Help identifying 70's SG

[Roy McAlister]

I bought this SG on Ebay...the guy told me it was a '74. I don't really care about the age or condition, I just wanted one for a studio project and found myself lusting for an SG for this. I also look for guitars that are more beat-up than average...I'm a professioanl luthier and I can fix anything it may need.

So anyway, I get this SG and it's in poor shape but sounds incredible! It has one of the hottest pair of Humbuckers I've ever owned. I've been playing for more than 30 years and have owned many Gibsons and more sets of humbuckers than I can count. But these pickups just flat-out smoke! So, I fixed the guitar up...it had one cutaway missing by some dog that had gnawed it to a nub...and the headstock has been busted off and splined in an ugly fashion. I didn't care...it had perfect intonation and recorded beautifully.

Now I have fixed all the wood issues and sprayed the guitar with black nitrocellulose and amber/clear coat over....to give it the vintage look over the MOP Gibson logo and headstock crown. It looks perfect now...it's a better finish than ever came from the factory and sounds like no other Gibson I've owned. The problem is, I have no idea what model this is. It has an unbound ebony fretboard with large square block inlays....small pickguard....the cutways are unscalloped (un-contoured?)on the back...other than that, it has all the other specs of a standard.

Any help?

Thanks,
Roy McAlister

 

[skidshark]

welcome aboard roy!! we like luthier types around here!!

do you have the serial #'s handy?...and the code #'s off the back of the pots would help also....someone here will nail it down for you... 8)

also....we need pics!! love'em...gotta have'em!! :wink:

 

[Six String]

Welcome to ETSG Roy McAlister!

 

[ess]

luv that dog gnawing thing!!! great stuff

 

[Roy McAlister]

I think I've got it figured out...I had a peak at the 'Identify Your SG' page and found the model. Of course, actually utilizing the website is just too obvious.

Anyway...it appears I have a 74 SG Standard Limited Edition 1. Mind you it has been thrashed, beaten and gnawed...but it does deliver the goods.

Serial numbers, you ask? Uh...yeah...well, funny story. When I got this, the headstock had that nasty spline repair and the back of the headstock had been sanded down and numbers were barely legible. When I was prepping it for lacquer, I thought, "I'll stamp some numbers on this...make it look right". So I stamped a 6 digit number with the appropriate 'Made In USA' beneath. It looks as authentic as a factory job, but I just picked the numbers out of thin air. I think I went for an early 70's serial number, I stamped 100752 (if you have this ACTUAL number...my apologies).

I'll get some photos of it as soon as I get a new digital camera. My wife thinks all cameras are disposable, apparently.

Roy McAlister

 

[Bogart]

Oh yeah, we NEED pics of this.

 

[Roy McAlister]

Allrighty...I've cured my digital camera issues and I've taken a quick photo of this SG. Again, the black lacquer was done by me to mask the woodwork repairs. None of these repairs are now noticeable. You can also see that someone back in the 70's added a coil tap switch, which I actually like. Had this guitar been pristine when I bought it, I would have been bummed by the coil tap, but since it was in abused and partially devoured condition, I didn't mind. The gold bell knobs are on there temporarily....until I find the original knobs that I placed somewhere for safe keeping...and from me, apparently. Last, I am prepping this guitar for a complete fret job, so at the time of this photo, the frets have all been yanked out, as well as the nut. But you'll get the idea.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-3/973881/sgfull.JPG

Roy McAlister

 

[Hard2Hear]

Way to bring a Volutian back to life!!

Long live the Volutians!!

H2H

 

[Six String]

@ H2H Way Cool Roy! 8) 8) 8)

 

[skidshark]

right on roy!! drag another one back from the brink!!

 

[tekochip]

I've got a few from this era and their the best guitars I've ever owned, could you measure the neck at the nut, and maybe a few other dimensions.

 

[TNT]

:) Welcome Roy! That SG is lookin sharp! I even like the Gold Knobs on it.They go well against the black.Great job!