By 1960, poor sales of the original, single-cutaway
Les Paul caused Gibson to design
a new, more modern model to compete
with Fender’s popular double-cutaway
solidbody with the contours. The result
was what is today called the SG (ostensibly
for “solid guitar”). This new version of the
Les Paul had a slim, lightweight mahogany
body contoured with comfortable beveled
edges and two cutaways that enabled full,
easy use of all 22 frets. By 1961, the entire
Les Paul line had adopted the new shape.
Les Paul’s endorsement deal ended in
1963, so by the time this month’s pictured
guitar was made in 1965, the entire
line had become officially known as SGs.
This SG Standard has features common
to this transitional year, including a narrow
1 9/16" nut, chrome-covered pickups
and Vibrola, nickel ABR-1 bridge, and a
small pickguard.
This SG is painted in the popular Pelham
Blue Poly (“Poly” indicates a metallic
finish, not polyurethane), which was
introduced along with nine other custom
colors when Gibson’s Firebird series
debuted in 1963. Pelham Blue Poly was
originally a lighter version of Fender’s
Lake Placid Blue, but it tended to turn a
greenish color with age.
More detailed information on Gibson SGs
can be found in
Gibson Electrics: The
Classic Years by A.R. Duchossoir, and in
The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy,
1915-1963 by Robb Lawrence. The
website
guitarhq.com provides detailed
information on both Fender and Gibson
custom colors.
Dave's Guitar Shop
Daves Rogers’ collection is tended to by
Laun Braithwaite and Tim Mullally
Photos and words by Tim Mullally
Dave’s collection is on display at:
Dave's Guitar Shop
1227 Third Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601
davesguitar.com