Gibson Les Paul 1961 SG Custom Reissue Arctic White, 2000 [USED]

This 3-pickup Gibson Les Paul 1961 SG Custom Reissue in Arctic White with  was built during 2000 at Nashville as the Historic Collection transitioned to the Custom Shop. 

This Gibson Les Paul 1961 SG Custom Reissue is in good almost entirely original condition, with only light wear and changed tuners. It’s quite comfortable to play, and has an undeniably cool appearance – some might suggest a high degree of visual okayness. Fret wear is very light. The Arctic White finish lacquer is in overall very good condition, with expected yellowing from age. 

The original black Gibson Custom branded hard shell case is included, and contains the previous set of Grover Roto-Matic tuners with oval buttons. 

Construction and Materials

The Gibson Les Paul 1961 SG Custom Reissue recalls the complete redesign of the Les Paul, triggered in 1961 by poor sales, ironic for a guitar that’s now very highly valued. By 1963, the model was renamed at Les Paul’s request and the expiry of the endorsement contract, and Gibson called it the ‘SG’. 

Like the original, the Les Paul Custom 61 Reissue uses a contoured Mahogany slab body with a Mahogany neck. Like previous Les Paul Custom models, the fingerboard is Ebony instead of Rosewood, and the position markers are Mother of Pearl blocks. 

The fingerboard and head are both bound; the body can’t really be bound due to the contoured edges. 

The hardware is gold plated.  The original tuners were perhaps gold 'Gibson Deluxe' Kluson style models with plastic Keystone buttons, and have been replaced with a set of gold Grover Roto-Matics with metal Keystone buttons.  

There is some confusion because a set of gold Grover Roto-Matics with rounded buttons is included in the case, and there are signs on the headstock of the Klusons (an extra screw hole and case impressions in the finish).  So the tuners may have been changed twice.   Apparently at the time of production, Gibson would install a set of Gibson Deluxe tuners for authenticity, but also provide a set of Grover Roto-Matics, and even install them or have the dealer do the install, on request. 

At the body, a wired ABR-1  bridge and stop tailpiece instead of ABR-1 and the long Maestro Lyre Vibrola tailpiece or the 1961 style side-to-side trem.  At this time, the side-to-side Vibrola was very rarely used and only on specific request.   The Maestro Lyre Vibrola was installed on 65 to 80% of the production of this model.  This stop-tail version is thus uncommon. 

The electronics start with three '57 Classic humbucking pickups. The pickup selector switch offers neck alone, neck and middle on, or middle and bridge on. One volume and tone control set runs the Middle and Bridge pickups, and the other the Neck only.  

This model is fretted with Gibson's standard medium-jumbo nickel-silver wire.  It does not reproduce the ‘Fretless Wonder’ concept, which was very low, flat fretwire. 

The original Fretless Wonder idea was that with these low frets, the action could also be quite low. In practice, the low, flat fret can only take a very light crown and with wear, the string quickly starts to leave the fret at the edge, rather than above the carefully placed fret slot. This introduces the potential for intonation and general tuning issues. As well, the low frets can only be dressed once or twice before replacement is required. Finally, string bending with low frets is not as easy as on higher fretwire, simply due to a lack of grip on the string.  This setup is very rare now and has been supplanted almost entirely by any type of Jumbo frets.  Builders who use lower fret wire include Rickenbacker and Fender on their vintage-accurate models. 

There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here

DETAILS: 

• Instrument Model:  Les Paul 1961 SG Custom Reissue
• Instrument Manufacturer:  Gibson 
• Instrument year:  2000
• Instrument Finish:  Arctic White Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Instrument Class:   Solidbody Electric Guitars
• Instrument serial number:  050731, built during 2000 in Nashville TN
• Country of Origin:  USA
• Instrument Condition:  Very Good
• Right-handed 
• Instrument Weight Imperial:  8.36  lbs
• Instrument Weight Metric:   3.8 kgs
• Scale Length Imperial:    24.64 in
• Scale Length Metric:    626 mm
• Nut Width Imperial:    1.673 in
• Nut Width Metric:  42.50 mm
• CITIES Documentation Required:  No
• Case included:  Yes
• Case original:  Yes
• Items in Case: Previously Installed Grover Roto-Matics
• Case Type: Hard Shell Gibson Custom branded
• Consignment: Yes
• Product ID: 190798

There are no refunds or returns on used items unless authorized in advance by a Twelfth Fret Sales Associate at time of sale. View Our Full Terms Here