triergissel Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Hello All! I've recently swapped my way to what I was informed was a Gibson SG from 1968 in a very reasonable deal. This was partly because the guitar had been given a new coat of laquer so the vintage value was gone. When I recieved it (deal wasn't final at that point), it became clear that a lot more had been done to it. It was fittet with new tuners, bigsby, an ekstra switch (which I'm not entirely sure what does) and the mindbuggling combination of a bridge full size p90 and a humbucker at the neck (looks a bit strange actually). Evidently it was originally an SG junior, which had been violated by a previous owner in the 70'ies who felt he needed the extra pickup etc. However, the guitar feels and sounds absolutely fantastic, so I jumped at it and now owns my first gibson after almost 20 years of playing. Then, naturally, I checked the serial number and went to the Gibson website, where I was able to verify that the serial number seemed to be from 1968-69. However, reading a bit further, I discovered that the fact that the serial number is ink-stamped made it out to be from 1955. Is that correctly understood? And I suppose that also has an effect on the guitars value - even if it has been mutilated... The serial number is: 542926 stamped in ink at the back of the neck's head. Can anyone help me? br, Jesper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Post some pics..........No version of your guitar existed in the 50's so it is probably from the 60's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triergissel Posted January 8, 2010 Author Share Posted January 8, 2010 Well...that makes an awful lot of sense, since the SG was introduced in 61 :- Its just strange the the serial number is in ink...maybe it just looks that way, because of the new coat of laquer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 In one of my reference books that serial number comes up 1969. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 In one of my reference books that serial number comes up 1969. Ha! In one of mine, of course, it's different! It says '66 but this book has often been wrong in the past! Could the serial number have been re-stamped after the instrument was re-finished? As far as value goes all the lower-range SG instruments have yet to command high prices - even all-original SG Standards from the mid '60s are (relatively) affordable compared with LP's. The fact that yours has been modified pretty much destroyed any potential as it's becoming 'Collectible'. The best thing regarding the guitar and the only thing to concern yourself with is that it's a great player! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yew Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Maybe it could be a les paul jr, or a melody maker of some sort? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triergissel Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Thanx all for your respons. However, despite my previous mistake, I feel rather confident, that my guitar is i fact an SG and that the serial number for some reason due to the finish appears stamped in ink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackie Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Looks like a 70' SG Special that had the original vibrato replaced along with the neck pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 That looks like a 69/70 SG Junior. The walnut finish option only came along late in the run of this style SG. Originally it would have had only one P-90 pickup in the bridge position, and the short Maestro Vibrola. I suspect the front humbucker was added later, as with the extra controls and switches, and the Maestro was changed out to a Bigbsy. You can open up the control plate and look at the potentiometer codes, I'll think the bootom two pots would be the originals, and the top two would be the additions. The date codes would bear this out, and also help the narrow down the year of manufacture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Depending on Gibson's construction methods at the time, you may also be able to see routing that doesn't match the rest. I don't know if it would have been routed for four knobs and two pickups and then only drilled for two knobs if it was destined to be an SG Junior. The large pickguard would have allowed them to route Juniors and Specials the same and decide later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triergissel Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Thanx again for your help! Been busy for a while, so the thread sort of drifted:-({|= However, I can now say with confidence, that the guitar is a refinished sg junior fra 69', which has been added a neck seymore duncan humbucker and a mindbuggling phase-turner for the bridge p90 (to be left alone!). Nevertheless, it sounds fantastic and I haven't played anything else since I got it. In the beginning, I seriously considered swithchig the HB to af p94, because I always felt that neck HB's were often too fat and muddy. But I've actually grown used to the HB, and it seems to mee that 40 year-old mahogany is just what the pick-up needs to maintain a crisp growl. It's definitely the greatest thing I have ever owned! Jesper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yew Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 and sicne its been refinished, and lost its vintage value, Go out and play it hard =P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triergissel Posted February 24, 2010 Author Share Posted February 24, 2010 am way ahead of you! - I've heard guitarists claim that their guitar was like a girlfriend. But in terms of my SG, it makes a lot more sense for me to think of it as a mildly insane, but great drinking buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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