will probobly last long enough. You really need to baby these guitars because they are prone to snap headstocks off if they fall from any height. Over all I'd say that the guitar is solid (not as much as a Paul, but half the weight) and I plan on gigging with it for sometime to come. I had an old walnut finish SG back from '78-'80, and I had forgot how cool these are.

As I said, I bought it used so I don't imagine there is a warranty. Have never dealt with Gibson except to E-mail for a production date and the told me it was a '68!! Even with the Historic Reissue tag? Hmm... Oh well if it breaks in half I'm sure I'll get to keep both halves.

I have owned alot of guitars over the years, and own 17 to date and I must say that I really like this thing. It has it's own personallity that's hard to describe. It's sorta' like a Les Pauls little brother, big brother is in charge and then one day little brother grows up and kick his ass! You have to admit that there really aren't many of these around so you always turn a few heads when you play, especially with the musicians. Everyone has a Strat, but a 3 pickup custom...

1961 Les Paul/SG Custom Historic reissue in classic (polaris) white with optional Maestro vibrola, gold hardware, etc. This is an NOS 2000 model with 6-digit 'low number' impressed serial number from the current 'Hysterical' Collection purchased just a few weeks ago. Pretty much the same as the regular SG Custom reissue but with the added Lyre tailpiece. If you're familiar with the breed skip the details, but has 22 fret ebony fingerboard, MOP pearl block inlays, neck & peghead binding, split diamond peghead inlay, three '57 Classic PAF reissue humbuckers, standard two volume, two tone & 3-way pickup switch*, one-piece mahogany neck, beveled mahogany body, 'historically correct' 1961 body and neck specs, etc. Came with the regular deluxe brown leatherette locking hardshell case with pimp daddy pink fuzzy liner and dust cover. Also came with an allen wrench/screwdriver combo tool for neck adjustments, and the usual hangtags/case candy. I'd been searching for one of these for a while and especially wanted one with the long Maestro vibrato so for me rates a 10 for features, looks etc.

This SG especially suits my music style and tastes as I play mostly rythym with some lead work through a Johnson JM120 Marquis amplifier. A great versatile amp in its own right, this guitar sounds best on the American 'tweed' (ie Champ) setting with a splash of reverb. In fact I find I'm only using a couple of the amps settings anymore and none of the built-in effects (save occasional vibrato) so am going to sell it in order to buy a small tube amp like the new Gibson Goldtone GA-15RV, recent Trace-Elliott Velocette (same amp with different cosmetics) or perhaps a Fender Champ 12 or '65 Deluxe Reverb reissue. My style is basically blues-based rock & alt-country or Americana. An outstanding player with its super low action (called the Fretless Wonder) which is somewhat offset by an uncommon baseball bat neck. Most every other SG I've owned or tried has the typical thin '61 profile neck whereas this one feels more like a Les Paul Standard or Custom (with the so-called '59 neck profile). Other features are 'thicker' as well but more on that later. As they're humbuckers, they're pretty quiet unless used with a high gain setting. Gibson has done a good job with their '57 Classics, nearly nailing THE sound of the older originals at a price everyone can afford. They sound great on almost all settings though can get a little muddy sometimes. The 3-way pickup selector switch* on the SG Customs works differently than regular two-pickup guitars. Down position is the bridge pickup alone, middle position is the bridge & middle pickups together, and the up position is the neck pickup alone. With this arrangement, you can't get the middle pickup alone nor can you get the middle/neck or neck/bridge pickups together. I find the middle setting (bridge & middle pickups in unison) most to my liking but am considering modifying the wiring to allow for more choices, perhaps sacrificing one of the tone controls to work as a volume for the middle pickup, wiring the other tone as a master, and wiring the switch in normal Gibson fashion. That way I can have the neck & bridge pickups together and blend the middle pickup in any manner for a total of six sounds as opposed to the stock three. I think some early Gibson models were offered with such wiring. No complaints in this category with the exception of the switching so it rates an 8.

Gibson Historic series are of course custom made and receive more attention to detail than the typical USA production models. So things like the set-up & adjustment are almost perfect though I'll need to reintonate the bridge for my choice of strings. The frets are well done and polished, the action low as can be with no string buzzing, parts/hardware fitted straight, etc. The pickups are a little high but easily adjusted, and the vibrato works and stays in tune reasonably well once the strings are broken in. Keep in mind this is for slight effect and not for dive-bombing whammy effects; just listen to The Jayhawks' Gary Louris on Hollywood Town Hall for example. There is one minor defect in the lower cutaway maybe 1/4" long that looks like a shallow scratch in the white lacquer before the clearcoat was applied (perhaps done when scraping the neck binding?). Funny though every single one of these I've seen has some sort of finish niggle, I guess no guitar is perfect. The white is consistent and a great color but isn't polished as smooth as other Gibsons I've seen, especially black LP Customs. Funny thing is I swear it smells like vanilla which goes well with the color. Now to more bitching...The neck binding has a minor ledge that results from scraping the white lacquer before applying the clearcoat. Doesn't affect playability but it is heavier on the bass side where I have to look at it when playing. The neck joint cover has "Les Paul Custom" engraved which is a little off-center to the left, a minor thing but there all the same. Gibson must use rouge for its polishing compound as there's slight traces of brown/red around the neck heel binding and fret ends. I'll have to try and buff that stuff out more. Now I expected the gold to eventually tarnish & flake off but the first day I got it a small chunk on one of the bridge saddles flaked off. That's kind of sad that the plating's that delicate. Does make me wonder though why anyone in their right mind would buy one of the $$$ aged hardware versions currently made, though that's a matter of personal opinion. Otherwise the hardware is of excellent quality and far superior to the Epiphone (and some low-end Gibson) hardware currently offered. Also within the first week I noticed the pickup selector cut out when switching to the middle position though I haven't had to open it up and investigate it yet. But altogether it looks like a million bucks and I'll enjoy the gold plating while it lasts. That won't affect my rating here but the finish and switch rate it an 8-. For their list price ($3990) and what these typically cost retail, this thing should be immaculate, jump through hoops of fire, etc.

