Gibson SG Special Electric Guitar,Worn Brown Satin

by Gibson USA

Product Features

• Powerful, intense, and affordable 6-string electric guitar with solid mahogany body and '50s rounded neck profile
• 490T and 490R pickups--"T" for treble, and "R" for rhythm
• Swirl acrylic inlays for classic "pearl" look
• Gibson Tune-O-Matic bridge; 2 volume and 2 tone controls plus 3-way toggle
• Worn brown finish with chrome hardware; comes with Gibson Deluxe Gig Bag

Product Details

• Item Weight: 11.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000KYOBH4
• Item model number: SG
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,582 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Packing the same power and intensity as the SG Standard, but without all the trimmings, the Gibson's SG Special electric guitar retains the heart and soul of the SG--solid mahogany body and '50s rounded neck profile--while adding dot inlays, silk-screened logo, a pair of Gibson’s hot 490 humbuckers and a deluxe gig bag.

The Gibson SG Special in worn brown. Click here for a larger image.

Key Features

'50s Rounded Neck Profile

No guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The more traditional '50s neck profile on the SG Special is the thicker, rounder profile, emulating the neck shapes found on the iconic 1958 and 1959 Les Paul Standards. The neck is machined in Gibson's rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest--including the final sanding--is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.

Click here for a larger image (black finish shown).

 

Click here for a larger image.

 

Gibson's 490 (R) Rhythm and (T) Treble Pickup

The mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. It was an interpretation of the blues that hadn't been heard before, and it was much harder, more rocking, and definitely louder than anything else before it. As such, this new genre's players were demanding more powerful amplifiers with increased volume outputs to satisfy their sonic explorations. This led to a call for a more versatile pickup that could split coils through a push/pull knob, and prevent microphonic feedback from occurring when the volumes were turned up to maximum levels.

Gibson answered this call with the introduction of the revolutionary 490T and 490R pickups ("T" for treble, and "R" for rhythm). The 490R is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The 490T bridge pickup is calibrated to match the 490R, with pole pieces aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.

Solid Mahogany Body

Probably the most central of all the SG Special's features is its solid mahogany body--lightweight, strong, with a thick, warm tone. The mahogany goes through the same rigorous selection process as all of Gibson's woods, and is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled wood experts before it enters the Gibson factories.

Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures all woods are dried to a level of "equilibrium," where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, in addition to reducing the weight. It also helps with improving the woods' machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that a Gibson guitar will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Dot Inlays

Over the years, the classic dot inlay has been one of the more traditional features of many Gibson models, including the SG. A figured, swirl acrylic gives these inlays that classic "pearl" look. They are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn't require the use of fillers.

Nitrocellulose Finish

This guitar features a nitrocellulose finish--one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process--which dries to a much thinner coat than a polyurethane finish, meaning there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone.

A nitro finish is also a softer finish, which makes it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can't do the same on a poly finish. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous in nature, and actually gets thinner over time. It does not "seal" wood in an airtight shell--as a poly finish does--and allows the wood to breathe and age properly.

What's in the Box

Gibson SG Special electric guitar, Gibson Deluxe Gig Bag, and owner's manual.

Product Description

The original Gibson SG shattered all perceptions of what a guitar should be when it was first introduced in 1961. Today, the SG stands as one of Gibsons most popular and best-selling guitars. Its distinct twin cutaways, pointed horns, and beveled edges have made it one of the most inspired and iconic designs in the history of guitar making.Gibsons 490 (R) Rhythm and (T) Treble PickupThe mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. It was an interpretation of the blues that hadnt been heard before, and it was much harder, more rocking, and definitely louder than anything else before it. As such, this new genres players were demanding more powerful amplifiers with increased volume outputs to satisfy their sonic explorations. This led to a call for a more versatile pickup that could split coils through a push/pull knob, and prevent microphonic feedback from occurring when the volumes were turned up to maximum levels.Gibson answered this call with the introduction of the revolutionary 490T and 490R pickups (T for treble, and R for rhythm), which has the traditional characteristics of the original Patent Applied For pickups, but with two key modifications. First, a four-conductor wiring scheme allows the 490s to be connected to any push/pull knob, which lets players split the coils and increase versatility. Gibson also introduced wax potting, which does away with any air space, minimalizing microphonic feedback. The 490R is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The 490T bridge pickup is calibrated to match the 490R, with pole pieces aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.50s Rounded Neck ProfileNo guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The more traditiona...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you've wanted an SG, get this...NOW., April 7, 2009

By 

Ernie (Pomona) - See all my reviews

Features:
Tuners are the green keys and I love them. Both LPs and my ES have them. The only disadvantage to the faded finish is that you can plainly see the one piece that runs from the neck down to the strap button instead of being blended into the two side pieces. Frets are large, well finished, but very large.

Quality:
Depends on how picky you are. The action was very high out of the box. The bridge pickup was set just as high. After lowering both the guitar was set. No need for anyone to setup the instrument. Intonation was perfect as was fretting. Finish? It is smoothed and pore filled mahogany. I worry less about this guitar than any of my others. It is robustly made - made for playing. This will last as long if not longer than any of my others including the oldest being the 1969 ES 345.

Value:
I paid $579 shipping included. Value? A Gibson for under $600 and it's not a crappy import? I am loathe to give anything a "10" but this guitar is very close.

Desirability:
Ever since Woodstock when I saw the Dead, the Who and Santana all sporting SGs, I knew I had to have one.

Sound:
How do two humbuckers sound? Like a Gibson. This guitar sounds as good as any other Gibson I have played or heard. I do notice the pickups being any "hotter" because of the lack of covers. I play Fusion - loud jazz. This guitar is more versatile than my ES 345 TD, varitone and all. I play though a Fender amp and a Marshall. They both compliment the humbuckers beautifully.

Ease of Use:
The neck is amazingly fast - I don't think I want another nitrocellulose neck again. And I find myself constantly going past the last fret - access is that easy. Rolloff on the tone controls is fairly linear. Weight distribution is fine - the neck is not too heavy for the body. Learning curve? Sure - playing the guitar is nothing BUT a huge learning curve ;) Very easy to get started on this guitar.

Support:
No opinion yet.

Overall:
I have nothing but high praise for this guitar. I thought I would be disappointed with the "finish." I am not. I heard "stories" about frets not being dressed properly or strap buttons being less than average, or tuners not holding pitch. None of that was true.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faded SG Special, February 3, 2007

By 

Scott F. Goldfine (Kennesaw, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I bught this guitar and I just enjoy it. The sound is very impressive just like it's more expensive brothers. The look is great and the total feel of the guitar is what you expect from Gibson. Don't be fooled into believing that this is just a step up from the Epiphone SG. This is the real deal and for the price you can't beat it. Only A Gibson IS Good Enough ! Play and enjoy !

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Faded Gibson SG Worn Brown, March 14, 2009

By 

Captain Jack Sparrow - See all my reviews

This is a great electric guitar.
Pros:
You can hear it pretty well even when the guitar isn't plugged into an amp.
Barre chords and other chords are easy to play on this guitar.
Easy to get to the high frets due to the famous shape of the sg.
Looks great.
AC/DC's lead guitarist Angus Young plays the same style and brand.

Cons:
When standing with the guitar, the guitar's neck tends to want to lean downward.

I suggest buying this guitar to anyone, even a beginning guitarist.