A Fine 1967 SG Special

This near mint 13-inch-wide SG Special weighs 7.60 lbs. and has the thinner nut width of nut width of just over 1 9/16 inches, and a standard Gibson scale length of 24 3/4 inches. Solid mahogany body. One-piece medium profile mahogany neck with a bound rosewood fretboard with 22 original jumbo frets and inlaid pearl dot position markers. Inlaid pearl "Gibson" headstock logo. Three-layer 'bell-shaped' black /white / black plastic truss-rod cover with two screws. Open-back Waverly style strip tuners with oval metal buttons. Serial number "098179" stamped into back of headstock. Two very hot P-90 pickups with black plastic covers and outputs of 8.56k and 8.18k. Original 'large' style five-layer (black / white / black / white / black) plastic pickguard with eleven screws. Four controls (two volume, two tone) plus three-way selector switch. Black plastic bell-shaped knobs with metal tops. The pots are stamped "137 6710" (CTS March 1967). Stud wraparound bridge with compensated "stair steps" cast into the unit. Gibson "Short" vibrola unit with three screws and 'Walrus-Tooth' tip on arm. All hardware chrome-plated. The original jumbo frets show very little signs of wear. The cherry finish is totally unfaded. There are just a few very small dings/surface marks on the edges of the body but overall this forty-three year old SG Special is in exceptionally fine (9.00) condition. Housed in it's original three-latch Gibson black softshell case with brown cloth lining (8.25).

"By 1965 the (short) Gibson Vibrola tailpiece, so far available as an option, became a standard appointment on the Special. The fourth variant remained in production until 1966. The Special was then fitted with a larger pickguard supporting the pickups and a modified neck heel like the other SG electrics." (Duchossoir. Gibson Electrics. The Classic Years, p. 212).

The Les Paul Special was introduced as the TV Special in 1955 as an intermediate model between the regular Les Paul guitar and the lower-priced Junior and TV Junior instruments. The Special underwent two successive body redesigns in 1958 and 1961, while the Les Paul affiliation was discontinued in late 1962. The model was then renamed the SG Special without any apparent changes in the specifications other than the removal of Les Paul markings. In 1964, during the height of the British Invasion, one thousand, seven hundred and four SG Specials were shipped from the factory. The total production run between 1961 and the end of 1965 (in this form) was six thousand, nine, hundred and sixty-five guitars. In early 1965 the nut width on Gibson guitars was reduced from 1 11/16 inches to 1 9/16 inches and then in early 1966 the neck joint on the SG models was modified and the pickguard changed to the larger "double" version.