From Our Research Team:

The Definitive Recreation of the Original "Solid Guitar" of the 1960s

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 White or rarely, Ebony. The original SG Series addressed two of what Gibson president Ted McCarty saw as major issues with the original Les Paul design, which was the weight, along with somewhat limited access to the upper frets. With a thinner, lighter mahogany body and a neck that joined the body right at the upper limits of the 22-fret fingerboard, the SG was a hit. 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 out the new Vintage Original Spec (VOS) SG Custom, which includes such high-end appointments as three humbuckers, gold hardware and an ebony neck with real pearl inlays. Play one and you'll understand why this is a design that's survived for almost half a century in an industry that's well known for change.



Gibson SG Custom VOS Reissue Features at a Glance:

• Lightweight mahogany body with dual cutaway design in Classic White
  
• Three '57 Classic humbucking pickups with three-way toggle switch
  
• Authentic ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece
  
• Solid mahogany neck with long neck tenon and ebony fingerboard
  
• Custom Shop hardshell case with certificate of authenticity

Lightweight mahogany body with dual cutaway design in Classic White
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, though it can probably be traced to both weak sales and the urge to try something new. In any case, the first SGs (which this duplicates) 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 is also a much lighter instrument, thanks to the thinner mahogany body and the deeply beveled edges. The Vintage Original Spec SG Custom is a totally spot-on accurate reissue of the original 1961 Gibson SG Custom, including the smaller pickguard and the crest inlay headstock along with all the usual high-end features of Gibson's Custom models. A nice touch is the "Les Paul Custom" engraving at the neck joint. Talk about accuracy!

Three '57 Classic humbucking pickups with three-way toggle switch
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? Wait...what could be better than two humbuckers? Right, three '57 Classics! 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 Vintage Original Spec SG Custom Reissue comes with a smoking hot complement of three nickel covered Gibson '57 Classic Humbuckers for the ultimate in tone along with Gibson's standard layout of two volume and two tone controls and a three-position toggle switch. Lots of players over the years picked up SGs and loved them. Just a few include Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Angus Young, Frank Zappa, Tony Iommi and most recently, bottleneck prodigy Derek Trucks.

Authentic ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece
One of Gibson's many accomplishments during the 1950s was the development of the tune-o-matic bridge, which allowed for precise intonation of each and every string. The patent for the design, which Gibson designated as the ABR-1, was granted to Gibson president Ted McCarty, a fact that's never been in dispute, though it wasn't until more recently that McCarty's many innovations have truly been recognized. Since then, millions of guitars have been built with variations on that theme. Though for a while, it seemed that the design for those original bridges might be gone, Gibson has brilliantly recreated it for the Vintage Original Spec Series. While some 1960s SGs shipped with Maestro vibratos, the majority of players will prefer this version which has the standard stud-mounted stop tailpiece, which helps produce the signature SG tone and sustain.

Solid mahogany neck with long neck tenon and ebony fingerboard
The 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 Custom, which was Gibson's most expensive solidbody electric after the company discontinued the Les paul line, was produced with the slim-taper mahogany neck, making it among the fastest ever designed. The Vintage Original Spec SG Custom Reissue reproduces that ultra fast profile with the historically accurate long neck tenon. If you like the combination of a fast mahogany neck with the nearly limitless access to the upper frets that's an SG trademark, you'll love the SG Custom Vintage Original Spec Reissue. It's got a fully bound ebony fingerboard with real pearl block inlays which Gibson reserves for only its top models. The headstock also has the distinctive Custom Series split diamond pearl inlay, vintage "tulip" tuners and (since it's as accurate as possible) it even includes "Les Paul Custom" on the truss rod cover.

Custom Shop hardshell case with certificate of authenticity
Naturally, a guitar as special as the Vintage Original Spec SG Custom Reissue will come with a plush-lined hardshell case as befits its lofty status as one of Gibson's most popular - and advanced - models (even if it wasn't apparent back in the 1960s). So this one comes with a really sweet Custom Shop case that will offer the ultimate protection for your investment for many decades to come. The reissue SG Custom also comes with a certificate of authenticity, which proves your good taste, as well as a custom care kit and other assorted "case candy."


Gibson SG Custom VOS Reissue Features:

• Color: Classic White
  
• Body Type: Solidbody
  
• Finish: Gloss
  
• Neck Wood: Mahogany
  
• Neck Shape: Slim-taper profile
  
• Top Wood: Mahogany
  
• Back Wood: N/A
  
• Side Wood: N/A
  
• Machine Heads: Vintage tulips
  
• Scale Length: 24 3/4 inches
  
• Fingerboard: Ebony
  
• No. of Frets: 22
  
• Position Markers: Pearl block
  
• Pickups: Three '57 Classic humbuckers
  
• Controls: Two volume, two tone
  
• Pickup Switching: Three position toggle
  
• Bridge/Tailpiece: Tune-o-matic with stop tailpiece
  
• Hardware: Gold
  
• Case: Custom Shop hardshell

The Gibson SG Custom VOS is a faithful recreation of Gibson's top-of-the-line 1960s solidbody electric!

Specification Detail Manufacturer Part Number SGCVOCWGH1

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