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Reissue of a Rock Classic!

The Gibson SG actually began life in 1961 as the "new and improved" Les Paul. However, Les was not particularly fond of the design which featured a thinner mahogany body with beveled edges and pointed horns, so the guitar eventually got a new name: The SG, which stood for "Solid Guitar." It was actually a big success for Gibson - obviously the right design for the times. Most SGs were finished in Cherry, which was all the rage in the '60s, however, some were produced in either solid black or white. The original SG Standard was actually at the top of the SG "food chain" back in the '60s, though it still sold well because it delivered all the features most guitarists wanted in terms of playability and sound. If you're looking for a historically-accurate reissue of the 1961 SG that looks just like it rolled off the production line more than four decades ago, but without the wear and tear, you really need to check this one out.

Gibson SG '61 Reissue at a Glance:

• Solid mahogany body finished in Heritage Cherry finish with historically accurate pickguard
  
• Solid mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and trapezoid inlays
  
• Two Gibson '57 Classic Humbuckers with nickel covers

The 1960s SG is Back in Style
It's hard to believe that by 1961, Gibson decided to discontinue the original Les Paul guitar - or what we now think of as the Les Paul Standard. The motivation is unclear. Weak sales? The urge to try something new? In any case, the first SGs were actually called Les Pauls, but Les himself wasn't in favor of that for a variety of reasons. So, in a bold move, this solid guitar was renamed SG, which stood for, uh, solid guitar. A few years later, Gibson started making the original Les Pauls again, but the SG proved so popular that they kept making them. Though it fell on tough times in later years, there's a renewed interest in SGs today. The reason is easy to understand. It's actually quite a cool looking instrument, delivering the classic humbucker sound for people who don't particularly want or need a Les Paul Standard. The SG Standard is also a much lighter instrument. This one is a totally spot-on accurate reissue of the first Gibson SG Standard of 1961, including the smaller pickguard and the crest inlay headstock.

A New Generation of Fast-playing NecksThe early Les Pauls had huge necks, but by 1960 the neck underwent several modifications until it became what's known as the slim-taper design. The SG took it one step farther, making the neck among the fastest ever designed. Hey, Frank Zappa played one and the guy had some wicked chops. If you like the combination of a fast mahogany neck with the warmth of the traditional rosewood fingerboard, you'll love the SG Standard '61 Reissue.

Two Fat, Smoking Humbuckers
When you really want to cook on a solo or deliver some thunderous power chords, you reach for a guitar that's got a pair of humbuckers, right? Forget all those thin "out-of-phase" guitar sounds that the session players overused in the 1980s and (sad to say) right through much of the '90s. That's not for you. Your sound is all about the warmth, punch and midrange complexity you can only get from humbuckers. With that in mind, the SG Standard 1961 Reissue comes with a smoking hot pair of nickel covered Gibson '57 Classic Humbuckers for the ultimate in tone.

Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue Features:

• Color: Heritage Cherry
  
• Body: Solid mahogany
  
• Neck: Mahogany
  
• Fingerboard: Rosewood with trapezoid inlays
  
• Number of frets: 22
  
• Pickups: Two Gibson '57 Classic Humbuckers
  
• Controls: Two each tone and volume with three-way pickup selector switch
  
• Machine heads: Schaller Green Key
  
• Hardware: Nickel plated
  
• Case: Black reptile pattern hardshell

The Gibson SG Standard '61 Reissue is a blast from the past!

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number SG61HCNH1