Back to navigation


The SG That Launched 1,000 Careers





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





Immortalized by Santana at Woodstock and smashed onstage by Pete Townshend, the SG is a veritable rock icon. Now, it’s available in vintage-inspired finishes as part of the Gibson Custom Color Series. The Nashville-made SG Standard ’61 reissue takes you back to the SG’s debut with a classic lightweight mahogany body and a set mahogany neck that delivers great sustain and no pain. Two hum-canceling Gibson ’60s Burstbucker pickups facilitate spine-tingling vintage tones just like legendary PAF pickups. Plus, the rosewood fingerboard, silky 24.75-inch scale length, and precision-leveled frets were dressed leveraging advanced Plek technology for a low-action feel that inspires. The SG’s mischievous look is undoubtedly part of its lore, and the SG Standard ’61 offers only the finest looks. Gibson die-hards here at Sweetwater have noted the authenticity of the SG Standard ’61’s old-school nitro gloss finish, smaller period-correct teardrop pickguard, and tasteful fingerboard binding. With the Gibson SG Standard ’61, you can revisit the past or engineer the next great rock ’n’ roll revolution ? the choice is yours!





The standard of rock





Each SG Standard ’61 is built in Nashville, where authenticity is the name of the game. Mahogany tonewoods fuel the SG’s timeless combination of playability and power, and the SG Standard ’61’s high-quality mahogany body and neck produce rich, full-bodied tones that sound even better when pushed with overdrive or distortion. Moreover, the mahogany neck’s long tenon gives this SG Standard ’61 monstrous sustain. The long neck tenon extends into the SG Standard’s body, adding a hefty bump sustain and extra structural integrity to boot.





Unmatched Burstbucker tones





When it comes to capturing that classic Gibson tone, few pickups match the authenticity of Burstbucker pickups. You’ll love the tight low end, rich midrange, and rowdy highs of these pickups ? it’s everything you expect and deserve when reaching for a Gibson! Debuting in the 1990s, Burstbuckers represent a leading re-creation of Gibson’s original 1960s-era PAF humbuckers. If you’re after classic Gibson tone, then the SG Standard ’61 has you covered.





SlimTaper neck carve and Plek’d frets for optimized playability





You’ll be delighted by how well this guitar’s fast, early-’60s SlimTaper neck profile comfortably fits your hand. For your playing pleasure, the rosewood fingerboard is buffed for smoothness and bound so no fret ends poke, prod, or pester you during play. Moreover, the frets are dressed to perfection using a Plek Pro machine for optimized playability. Typically reserved for top-dollar custom guitars, this process levels the frets with pinpoint precision, providing you with the most playable fretboard you’ll ever own.





Nitro finish for the look and feel of a classic





The SG Standard ’61 wears a gorgeous gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Nitro finishes ? standard back in the day ? are significantly thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes, allowing the guitar to “breathe.” Nitro finishes not only look vintage-y wonderful, but they also enhance the instrument’s tonal qualities. This guitar has the look (and feel) of a lovingly cared-for classic ? one that will only improve with age.





Gibson SG Standard ’61 Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:


Comfortable, lightweight, iconic doubled-horned mahogany body


Fast SlimTaper mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard and a 24.75-inch scale length


Plek’d fingerboard provides superior playability right out of the box


Hum-cancelling ’60s Burstbucker pickups churn out spine-tingling re-creations of early SG tone


Period-correct looks, including top hat knobs, a bound rosewood fingerboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays, a teardrop pickguard, and keystone tuners


ABR Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece fuel slinky, energizing SG action


2 volume, 2 tone controls, handwired with Orange Drop capacitors; 3-way toggle pickup selector


Part of the Custom Color Series