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How old is my SG?


Wheeliebloke

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I have an SG which I was given as a 21st birthday present in 1993. I wasn’t told anything about it’s value as it was a present. It has a number that was originally used in the mid 60s and reused in the 70s. The headstock has ‘Made in USA’ stamped on it which I believe didn’t happen before the 70s. https://www.guitardaterproject.org site says 1970, 1971or 1972.

 

I’d really appreciate any help with identifying it’s age and model.

 

Thanks in advance.

post-96829-078700000 1542735000_thumb.jpeg

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SGs were confusing around this time. I've seen yours referred to as an SG Special and an SG Deluxe. I think Gibson couldn't make up their mind in the early 70s....models were added, dropped, and changed at a crazy pace. SG Deluxe, Custom, Standard, Special, I, II, III, 100, 200, 300, and Melody Makers! The statement "I bought an SG" in the early 70s was like saying "I married a carbon based life form". The "Made in USA" would indicate to me 1971 or later but even that is a gray area. If it were me, I would remove the back cover plate and look at the numbers stamped on the controls (pots). You will see a number that typically starts with 137 (Manufactured by CTS) or 304 (manufactured by Stackpole), followed by four more digits. The next two are the year, and the last two are the week of that year. So if you saw 1377124, that component would have been made in the 24th week of 1971.

 

This is assuming it has all its original pots....

 

But I'm guessing you're either going to find pots dated in the early 70s or something WAY off, if it were rewired later on.

 

If you find dates in the early 70s, which I bet you WILL, it will at least tell you when those parts were made and can be used to narrow your guitars date down. If the pots were made in the 24th week of 1971 as in the example I used, you could assume the guitar was made sometime after that....maybe late 1971 or early 1972. It's only a guide but it can slake some curiosity.

 

There are crazy examples that break that rule of course. Shortly after CBS bought Fender, they bought nine dozen gazillion pots in 1966 and some model guitars had 1966 pots for YEARS after that. Some pedal steels from the 70s still had 1966 pots and the serial numbers meant nothing. There's a challenge to try to date!

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  • 3 weeks later...

You should be able to see the images here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ga3pvc3qoae5e7l/IMG_9666.jpeg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/53ft3ygux3fqrts/IMG_9668.jpeg?dl=0

 

Give us shot of the back of the neck and headstock. No volute probably a 1970, volute 1971ish.

 

But the pot are a good indicator.

 

It is a deluxe.

 

Probably not a 1972, Harmonica bridges started to appear that year.

 

Friggin sweet guitar....

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IMG-9666.jpg

 

IMG-9668.jpg

 

 

I’m leaning toward 1970, the made in USA started that year, no volute.

 

I’m pretty sure it is a deluxe, later deluxes had that goofy lovely half circle pickguard control plate.

 

1971 would probably have a harmonica bridge, 1973 may have the control plate and abr1 bridge. 1972 would be a bastard mix of 71 and 73.

 

I want a harmonica bridge fubar control plate with a bigsby, 71 personally

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I’m leaning toward 1970, the made in USA started that year, no volute.

 

I’m pretty sure it is a deluxe, later deluxes had that goofy lovely half circle pickguard control plate.

 

1971 would probably have a harmonica bridge, 1973 may have the control plate and abr1 bridge. 1972 would be a bastard mix of 71 and 73.

 

I want a harmonica bridge fubar control plate with a bigsby, 71 personally

 

OK. Cool. Thanks.

 

So, what might it be worth, for insurance purposes?

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