Gibson SG '61 Reissue (Heritage Cherry)

Faithful recreation of a legendary instrument.

The Guitar That Started a Revolution.

The light bulb. Television and radio. The microwave oven. Gibson’s SG Standard – all inspirations of genius that transformed the way we live. Gibson’s redesign of the Les Paul in 1960 was a bold move. But it paid off big time. It announced a new, radical electric guitar design for Gibson, and the world. It also inspired a rebellious generation of ideas and music rarely experienced before, and certainly not since. Today, that same radical design – and restless spirit – lives on in Gibson’s celebrated SG line. The Gibson SG ’61 Reissue pays tribute to this revolutionary guitar. It’s all there, in all its original glory. Transform your playing. Revolutionize your life. Buy the Gibson SG ’61 Reissue today and experience your own uprising firsthand.

’60s Slim-Taper Neck Profile

No guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The ’60s neck profile—found on the SG ’61 Reissue—is the more modern, slim-tapered neck most commonly associated with the Les Paul and SG models of the early 1960s. The neck is machined in Gibson’s rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest—including the final sanding—is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.

Trapezoid Inlays

The classic trapezoid inlay is one of the most distinguishable features of many traditional Gibson models, including the SG. A figured, swirl acrylic gives these inlays that classic “pearl” look. They are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn’t require the use of fillers.

TWO ’57 Classic Pickups

Among the qualities that make Gibson’s original “Patent Applied For” humbucking pickups so unique are the subtle variations between coil windings. For the first few years of their production—1955 to 1961—Gibson’s PAF humbuckers were wound using imprecise machines, resulting in pickups with slightly different output and tone, desirable to players who wanted to mix and match and explore a complete spectrum of tonal possibilities. The ’57 Classic and ’57 Classic Plus pickups are the result of Gibson’s drive to capture and recreate this renowned characteristic. Introduced in 1992, the ’57 Classic provides warm, full tone with a balanced response, packing that classic Gibson PAF humbucker crunch. The ’57 Classic Plus is the perfect bridge-position companion to the ’57 Classic, inspired by those original PAFs that received a few extra turns of wire. Both are made by Gibson to the exact same specs as the original PAFs, including Alnico II magnets, nickel-plated pole pieces, nickel slugs, maple spacers, and vintage-style, two-conductor braided wiring. Instead of enamel-coated wiring, Gibson added poly-coated wiring—which improves consistency by eliminating thin or thick spots on the wire—and wax potting, which removes all internal air space and any chance of microphonic feedback.

Solid Mahogany Body

Probably the most central of all SG features is its solid mahogany body. The SG’s slim mahogany body indulges players with a weight-reduced guitar alternative, with absolutely no compromises in tone, sustain, or performance. The mahogany goes through the same rigorous selection process as all of Gibson’s woods, and is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before it enters the factories. Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium,” where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to reducing the weight. It also improves the woods’ machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that the SG will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

Nitrocellulose Finish

Applying a nitrocellulose finish to any Gibson guitar—including the SG—is one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process. A properly applied nitro finish requires extensive man hours, several evenly applied coats, and an exorbitant amount of drying time. But this fact has never swayed Gibson into changing this time-tested method, employed ever since the first guitar was swathed with lacquer back in 1894. Why? For starters, a nitro finish dries to a much thinner coat than a polyurethane finish, which means there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone. A nitro finish is also a softer finish, which makes it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can’t do the same on a poly finish. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous in nature, and actually gets thinner over time. It does not “seal” wood in an airtight shell—as a poly finish does—and allows the wood to breathe and age properly.

Gibson SG '61 Reissue (Heritage Cherry) @ Electro Music.
Price: £1399.00.

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