Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

My upgraded 2015 SG Standard


Strong Heavy

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I made cool upgrades on my SG :

- KLUSON Revolution machine heads  (GForce removed)

- Historic TRC

- TUSQ GraphTech adjustable nut

- Les Paul custom tenon cover

- 5 ply 60° bevel pickguard

- M69 humbucker rings

- Gibson ABR-1 bridge

- Vintage repro knobs smooth top

- Heavy knurled Switchcraft nut, Historic switch tip

 

sg_sta85.jpg

 

sg_sta76.jpg

 

sg_st120.jpg

Edited by Strong Heavy
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

One thing you can say about 2015 Gibsons, they make great mod platforms. The brass z-fan nut was a mistake and hardly anyone likes the g-force tuners, but otherwise they're really well-put-together guitars - or at least, every one I've tried has been.

This is my 2015 Les Paul LPM.

main-qimg-ce1e8e1fa9acc4621894adc6cbe3d7

Mods, from headstock to base:

  • G-force swapped for Grover Roto-Grip locking tuners
  • "LPM" truss rod cover replaced with a blank one, but only because I broke the original around one of the screw holes
  • Brass zfan nut replaced with Graphtech Tusq XL one
  • Back of neck rubbed down with scouring pad to take the gloss off
  • Strap buttons replaced with Schaller strap locks
  • Switch replaced - original switch tip broke off during rehearsal with half of the threaded shaft still in it, still don't know how that happened
  • Poker chip removed. It was a black one, and I just didn't like the look of it.
  • Magnet reversed in neck pickup for out-of-phase sound
  • Tailpiece replaced with Duesenberg Les Trem ii
  • Speed knobs relplaced with reflector knobs, and thumb-bleeders added
  • Cavities shielded with copper foil and conductive paint
  • Original PCB (basic three-way toggle switching) replaced with Scrinia Engineering Jimmy Page Mark 2 control board, which gives me coil taps, phase switch, series-parallel switch and treble bleed
  • Black plastic jack plate replaced with black metal one (after it broke around one of the screw holes)

It didn't come with a pickguard, which suits me just fine - I prefer them without.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/30/2020 at 4:00 AM, Strong Heavy said:

For information, the KLUSON Revolution tuners are fantastic, they are light weight (perfect on the Gibson SG), nice vintage design, 1:19 high ratio, smooth tuning keys and ultra stable.

A locking version is available too but not necessary imho.

 

I've always had reservations about Klusons - mainly because I think the thin shafts the buttons are attached to look a bit flimsy. I'm a bit clumsy, and sure I could bend one of those and make the tuner unusable. These have solved that problem.

If I was going to, I'd get the locking versions - the Duesenberg Les Trem tailpiece is open at the top, so the strings aren't really securely held until they're pulled tight, and locking tuners make string changing so much easier.

Edited by paddybrown
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...