This 1965 Gibson SG Special is a classic mid-’60s player’s guitar that delivers everything the model is known for: lightweight feel, snarling P-90 tone, and effortless playability.
The guitar weighs under 7 pounds and has a 1 11/16" nut.
This is a killer player that has seen some work, including a black nitro refinish. The neck heel was repaired before the refin. Interestingly, the back of the neck shows the wood grain - it is not black, and the back of the headstock is similarly clear-coated, showing the serial number, and coming to a "stinger" point where the neck transitions to the headstock.
The neck pickup is period correct. It has gold pole pieces however. The bridge pickup is an older Gibson part as well. The base plate of the pickup has been altered for some reason.
The Bigsby is a killer addition - a nice vintage part. The ABR-1 bridge is recent, and it is mounted on a cool pair of Glaser studs that fit into the original stopbar mounting threads, so the guitar could be changed back to a wraparound tailpiece. The bigsby works really well with this setup, and we were able to get the guitar very nicely dialed in.
The pots are original, as are the pickguard, tuners, and truss rod cover. The knobs and switch tip look to be changed.
The case is from the late 60s, and it has seen some use, as well as changed latches. It works well, but it has seen better days.
Introduced in the early 1960s, the SG Special became a favorite of players like Pete Townshend and Carlos Santana for its cutting tone and lightweight design.
At Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, every instrument is inspected, photographed accurately, and professionally set up. We buy, sell, and accept trades. Explore our Gibson Guitars Collection, Vintage Fender Guitars, or Sell or Trade Your Gear page.