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1974 SG Special ?


TalkyToaster

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Hi all, this is my first post to this forum so hello to you all !. An now I'm going to bore you with the perennial 'what is my guitar?' question. So here goes...

 

I've owned my guitar for approx 25 years, bought second hand from what was then Musical Exchanges in Birmingham. I't's clearly an SG but I've never actually known the precise model and age of it. From what I've been able to find out I believe it may be a '74 special but I would greatly appreciate the forums views on this.

 

I'm going to attempt to create image links below, bear with me if it goes wrong ...

 

Main image:

3979748528_dcc0ea90bc.jpg

 

The link below should get you a set of images on flickr that show the details ...

Flickr Image Set - Gibson SG detail pics

 

The guitar doesn't have the original tuners on at the moment, I do have them and they're included in the image set.

 

Much appreciation for any info you can give

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Nice, your serial on that is coming back from guitar dater project as

 

Your guitar was made at the

Kalamazoo or Nashville Plant , USA

approximately in: 1970, 1971 or 1972

 

But it looks like a 76 Special except the bridge on the ETSG site 76

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Thanks for the info 80LPC and Blackie' date=' much appreciated. You're obviously well versed in the black arts of gibson spotting. Would I be right in saying this is an uncommon model ? I've not seen many others like it.[/quote']

 

I have'nt seen any around like yours with the black mini humbuckers.

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Yes, that's the Schaller - sometimes called the 'harmonica' bridge. They are exceptionally well made with 8mm nickel plated brass studs. They were fitted routinely to most SGs from 1972 to 1978. Some LPs also had them.

 

This one is from my '79 'The SG'.

 

IMG_943701-28-2009.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi, I saw saw the pix on Flickr and got really excited! I own an identical SG special with the serial 105505 which must have been made the same week if not the same day as yours! I bought mine secondhand in July 1975 (still have the receipt) as a 19 year old in my native Yorkshire and the guitar is still completely original. (let me know if you want to see ant photos) The guitar was not very old at the time and I always thought it was a 73 model because of the schaller bridge. However if you look at the 73 catalogue they had dot inlays. Block inlays came in the 76 catalogue but had a smaller tunamatic bridge on the SG special. Besides I have the 1975 receipt. My best guess is its a late 73/74.

Whats the history on yours?

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Hi' date=' I saw saw the pix on Flickr and got really excited! I own an identical SG special with the serial 105505 which must have been made the same week if not the same day as yours! I bought mine secondhand in July 1975 (still have the receipt) as a 19 year old in my native Yorkshire and the guitar is still completely original. (let me know if you want to see ant photos) The guitar was not very old at the time and I always thought it was a 73 model because of the schaller bridge. However if you look at the 73 catalogue they had dot inlays. Block inlays came in the 76 catalogue but had a smaller tunamatic bridge on the SG special. Besides I have the 1975 receipt. My best guess is its a late 73/74.

Whats the history on yours?[/quote']

 

Yes post pic's

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Nice one Biggles, they could be twins!

 

Yours seems to have retained more of the cherry than mine.

 

I bought it second hand from musical exchanges on snow hill in Birmingham (now the reverb store) in about '85.

It was a choice between the SG and a flying vee but I didn't think I could carry that off !.

 

The previous owner must have had a pretty limited repertoire as the top two or three frets were worn down to the board on the high strings, which I didn't notice when I bought it (doh !) so I had to get it re-fretted pretty much straight away.

 

As far as I know it was completely original when I got it, I changed the tuners for gigging because it just wouldn't stay in with the originals. I can't think what possessed me to get gold ones tho : - |

 

I've just had it serviced by Guitar Studio Evesham and it now plays and sounds like a dream.

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Just found this up for sale' date=' described as a standard but looks pretty identical to me

 

guitar junction sg

 

Excellent story TalkyToaster. I think yours has seen more action than mine! Work and children got in the way of my musical career.:-

 

The one for sale is definitely a Special and not a Standard and I would say it is later than 73 because of the block inlays and the narrow bridge. Looks like 75/76 to me. Interesting price though.... I wonder if it sells for that?

 

I reckon ours are worth around the £1000-£1100 mark.... tops. It would be nice if I was wrong.

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Nice' date=' your serial on that is coming back from guitar dater project as

 

Your guitar was made at the

Kalamazoo or Nashville Plant , USA

approximately in: 1970, 1971 or 1972

 

But it looks like a 76 Special except the bridge on the ETSG site 76

 

This information is only partially correct.

