Is this an SG11?

[DavidJ]

Hi

Here are some shots of my guitar http://photobucket.com/albums/b318/101david/

The serial no on the headstock is 172266 and it also has "made in the USA" stamped on there. I put on the Schaller bridge, although I still have what I assume to be the original adjustable bridge. I also replaced the machine heads with a set as close to the originals as I could find. The originals where damaged and very worn. The guitar has faded and was originally red - the colour is still visible in a couple of my shots and under the pickguard and control cover. It must have faded quickly though, because I have known the guitar since around 1980 and it looked the same then! I assume at that time it was 7 or 8 years old.

Can anyone confirm the model? What other information on this guitar is there. It's clearly a low-budget version and I have never seen another one like it (although Gibson managed to sell at least one here in England!). Occasionally people have told me it's worth a fortune because of it's rarity/originality, but somehow I think it is what it is - a bit of an oddity. It plays quite nicely although the pickups are pretty thin sounding.

Any information gratefully recieved.

Thanks David

 

[skidshark]

they are rare, but i can't tell you about worth. i can tell you that that thing looks nearly mint in the photos.....has it been refinned?? very nice at any rate...and well worth hanging on to!!

 

[DavidJ]

Hi Skidshark

The photo's flatter it a little - I'd say its 6-7 out of ten. The finish is original and I was talked out out refinishing it by the guy I'd approached to do the job. He convinced me that it would only devalue the guitar. I'm glad I took his advice and have come to like the colour anyway.

I will almost certainly hang on to it although I would like to get hold of a more conventional SG as well, funds permitting. The last time I got rid of a nice guitar (a seventies Tele deluxe) to fund a new one (a Strat) in the mid eighties I really regretted it even though I still have the strat and love it. Twin humbucker teles sell for silly money in the UK now (£2000+)!!

Assuming it is an SG11 it's probably got more "curiousity" value than "rarity" value!! (And a bit of sentimental value for me too.......)

David

 

[ess]

yup SG11 David.

http://www.everythingsg.com/identify/sg_II.htm

 

[CharlieB]

That is an SGII and if you ever wanna let it go.... lol.. .CALL ME FIRST!

 

[DavidJ]

Thanks everyone.

Can anyone tell me more about the Gibsons of the period - I've heard it referred to as to the Norlin era, but don't know what that means (showing my ignorance here no doubt.........). Is there anywhere on the net I can read up? Apart from the excellent ETSG of course!

Also what height should I set the pickups? Any suggestions?

David

 

[CharlieB]

Norlin owned Gibson at that time. They deviated from traditional ways of doing things. They elminated the neck angle, put in floating pickguards, coverplates with controls.... etc. The quality is not altogether bad, just they took a lot of shortcuts. For instnace, they didn't bevel the backs of some guitars or didn't bevel the "horns" on the inside radius.

Set the mini hums to 3/32 of an inch from the strings when fretted at the highest fret. Then lower the neck pickup a little at a time till the "balance" of volumes between the two pickups is pleasing to you.

 

[DavidJ]

Thanks Mr B - I'll set the pups as you suggest!

DJ