My 2018 for a 2011 - make sense?

[B-Nads]

Been a while since I've dropped by here. I got rid of my old 2004 SG because the Bigsby was constantly causing tuning issues. I recently made a trade with a '62 Custom MIJ Tele for a 2018 Standard SG, and the unthinkable has happened...I now reach for the SG before any other guitar, including my tele. I've some to love the weight, the touch sensitivity, and the clarity of the SG - even when driving the crap out of my Vintage Sound V22 on the Brownface channel. The only snag - I like a larger neck.

I posted the guitar for sale hoping to get enough to buy an older standard - its a trade-off since I much prefer the look of the smaller 61 pickguard, and the Autumn Fade finish on my 2018 makes it a very good looking instrument, but there are a couple pre-2012 standards that tend to have the larger neck for sale near where I live.

As fate would have it, I received an email on one of my ads tonight - a gentleman near by is proposing a trade - my 2018 Standard for his mint condition 2011 Standard Limited in natural burst. From what I read, this model has the rounded neck like the Standard I had before. The only snag (potentially) are the maple fretboard and the pickups. I had those pups in my old Les Paul and swapped them out for JS Moores. My old SG had Lollar Imperials. That said, I'm not crazy about the 61's in my 2018 either, so a pickup change would be happening either way.

I play maple teles and my ebony D18 all of the time - I'm not worried about the feel of maple. Value for value, does this trade make sense?

Thanks. Looking forward to spending more time on here now that I've fallen so firmly in love with the SG.

Brent

 

[skelt101]

Make sure you verify the model. Guitar Center had an exclusive around this time, same finish (as well as an aged cherry) but with the slim taper neck and coil-split Burstbuckers. If you plan on keeping the guitar, don't worry about the maple fretboard. Most of them are probably pretty dark by now, and might even be seen as a future collectible due to their relative rarity. If the 2011 has (most of) the features you're looking for, a Standard for a Standard trade sounds reasonable to me.

 

[B-Nads]

This is the real Limited with the covered 490's and the thicker neck profile.

 

[gypsyseven]

Always thought they started in 2012 with the maple fretboards....

 

[B-Nads]

Mid 2011 from all I’ve read. He just sent pics. Beautiful guitar, definitely maple board.

 

[B-Nads]

Good call - he just sent me a serial pic - it’s a ‘12

126610400

 

[cerebral gasket]

That serial number indicates a 2011.
1st and 5th digit is the last two digits of the year.

1977-2005

YDDDYRRR
YY = Year
DDD = Day
RRR = Production Rank

2005-2013

YDDDYBRRR
YY = Year
DDD = Day
B = Batch Number
RRR = Production Rank

2014, they switched format to 1st two digits is the last two digits of the year.

Some time around 2008 or 2009 they started stamping the 4-digit year below the MADE IN USA stamp.

 

[AngelDeVille]

Good call - he just sent me a serial pic - it’s a ‘12

126610400

Yeah, we haven’t seen any pics of the guitars so we can’t be certain they even exist...

Sometimes you trade up, sometimes down or sideways.

I traded my Pelham blue 2017 SG and some pedals for a naturally roadworn 1992 Explorer, I couldn’t be happier.

 

[B-Nads]

That blue is a beauty!

This is my 2018:


This is the 2011:

 

[AngelDeVille]

That blue is a beauty!

This is my 2018:


This is the 2011:

I really liked the Pelham blue, but I have an SG I liked a lot more, and I love V’s and Explorer’s.

I’m not usually a fan of batwings, but I do prefer the color of the 2011, and the batwing works with that color.

 

[B-Nads]

Yeah - I'm pretty sure I'll be taking the plunge.

 

[fuzbuzz78]

As long as the guitar checks out, and it has the neck you prefer, I don’t see anything wrong with a straight trade across the board.

 

[laza616]

I wouldnt hesitate a second. Go for it
You can always easily get a standard with the same specs as your 2018, but getting this natural 2011 with a baked maple fretboard isnt that easy. So by the time the value could be pretty nice in a few years
And actually the 2011 looks like one piece body to me

 

[PermissionToLand]

Perfectly fair trade. The 2018 specs were basically the same as 2011 but with a small pickguard and slim neck.

As far as I know, and according to Gibson's website, the Standard was always Rosewood, and only the 2011-2012 Standard Limited was Baked Maple.

https://solidguitar.fandom.com/wiki/SG_Standard_Limited

Being Natural Burst, I think this would have to be a Limited. The TonePros tuners are definitely an upgrade.

 

[B-Nads]

I did the swap this evening. Both of us were very happy with the trade. The neck on this guitar is beautiful - and the condition is mint...my 2018 had some use on it, but the other guy was fine with it. The 2018 felt downright flimsy compared to this 2011 - I guess the size of the neck as a lot to do with that, but the other one seemed to have some rattle and vibration. This one feels more solid, and the tone is certainly more robust unplugged. These pickups seem to have more overall output, but I didn't get to give them a good run in my amp - that will be tomorrow's fun. Try as I may, I can't find a seam - the body looks to be a 1-piece.

Very pleased with this trade. Thanks for the help. I'll post some NGD pics tomorrow.

 

[PermissionToLand]

These pickups seem to have more overall output

They do! At least the bridge pickup, which is a 498T and tends to fall around 9K ohms, whereas the '61 humbucker in the 2018 comes in around 7.75K ohms.

 

[B-Nads]

It's pretty potent - I'm gonna play witht he heights and see what I can do - right now I'd have to use a pedal to level out using my Tele and it. I may get a set of Budz PAF's to put in it for a lower output option. Love the guitar, though.

 

[Bettyboo]

I do like those 2011/2012 standards - very nice (wish I'd bought one at the time, just as I wish I'd bought a 2016 standard with P90s at the time).

It's not easy to get exactly the guitar you want if they are no longer made, so I'd say you did a good and fair deal.

 

[B-Nads]

I agree. The neck on this guitar is perfect. It feels a little wider than my '81 LP Custom.

 

[Wild Bill212]

I agree. The neck on this guitar is perfect. It feels a little wider than my '81 LP Custom.

The 2018 w/'61's is too bad, '57's ,IMO, are the dealio for SG's. Maple Board on the 2011 ? Think twice?.....different care procedures?

The Batwing SG's have fatter rounded necks, the only drawback for the Angel-Wing PG SG's since IDK when, 1992 (?), is the slim-taper necks twisting when you close the Neck Relief below .005"....do u like the pick-up's being part of the P.G. ? if that doesn't bother you and the Maple boards no problem....

Me? I MIGHT JUST PUT '57'S IN THE 2018, I just got a 2015 SG Special w/'61'S IN IT AND THEY AREN'T BAD BUT NOT GREAT EITHER, oops, Caps, my bad.