1998StandardSG Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 This was my first post to the forum but unfortunately I didn't receive any responses. As I mentioned I am still making phone calls and contacting people to learn more about this guitar and how rare it is but so far haven't learned anything... "Over the years I have been researching an SG that I own but come up empty handed on info. The guitar is dark blue (almost black) with gold hardware and Gibson has no record of the serial number to i.d. I did send pictures to Gibson of the whole guitar and the cavities and they confirm that it is an SG and that it is possible the guitar was a dealer exclusive. Does anybody recall seeing these SG's around in 1998 or later? I am really interested to learn how many were made in this color for the year since in 1998 the only colors available for the SG Standard were black or cherry. Any information would be great." Additional info that I didn't put was where I purchased the instrument. The story I received is that the owner worked for Gibson and that this guitar was one that they took to the NAMM show as a prototype guitar and that there were limited numbers produced. He also mentioned the term "vault guitar", whatever that means... Just today I compared it to my SG Special that is a '96 and the only difference in the dimentions is that the lower portion of the body is between 1/16" and 1/8" larger. Not sure what Gibson's margin of error is on instruments though... Any SG owners care to take that measurement and share your readings of the body's widest point??? Oh and I couldn't get a pic to load because of file size so if you go to my members page there should be one there... I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoreyT Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Host your pics on http://photobucket.com/ then you can post them inline here, and Photobucket downsizes HUGE pictures too. Sounds like a very rare SG you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998StandardSG Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Thanks for the info I will do that a.s.a.p. Maybe set up some lighting to see if I can get an accurate representation of the color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobB Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 We will be looking forward to seeing the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998StandardSG Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Getting the lights set up now. Don't have a good background... kitchen cabinets from Lowe's will have to do. haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998StandardSG Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Hopefully this will work. Not familiar with photobucket... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 I can't help ID your SG. Just wanted to say that that blue color is sexy. Very midnight blue and with the wood grain coming through, wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998StandardSG Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Thanks, EVOL! It's a great playing/sounding guitar but it does have it's cosmetic issues like the checking and chips, dings, dents, and wear through spots so I know that will reduce the collector value if it is rare but I think of it more as character than blemishes. I do admit that the major chips around the control area was there when I got it, which I wasn't too pleased about but I can deal with it because it plays and sounds so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DestructorsKillMusic1982 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Wow, that is a cool blue, very nice! I love colors like that, that look almost black until you see them in the right light (like the oxblood color of the Jeff Beck LP.) One thought, to me it looks like the color my SG-X "Tommy Hilfiger" edition was, which looked black from a few feet away but up close under light it was that sort of deep blue. I loved that color and it would still be that color if it weren't for the large tacky Tommy Hilfiger logo on it, so it has since been refinished in classic white, but the year of your guitar made me wonder, since the SG-X Hilfiger editions seem to all have been made in 1997 or 1998. Perhaps someone at the factory mistook that deep blue color for the standard black while painting your SG? Regardless, you've got a very cool SG there, and possibly a rare one-off unique guitar too! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998StandardSG Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Wow, that is a cool blue, very nice! I love colors like that, that look almost black until you see them in the right light (like the oxblood color of the Jeff Beck LP.) One thought, to me it looks like the color my SG-X "Tommy Hilfiger" edition was, which looked black from a few feet away but up close under light it was that sort of deep blue. I loved that color and it would still be that color if it weren't for the large tacky Tommy Hilfiger logo on it, so it has since been refinished in classic white, but the year of your guitar made me wonder, since the SG-X Hilfiger editions seem to all have been made in 1997 or 1998. Perhaps someone at the factory mistook that deep blue color for the standard black while painting your SG? Regardless, you've got a very cool SG there, and possibly a rare one-off unique guitar too! :) It's a total mystery to me because that is around the same time that Gibson started putting different colors on the SGs and began to introduce new models that I belive had different colors like the X. But standards and (I think) specials remained cherry or black. So the blue/green paint and the gold hardware definitely makes it unique. Thanks for looking, it's beat up but that only means I played it a LOT over the years. Actually I'm going to say it's "road worn" and jump the price tag to $6,000 haha I do get annoyed though when I take it to a dealer and they say that it's black or that the color/hardware doesn't mean anything special about it but then they will offer me basically an even up trade on a new standard... I wasn't born yesterday papa I'm taking my toys and going home. Also I took it to a "treasure hunter" event that rolls from town to town. What they do is set up at a hotel and you can take antiques, instruments, coins, etc. and they purchase them off you. I took it there and he also said it was black and that it was worth $200... You read right, there "guitar expert" quoted a Gibson SG Standard in a rare blue finish with gold hardware at $200... I looked at him direct in the eye and said "are you sure about that?" So then he got on his computer and came up with $800.00 as a quote. Some expert. I can see it being $800 because it's a used guitar that has its scars but I think I'll hold onto it until I get some more information. Maybe a road trip to Nashville is in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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