When the original Les Paul evolved into the Les Paul/SG Standard in 1961, the evolution embodied Les Paul’s vision for a sleek, powerful, contemporary solidbody electric guitar. The single-cut Standard returned to the fold later in the decade, but the distinctive double-cutaway guitar—now simply known as the SG—stayed in the lineup too, and became a major rock and blues icon. The new SG Standard embodies all the tone, feel, and look of the original rendition of this legendary guitar, with features such as a slim ’60s profile neck with a smaller early ’60s headstock, the original early ’60s pickguard, dual ’57 Classic™ humbucking pickups, and Gibson’s innovative hardware, all wrapped into a design that remains one of the most versatile guitars available today. To top it off, the SG Standard displays classic looks in your choice of Heritage Cherry, Ebony, Classic White, or Natural Burst finish, all in high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer. And, for a nominal upcharge, you can kick the new SG Standard right into the 21st century with a factory upgrade to automated Min-ETune™ “robot” tuners. A left-handed version also available.
Like the greatest SGs ever made, the SG Standard starts with a foundation of solid mahogany, a tonewood with a long tradition at Gibson. A solid mahogany body (Grade-A beneath the translucent finish options) is crafted in the distinctive, thin asymmetrical dual-cutaway style, with iconic pointed “horns” and beveled edges to enhance playing comfort. A solid, Grade-A, quarter-sawn mahogany neck is glued into the body in Gibson’s time-tested tradition, and carved to a fast, slim ’60s profile that measures .800” at the 1st fret and .875” at the 12th. It is topped with a bound fingerboard made from genuine Grade-A rosewood with 22 medium-jumbo frets, and traditional trapezoid inlays. The smaller vintage-style headstock has the classic mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and holly inlays.
The SG Standard takes its firepower from a pair of ’57 Classic™ humbucking pickups, some of the most popular recreations of vintage PAF humbuckers available today. These great pickups use genuine Alnico II bar magnets and are wound with 42-AWG enamel-coated wire for the characteristic blend of warmth and creaminess that made original PAFs legendary. The traditional wiring complement of an independent volume and tone control per pickup plus a three-way toggle selector switch allows a broad range of sonic variations. To anchor it all down, Gibson USA loads in a Tune-o-Matic bridge and Stopbar tailpiece, with a set of genuine TonePros™ vintage-style tuners, a hardware set that partners up for solid sustain and precision tuning. Put it all together, and the SG Standard presents a great incarnation of the iconic original, bringing the look, feel, and sound to the hands of players of today.
Each guitar comes protected in a plush-lined hardshell case with black exterior, owner’s manual and truss-rod wrench, and comes covered by Gibson USA’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
