Gibson headscratcher

09-10-2019, 12:27 PM

I bought this guitar on a whim about 5 years ago. Anyone Gibson experts here?

09-10-2019, 12:29 PM

Another photo . . .

Anything look odd?

flipper35 · flipper35's Garage

335?

masraum · 09-10-2019, 01:03 PM

It looks like the adjuster screw hardware (sorry, not a guitar guy) was changed out. Hence the extra screw holes and the outline of the stuff that had originally been there.

jwasbury · 09-10-2019, 01:07 PM

looks like an SG to me.

masraum · 09-10-2019, 01:07 PM

I'm guessing they originally looked more like...

Makes me wonder if someone swapped good parts off of the guitar that you bought and kept them. But I have no idea. Maybe the stuff that they swapped with was as good or better.

TimT · 01:26 PM

Looks like an SG that someone changed the tuners and pickups on. Changing tuners is not necessarily a bad thing. Changing the pickups could be a bad thing depending on the vintage of the guitar....an old SG with PAFs is desirable

TimT · 09-10-2019, 01:27 PM

Also smaller pick guard.. an early model? I cant make out the s/n.. I had a few SGs

TimT · 09-10-2019, 01:34 PM

4th guitar out of Bozeman if I'm reading the s/n right

12800004

sammyg2 · 09-10-2019, 01:39 PM

I'm only familiar with a newer "made in USA" SG standard, but this is what I see compared to it:

Pickups are different
tone and volume knobs are different
pick guard is smaller
Markers on fretboard are different
obviously the machine heads have been changed
The gibson logo is gold instead of silver
it doesn't say SG on the plastic thingy that covers the neck adjuster thingy (technical jargon)
The serial number burned into the head doesn't look right at all... the one I know is neat.
he screws on the back cover are 'sposed to be black.

Maybe it's an older model, maybe not made in US, maybe not an SG standard?

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

There must be a zillion SG models in a zillion configurations. Other than someone swapped out the crap stock tuners with some Grover style tuners, not sure I know what the issue is that your seeing

Btw, my SG much prefers the Grover’s

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

Another thing, though there’s so many SGs out there that I could be wrong, the top and bottom horns are too small and the body shape where the neck meets the body is well, not like mine. Mine is an SG Standard btw probably 15 yo.

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

Here’s mine. Obviously a different model and mine is heavily modified but basic differences...yours no made in USA stamp on back, Gibson not MOP inlay, horns are short, neck joint is odd on yours. Gibson’s are heavily counterfeited....or maybe just the quirks of your particular model

rockfan4 · 09-10-2019, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madcorgi

Another photo . . .

Anything look odd?

The dot on the I seems to have slipped a bit when the decal was applied.
The thing that bugs me is a 8 digit serial number should have "Made in USA" stamped below it.

ledhedsymbols · 09-10-2019, 02:38 PM

I'm no expert, but it smells like a "Chibson" to me. Chinese knockoff I think.

rockfan4 · 09-10-2019, 02:55 PM

The bridge studs should not be slotted either.
Pull the rear cover and post a photo of the back of the control pots and the wiring.

09-10-2019, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ledhedsymbols

I'm no expert, but it smells like a "Chibson" to me. Chinese knockoff I think.

Ding ding ding! Chicken dinner!

According to the guy at the git store, it's a Gypson. Most likely Chinese, he thinks. Somebody went to a lot of trouble to make it look--and play--right. Has a great neck and a nice sound, but once he walked me through all the differences, it was clear. The Gibson decal is shaped funny, the neck is built up from a couple of pieces, and the body is shaped wrong. I pulled off the back panel and looked at the dash pots, and they were all messily soldered and marked wrong for a Gibson.

I was going to sell it on Craigslist but I wanted to know what it was before I did so. Now I'll give it to my son-in-law, who likes it. I only think in Fender,

69 Soft Targa · 69 Soft Targa's Garage

How does it play?

Multiple indications that it's a copy just on the headstock

Jeff Hail · 09-10-2019, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockfan4

The dot on the I seems to have slipped a bit when the decal was applied.
The thing that bugs me is a 8 digit serial number should have "Made in USA" stamped below it.

The dot touching the G is pretty common on SG Specials. The rout for the rear humbucker looks crooked in the photo (maybe just the photo). Pick guard is from a Standard model. The horns at the cutaways are really not correct for a Gibson. Its not an EP since they have different headstock shapes. Its a set neck which means not bottom of the barrel. I am going with a faded model imitation. The giveaway is the last dot low on the fret board. If it plays keep it.

09-10-2019, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69 Soft Targa

How does it play?

Multiple indications that it's a copy just on the headstock

Plays really well--just like other SGs I've played. It was well set up by a pro somewhere--intonation is pretty good. Sounds killer through my Blues Junior. My son-in-law gets it (at the Good Son-In-Law discount), but I'm keeping the case it came in. It is a British-made ABS Roadcase, and judging by the security stickers all over it, it has traveled far and wide.