1. Home
  2. Guitars
  3. Electric Guitars
  4. Solid Body Electric Guitars

Gibson SG '61 Reissue Electric Guitar  

Product #518935
  • MSRP:
    $3,299.00
  • Your Savings:
    - $1,300.00
  • Free Shipping on Orders over $49
  • Your Price:
    $199900
  • 1 Used From $1,739.13
Please Select a Style...

  • Classic White

    $1,999.00 Top Rated

    In stock

    { "name": "Classic White", "status": "instock", "price": 1999.0, "isOnSale": false, "msrp": 3299.0, "salePrice": 1999.0, "listPrice": 1999.0, "isPriceDrop": false, "promos":[ "topRated", "topSeller", "flexibleFinancing", "guarantee", "international" ], "warranty": true, "sku": "site1sku518935000002000", "displaySku": "518935000002000", "serialized": false, "stickerText": "Top Rated", "shipsFree":true, "condition": "New" }

  • Heritage Cherry

    $1,999.00 Top Rated

    In stock

    { "name": "Heritage Cherry", "status": "instock", "price": 1999.0, "isOnSale": false, "msrp": 3299.0, "salePrice": 1999.0, "listPrice": 1999.0, "isPriceDrop": false, "promos":[ "topRated", "topSeller", "flexibleFinancing", "guarantee", "international" ], "warranty": true, "sku": "site1sku518935000083000", "displaySku": "518935000083000", "serialized": false, "stickerText": "Top Rated", "shipsFree":true, "condition": "New" }

Gold Coverage: (What’s This?)

(Most Popular)
+ Add to Wishlist
Gibson

Pure vintage vibe, red-hot tone.

The Gibson SG '61 Reissue Electric Guitar is so light, comfortable, and playable you won't want to put it down. Features a slim-tapered neck, sculpted, double-cutaway, mahogany body, exclusive Gibson '57 classic humbucking pickups at the neck and bridge, and 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid inlays. Relive some of the greatest moments of rock 'n' roll with a one-piece bound mahogany neck, Tune-O-Matic bridge, stopbar tailpiece, and chrome hardware. Includes Gibson hardshell case.

'60s Slim-Taper Neck Profile
The '60s neck profile—found on the SG '61 Reissue—is the more modern, slim-tapered neck most commonly associated with the Les Paul and SG models of the early 1960s. The neck is machined in Gibson's rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest—including the final sanding—is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.

'57 Classic Pickups
Among the qualities that make Gibson's original "Patent Applied For" humbucking pickups so unique are the subtle variations between coil windings. For the first few years of their production—1955 to 1961—Gibson's PAF humbuckers were wound using imprecise machines, resulting in pickups with slightly different output and tone, desirable to players who wanted to mix and match and explore a complete spectrum of tonal possibilities. The '57 Classic and '57 Classic Plus pickups are the result of Gibson's drive to capture and recreate this renowned characteristic. Introduced in 1992, the '57 Classic provides warm, full tone with a balanced response, packing that classic Gibson PAF humbucker crunch. The '57 Classic Plus is the perfect bridge-position companion to the '57 Classic, inspired by those original PAFs that received a few extra turns of wire. Both are made by Gibson to the exact same specs as the original PAFs, including Alnico II magnets, nickel-plated pole pieces, nickel slugs, maple spacers, and vintage-style, two-conductor braided wiring. Instead of enamel-coated wiring, Gibson added poly-coated wiring—which improves consistency by eliminating thin or thick spots on the wire—and wax potting, which removes all internal air space and any chance of microphonic feedback.

A Little SG History

In 1961, the Les Paul was redesigned with a thinner body and 2 sharp cutaway horns making the upper frets more accessible while lowering production costs. The new guitar was popular, but Les Paul the guitarist did not like it and asked to have his name removed. Gibson renamed the model the "SG" which was short for "solid guitar". Though Les Paul's name was officially removed from the model in 1961, the plastic Les Paul nameplates (positioned between the rhythm pickup and fingerboard) were in abundance in the Gibson factory and SG models having these nameplates were built and sold by Gibson up to end of 1963. SGs have been the choice of world-class artists such as Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi, and Angus Young.


Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.

Features

  • Mahogany body and neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • NItrocellulose finish
  • Gibson Classic '57 humbuckers at the neck and bridge
  • Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece
  • Corian nut
  • 1.695" nut width ±.050"
  • 22 frets
  • 24-3/4" scale
  • Grover Kluson-style green tuning keys
  • Chrome-plated hardware
  • 2 volume, 2 tone control, 3-way pickup switch
  • Black top hat knobs with silver inserts
  • Mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and holly headstock inlay
  • Figured acrylic trapezoid fingerboard inlays
  • Antique cream fingerboard binding
  • Gibson hardshell case

You can't be Pete in 1969, but you CAN play the same guitar! Click the button and make it yours.

Write a Review Overall Rating Customer Reviews 103 See all 103 customer reviews...

