Opinions on the 2019 Gibson SG Standard ´64 Maestro

[Blues Bird]

Anybody here has one or has at least played one? What's the word?

 

[Gold Tone]

Anybody here has one or has at least played one? What's the word?

Outstanding!! I traded my ‘61 Historic for the ‘64 and am thrilled. Loved it so much went for the ‘63 Custom too!!

 

[Blues Bird]

Outstanding!! I traded my ‘61 Historic for the ‘64 and am thrilled. Loved it so much went for the ‘63 Custom too!!

Thank you for your reply. What do you like in particular about your ‘64 in comparison to the ‘61?

 

[marshall1987]

Hey Gold Tone....awesome rig you have there! I always wondered what took them (Gibson) so long? I never jumped in on the Custom Shop SG/Les Paul reissues because of the slim-'60s neck profiles. With my large hands, I don't enjoy playing Gibson necks that are much less than about 0.84", at the first fret. I need more girth down there. So it's really cool to see Gibson finally respond to customer demands for a proper '64 SG reissue. :salude

So along with all that, how would you describe the tuning stability of the Maestro vibrato,? Do the nylon bridge saddles help with string friction when using the Maestro? Is the break-over angle at the bridge steep or shallow?

I realize these units are not intended to be used for "dive bomb" tricks and so forth, but in general, is the tuning stability of the Maestro satisfactory in your opinion?

As a die-hard Les Paul aficionado, tuning stability has also been a concern for me whenever I have considered purchasing an SG w/ Maestros. Not a naysayer by any stretch, but it goes without saying....many of us don't enjoy playing guitars that have inherent tuning stability problems.

Congratulations on your new guitar purchase. :dude:

Thanks.

 

[Gold Tone]

The tuning stability is perfect. With a good set up (nut filed properly, not too many windings of string on post) the tuning is perfect. I can easily do a shimmer vibrato or a heavy vibrato yet stay absolutely in tune.

Yes, the nylon saddles do provide a slicker path for the strings but really you don't want them moving in the saddle at all...not much chance of them returning to the same place. What actually happens is the bridge posts rock back and forth a bit. I've replaced thumbwheels on all of my (3) Vibrola equipped guitars with historically correct domed wheels. This is key as they provide a rocking point for the bridge rather than sliding back and forth as the bridge does on regular flat wheels.

You wouldn't have any issue with tuning stability on this guitar.

The break angle over the bridge is not shallow, it is steep as it should be. Gibson finally correctly designed the new Vibrolas. The earlier reissue Vibrola spring was at the wrong pitch so nothing worked right. The new ones are identical to the one that was on my old '68 SG

 

[Gold Tone]

Took that photo with my phone, just saw it on computer screen...holy moly it’s a bad quality picture. Sorry!

 

[marshall1987]

Thanks for the info Gold Tone. I wasn't aware of the domed thumb-wheels on '60s vintage SGs with Maestros.

Please correct me if I'm wrong,

....the 2020 Historic '64 SGs DO NOT ship with the vintage-style "domed" thumb-wheels originally used on Maestro equipped SGs in the '60s? Rather, the guitars ship with traditional "flat" ABR-1 thumb wheels instead?

If my assumption is true, it begs the questions: why do the 2020 '64 SGs ship with the wrong thumb wheels? What led Gibson overlook this key feature of the Maestro that improves tuning stability? :dang

So where did you find the correct domed thumb-wheels retrofitted on your 2020 SGs?

 

[Gold Tone]

Bought mine from Crazyparts, but do a search there are others. I think Montreux also has them. They’re not expensive

They really are necessary if you’re going to be using the Vibrola more than rarely.

 

[jb_abides]

Took that photo with my phone, just saw it on computer screen...holy moly it’s a bad quality picture. Sorry!

Not to worry, content is king! :salude

 

[cincyguitar]

Great photo @Gold Tone...awesome Sg's and some great Marshalls too!

 

[KR1]

Bought mine from Crazyparts, but do a search there are others. I think Montreux also has them. They’re not expensive

They really are necessary if you’re going to be using the Vibrola more than rarely.

GT,

The '64R has a much deeper, larger neck than the '61R, especially near the neck joint .... Is this correct?

Noice guitars!

K

 

[Gold Tone]

Not much taper to the necks, pretty consistent thickness from end to end with slightly chunkier at heal, “slightly”

The necks are virtually identical with the only real difference is the ‘63 Custom is flattened a bit while the ‘64 Standard is full round C much like the ‘59 neck

Both are VERY comfortable to play

The ‘63 Custom is very comfortable...not as thin back to front like the ‘61 Standard was

 

[KR1]

The SG’s are just badass in the tone department - not always easy to work with but worth the trouble. The Custom is a niche instrument worthy of the pursuit (pickup configuration takes a bit of knob-twisting). What an ivory-toned beauty you have, there.

I first encountered the Custom at Manny’s in Manhattan, c. 1972. Almost immediately upon return to the dregs of Baltimore, dear old Dad and I set about adding the embossed patent # middle pickup into my now 50 year old Standard. These guitars are underrated, not particularly well-understood.

:salude

An attempt to upload a library file (photo) here has failed -?-

 

[Davidos]

Gold Tone
I just took delivery of a new Custom Shop '63 SG Custom like the one in one of your posts... Quick question for you on the Maestro angle... right now the arm is only able to swing in front by the pickups before hitting the selector switch... going the other way it hits and stops at the string retainer at the front of the maestro. I have a '67 SG and the arm can go all the way around without hitting...

Did i get a dud? Is yours the same? Thanks for any help!

 

[Gold Tone]

Davidos

Congrats!! They’re a rare bird, even the reissue is few and far between

Yes, my old ‘68 the arm moved freely to the back as you described your experience with vintage Vibrola. The reissue is just a hair “overcorrected” with the spring bent forward just a wee bit more on the reissue. Depending on your string guage this is more or less. When you’re packing the guitar in it’s case swing the arm up towards the bridge, lift it just a tiny bit to clear the saddles, let it rest along the plate holding the string ball ends. Tucks away nicely in the case like that

The Vibrolas from a few years ago (before the recent redesign around 2016) were lousy. The spring was much to forward so you had less than 1” from arm to body making vibrato shallow and useless. Then you’d swing the arm back to put guitar in case but the spring angle kept the arm sky high so the case wouldn’t close.

 

[sidewinder]

Just bought a 2020 64 Reissue and can report that it has the domed thumbwheels.

 

[Tommy Tourbus]

How is neck stability on these '64 Historics compared to the '61 Historics? I'm wondering if it's the same neck joint or if it's something a little more stable or thicker