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NVGD: 1961 LP/SG (Standard)

david.beason

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
259
I've been holding out for a week or two and have finally gotten around to taking some pics of my latest score. It cost me four really good guitars, but I'm really happy with it.


It's a '61 SG/LP in all original condition, although I've put a MojoAxe VibroStop and Dan's version of the Schaller straplock buttons on it and that's how it's shown in the pics. I threw the originals in the trash. Just kidding. I'm loving the VibroStop. In addition to making the tuning very stable (wasn't horrible actually), it gives it an extra bit of resonance and solidness.


Anyway, here are the goods. Sorry, I took lots of pics.


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david.beason

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
259
The guitar plays great, although the frets are probably in their twilight years. The neck is thin as you would expect from the early version of the LP/SG, but plays great. I was a little worried that it would be too thin for me as the only neck that I've ever really hated was my '92 LP Classic, which was otherwise a great guitar. This one is right at 0.800" at the 1st fret, but doesn't feel overly thin to me. The natural play wear on the back of the neck also causes it to feel amazingly smooth.


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david.beason

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
259
The PAFs sound incredible!


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It's got the expected finish checking all over and some wear here and there, but is in good condition overall.


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Here's a few with the case.


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Stoj

Active member
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
3,514
Wow what an absolute beauty - Congrats :salude
 

Marcel M

New member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
555
Damn thats awesome! Never need to apologize for too many pics.. never enough! :spabout
 

MapleFlame

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
14,044
Love the fading. Obviously at this point the pigment in spray hasn't been changed to non fading. Just a great looking guitar.
 

Cream Fan

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
Putting a VibroStop on your '61 is the best thing you could ever have done for that guitar. It made a HUGE difference on mine, which I've owned since 1984 and was thoroughly attuned to the tone of that guitar. I have to confess that I was utterly shocked by the improvement in the tone. The guitar is ballsier, with more sustain, and has even more nuance than it did. I would go as far to say that our guitars with the VibroStop installed sound better than any other early Sixties SGs, with either the stock Vibrola or the Maestro. Our guitars are now unique in that respect. Will it affect resale? I have no idea. I would advise hanging onto the old Vibrola innards, so if you ever sell the guitar the new owner will be free to put it back on the guitar. I think he or she would be an utter fool to do that, but there you go. I also saw that you have an orginal brown Lifton. Mine has one, too. I'm told that original brown SG cases are actually more valuable than their LP counterparts, but I can't swear to that. Enjoy that guitar!
 

david.beason

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
259
Love the fading. Obviously at this point the pigment in spray hasn't been changed to non fading. Just a great looking guitar.

Thanks! Yeah, it has faded considerably. The most accurate representation of the color is shown in the third, fourth, and fifth pics in my OP.

Here's a cell phone shot that I took when I was converting to the VibroStop.

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david.beason

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2014
Messages
259
Putting a VibroStop on your '61 is the best thing you could ever have done for that guitar. It made a HUGE difference on mine, which I've owned since 1984 and was thoroughly attuned to the tone of that guitar. I have to confess that I was utterly shocked by the improvement in the tone. The guitar is ballsier, with more sustain, and has even more nuance than it did. I would go as far to say that our guitars with the VibroStop installed sound better than any other early Sixties SGs, with either the stock Vibrola or the Maestro. Our guitars are now unique in that respect. Will it affect resale? I have no idea. I would advise hanging onto the old Vibrola innards, so if you ever sell the guitar the new owner will be free to put it back on the guitar. I think he or she would be an utter fool to do that, but there you go. I also saw that you have an orginal brown Lifton. Mine has one, too. I'm told that original brown SG cases are actually more valuable than their LP counterparts, but I can't swear to that. Enjoy that guitar!

+1 I LOVE the VibroStop! Admittedly, I only used the original trem for a few days, but I can definitely tell a difference in sound and even more so in feel. I definitely kept all the innards and put them away in a safe place. Thanks to this place, I had pretty much made up my mind about getting one before I had even received the guitar. :laugh2:

In case anyone is interested, here is a quick video I did the other day, although it might as well have just been audio. :hee
I pointed the camera away from the disaster that is my music room, which is under renovation.

It's just off the cuff and therefore doesn't really go anywhere or have much flow, but you'll get the idea. I'll do a proper one sometime that doesn't use the camera mic and in which you might actually get a look at the guitar being showcased.


This is the guitar going into a Kemper profiling amp with a Trainwreck profile and a little of the Kemper's onboard reverb.


For anyone wondering (especially since you can't see), it starts out in my favorite position - middle position (bridge dimed, neck volume on about 8 and tone on about 6-7) and fingers only. I switched to a pick and the bridge pickup at 0:40, neck (dimed) at 1:23, back to bridge at 1:44, and back to the initial setting and fingers at 2:08.


 

Reno_1ted

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2014
Messages
665
Nice demo. I love it when people add videos or audio to their NGD Threads. Adds a whole other level.

Thanks for sharing.
 

moonweasel

New member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
9,427
I love the "shadow" of the tremolo arm in the fading of your cherry finish. Awesome!
 

sgt_steiner

Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Messages
145
My favorite year of my favorite Gibson. Great pics, my friend. Congrats on a great score!
 
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