Proper Configuration of 1988 SG Custom

[tps5352]

Hello all. Any owners of the 1988 SG Custom out there?

 

I just purchased a(n apparently) genuine 1988 (pre-historic, right?) Gibson SG Custom ("aged" white finish; gold hardware; 3 humbucking pickups; ABR-1 tune-o-matic bridge [with wire screw retainer] and stopbar tailpiece, etc.). The truss rod and nut are present; the truss rod, pickup, and control cavities and P/Us look authentic; and the stamped serial number (above "Made in the U.S.A on the back of the headstock) fits the Gibson pattern for production in 1988 at the Nashville plant. The black 1985 Les Paul Custom I used to have was nice with great tone, but was a little heavy for me. Instead I have always wanted an SG Custom (since playing one briefly in a Long Beach, California shop in the early 1990s). This one seems like a really nice guitar in excellent, undamaged shape, and I would like to play it in as close to stock configuration as possible. However, I cannot be sure if changes were made by previous owners.

 

Assuming that it is an authentic Gibson guitar, would this 1988 model come with:

 

1. A black truss rod cover with "Les Paul Custom" engraved on it? (I'm thinking that it possibly should be blank in that year, or maybe say "SG Custom.")

 

2. The small white plastic plate (2 screws) between end of the neck and neck P/U with "Les Paul Custom" engraved on it? (I'm thinking that it should be blank, also, but maybe I am wrong.)

 

3. Two classic (Pat. No. 2737842 engraved on the back--no stamped number) humbucking P/Us in the neck and center positions and a Bill Lawrence "The Original" humbucking P/U (with circuit board on the back plate) in the bridge position? (I'm wondering if instead they should all be the same--all classic [2737842] P/Us?)

 

From advertising I have seen I believe that the 1987 SG Custom model had blank truss rod and body plates, as well as three classic humbucking P/Us. But maybe things were changed in 1988? Perhaps they added "The Original" bridge P/U in that year? I believe that "The Original" P/Us were used on several factory models in 1988 and 1989, correct?

 

4. A brown Gibson (made in Canada) case with pink interior, attached pink satin cover, combo lock, and leather handle?

 

From looking at used SG Customs for sale over the years, the history and variations of that model and its reissues is a little confusing to me. There seem to have been various configuration and naming changes through the 70s, 80s, 90s, and now into the 2000s, including the use of the name Les Paul Custom for some SG Custom models (because that is what they were called in the early 1960s). Is there any source for:

 

5. Exact specifications for the 1988 model-year (e.g., in a brochure or owner's manual)?

 

6. A specific wiring diagram for this model-year? (I see that there is a general wiring diagram for the SG Custom on the Gibson site. Maybe this applies to all model-years?)

 

7. A discussion/history of the reissued SG Custom/60s Les Paul Custom models?

 

Thanks for any info.

 

Tim

[sellen]

Heres a link to everythingsg.com