Immortalized by Santana at Woodstock and smashed onstage by Townshend, the Gibson SG is a rock icon. Gibson’s Nashville-made SG Standard ’61 reissue takes you back to the first model year of the legendary solidbody electric guitar — small pickguard, vintage cherry finish, and all. The Gibson SG Standard ’61 reissue is spec’d with a pair of toneful humbuckers; a fast, comfortable SlimTaper neck; and a bound, Plek’d rosewood fretboard with action that’s almost nonexistent. The SG’s lightweight mahogany body delivers great sustain and no pain, even if you play all night. And the worn nitro finish looks and feels great while enhancing the tone of this legendary rock machine. Own your piece of rock history: the Gibson SG Standard ’61.

SlimTaper neck carve and Plek’d frets for optimized playability

Comfort and playability were two of Gibson’s primary concerns when they were designing the SG Standard ’61. You’ll be delighted by how well this guitar’s fast, early-’60s SlimTaper neck profile comfortably fits your hand. For your playing pleasure, the rosewood fingerboard is buffed to silky smoothness and bound so no fret ends impede your dexterity. The frets are dressed to perfection using a Plek Pro machine for optimized playability. Typically reserved for top-dollar custom guitars, this process levels the frets with pinpoint precision, providing you with the most playable fretboard you’re likely to own.

Burstbucker pickups deliver timeless humbucker tone 

When it comes to capturing that classic Gibson tone, nothing beats the sound of 60s Burstbucker pickups. You’ll love the tight low end, complex midrange, and sweet highs you’ll get out of these pickups — it’s everything you expect when you pick up a Gibson! That’s because 60s Burstbucker pickups were designed to re-create the sound of original 1960s-era humbuckers to perfection. So if you want the iconic tone of a classic Gibson SG, the SG Standard ’61 is the guitar for you.

Nitro finish for the look and feel of a classic 

The SG Standard ’61 wears a gorgeous gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Nitro finishes — standard back in the day — are significantly thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes, allowing the guitar to “breathe.” Nitro finishes not only look vintage-y wonderful, but they also enhance the instrument’s tonal qualities. This guitar has the look (and feel) of a lovingly cared-for classic — one that will only improve with age.

What Gibson Says...

The SG Standard ‘61 returns to the classic design that made it relevant, played, and loved – shaping sound across generations and genres of music. In 1961, the Les Paul™ model was put on hiatus, and an all-new design evolved into what is today known as the SG™ or “solid guitar.” The Gibson SG Standard ‘61 retains the styling of the legendary original models from the early 1960s. It features a solid mahogany body with the classic double-cutaway SG shape, complete with the iconic deeply sculpted body scarfing and double horns that make this model instantly identifiable. The mahogany neck has a fast-playing SlimTaper™ profile and is capped with a bound rosewood fretboard that is equipped with 22 medium jumbo frets and acrylic trapezoid inlays. The fretboard has a 12” radius, so it’s comfortable for first-position chords, and lead lines played higher up the neck won’t fret out. The neck joins the body at the 22nd fret, ensuring easy access to its entire length, making the SG an ideal guitar for lead players. As with the earliest SG models, the SG Standard ’61 features a 5-ply teardrop-shaped pickguard. The nickel-plated hardware includes a classic-style ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic™ bridge and aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece that help contribute to the model’s excellent sustain. The SG Standard ’61 is equipped with smooth-turning Vintage Deluxe tuners with Keystone buttons and has a Graph Tech® nut. The pair ensure rock-solid tuning stability. The pickups are 60s Burstbucker™ humbuckers™ for a classic voice with added power and top end. The 2 volume and 2 tone controls feature audio taper potentiometers and are hand-wired with Orange Drop® capacitors. The controls are capped with black Top Hat knobs. The SG Standard ’61 delivers the legendary SG tone, outstanding playability, and American-made Gibson quality that have made the SG the choice of countless players around the world for decades. A Gibson hardshell case is also included.