The Prototype SG that Never Was!

The Gibson SG Tribute '50s model solidbody electric guitar instantly transports you back to Ted McCarty's modest luthier's shop the late 1950s, when Les Paul sales had begun to taper off and Gibson began looking for the next big thing in electric guitar design. The new solidbody electric guitar model they designed provided many advantages the original Les Paul model lacked. A slimmer and lightweight body, accessible double cutaway, and extended 24-fret neck were all seen as revolutionary from the beginning and eventually made the SG a favorite among countless next-generation guitarists. When you pick up an SG Tribute '50s guitar, you can't help but imagine the impact this guitar would have. What's more, you also get retro touches such as P-90 Soapbar pickups, a rounded '50s neck carve, and PROTOTYPE stamped on the Gibson SG Tribute '50s guitar's headstock.

Gibson SG Tribute '50s Solidbody Electric Guitar at a Glance:

• A built-for-production version of a prototype SG that might have been
  
• P-90 Soapbar pickups provide dynamic vintage-style single-coil tone
  
• Rounded '50s-profile neck carve provides extremely consistent stability

A built-for-production version of a prototype SG that might have been
It's easy to imagine all of the various forms and considerations that went into the guitar Gibson eventually called, simply, the SG or "Solid Guitar." That's because, until Les Paul sales dropped dramatically in 1961, Gibson didn't quite know how to position the SG in their overall lineup. It wasn't until Gibson had officially decided to replace the Les Paul with the SG (discontinuing their flagship solidbody guitar for seven years) that the standard model was outfitted with PAFs and a new SlimTaper neck. This SG Tribute '50s model guitar gives you the original P-90 single coil pickups and rounded '50s neck profile, capturing this nebulous stage in the SG's history in perfect detail.

P-90 Soapbar pickups provide dynamic vintage-style single-coil tone
The Gibson SG Tribute '50s guitar gives you the original slightly raw sound of a pair of single-coil P-90 Soapbar pickups. P-90s were Gibson's first successful pickup. Their clean treble and relatively high output even at lower volumes made them an instant hit. Many guitarists also did (and still do) the slightly rude sound P-90s give you when you crank up the gain. Although the original 1961 SG shipped with PAF humbuckers, many guitarists actually preferred what Gibson called their budget pickups, to the point where they later went back to prototype models similar to this SG Tribute '50s model. If you've listened to classic rock, then you've heard the sound of guitars like this Gibson SG Tribute '50s on more than a few timeless recordings.

Rounded '50s-profile neck carve provides extremely consistent stability
By the mid 1960s, the demands of faster and more technical guitarists for ever thinner necks had led Gibson to first slim down the original SG neck, and then to invent the (relatively unchanged) SlimTaper neck profile. By the time the Les Paul went back into production, even it sported one of these necks. The problem is, some people really prefer a slightly beefier neck. The '50s rounded neck profile on the SG Tribute '50s guitar is far from behemoth in proportion, but its smooth and evenly rounded shape fits many hands better than its slimmer counter part. If you prefer something closer to an acoustic guitar neck, then you'll feel right at home with the Gibson SG Tribute '50s electric guitar.

Gibson SG Tribute '50s Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:

• A classic solidbody electric guitar that captures the spirit of the late 1950s SG prototypes
  
• Gibson P-90 Soapbar single-coil pickups balance glassy clean sound at lower volumes with growl and grit when you roll on the gain
  
• Slim, lightweight, and expertly balanced mahogany body
  
• Traditional '50s rounded neck profile provides solid feel and smooth action
  
• PROTOTYPE stamp on headstock captures the spirit of this per-production model reissue
  
• Gig bag included

Get classic rock tone and vintage style with a Gibson SG Tribute '50s guitar from Sweetwater!

Specification Detail Body Type SG Left-/Right-handed Right-handed Body Material Mahogany Top Material Not applicable Body Finish Vintage gloss Color Ebony Neck Material Mahogany, Set Neck Shape '50s Rounded Scale Length 24-3/4" Fingerboard Material Rosewood, 12" Radius Fingerboard Inlay Acrylic Trapezoids Number of Frets 24 Nut Width 1-11/16" Bridge/Tailpiece Chrome Tune-O-Matic/Stop Bar Tuners Grover Kidney Number of Pickups 2 Neck Pickup P-90 Soapbar single-coil Middle Pickup No Middle Pickup Bridge Pickup P-90 Soapbar single-coil Controls 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone, 3-way Pickup Toggle Case Included Gig bag Manufacturer Part Number SGTR5E5CH1

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