SG STandard 68/69?? - Need help authenticating, S/N in the 919xxx range!

[BJMcKay1]

Hello, I have been lurking around this site for a while and have been impressed with the level of knowledge and enthusiasm I have found. Currently I've become the proud 'care taker', (soon to be) owner of what I believe to be a late 68' or early 69' SG Standard.

I say this based on my research and limited knowledge of this Gibson model. Here is a quick description but my pictures will certainly be the best indicator.

Guitar - Red (cherry finish) SG Standard with 'batwing' pickguard and vibrato tail piece. It has 'T' Top Patent number humbuckers with black bobbins. Interestingly the P/U covers are open or cut out. I have seen aftermarket covers like this but never anything OEM on Gibson humbuckers from the factory. The neck does have a volute with Pantograph headstock logo (closed 'b' and 'o').

Based on the S/N (9197xx) it seems to be a 1968 made at the Kalamazoo plant. However the pot codes (137701) date to CTS and 1967.

I am trying to establish the pedigree of this instrument for the purpose of making a fair offer for purchase and was hoping someone might have a try at this puzzle. The pictures are a much better descriptor than me and I will send some more in another post.

Thanks

 

[BJMcKay1]

Some more photos.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Welcome and nice SG

 

[Six String]

Welcome to ETSG!

Definitely very sweet. But please forgive us because not too many of the old SG's just come strolling on to the forum.

 

[Susihukkanen]

Welcome to ETSG!

I'd say that SG is from about April - July 1970. The overal shape of bevels point to late 1969 - 1970s. The volute in the headstock is already pretty well developed, the neck is 3-piece version introduced in mid 1969 but the Made in USA stamp is missing. So the neck says it is pre end of 1970. Are you sure about the pot codes? Based on other details in that SG I would expect them to read 1377010 which means week 10 of 1970.

 

[BJMcKay1]

Well that is interesting and actually from the the little I know about this guitar's history, 1970 does fit. Seem sometime around 1975 its original owner took the SG in trade (or loan... depending on your perspective) for his blonde, 69' Fender Strat. Apparently the musicians involved lost contact and the trade back never occurred. I would say IMHO the SG was the better deal!

The pot codes could very well have a 0 suffix, although it was real tough to read being stamped on their side. I did not remove them but I remember only one of the volume pots could be easily read but I'll take another look and let you know.

What do you think about the P/U covers, any chance they could be original Gibson equipment with those cut-outs?

Thanks

 

[Crazy_8]

Beautiful guitar. I don't know for sure, but I can't remember any OEM covers like that back in that time, but I'm getting older and am starting to forget things.

 

[Susihukkanen]

What do you think about the P/U covers, any chance they could be original Gibson equipment with those cut-outs?

Thanks

I believe those pick up covers are not original but I can't say what are they. I haven't seen such before. Btw. in this old thread there are some possibly interesting things about SGs of about the same era.
http://www.everythingsg.com/threads/tell-me-about-67-68-69-sg-standard.22929/

 

[BJMcKay1]

Yes I practically memorized that thread when I was initially lurking around this site. Great information, and some really nice pic's of a similar model/year guitar.

Is there a recommended source for finding vintage replacement parts like the tremolo arm screw/fastener I am missing?

 

[jfine]

The open pickup covers are not original, don't know about the pickups. As Susihokkanen pointed out, the beveling indicates a late-'69 or '70 model, as does the thinner bevel on the pickguard. Looks like a later bridge too. Also, the knobs would have been "witch hats" with metal Vol and Tone inserts. My first SG was a '67 that I bought new, and it had the wider body bevels and thicker pickguard outline, the older-style ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge with nylon saddles, and no headstock volute--that didn't come in until '69 or so. Remember that your serial number might check out to '68, but Gibson often repeated serial numbers in different years. The pots could certainly be from '67, as Gibson and Fender would order them by the thousands, maybe hundreds-of-thousands--they could have still been using '67 pots in '69.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

look like T Top pickups to me with some kind of covers on them