1964 Gibson SG Standard, Cherry
By Gibson
£POA
Sharp looking Gibson SG Standard from 1964, the guitar looks fantastic with its strong Cherry red finish highlighting every contour of Gibson's iconic double cutaway classic. A very complete guitar that has just come to market having been with by the previous owners family for over 30 years.
Released in 1961 as the successor design to the fifties single cut Les Paul Model, the newly designed beveled edge, double cutaway Les Paul/ SG Standard Model would go through a few changes in line with the rest of the SG range throughout the sixties. The guitar was still listed as the Les Paul Standard until 1963 when it would simply become the SG Standard and in 1966 when the larger “Batwing” pickguard was introduced with the pickups suspended in the guard. SG’s from 1964 are particularly sought thanks to Eric Clapton and George Harrisons use of ’64s but it is the last full year the model the model had a traditional 1&11/16th nut width and the profile is a little fuller than the earlier Les Paul/SGs.
One of 1375 SG Standard shipped in 1964 this guitar has retained its Cherry finish very well with minimal tan lines evident and just the right amount of fade. Featuring an iconic, deep bevelled double cutaway body and neck made from Honduran Mahogany with the stepped heel joint having evolved from the earlier smooth type. The finish is in great condition with very few marks and dings, a couple to the most prominent are a little worming to the back and to the lower bout where the guitar would have sat in a stand. Under inspection there is a small spot of touch up to the rear of the neck in the first position and a hairline crack that runs from the headstock to the 10th fret of the neck, it is evident under blacklight and is no cause for concern. The rosewood fingerboard shows little wear and the guitar still sports its original frets and the nut is a replacement.
The guitar sounds great with the two PAT.No. pickups offering the PAF-like detail and clarity they are known for. The neck pickup sticker is present although delicate, the bridge pickup sticker has fallen off. Both pickups are consistent with each other and have never had the covers removed. Pots are a matched quartet of 500K CTS with the source code 137 6336 with two 0.22MF ceramic disc capacitors. The pickups measure 7.6K and 7.2K in the bridge and neck respectively. Hardware is nickel plated throughout with single line, double ring Kluson Keystone Tuners, a wired foundry mark ABR-1 with Nylon saddles and engraved Lyre Maestro Vibrola with ‘Walrus Tooth’ handle. The pickguard is the wide bevel, 6 hole ‘Angel Wing’ variety used from ’63 until the change to the later ‘Batwing’ Style. The truss rod cover is the wide bevel type and the knobs are black reflector knobs w/ pointers.
The guitar plays well, the neck is a comfortable medium C profile with a little more substance when compared to some earlier flatter SG/Les Paul necks and with a more favourable string spacing thanks to the traditional nut width. The original frets are dressed fairly flat but the guitar play well with Lyre perfect for a Bigsby-esque shimmer. The nut measures 42.81mm with the depth at the first position of 19.34mm.
A great sounding guitar in very good condition, the replacement nut and hairline crack keep the price down on what is a very desirable and collectable guitar from the golden age of Gibson production. The guitar comes with a period Croc Skin Selmer case.
Released in 1961 as the successor design to the fifties single cut Les Paul Model, the newly designed beveled edge, double cutaway Les Paul/ SG Standard Model would go through a few changes in line with the rest of the SG range throughout the sixties. The guitar was still listed as the Les Paul Standard until 1963 when it would simply become the SG Standard and in 1966 when the larger “Batwing” pickguard was introduced with the pickups suspended in the guard. SG’s from 1964 are particularly sought thanks to Eric Clapton and George Harrisons use of ’64s but it is the last full year the model the model had a traditional 1&11/16th nut width and the profile is a little fuller than the earlier Les Paul/SGs.
One of 1375 SG Standard shipped in 1964 this guitar has retained its Cherry finish very well with minimal tan lines evident and just the right amount of fade. Featuring an iconic, deep bevelled double cutaway body and neck made from Honduran Mahogany with the stepped heel joint having evolved from the earlier smooth type. The finish is in great condition with very few marks and dings, a couple to the most prominent are a little worming to the back and to the lower bout where the guitar would have sat in a stand. Under inspection there is a small spot of touch up to the rear of the neck in the first position and a hairline crack that runs from the headstock to the 10th fret of the neck, it is evident under blacklight and is no cause for concern. The rosewood fingerboard shows little wear and the guitar still sports its original frets and the nut is a replacement.
The guitar sounds great with the two PAT.No. pickups offering the PAF-like detail and clarity they are known for. The neck pickup sticker is present although delicate, the bridge pickup sticker has fallen off. Both pickups are consistent with each other and have never had the covers removed. Pots are a matched quartet of 500K CTS with the source code 137 6336 with two 0.22MF ceramic disc capacitors. The pickups measure 7.6K and 7.2K in the bridge and neck respectively. Hardware is nickel plated throughout with single line, double ring Kluson Keystone Tuners, a wired foundry mark ABR-1 with Nylon saddles and engraved Lyre Maestro Vibrola with ‘Walrus Tooth’ handle. The pickguard is the wide bevel, 6 hole ‘Angel Wing’ variety used from ’63 until the change to the later ‘Batwing’ Style. The truss rod cover is the wide bevel type and the knobs are black reflector knobs w/ pointers.
The guitar plays well, the neck is a comfortable medium C profile with a little more substance when compared to some earlier flatter SG/Les Paul necks and with a more favourable string spacing thanks to the traditional nut width. The original frets are dressed fairly flat but the guitar play well with Lyre perfect for a Bigsby-esque shimmer. The nut measures 42.81mm with the depth at the first position of 19.34mm.
A great sounding guitar in very good condition, the replacement nut and hairline crack keep the price down on what is a very desirable and collectable guitar from the golden age of Gibson production. The guitar comes with a period Croc Skin Selmer case.