joem Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Hi folks. I have a lead on a '73 SG Standard and am going to play it tomorrow. I'm also looking at a '61 reissue and am trying to compare them. It looks like I can get either for $1500 with OHSC. I've noticed that some people praise or hate the thin neck on the '73. For me I'm looking for the thinnest neck possible since I have tiny hands -- seriously, I buy women's gloves. If anybody has thoughts on the pitfalls of owning a vintage guitar, or praise/concerns about the '73 I would really appreciate your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjmwrx Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 I would go with the 61 reissue. Norlin era quality can be suspect. Though it is vintage, I think you'll be happier with the reissue. I have a 2000 '61 reissue SG, and i absolutely love it. Out of my 3 Gibsons (LP Standard +, ES335) the SG has the thinnest neck of them all. Extremely comfortable and fast to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiamondJig Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 The 61's have a thinner neck. Is the 61 a new one ? they normaly go for 1999, except now they have a faded model for less, haven't see one yet. I have a 61 and love the neck compared to all my others SG's. Let's throw another SG in there I see MF has the 24 fret 50th anv SG back in stock 1389 great SG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joem Posted April 2, 2012 Author Share Posted April 2, 2012 The 61's have a thinner neck. Is the 61 a new one ? they normaly go for 1999, except now they have a faded model for less, haven't see one yet. I have a 61 and love the neck compared to all my others SG's. Let's throw another SG in there I see MF has the 24 fret 50th anv SG back in stock 1389 great SG. I see my confusing now. I didn't realize that Gibson has two versions of the '61: the SG '61 Reissue Satin and also the '61 Reissue SG; Sam Ash lists them for $1499 and $1999 respectively. As far as I can tell they have the same pickups and neck, and the Satin has a baked maple fingerboard. Too many models, too many... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sellen Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 If the 73 is in good condition and sound good. i would pick the 73 sg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtim Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 If the 73 is in good condition and sound good. i would pick the 73 sg I agree.....The 1971 is already vintage and it is NOT a reissue......it is a better investment especially if it is all original..... I have yet to play an SG standard with a Fat neck. Angus Young is small also......He can play the SG standard just fine..My SG standard has a very nice neck on it and it is not fat...Very good playing guitar too..Heck it is my main axe...The best way to tell is to just go to a guitar center or some store similar and play them both and see for yourself. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joem Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 I saw the '71 today but did not play it plugged in. I think it has the walnut finish and those flat frets people have mentioned on this forum. Overall looks a bit warn but still pretty sweet. Without a doubt the thinest neck I have held. Circumference at least 1/2 cm smaller at the nut than my slim taper epiphone LP. Downside is that either the finish or wood has a crack in the headstock just past the nut on the side. Not sure how big a deal that is. Maybe that can make them drop the price more if it can be repaired. I'll think on it for a week and see if it's still at the shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I would go with the 61 reissue. Norlin era quality can be suspect. Same can be said with what Gibson USA is churning out now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I saw the '71 today but did not play it plugged in. I think it has the walnut finish and those flat frets people have mentioned on this forum. Overall looks a bit warn but still pretty sweet. Without a doubt the thinest neck I have held. Circumference at least 1/2 cm smaller at the nut than my slim taper epiphone LP. Downside is that either the finish or wood has a crack in the headstock just past the nut on the side. Not sure how big a deal that is. Maybe that can make them drop the price more if it can be repaired. I'll think on it for a week and see if it's still at the shop. You DON'T want to buy a guitar with a crack on the headstock unless you KNOW what it is, or you know the price to get it fixed is factored into the selling price. That's a crucial piece of info right there. In thoery, buying used is a better value because when you buy, it SHOULD be worth close to the same as what you paid. Buying new, it now becomes a used guitar and is not able to be sold for what you paid. Regardless, you get some advantages buying new. Like CHOICE of which one to choose, and a warrenty. To make an across the board statement that a '71 is worse or better than new manufacture is impossible. You COULD maybe make a statement they make them better now than they did in '71 on the whole, but that doesn't apply to every guitar, so therefore, it doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lespauljr Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 if it is a shop the the vintage guitar is in, then i dont think you have as much of a problem with the crack, as you can take it back if you have problems or sort out some sort of guarentee just with the headstock crack. also it might just be the headstock veneer (i think thats what its called) in which case it is only asthetic. if its a private seller take LOADS of pics and send them to a luthier to ask for an opinion. i would definately choose the vintage, as it will asways have a good resale value! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cableaddict Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 I'd snag the '73. There's just no substitute for old, quality wood. Also nitrocellulose that has really hardened. I have a '73 Standard myself, and the body is incredibly resonant. The mahogany is very dense, (yet light) with the desirable "ribbon" pattern that is so hard to find on a modern guitar. This year doesn't seem to suffer much form the "Norlin" curse, except for the thin headstock joint. (broken & repaired, of course) I retrofitted an ABR-1, as it had one of those lousy harmonica bridges, and had jumbo frets installed as I have large hands, but other than that it is stock, and she really sings. Some day I might try changing the pickups, though. The T-tops seem OK, but I'd like to hear it with P90 types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spot Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 Neither,...I'd take a '61 SG special w/ P-90's... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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