Description
This Gibson SG Special with a short Vibrola in the standard Cherry finish was built during 1969 at Kalamazoo and during QC review given a '2' stamp likely by Gibson Quality control. At this point it's impossible to tell what triggered the 'Second' classification, but this guitar plays very well and sounds great.
This example is in overall good condition with original hardware, is very light, plays well and is very resonant making it a pleasure to play. Over the years there have been repairs made to the neck joint which has been solid for quite some time and the original finish is worn. The back finish has some splatter-shaped delamination, perhaps the cause of the classification.
The case the guitar was originally sold with is included. This is a fibre (cardboard) case with a peeling Guild plaque on the outside and inside, a plaque from the John Bellone music store in London, Ontario. That shop closed in 2019.
The '2' for 'Second' stamp is distinct from the serial number stamp - the serial number is stamped before the finish goes on, while the '2' stamp was applied after the guitar was finished. While this was not uncommon from the mid 1960's, Gibson ended the practice around 1985 when Henry Juszkiewicz gained company ownership. From that point, Gibson tended to destroy seconds rather than sell them.
Construction and Materials
The Gibson SG Special was built with basically three woods - Honduran Mahogany for the body and three-piece neck, Indian Rosewood for the bound fingerboard, and a black-stained Holly veneer for the headstock overlay. The headstock Gibson logo and position marker dots are Mother of Pearl. The frets are original and appear to have been dressed and re-crowned. Typical of the era, the fingerboard is fairly narrow at the nut.
For hardware, the 1969 Gibson SG Special used strip-mounted Kluson Deluxe tuners with oval creme-coloured plastic buttons. While a wraparound stop-tail was used for the bridge, many Specials like this one were equipped with a short Vibrola tailpiece. The original string bar and trem are missing. The black four-layer pickguard is in the 'Bat-Wing' style. Small strap buttons are mounted at the tail and the neck joint.
SG Special electronics start with a pair of P-90 pickups, which feed to individual volume and tone controls, a three-way pickup selector, and the output jack.
The guitar shown in the 1963 Gibson catalog as the SG made its first appearance in the 1961 catalog as a complete reworking of the Les Paul model. This radical redesign was due to seriously declining sales, and the name change was due to the expiry of the endorsement contract with Les Paul. The original single-cut Les Paul model was not built again until 1968.
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |
DETAILS:
- Instrument Model: SG Special
- Instrument Manufacturer: Gibson
- Instrument year: 1969
- Instrument Finish: Cherry Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Instrument Class: Solidbody Electric Guitar
- Instrument serial number: 852338, 2 stamped underneath by Gibson, built 1969 at Kalamazoo MI
- Country of Origin: USA
- Instrument Condition: Good
- Right-handed
- CITIES Documentation Required: No
- Case included: Yes
- Case original: Yes
- Case Type: Original sale fiber case Guild Branded with John Bellone Plaque
- Instrument Weight Imperial: 6.908 lbs
- Instrument Weight Metric: 3.14 kgs
- Scale Length Imperial: 25.64 in
- Scale Length Metric: 626 mm
- Nut Width Imperial: 1.561 in
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Nut Width Metric: 39.66 mm
- Items in Case: N/A
- Consignment: Yes
- Product ID: 190669
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There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here |