I Love This Guitar

| Review By: Joel Habiger | 1 month, 1 week ago

0 people out of 0 found this review helpful

Features:

I love everything about this guitar...it looks great...it's easy to play...the intonation ...WOW!  It blew me away right out of the box!

Quality:

Well made....I own eight guitars...strat, tele, rick, gretch, Les Paul, Ovation, Alverez and have wanted an SG for years...it's a well made guitar..I think it's the best one I own.

Value:

I think it's well worth the price and the funny thing is so does my wife

Overall:

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
Yes
Musical Experience:
10 yrs
Style of music you play:
Classic Rock
Where you live:
Minnesota

Did you find this review helpful? yes no1120465

It's freakin awesome

| Review By: Moses49 | 6 months, 3 weeks ago

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

Features:

Being a EMG guy the 57 classics really surprised me, they have some bite. The pickups are a little loose sounding on the open E, but for leads it really cuts through. I love the slim 60's neck, I don't mind their thicker 50's necks as i have large hands, but it is nice and fast allowing access all the way to the last fret easy to reach. I can't say the same for my LP unfortunately.

Quality:

The binding and finish were great on mine i couldn't find any blemishes at all, and it stays in tune well. Once i got it setup to my preference it has become my favorite and best playing guitar out of the 6 that i own, including other Gibsons, Fender, Dean, and Ibanez. Everytime i look at it i want to riff out on it, which is what a good guitar does.

Value:

I can't complain about the awesome price I bought this thing for, I got it used from a buddy of mine who never really played it (he's a Ernie Ball Musicman guy). The value was easily 10 out of 10.

Overall:

I can't help but jam out some Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Judas Priest, or Led with this guitar in my hands, Gibson did a fine job on this guitar and whoever built this thing deserves a raise. New for the money it's a little much, but if your wanting a pro sounding guitar and a true Gibson SG then you know you'll have to pay for it. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a beautiful guitar with roaring pickups, and a slim neck, and wants to look like a guitar god.

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
Yes
Musical Experience:
extreme hobbyist
Style of music you play:
metal,rock,classical,jazz,blues
Where you live:
Searcy, AR

Did you find this review helpful? yes no1098026

Perfection!

| Review By: Slowhand3222 | 8 months, 5 days ago

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

Features:

This guitar is perfection in a hard shell case! I have been a player for over 35 years and have own/owned many beautiful and not so beautiful sounding and looking guitars. I am mainly a fender man though I own a LP and a 335. I have to say that this guitar is the perfect combination of everything you could want in an electric guitar. It is beautifully crafted and finished. The fingerboard is fast and accurate. The 57 pups are amazingly clean and crunchy.The balance and the weight are perfect.This is basically a LP without the extra weight hanging around your neck. You plug this beauty in and you just don't want to stop shredding! PERFECTION! Buy one and you won't want to put it back in the case!

Quality:

Perfection

Value:

Perfection/flawless

Overall:

Buy one and you won't can't stop playing it! It melts like butter like your hands!!

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
Yes
Musical Experience:
35+
Style of music you play:
r&b blues jazz rock
Where you live:
ny

Did you find this review helpful? yes no1095809

'The' SG to get.

| Review By: Jeff Davis | 10 months, 2 weeks ago

2 people out of 3 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:

Amazingly useful and stylish guitar for a decent price. I own/have owned a Les Paul, 335, telecaster and to me this guitar is my new 'main'. I can't put it down.

The upper fret access and tone of the '57 classics alone make this superior to the SG Standard. It is lightweight and saves your shoulder during long sessions. I was a Les Paul player for 15 years and this guitar has more character for lead playing than the Les Paul Standard. Thanks Gibson!

The pickups and choice of wood are perfect and the volume and tone controls work well. I prefer the grover style chrome tuners, but for now - the vintage looking ones are good. The slim tapered neck is beautiful to play.

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Professional
Style of music you play:
Rock/Pop
Where you live:
Ontario, Canada

Did you find this review helpful? yes no798455

'61 Reissue Electric Guitar...Better known as (Derek Trucks Axe)

| Review By: Adrian Pescetto | 10 months, 3 weeks ago

0 people out of 3 found this review helpful

Features:
Quality:
Value:
Overall:

Best Guitar I have ever seen or heard

Oh so pretty and also my new tattoo...There will be a mini sax with RIP "Big Man" somewhere on the guitar. Love those two guys!

Do you own the product?:
No
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Music Guru
Style of music you play:
Everything, Soul, Blues and Rock & Roll
Where you live:
DC

Did you find this review helpful? yes no854905

See all 103 customer reviews...
Also consider
You have no items in your cart. 0
Sign Up For Email Alerts.

Receive exclusive offers, updates and more from Musician's Friend.

Login for personalized recommendations.

Forgot Password?

Don't have a Musician's Friend account?

Sign Up Now
Log in to view your lists
Find a list