1973 Gibson SG Special, Cherry Red

A great early-’70s Gibson SG Special, finished in a deep/dark Cherry with a pair of excellent sounding mini-humbuckers.

By the early 1970s, the SG Special had moved on from the P-90-equipped, dot-neck format of the 1960s into something with a little more of the period about it. This 1973 example features a mahogany body, 3-piece mahogany neck with volute, unbound rosewood fingerboard with block inlays, and ABR-1 / stoptail setup. It is a very cool and usable version of the SG Special, with all the light weight (3.04kg), upper fret access that makes this model such a joy to play.

The front of the body retains a nice amount of deep cherry to the finish. The back is a bit more faded and shows some buckle wear, and the neck has a lovely worn-in feel, suggesting a guitar that has clearly been played and enjoyed over the years. Importantly, there are no breaks or repairs.

The hardware is largely as you would hope to see, including correct double-line Gibson Deluxe tuners, correct Patent Number ABR-1 bridge and stoptail, black speed knobs and the single-ply thick black pickguard. The pots are correct CTS dating to week 20 of 1973.

Electronically, the neck pickup is the correct Gibson Patent Number mini humbucker, reading 6.79k. The bridge pickup has been changed to an Iron Gear Rolling Mill 2 (neck type), reading a considerably hotter 13.01k, giving the guitar plenty of weight and punch in the bridge position. The result is a very lively and versatile SG, with a more traditional, articulate neck sound and a powerful bridge pickup that really drives an amp.

The slim neck is comfortable and familiar, measuring 40.1mm at the nut, with a depth of 20.8mm at the 1st fret and 25.1mm at the 12th. It plays well and has that excellent slightly worn-in feel that only comes from years of real use.

A vibey, honest and great-sounding '73 SG Special with plenty of character. An excellent choice for anyone looking for vintage looks and character on a lower budget.