 

The 100,000 serial numbers were also used in '73, '74, and early '75. In mid 1975 Gibson changed their entire serial number format to an eight digit number with a two digit prefix for the year code. "99" was 1975, "00" was 1976. "06" was for 1977.

 

Open up the control plate and look at the pot codes. The fourth and fifth digits are the last two numbers of the year they were manufactured, and the last two digits are the week of that year. With the mess that was six digit Gibson serial numbers, that made be your best, and only way, to accurately date this guitar.

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This information is only partially correct.

 

The 100' date='000 serial numbers were also used in '73, '74, and early '75. In mid 1975 Gibson changed their entire serial number format to an eight digit number with a two digit prefix for the year code. "99" was 1975, "00" was 1976. "06" was for 1977.

 

Open up the control plate and look at the pot codes. The fourth and fifth digits are the last two numbers of the year they were manufactured, and the last two digits are the week of that year. With the mess that was six digit Gibson serial numbers, that made be your best, and only way, to accurately date this guitar.[/quote']

 

 

Great tip L5Larry. I checked out the pots and its 7320. So presuming the pots were manufactured in advance (dont know what their stock levels may have been) that puts my guitar around summer 1973. So its not a 74!

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Hi all' date=' this is my first post to this forum so hello to you all !. An now I'm going to bore you with the perennial 'what is my guitar?' question. So here goes...

 

I've owned my guitar for approx 25 years, bought second hand from what was then Musical Exchanges in Birmingham. I't's clearly an SG but I've never actually known the precise model and age of it. From what I've been able to find out I believe it may be a '74 special but I would greatly appreciate the forums views on this.

 

I'm going to attempt to create image links below, bear with me if it goes wrong ...

 

Main image:

[img']http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2462/3979748528_dcc0ea90bc.jpg[/img]

 

The link below should get you a set of images on flickr that show the details ...

Flickr Image Set - Gibson SG detail pics

 

The guitar doesn't have the original tuners on at the moment, I do have them and they're included in the image set.

 

Much appreciation for any info you can give

oh man what a cool thing to own,never sell it.not to many of these.how is the sound of those mini humbuckers?

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  • 7 months later...

Wow I have the same guitar, in the same color! With all different models of SG that Gibson was making in teh early '70s, I never thought Id see another one like mine.

I bought mine in 1983 from a friend of mine who was original owner. He told me it was an '73 SG Special. Now, we all know the '73 had dot inlays so it couldnt be that. I checked the pot serial numbers several years ago and if I recall, the pots were manufactured the first week of 1974. It took me many years to figure out that the guitar had the mini humbuckers and not P90s (LOL Im such a Nub). I can see your guitar also has the clear acrylic tone and volume knobs. Everything on my guitar is original.

 

I absolutely love this guitar. Its the only "real" electric guitar I have ever owned. The neck is so sleek, tight, and narrow from 1st to 6th string. This is a very fast neck, IMO. I played this thru a 100w marshall once, while jammin with my buddies. It was one of those moments in life when you are plugged directly into the universe. A kind of moment that is beyond your control. A rare moment where the notes are flowing thru you, as though you werent even there. Do you know what I mean? All these years later, we still talk about the experience...

I now play thru a Peavy Classic Tube amp. Just love the warm, down and bluesy sound comin from the guitar with the tone turn way down. sweet jesus... This guitar can scream like a banshee or cry like a little girl..... and everything in btwn. Not to mention the wicked nasty looks of the double cutaway!!! LOL it sounds like Im writing a PR ad for Gibson! "What more do you need? This wicked nasty double cutaway guitar will scream like a banshee for you or it will cry like a little girl. This is the real deal!!" LOL

 

Anyway I digress. I will try to post a pix tomorrow. It will look just like the one above, lol

 

Thanks for listening and letting me share my joy!!

 

Regards,

Mad

 

I just noticed, I believe the bridge on my guitar is different than the one shown. I dbl check tomorrow and post pix.

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  • 9 years later...

I'm 14 and just saved all of my money for one just like these at guitar center. They told me it was a 78 but at that point they had quit the made In usa stamp and the pots say 74 so there you go. The original owner must have played the life out of it because the frets are flat as a pancake and the red has faded to walnut almost identical to a 70s standard. Plus there is no lacquer past the 3rd fret so if it had a satin neck a rhythm guitarist played it and did enough chords and such to shine up the finish or if it was a gloss neck someone played it like johnny winter lol. It needs a regret but otherwise it's perfect. Only better guitar I've ever played was an all original 62 sg les Paul standard. Anyway I'm never getting rid of this guitar. I'm gonna try to add a pic

12652.jpeg

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