Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar, Heritage Cherry

by Gibson USA

Product Features

• Traditional Rounded Neck Profile
• Gibson's 490R and 498T Pickups
• Solid Mahogany Body
• 22-Fret Rosewood Fingerboards
• Grover Kluson-style Green Key Tuners

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 20 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: B0002CZUYC
• Item model number: SG
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,878 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)
  • #6 in Musical Instruments > Guitars > Electric Guitars > Solid Body

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Gibson's best-selling SG Standard shatters all perceptions of what an electric guitar can--and should--be. The slim, lightweight mahogany body; unmistakable twin cutaways, pointed horns and beveled edges; the fastest neck in the business; a pair of Gibson's screamin' humbucker pickups--all irresistible features coveted by some of the greatest guitar players of all-time. Various SG models have been played on-stage by the likes of Pete Townshend, Angus Young, Tony Iommi, Robby Krieger, Chris Robinson, Alex Lifeson, Derek Trucks, Elliot Easton, Jim James, Jeff Tweedy, Moby, Keith Urban, Nick Jonas, Rocco DeLuca. When will you add your name?

A New Classic for Rocking Through the Twenty-First Century

Available Finishes

A thicker, rounder, time-honored neck profile emulates the neck shapes of the iconic late '50s Gibson models.

Set-neck construction for better tone, better sustain, and no loose or misaligned necks.

Gibson's 490R AND 498T pickups for screaming tone.

Take your pick between two gorgeous, time-honored finishes--Heritage Cherry or Ebony--both of which are applied by hand in a process that demands several coats and many hours. Unlike a lot of of our competitors, who settle for a polyurethane finish, Gibson opts for a nitrocellulose finish that will encourage the natural vibration of the instrument for a purer tone. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous and actually gets thinner over time. That way your guitar's wood can breathe and age beautifully.

Exquisite Mother-of Pearl and Acrylic Inlays
Among other key distinctions, the SG Standard stands out from its no-frills kid sister, the SG Special, because of the fine mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and holly inlays that decorate its headstock. The SG Standard also boasts figured acrylic trapezoid inlays along its rosewood fingerboard.

'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--found on the SG Standard--is the thicker, rounder, more time-honored profile, emulating the neck shapes of the iconic late '50s Gibson models. 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.

Set-Neck Construction
Like all classic Gibson guitars, the necks on Les Pauls and SGs are distinguished by one of the more traditional features that have always set them apart--a glued neck joint. Gluing the neck to the body of the guitar ensures a "wood-to-wood" contact, no air space in the neck cavity, and maximum contact between the neck and body, allowing the neck and body to function as a single unit. The result? Better tone, better sustain, and no loose or misaligned necks.

Gibson's 490R AND 498T Pickups
The mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. 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, and Gibson answered the call with the 490T and 490R pickups ("T" for treble, and "R" for rhythm), humbuckers with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, but with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The Gibson 498T bridge pickup is the 490's ideal complement. Taking the 490 one step further, the 498 swaps the Alnico II magnet to an Alnico V, thus making it slightly hotter with emphasis on mid-ranges and highs. The pole pieces on the 498T are also 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 SG features is its solid mahogany body. 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 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, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to reducing the weight. It also improves the woods' machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that the SG will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Product Description

Like the landmark Les Paul before it, the SG Standard shattered all perceptions of what a guitar could be when it was first introduced in 1961. Today, it stands as one of the most popular and best-selling of all Gibson 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. And not only is it one of the most eye-catching guitar designs, it is also one of the most functional and effective.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BAM!, January 3, 2006

By 

Mophi (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar, Heritage Cherry (Electronics)

A lot of guitar players buy guitar after guitar working their way up to the upper line models. Why not save money and buy one from the start. I had a low end Gibson Epiphone for about 10 years. I've been saving my money for a while and then finally I decided to get something nice. My reasoning for picking the SG over the Les Paul, or even a nice Strat or Ibanez, was that some of my favorite bands play with SG's. I dont know if it's the best or not, I'll probably never know because I'll never buy another guitar again(except a rickenbacker 330 oneday:) ).

The guitar itself seems a masterpiece to me. I'm no Guitar Tech but I've been told that since Gibson and many other companies moved away from handcrafted to maching made instruments that the quality just isnt the same. In spite of that the guitar seems flawless to me. I've been told by a Tech that there is a slight bend on my fretboard on the low E side and on the hight E side it is perfectly straight, and that would keep me from attaining perfect toneality and action in the neck and strings. Another Tech told me it didnt matter that much... I dunno. It seems gr8 to me.

Besides that my skills have really increased since buying this Guitar, just the excitment of owning such a fine piece of equipment had cause me to spend more time playing and practicing a lot. Also it is so easy to play, everything from the action to the sound, the fretboard is extremely accessable esp at the bottom of the neck. This guitar is a joy to play. If you want an SG go for the Standard or higher. Dont go for the lower models.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Awesome Guitar!!!, August 24, 2005

By 

Gary Denson "bluecat51" (Mt.Pleasant, Tx. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar, Heritage Cherry (Electronics)

This guitar is the best playing, best sounding guitar I have ever owned, and I have been playing for 30 years! I grew up on Fenders and through the years have never found a Gibson that really "felt right." Now my Strat is feeling neglected! I think Gibson went through a period of poor quality control but looks like they have really got it together now. Fretwork, tuners, control knobs, everything is top notch! And the humbuckers can do it all musically. Plays like a dream!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let There Be Rock!!!, July 10, 2007

By 

Chad J. Whittle "chaddyboy" (Iowa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar, Heritage Cherry (Electronics)

Man oh man it doesnt get any better than this!!! The greatest guitar ever made hands down. Want to rock like Angus Young of AC/DC and many other rock acts? Then this is your guitar, not only does it look like Rock N Roll itself but it sounds as good as it looks....that full, dark, glorious Gibson sound. Major investment but hey if your a musican your bound to be poor anyway...whats another $1500 bucks? Remember its a long way to the top if you wanta rock n roll.