Reynolds_wRap Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Why doesn't Gibson offer the Maestro Vibrola on the Standard or 61 reissue? I would love to see one on the Standard. The only Gibson SG USA model with a vibrola is the angus sig. right? Anyway, who else wants to see the vibrola on a Gibson SG Standard? They could make a Guitar of the Month called the SG Standard 68' Reissue or something. Does anybody know why they don't make it with the vibrola anymore, I know I don't want a guitar with somebody else's name on it even though he is my favorite guitar player I don't want a signature model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yel911 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 They did offer one on the 61 reissue back in 2000 and 2001. Before they went to the historic faded version. I happen to own one of the 2001 models. Check with the SG with Maestro club for pics etc. I was in the same boat, Angus rules and I wanted an SG that was shiny and gleaming cherry in color, but didn't want the Angus logo etc. I finally found one and bought it. That is the guitar your looking for.... I would post a pics but don't know how to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
led floyd9 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I think that they actually changed the SG to have a stopbar tailpiece because people liked it better. That's what I heard, at least. Why the majority back then liked the stopbar more, I don't know, but maestro's do look pretty hot. My SG has a stopbar tailpiece and I like it, but my bro's Ibanez has a whammy bar, and he leaves the whammy bar off because it constantly knocks his guitar out of tune. That may be the case with the maestro, but I don't think that's it. As for the '68 reissue idea, the SG VOS's have the option of a maestro, so they would really be making a guitar they already make over again. But then there's the pickguard issue, but you could just drill holes in the guitar if you REALLY wanted a large pickguard. People do that to attach a pickguard to their Les Pauls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynolds_wRap Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 I want one with a full pick guard though, they just look better to me than with the half pick guard. I only have a faded as of now and am looking for an old Gibson SG Standard (late 60's) that needs to be restored like a body/neck project with no electronics or hardware, but if Gibson made a Guitar of the Month sg standard (full pick guard with the 61 reissue body how the horns are carved more) than I would buy one of those in a heart beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
led floyd9 Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 '61 Reissues don't have more carved horns than the other SG's... all Gibsons are cut by a machine run by a computer, so all SG's are cut the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLiveSoundGuy Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 I was checking out Derick Trucks the other night on HDNET, and he was playin' an SG that had the Maestro tailpiece (no vibrola) and the stop bar. The maestro was just for looks as far as I could tell. It was a beautiful cherry, and had the full pickguard at one time, but he had removed it. Man could he make it talk though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynolds_wRap Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 led, the Horns on the 61 reissue are thinner than the other models. The SG's were that way in the 60's too. Not the length or anything just how wide they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynolds_wRap Posted March 24, 2008 Author Share Posted March 24, 2008 65' sg (same way they make the 61 reissue) Here is a Standard (hard to see but you can compare) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lous1952 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Buy a '66-'71 SG with Maestro. Or buy one that's been modified and restore it. Here is a '69 SG that I bought. It was an original Maestro Vibrola that had been removed and a stoptail fitted. I had the stoptail holes plugged, refinished, and put all correct vintage or reproduction parts. The bridge is reversed, I wanted to see if it made a difference in tone. It has since been put back to the correct way. Total cost: Less than a new Custom Shop VOS SG Standard. Sounds better than any new Gibson. Before: After: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynolds_wRap Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 How much roughly did you pay for the guitar before you restored it? That is what I am seriously thinking about doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaresz Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I have a 61 reissue, and I've wondered this myself. I'm curious if the custom shop would add one and if so how much it would cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lous1952 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 How much roughly did you pay for the guitar before you restored it? That is what I am seriously thinking about doing. I paid $1,025 on ebay. It had 2 T-tops in it, and 3 original pots and original jack and switch. Plastic is all original except for the knobs. One T-top was a later version that was modified for coil split, and the replaced pot was a push-pull to operate the coil split. The knobs, pickup covers, and tuners are correct reproductions. The original neck pickup was moved to the bridge position, and a '68 SG T-top put into the neck position. The Maestro Vibrola is from a '68 SG. I bought a couple of correct '69 pots on ebay, and used one to replace the push-pull pot. The wiring and caps were original. I had some of the parts, but if you had none this is what it would cost you: Guitar- $1025 Refinish, including fret leveling- $700 Vibrola- app. $350 Repro tuners, knobs, covers- app. $75 Patent sticker T-top- app. $250 Correct pot- app. $35 Total- app. $2435 By the way, Dan @ Lay's Guitar Shop does not usually charge for disassembly/assembly of the guitar. Obviously, it depends on what you start with and how far that you want to go. I could have just as easily have left the later T-top in it with the coil split. Refinishing/repair costs depend on what you're starting with. Dan does great work and his prices are very reasonable. Is it worth it? Only you can decide. It will never be worth what a mint condition original is worth. A really nice '69 like this went for $6k not long ago, some have gone for less. Figure at least $4k for a decent original one. But if you buy a nice original one, are you really going to take it out and gig with it? A Custom Shop SG will cost you at least $2500 and I guarantee that this will kill it in tone. It looks/plays/sounds as good as any $4-$6k original, and better than anything new. I look at this way- Would I pay $2500 for this guitar, or for a new one? This one wins every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPRIDER Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 I have a 97 SG Standard with a factory Maestro...it is a limited edition. So they are some out there...Here's a pic..http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm179/riprider2751/Guitars/DSC00075.