The Guitar Player's Resource
Guitar style linked to players such as Angus Young.
Gibson's SG Custom is a classic. Immortalized by Santana at Woodstock and smashed onstage by Townshend, the Gibson SG is a rock icon. Gibson's Nashville-made SG Custom takes you back to the glory years of the legendary solidbody electric guitar: two powerful humbuckers, mother-of pearl block inlays, gold hardware, vintage nitro finish, and all. Handcrafted by Gibson's elite Custom Shop luthiers, the SG Custom's fast, comfortable 1960 SlimTaper neck; bound ebony fingerboard, and Plek'd medium jumbo frets provide an effortless playing experience; while its lightweight, sleekly contoured mahogany body delivers great sustain and no pain, even when you gig all night. And the vintage nitro finish looks and feels stupendous while enhancing the tone of this legendary rock machine.
It just wouldn't be an SG Custom without humbuckers, and this axe is spec'd with a matched 490/498 set. Naturally, these pickups really shine when pumping out the classic fat, snarling tone that is the SG Custom's stock-in-trade. They are delightfully responsive, though — simply roll back the volume, and they clean up beautifully. The electronics setup features the traditional 4-pot configuration, which gives you independent control of each pickup's volume and tone. From jazz and fusion to blues, rock, and country; from chimey rhythm parts to blistering leads — and everything in between — the Gibson SG Custom delivers.
Gibson voiced the pickups on the SG Custom for tonal characteristics similar to their '57 Classics, but with a slight increase in the upper mids for a more contemporary humbucker sound. The neck-position 490R gives you the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, albeit with a slight upper mid bump, which delivers clarity and definition that complement the wonderfully warm sound of this pickup: great for chimey rhythm work. Gibson's 498T alnico humbucker is the ideal bridge pickup if your playing requires an emphasis on mids and highs. A high-output version of the 490T, this pickup combines a slightly hotter alnico V magnet with a specially wound coil combination. The result is increased crunch and sustain — a potent sonic elixir for heavier music styles. Each pickup's pole pieces are aligned to match the string spacing at the neck and bridge, respectively.
Comfort and playability were two of Gibson's primary concerns when they were designing the SG Custom. You'll be delighted at how this guitar's 1960 SlimTaper neck comfortably fills your hand in just the right way. For your playing pleasure, the bound ebony fingerboard is buffed to silky smoothness and the frets are dressed to perfection using a Plek Pro machine for optimized playability.
Gibson gave this SG Custom a gorgeous 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 amazing; they also enhance the instrument's tonal qualities. The SG Custom has the look and feel of a lovingly cared-for classic — one that will only improve with age.
General:
Number of Strings: 6
Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
Body:
Body Type: Solidbody
Body Shape: SG Custom
Body Material: 1-piece Mahogany
Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
Color: Ebony
Neck:
Neck Material: Mahogany
Neck Shape: 1960 Slim Taper
Neck Joint: Set Neck
Radius: 12"
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Fingerboard Inlay: Mother-of-Pearl Blocks
Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
Scale Length: 24.75"
Nut Width: 1.687"
Nut Material: Nylon
Hardware:
Bridge/Tailpiece: Tune-O-Matic with Stopbar
Tuners: Grover Kidney
Electronics:
Neck Pickup: 490R Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: 498T Humbucker
Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone
Switching: 3-way toggle pickup switch
