Cooltouch
Member
I've wanted one of these guitars since shortly after I sold my early 60s SG Special several decades ago. Along the way, I've acquired other Gibsons that were close -- some more than others -- but they just never were the same thing. In about 2000, I bought an SG Showcase Edition -- a very nice, limited edition model with active EMGs. Sounds killer, but it just wasn't the same. Then maybe a year later, I got closer and bought a double-cut Les Paul Special -- with P90s -- and that was much closer. But still, it wasn't an SG. Just about as close as you can get to one without it being an SG, though. And most recently, in 2018, I bought a Les Paul BFG with P90s. Again, about as close as you can get, although it doesn't quite have the upper reach ease that the SG has, and its neck is a touch thicker.
And then I start seeing these SG Specials -- new ones -- that look pretty much identical to the one I used to own. Right down to the Klusons with the white knobs and the compensated wraparound bridge. I kept telling myself, I've got two Les Pauls with P90s, and that should be enough, but it kept eating at me. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer. I'd saved up enough where I could afford it, and I decided that I'm not getting any younger and I'd better get one while I can still enjoy the experience of playing it. What sealed the deal was a really good deal I ran across at Reverb, and when I saw it, I was lost -- or rather, a major chunk of my savings was lost. Hehe.
Anyway, here it is:
So here's the deal. This is a 2020 build. But it is brand spanking new. Still has the peel-away plastic on the pickguard -- and there's no wear on the plastic. No marks or scratches anywhere. The case is equally unmarked. So, I'm guessing it's NOS. But that seems strange to me -- a guitar like this is pretty popular. Seems like it would have sold -- unless maybe all the covid crap may have rained pretty hard on a certain music store's parade or something. All I can think of.
The third pic shows the bling that came with the guitar. A leather strap, a cleaning cloth, a manual, a hangtag, a case key, a cool little multi-tool, and coolest of all, a -- what do you guys call it? A birth photo or something? It's a shot of the guitar sitting on the workbench of the tech who did the final setup.
You know what I was really hoping to find with this SG? A guitar that has had a couple of years of honest wear -- you know, minor nicks and dings here and there. Some pick fogging on the pickguard. Maybe a bit of corrosion on the pickup screws. But what do I get? None of that. I get a guitar that is perfect, and now I get to agonize over that first ding or nick or evidence of wear. That's probably the one thing I hate about owning a new guitar. I will feel so relieved once I finally put that first nick or ding on the guitar. Not that I plan to do any such thing, of course. And so the angst continues.
And then I start seeing these SG Specials -- new ones -- that look pretty much identical to the one I used to own. Right down to the Klusons with the white knobs and the compensated wraparound bridge. I kept telling myself, I've got two Les Pauls with P90s, and that should be enough, but it kept eating at me. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer. I'd saved up enough where I could afford it, and I decided that I'm not getting any younger and I'd better get one while I can still enjoy the experience of playing it. What sealed the deal was a really good deal I ran across at Reverb, and when I saw it, I was lost -- or rather, a major chunk of my savings was lost. Hehe.
Anyway, here it is:
So here's the deal. This is a 2020 build. But it is brand spanking new. Still has the peel-away plastic on the pickguard -- and there's no wear on the plastic. No marks or scratches anywhere. The case is equally unmarked. So, I'm guessing it's NOS. But that seems strange to me -- a guitar like this is pretty popular. Seems like it would have sold -- unless maybe all the covid crap may have rained pretty hard on a certain music store's parade or something. All I can think of.
The third pic shows the bling that came with the guitar. A leather strap, a cleaning cloth, a manual, a hangtag, a case key, a cool little multi-tool, and coolest of all, a -- what do you guys call it? A birth photo or something? It's a shot of the guitar sitting on the workbench of the tech who did the final setup.
You know what I was really hoping to find with this SG? A guitar that has had a couple of years of honest wear -- you know, minor nicks and dings here and there. Some pick fogging on the pickguard. Maybe a bit of corrosion on the pickup screws. But what do I get? None of that. I get a guitar that is perfect, and now I get to agonize over that first ding or nick or evidence of wear. That's probably the one thing I hate about owning a new guitar. I will feel so relieved once I finally put that first nick or ding on the guitar. Not that I plan to do any such thing, of course. And so the angst continues.
