The Legendary SG Special
Gibson’s SG Special brings back a classic. Immortalized by Santana at Woodstock and smashed onstage by Townshend, the Gibson SG Special is a rock icon. Gibson’s Nashville-made SG Special takes you back to the formative years of the legendary solidbody electric guitar: small pickguard, P-90 pickups, vintage nitro finish, and all. This SG’s fast, comfortable SlimTaper neck; bound rosewood fingerboard, and Plek’d frets make for action that’s almost nonexistent. The SG’s lightweight, sleekly contoured mahogany body delivers great sustain and no pain, even if you gig all night. And the vintage nitro finish looks and feels stupendous while enhancing the tone of this legendary rock machine. Own your piece of rock history: the Gibson SG Special.
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Dare to sound different
We have many fiercely loyal P-90 fans here at Sweetwater. These guitarists know that the P-90 offers a unique tonal palette that is distinct from — and complements — humbuckers and traditional single-coils. Gibson’s first successful single-coil pickup, the P-90 can be heard on countless classic recordings. With its biting treble and high output, the P-90 cleans up nicely when you roll back your guitar’s volume pot. It’s an amazingly versatile pickup with its own brand of grit — a bit brighter, leaner, and less refined than a humbucker and almost as hot. Hit your amp hard, and the P-90 really wails. Plugged into a proper high-gain tube amp, you can elicit grind, sizzle, and bark that would be impossible with humbuckers — or with other single-coils, for that matter. To hear P-90s brilliantly deployed in historical context, check out Santana’s fiery Woodstock performance, the Who’s masterful Live at Leeds album — or any number of classic Beatles tunes.
SlimTaper neck and Plek’d frets for optimized playability
Comfort and playability were two of Gibson’s primary concerns when they were designing the SG Special. You’ll be delighted by how this guitar’s fast SlimTaper neck profile comfortably fits your hand in just the right way. For your playing pleasure, the rosewood fingerboard is buffed to silky smoothness and bound with rolled edges so that no fret ends impede your dexterity. The frets are dressed to perfection using a Plek Pro machine for optimized playability. Typically reserved for top-dollar custom guitars, this process levels the frets with pinpoint precision, providing you with the most playable fretboard you’re likely to own.
Nitro finish for the look and feel of a classic
Gibson gave the SG Special a gorgeous nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Nitro finishes — standard back in the day — are significantly thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes, allowing the guitar to “breathe.” Nitro finishes not only look amazing, but they also enhance the instrument’s tonal qualities. The SG Special has the look and feel of a lovingly cared-for classic — one that will only improve with age.
Gibson SG Special Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:
- Lightweight, sleekly contoured mahogany body
- Mahogany set neck with SlimTaper profile
- 12-inch-radius bound rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets and dot markers
- Plek’d frets for effortless playability
- P-90 neck and bridge single-coil pickups
- 3-way pickup selector toggle switch
- 2 volume, 2 tone controls
- 24.75-inch scale length
- 1.695-inch Graph Tech nut (proprietary Gibson formula)
- Chrome hardware
- Compensated wraparound bridge
- Vintage Deluxe tuners with white buttons
- Dual-action truss rod