SGs are tricky beasts. By the late 1960s Gibson had added longer & sturdier neck joints but this and the other '60s reissues have the shorter early style joint. By comparison however they are built 'thicker' than their early counterparts. My real 1963 Les Paul/SG Standard has a much thinner neck, thinner headstock, thinner body contours, etc. Perhaps these are built thicker to endure common SG problems like fractured headstocks and neck trauma, though I have seen at least one reissue Custom with a repaired neck joint already. If you want a Gibson SG, just expect to baby it, not lean it against your amp, put it on a stand, etc. If it falls the headstock will likely crack or break off altogether. BTW, I've seen more SGs with broken/repaired heads than any other Gibson model. By the same token, if you want to do the Pete Townshend thing and destruct one, they are pretty fragile and would likely break apart very well. For me this guitar is a keeper and will probably not see any live use but then I have less expensive and more common guitars for that. But with care I'd say this guitar would be excellent for gigging yet would always recommend a backup for broken strings, etc. The finish seems pretty thick so unless you dig into it should last a long time and by the same token will probably be weatherchecked like most other Gibsons in thirty years or so. Again you already know the gold plating is going to wear away but the quality of the hardware is excellent. I don't much care for the Kluson copy tuners though as they always seem to wear out so much faster than a good set of Grovers. But they're original and look right. The strap buttons are kinda small but if you're familiar with SGs you know the placement works pretty well (upper button is at rear/neck joint). I'd add straplocks if this were a gigging guitar though. Seems pretty dependible though I'd check out that switch thoroughly with some contact cleaner before taking this one out. I won't downgrade this one on POTENTIAL problems due to its design but all the same you have to baby it more so it gets an 8.

Sold NOS, this one came with a limited lifetime warranty card. I've never had to deal with them regarding a repair as I deal mainly with vintage & used guitars. I have heard many sob stories though about how hard they are to deal with so can only hope I don't need them for anything. I have in the past contacted them via email regarding questions to other items, ordering parts, etc. They're helpful about 50% of the time which is about what I've heard their customer support is like. Keep your fingers crossed...

I've been playing for about 15 years and have gone through quite a bit of gear trying to find my own sound. In 'the real world' there are Ford and Chevrolet people (incidentally I have an old convertible Mustang GT but I digress), but in this one I'm a total Gibson nut, having gotten rid of all the bolt-ons but one. I've also sold off all my Les Pauls in the last couple of years due to weight and even a reissue Gibson ES-295 which paid for this guitar. In addition to this guitar I currently own a 1963 Les Paul/SG Standard (last year), 1990 ES-335, 1999 Epiphone Casino reissue (imported), 1987 Fender paisley Telecaster (first year), 1973 Gibson Dove, and a prototype electric (built by me, and no its not a 'parts guitar', but a custom neck-through thinline of my own design). I'm currently looking at Les Paul/SG Juniors and Melody Maker III's and really want a 60s Gibson in pelham blue. I think the best things about SGs are their light weight and unique tone. I really wanted an SG Custom and compared this one to the Historic Custom with the stop tailpiece, the 1992-93 Custom Shop '67 SG Custom reissues, and some late 1980s Customs. Again I chose this one because of the Maestro which I actually use. I wish the wiring were more versatile as I'll surely invalidate the warranty if I rewire it. Plus the middle pickup does seem to interefere with my playing a little but I suppose I'll get used to it. If it were lost, stolen or abducted by an Elvis look-alike, I'd have to cry a little as I love this one, especially the big clunky Lyre trem. I don't know if I'd buy another though as they're pretty uncommon with the Maestro tailpiece, and even more expensive than the already costly Historic stop tail reissues. I don't know why they can't put their Historic SG reissues in an Historic case like the Les Paul series (black with maroon liner) or better yet, a proper reissue black & yellow 'badge' case. Even the cheaper Angus Young signature model has a nicer looking case! But overall I have to give this one a 9+ as I knew exactly what I was getting and just love this guitar.