Gibson SG Custom 1969 – stuff that’s gone (2)

The gibson sg is one of the classic blues rock guitars of the 60ties and 70ties. Used by players like Duane Allman, Eric Clapton, Angus Young, Pete Townsend or Tommi Iommi. In this episode of stuff that’s gone we will look at a gibson sg custom from 1969. These guitars can be great playing and sounding bargains, when the players is able to cope with the narrow nut width.

This guitar is the top of the line example of the sometimes called sg type 2 built from 1966 until 1971. This model is characterized by the following features:

  • mahogany neck and body with an ebony fingerboard and block inlays
  • nut width of the neck 1 9/16″
  • neck joint at 19th fret with a lip extending to the 16th fret
  • large pickguard surrounding the pickups
  • 5-piece-split-diamond inlay headstock inlay
  • maestro vibrato tailpiece
  • gold plated parts
  • 3 pat-no humbucker pickups (T-Top)
  • kluson waffle-back tuners
  • amp knobs with a gold inlay

The story of this guitar is a perfect example of how you can admire things, you never cared for. When I bought the guitar my motivation was to save this guitar from being robbed her original parts and sold separately for a better deal. The guitar was 95%-original but because of the issues this guitar was a real bargain. The main issues/alterations were the following:

  • fully functional but ugly headstock repair
  • a neck set
  • a refret, which in this case is a real improvement (because of the original low frets)
  • metal bridge saddles instead of the plastic one (which I prefer tone wise)
  • the pickups were wired to blend between the neck- and middle pickup. A modification which makes this guitar even more versatile.

In practice this guitar was my preferred gibson guitar for approximately 2 years. Great tone from all three pat-no pickups, versatile because of the pickup blending, light weight and with good playability.

Another story we can learn from this guitar is the difficulties dating an end 60ties gibson guitar. The guitar was sold to me as an 1967. But a closer inspection of the features revealed the original date of birth in early 1969. The relevant features are the following:

  • Serial number in the 805xxx range, so either 1966 or 1969
  • walnut finish introduced in 1969
  • three piece mahogany neck introduced in 1969. Without volute and made in usa stamp so pre 1970.
  • Pot codes 52nd week of 1968

Additional information concerning Gibson Sg’s: