50th Anniversary "Signature" Models

[hbomb76]

While I am still VERY DISAPPOINTED not to see a truly DEFINITIVE and authentic body make its way onto the Historic/CS model SG's for the 50th Anniversary, I still hope that by the end of the year, you (Gibson) will do the few tweaks to make them "right" cosmetically. My '65 Standard wants a near-identical "granddaughter".

 

I've said it before, I love the USA "50th Anniversary" Krieger model, aside from a couple things. The '61 RI body, with its deeper bevels and thinner horn tips looks awesome on it (and should be the body design on ALL the SG's you make, actually...HELLO!!!), but I think the historically-accurate late-60's longer neck joint should've been used to "fit" with the larger late-60's pickguard. That and I really think a "50th Anniversary" truss rod cover or a "50th Anniversary" decal on the rear of the headstock would be MUCH more attractive and desirable than the screen print logo in place of the crown inlay. Other than those 2 things, I like it, and if it weren't for those two issues I probably would've ordered one myself. The price is not outrageous, it has a CHROME Maestro and hardware (which I HOPE will be used on a '61 RI again really soon??? Call it a '65 Reissue?) and I like the push-pull phase on the electronics. It's not a home-run, but it's a solid base-hit with a stolen 2nd.

 

With the "50th Anniversary" Pete Townshend we have another near-score, but it too has some odd things that keep it from "hey, I've gotta' have one of those!". First, I'm not sure why it was chosen to be white, since most of Pete's SG's were cherry...I know he played white ones too, but rarely do I think of "white" when I think of him onstage playing. Secondly, why the opposite issue of pickguard/neck joint from the Krieger model here? MOST (not all, but most) of Townshend's SG Specials were LATE 60's models with the full batwing pickguard and the long/smooth neck joint. This model has the neck joint but has the smaller early-to-mid 60's style pickguard. I don't get it. Like the Krieger, it'd look spectacular with the tapered-tip '61 RI style body, but also with the period-correct-for-this-guitar long neck joint. Or if you were set on the early/mid-60's style Special, everything as-is would've been fine aside from it should have the body and neck construct like on the '61 RI and Krieger USA 50th model (while "incorrect" on the Krieger, it would otherwise fit and make more "authentic" the Townshend as-is). If this model had the '61 RI style body with all its existing specs, I'd buy one just to have a P-90 equipped, relatively period-accurate Special. It's funny, because the upcoming EPIPHONE set-neck SG Special 50th Anniversary model is, aside from the slabbier/thicker body used on Epi's, right-on in the looks department down to the bound neck. So I will still get a Special with P-90's, but it will be the Epiphone because it's more cosmetically accurate, and has the right price.

 

While some of these are great steps forward, there are a lot of "side" steps that keep them from being "just right"...they're just close enough to the mark to make you mad. I certainly hope more research and historical consideration is observed when doing the crowning jewels of the 50th Anniversary models to come. I'm telling you, a '61 Reissue w/chrome Maestro & an ABR bridge, proper RED "cherry finish" (no skimping on the sealer or lacquer---get 'em smooth!!!), more subtle and classy "50th" designation (if any)....that's a real "tribute" and you all know it. And of course the body bevel/horn taper tweaks on the Historics would do McCarty justice as well, guys. ;)

 

FOCUS!!! :)

 

H

[DiamondJig]

your spot on +100, I haven't and wont pull the trigger on those models as much as I'd like too.

 

If you build it we will buy it.

[BigKahune]

While I am still VERY DISAPPOINTED not to see a truly DEFINITIVE and authentic body make its way onto the Historic/CS model SG's for the 50th Anniversary, I still hope that by the end of the year, you (Gibson) will do the few tweaks to make them "right" cosmetically. My '65 Standard wants a near-identical "granddaughter".

 

While some of these are great steps forward, there are a lot of "side" steps that keep them from being "just right"...

 

+1

 

 

I vote Hbomb to Gibson's design team. B)

[sellen]

+1 to all hbomb writs

 

We haven't seen custom shops models yet, guess theres gonna be some cool stuff from them.

bought the 50th anneversery 24. I really like it, the neck on mine is something between the 61 reissue and the regular standard. It's just perfect. And the 57 classic pickups seems to be smokin' hot on this one Great guitar

[sg50]

hbomb is ridiculous. Gibson's 50th SG24 is a shot at combining the best of the old with the best of the new. It's gorgeous to the eyes, to the touch, and to the ears (yes, I own one). It might not have your favorite pickups or your favorite tuners, but so much of all this is relative.

 

No one except for hbomb wants a 61 clone. There's a reissue if you want close. Enjoy it. If it's not authentic enough, then go buy an original 1961 and STFU. You need to come to the realization that if Gibson were to be as faithful as they possibly could be in reproducing the first SG ever, then you'd whine about some part not containing enough lead or arsenic or something.

 

Get over yourself and look at the calendar.

[truetone6]

Oops,I ordered one anyway. Long Live Rock!

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maD5k-vUI4o

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p91GXWXyngo

 

It will go well with my equally inaccurate Les Paul Deluxe Goldtop

 

 

[EVOL!]

Oops,I ordered one anyway. Long Live Rock!

 

 

 

Ace! I love the new Townshend model. How does she feel?

[truetone6]

Ace! I love the new Townshend model. How does she feel?

 

Thank! It's a "pre-order" Won't get it till September.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgCt-F22Ex0

[hbomb76]

Roo: Wow, man. Wow. First off, I actually have said I LIKE the 50th 24-fret, if you'll pay attention to my other posts regarding that model (and for that matter, I also dig the heck outta' the 12-string too, although it'd ROCK with P-90's or coil taps!). I wish they'd put a quality finish on it, and I think it oughta' use the '61 RI body because of its less-slabby/clunky profile, but I've praised it on several occasions as being a worthwhile blend of old and new. The good thing is, tuners and pickups are things even those (putting this nicely) "less than tech-savvy" folks can easily replace, should that be a complaint. Also if you pay attention, when I refer to the '61 RI style, I often mean anything from a '61 to a '65 (of which I DO have an original, thank you kindly), and I think I've always encouraged "contemporary" approaches to guitars as long as the "reissues" really are living up to their title. But again, often people who attempt to denigrate the importance of really properly replicating those Kalamazoo golden-years designs have never really had one in their hands and I pity them. To say no one else would want a '61 (or more accurately a '61-'65) clone, well, if it was done RIGHT, I guarantee you that there'd be a lot of interest in something closer to the "REAL DEAL" and it'd be nice to have such a beast offered alongside the other stuff. And no, guy, the "reissues" aren't "close"...not close enough to REALLY be "reissues" anyway. Put a real one next to a so-called "reissue" and you'll see the difference instantly. Last thing, it's not nice to call someone ridiculous simply because you might not share the same passion about something. There ARE people on here who kinda' agree with some of my points, and you're calling them ridiculous too. Disagree without being disrespectful, my man.

 

Regarding the 50th Townshend model: I'm not knocking anyone who digs it. I never called it a turkey, I just said it has some different specs than Pete's had (notice the neck joint on that posted picture, you can see the vintage one has the lipped neck joint for instance). Of course, I've also complained about the "new" USA Angus Young signature as well for the same reason (the odd mix of specs), although his VOS and the original Angus signatures are great, but you kinda' have to be an Angus fan to really appreciate them. Of course, now that I've looked back on the old limited-run Townshend CS model from years back, it had the exact OPPOSITE inaccuracy (similar to the Krieger SG's dilemma: the large pickguard but the wrong neck joint). I don't get it. And I have no idea about the accuracies on the LP model, because I don't really like them to begin with and only have limited knowledge about them. Although I find it funny to get picked on when I call out the SGs' inaccuracies when there are so many people out there who spend a LOT of time and energy perfecting their LP reissues to the 100th of an inch for BINDING, or for drill-bit sizes for wiring channels.

 

All that said, some folks will always be happy with "close enough" or "advertised as", and some folks just gripe to gripe. Just like some like to stir up others and try to be condescending instead of relate to their points of view. My only gripes about these 50th models is that Gibson could've really made some absolutely KILLER guitars here with a little more attention to detail or a little more pride in staying true to those original designs with these models meant to honor that decade when the SG was THE go-to Gibson.

 

I am not saying any of them are CRAP (in fact, most of my comments on them aside from the couple of details have been pretty positive, no?), and maybe I should THANK them because if they WERE on the mark with a few of the details I've mentioned, I'd probably be going HUGE into guitar-poverty buying each of them.

 

As with "Big F" and other brands, you're going to have some folks who will buy whatever's out there simply for the name on it (let's face it, there are PLENTY of those folks out there), and you're going to have some who are passionate about particular models, just like you'll have some that love every variation of a model they come across. My tastes are more streamlined and focused, and I don't think that makes me "wrong", I just have a different take on it than someone else might.

 

H

[EVOL!]

Thank! It's a "pre-order" Won't get it till September.

 

 

I would be going crazy waiting for that beauty. I just got an SG Classic and the first thing I played on her (that wasn't one of my own songs) was Bargain by the Who.

 

P90s on a mahogany guitar are like fuzz pedals and freaking on squares. They go together so well.

[ALFA ROMEO CORSE]

That' a great guitar but I don't understand the choice of heavy Grover tuners on a SG.

[truetone6]

I would be going crazy waiting for that beauty. I just got an SG Classic and the first thing I played on her (that wasn't one of my own songs) was Bargain by the Who.

 

P90s on a mahogany guitar are like fuzz pedals and freaking on squares. They go together so well.

 

It shipped Today! They are in stock at MF(Link)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FYI: Amazon says "only 19 left" at Musician's Friend(Link)

[Jeff-7]

Ugh GASing hard for one of those, if I wasn't in the process of buying a new amp I would jump on that.

[Superdick2112]

I just picked up one of the Kriegers from Wildwood Guitars today, and while I do agree with Hbomb that a pearl crown on the peghead with a decal on the back would have looked better, that doesn't keep this from being one of the best looking, playing & sounding SGs that I've ever owned or played. I liked the the guitar when I saw it on the webpage, but I absolutely fell in love with it once I saw it in person & played it. LOVE the '57 classics - not quite as much bite as the 490s, but they are so harmonically rich & balanced sounding, and they flat-out nail the classic/hard rock tones I've been chasing. The Pete T. model looks great too, and if it came in cherry, I'd buy it in a second. I'm just not a fan of white lacquer - it looks good when it's new, but quickly turns a shade of yellow that I don't care for. On the other hand, cherry finishes, like fine wines just seem to get better with age.

[Superdick2112]

Sorry for the double-post, my PC is acting up...

[truetone6]

I just picked up one of the Kriegers from Wildwood Guitars today, and while I do agree with Hbomb that a pearl crown on the peghead with a decal on the back would have looked better, that doesn't keep this from being one of the best looking, playing & sounding SGs that I've ever owned or played. I liked the the guitar when I saw it on the webpage, but I absolutely fell in love with it once I saw it in person & played it. LOVE the '57 classics - not quite as much bite as the 490s, but they are so harmonically rich & balanced sounding, and they flat-out nail the classic/hard rock tones I've been chasing. The Pete T. model looks great too, and if it came in cherry, I'd buy it in a second. I'm just not a fan of white lacquer - it looks good when it's new, but quickly turns a shade of yellow that I don't care for. On the other hand, cherry finishes, like fine wines just seem to get better with age.

 

Wow!!! Congrats! Could you post picture?

 

UPS is scheduled to deliver mine tomorrow.

 

That' a great guitar but I don't understand the choice of heavy Grover tuners on a SG.

 

I think Pete Townshend model was based on this guitar on the left(except the neck joint).

 

 

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From the lot notes of the Christie auction for the white SG:

 

"Pete Townshend appears to have owned at least two, or possibly three Polaris White Gibson SG Specials. This guitar, and another version that is documented in photographs of The Who on stage in Holland, 10th March, 1973, are distinctive because they both have three holes on the body where the tailpiece has been removed - this version has three holes that form a triangle on the body whereas the other version has three holes in a straight line below the bridge.

Photographs taken by Robert Ellis at the Odeon Theatre in Newcastle on 6th November, 1973, the second of three nights in Newcastle during the Fallout Shelter Tour, show Pete Townshend prior to going on stage holding the guitar in this Lot [see photograph above] and photographs from the same night show Townshend on stage with the guitar [see front cover photograph].

 

The Gibson SG is the model of guitar with which Townshend is most associated. He used this model almost exclusively on stage between 1968-1973. He tended to use SGs dating between 1966-1970, which are identified by their full black wraparound pickguard. Gibson changed the SG's specification in 1971 - according to an interview with Townshend published in Guitar Player magazine, May/June, 1972: ...They took the old SG off the market like about a year ago, so we used up every old SG in the country...I raided every music store in the country practically, looking for old SGs... When supplies of 1966-1970 models began to dry up, he then briefly switched to pre-1966 models with the smaller pickguard such as the guitar in this lot. Subsequently, at the end of 1973, he switched permanently to using a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe.

Townshend often took off the tailpiece and tremolo arm on his Gibson SG guitars as, according to him, the guitars ...were a bit weak, which was the only problem; I could actually break them with my bare hands. But that's when I started to develop that technique because you didn't need a tremolo arm. You could do it by just shaking the guitar...

 

In the late 1970s, the vendor obtained this guitar from a former employee of The Who who was learing to play, and to whom Townshend had given the guitar in the mid-1970s."