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spot Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Interesting forum explaining how to add a Maestro to SG.... http://www.guitarsite.com/hotlicks/about3743.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaresz Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Interesting forum explaining how to add a Maestro to SG.... http://www.guitarsite.com/hotlicks/about3743.html Thnaks for the information, i was wondering about this also if you hadn't read my earlier post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have a 2006 SG 61 with Maestro. Gibson did a run of 48 of them, my dealer in Phoenix got four, I got one. LOVE IT! Adding a Maestro is not easy, the posts are not in the same place as the TOM studs. I saw an aftermarket set up somewhere that would allow you to use the stock holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyDeed Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 my demand on gibson: PLEASE reproduce the great late 60s sg standard ! deep cherry/walnut finish.very slim neck.vintage correct witch- hat knobs.batwing pickguard.authentic electrics.vintage correct neck joint.vintage correct headstock(!).authentic kluson tuners and last but not least :the maestro vibrola! -it looks ,feels and sounds better ! and all that for an affordable price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerSG Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I mite just order 1 of those long arm maestros for my SG to freshen it up a bit, plus i prefer it over a bigsby for classic looks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 lous1952 - man that turned out sweet. very cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lous1952 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 lous1952 - man that turned out sweet. very cool Thanks for the kind words. I'll take a restored vintage SG over any new one. The '65 in my signature was painted black when I got it, but all of the original parts came with it except the tuners. The restoration of the '65 cost about the same as the '69. I got 2 killer SGs for less than the price of a '59 reissue Les Paul, and they're better too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Wow. Resurrecting a year-old thread. Has it really been that long? :-) Anyhow, here's my 2006 with absolutely no tuning issues. One of 48 made. There's a difference in the way the horns are beveled on the SG's. Not very apparent here, but the SG 61 RI on the left has distinctly thinner horns. Lou probably knows as much about old SG's as anybody. He can tell you that the variations over the years are tremendous. Neck joints and different angles/pocket depths. Which fret the joint is on. Body changes and control styles. Different bridges. Pickguards. The list goes on and on. About the only thing constant over the years is the body profile with two horns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 I'd love an SG Standard with a Maestro. It would be nice to have that option without having to shell out for a Custom Shop reissue. Heck, I'd even "settle" for a P90 equipped SG with a short maestro. Could you imagine the frenzy if Gibson decided to make one of those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Yeah, I think they keep it exclusive on purpose. Demand is always there so when they do a batch they'll sell like crazy and draw lots of attention. Same with the 58 Flying V. You can get a V in all versions except the 58 with a V tailpiece, unless you want an Epiphone. Custom Shop will cost you $10k. Why is that? Keeping the legend alive.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Part of the reason the Vibrola disappeared was because all the people who didn't maintain their equipment noticed their Maestros weren't staying in tune and started slapping stop-bars on their SG's and Firebirds. So Gibson axed them, occasionally permitting a Bigsby here and there (which are fine, I love 'em, but not as nice-looking on SG's as a Maestro). The '99 through what, 2001 SG '61 with Maestro was awesome, and if Henry and the gang want some stimulus of their own they'd re-reissue that guitar just as it was back then. Or they can fix the Historic and make it right. But honestly if they're happy with their Historics, just give us the '61 RI w/Maestro (and at LEAST a limited run late-60's Standard "reissue" w/Maestro....current Standard w/Maestro...NO-BRAINER!). And while I'm at it: I was checking out Derick Trucks the other night on HDNET' date=' and he was playin' an SG that had the Maestro tailpiece (no vibrola) [i']and [/i]the stop bar.The maestro was just for looks as far as I could tell. It was a beautiful cherry, and had the full pickguard at one time, but he had removed it. Man could he make it talk though. Yeah, his ol' 2000 NON-HISTORIC SG '61 w/Maestro (even Gibson has erred by claiming it was a "Custom Shop/Historic" SG....or maybe that's so the Trucks fans will just buy Historics instead of demand the '61 RI w/Maestro again)...better finish & body bevels than current ones, and of course the Maestro. Even if I feel like Derek shoulda' just bought a damned stoptail one if he wanted a stop-bar SG...lol H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Can't you (still) special order the Maestro on SG's? Stop bar's are more popular, but I always thought you could still get the Maestro, if you special ordered it...on current or the '61 reissues. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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