mid-late 1960s SG Custom with 3 pickup switches

[SunnyDays]

I've run across a mid-late '67 or '68 Gibson SG Custom with

 

- one volume knob

- one tone knob

- plug-in for the guitar's cable on the front (not on the edge) where it normally should be

- large pick guard

- no Bigsby, just regular stop tailpiece and then the regular Gibson bridge type of that era

 

And no 3-position switch.

 

Instead, there is a row of three "on/off" switched just below the 3 pickups.

That allows turning each pickup on or off for several different combinations of the 3 pickups.

 

There are no holes where a 2nd volume and a 2nd tone knob would be.

And the patina is consistent across the entire instrument, and noticeable everywhere.

 

The truss rod cover -- equally patina'd -- says:

C

u

s

t

o

m

 

with no "SG" in there, and with the letters oriented vertically, whereas my 1974 SG Custom's truss rod cover says

S G

Custom

 

with the letters laid out horizontally.

 

And the 6-diamond headstock has original patina like that across the whole guitar.

 

 

Was this a custom order deal or something at that time?

[capmaster]

I've never seen one like this, but this means basically nothing. As you say there are no holes for more controls, they could have been never there, or they were sealed afterwards. I tend to assume the first.

 

What colour is the guitar? Can you provide any pictures?

[SunnyDays]

I've never seen one like this, but this means basically nothing. As you say there are no holes for more controls, they could have been never there, or they were sealed afterwards. I tend to assume the first.

 

What colour is the guitar? Can you provide any pictures?

 

It's a very dark, almost reddish-black. I checked for a re-finish and it looks original.

[capmaster]

It's a very dark, almost reddish-black. I checked for a re-finish and it looks original.

A late bandmate of mine once owned an early 1970's SG Standard with cherry finish. It was so dark that you could see through to the wood under very bright light only.

 

I think this is why they call the present brighter ones "Faded Cherry" The finish of an SG Bass of mine, colour-wise somewhere in between the guitar mentioned before and those called "Faded Cherry", is named "Heritage Cherry" and looks very nice to my eyes.