 

 

 

[Superdick2112]

truetone6, here you go - pix of my Krieger SG. I hope you love yours as much as I love mine, the Kriegers are GREAT guitars! (click on pix for larger images)

 

[sellen]

Look at those bevels on the original Pete townshend sg. Beautiful Truetone and Superdick congrats with your 50th anniversary sg's, looks like great sg's

[truetone6]

Look at those bevels on the original Pete townshend sg. Beautiful Truetone and Superdick congrats with your 50th anniversary sg's, looks like great sg's

 

Thanks! The Krieger looks awesome SD! Here is mine

 

]

 

 

 

 

 

[Geff]

Im with H Bomb here. A "reissue" should be as close to the original as possible and clearly that is not the case. Gibson could do it so why they chose not to is a mystery. Nothing wrong with different guitars but why label it as a reissue if it isnt accurate?

 

Also, although P.T. did play white SGs, my mental picture of him is always with a red one - that is/was my primary motivation to get a red one myself (well, a bit of Angus imagary in there too). That aside I am not a big fan of white SGs but each to his own, its just my taste there are no wrong answers on that one!

[truetone6]

Im with H Bomb here. A "reissue" should be as close to the original as possible and clearly that is not the case. Gibson could do it so why they chose not to is a mystery. Nothing wrong with different guitars but why label it as a reissue if it isnt accurate?

 

Also, although P.T. did play white SGs, my mental picture of him is always with a red one - that is/was my primary motivation to get a red one myself (well, a bit of Angus imagary in there too). That aside I am not a big fan of white SGs but each to his own, its just my taste there are no wrong answers on that one!

 

Gibson made a red one in 2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hbomb76]

Gibson made a red one in 2001

 

Actually they made both this USA one you posted AND a limited-run Custom Shop/Historic edition. Oddly enough, the USA (as you pictured) had the correct neck-joint/pickguard combination, and was actually a closer hit to the real-deal than the Historic/CS one (which was great but had the incorrect small, early-60's neck-joint but possessed the late-60's large pickguard like this one). Small oversights like that can keep 'em from knocking it completely outta' the park.

 

H

[Beate]

Im with H Bomb here. A "reissue" should be as close to the original as possible and clearly that is not the case. Gibson could do it so why they chose not to is a mystery. Nothing wrong with different guitars but why label it as a reissue if it isnt accurate?

 

What Do You mean by "accurate" ? Seriously, Gibson changed their design permanently, and PT's white SGs had been custom shop models anyway, AFAIK. BTW: are You sure that the three white SGs owned by PT were identical in each and every detail?

 

 

Last monday i bought one of those white beauties. Not because it is dedicated to some rock hero, but simply because it is a good sounding and beautiful instrument that has a chance to obtain its own value over the long terms.

 

Since many enjoyed to share pictures of their beauties - here are mine as well:

 

 

The bass is a very nice EB-3 1960s reissue brought to us by the Epiphone custom shop - the same inntrument as on my current avatar photo but in its present heavily improved state.

Beate

[John Rutherford]

Even the 2001 Pete Townshend model was not "Red " in the classic shiny Cherry Red 1960s finish.

They can do that lovely red finish, it's on the 2011 SG Junior

 

How difficult is it for Gibson to find a '68 Cherry Red SG Special [ with the bat-wing pickguard ]

like he plays at Woodstock, copy it, and release it as a modern " Tribute " model.

 

I don't want a expensive Custom Shop version, I don't need the Caps or the Pots to be

exact, I want that it looks reasonably like the guitar Townshend played almost exclusively 1968-71

[Beate]

I don't want a expensive Custom Shop version, I don't need the Caps or the Pots to be

exact, I want that it looks reasonably like the guitar Townshend played almost exclusively 1968-71

 

Why do You not buy this one (in natural finish) - it is fairly cheap - and have it modified accordingly by a good luthier: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/SG/Gibson-USA/SG-Special-60s-Tribute.aspx

 

The changes should envolve a refinish to your desired color, the addition of binding or least a fake binding (which would be reversible for a capable person) as well as the addition of a stop tailpiece and the replacement of the tuners. The latter two steps would actually be "original customisations" in the sense that Pete has them had done on his guitars as well.

 

Or simply (and possibly cheaper) take the worn cherry as a basis and have the finish be completed.The price difference of that cheap SG toward the latest Townsend signature is so large that the cheap SG modified accordingly would end up not too far away.

 

Always keep in mind: Pete did not play original guitars. He played them customized. The photographs of both the cherry and the white SGs form the auctions show that clearly. If You are on "PT originality" You should simulate that as well.

 

 

When i was looking for my SG i was actually looking for that model (in natural), but the did not have one in the store. Paying 600 to 700 EUR instead of of 1200 would have been attractive, wouldn't it? Anyway: now i am pretty happy with my two white beauties.