Gibson SG Junior Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966)
LOADING IMAGES
Gibson SG Junior Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 900745, cherry lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
The SG Junior has remained a very popular guitar since first appearing in 1961, and with good reason. This super light and handy instrument distills the essence of Gibson's 1960's sculpted solidbody aesthetic down to the minimum, with a single p-90 pickup and seemingly endless neck to play on. While designed as a student instrument SG Juniors have been the choice of many professional players for decades, especially in the hard rock zone.
This transitional dark cherry SG Junior was built around the turn of 1965-66, the last great years of Gibson's classic electric era. It has a visible pot date of the 39th week of 1965, and a serial number in the "900xxx" series that is a bit of an anomaly, not unusual for Gibson in this period. Gibson re-used several multi-zero number series multiple times from 1966-70; although most references state the "900000" series was not used until 1970, here it is on what is indisputably a 1966 guitar. A 1969-70 Junior would be a totally different instrument, with a pickguard covering the face and the later streamlined neck joint.
The C-profile neck has the slimmer 1 11/16" nut width used from this time until the end of the '60's but the neck itself has a chunkier feel than many, especially as it approaches the body. The neck joint is still the older squared-pocket style and the small pickguard, capped knobs and solidly body-mounted pickup are all still '64 spec. Such transitional variations are typical of Gibson, where nothing went to waste!
This guitar features one very hot "dogear" plastic covered P-90 and all chrome hardware including the "short" Vibrola and solid stud-mounted bridge that were standard Gibson fittings throughout the '60's. It looks to have been originally fitted with Japanese-made strip tuners, something Gibson used only around 1966-7, the result of industry shortages or company penny-pinching, or both! It has been retrofitted with the Kluson strips more commonly used on this model. Very soon after this example was built all SG's were modified with a large center body rout covered by an expanded pickguard allowing bodies in stock to be assembled into any SG or Melody Maker model. This final earlier-'60s style Junior is one little screamer of a guitar, and more versatile in operation than many think (Ask Chris Spedding!)
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a largely original guitar showing some wear and tear but still playing very well. The deep cherry finish has very little fade and retains a deep strong color. There is light checking and small dings, dents and scrapes overall; the back of the neck has a couple of feelable dings in the lower positions but not much play wear. The bottom edge of the body took a hit at some point; there is a decent sized chip of wood missing from the back edge of the control cavity and a couple of tight grain cracks to the body in this spot. These have been stabilized and are not conspicuous; there is also a small finish chip missing by the output jack.
All hardware is original except the tuners; currently old Kluson Deluxe machines are fitted but several sets of tuners appear to have been on and off over the decades; there are larger bushings installed. The screw securing the vibrato arm is newer, as is common. The pickguard has shrunken up a bit as is typical but has no popped-off tips, there is some scuffing to the face and more to the plastic pickup cover. The guitar has been refretted with wire similar to 1966 spec but just a bit taller; these frets are full height with very little wear. This guitar has a better neck angle than many of these and plays great with a bright ringing sound even unplugged; when paired with a lively amp it really comes to life. It lives in a modern HSC. Very Good + Condition.
The SG Junior has remained a very popular guitar since first appearing in 1961, and with good reason. This super light and handy instrument distills the essence of Gibson's 1960's sculpted solidbody aesthetic down to the minimum, with a single p-90 pickup and seemingly endless neck to play on. While designed as a student instrument SG Juniors have been the choice of many professional players for decades, especially in the hard rock zone.
This transitional dark cherry SG Junior was built around the turn of 1965-66, the last great years of Gibson's classic electric era. It has a visible pot date of the 39th week of 1965, and a serial number in the "900xxx" series that is a bit of an anomaly, not unusual for Gibson in this period. Gibson re-used several multi-zero number series multiple times from 1966-70; although most references state the "900000" series was not used until 1970, here it is on what is indisputably a 1966 guitar. A 1969-70 Junior would be a totally different instrument, with a pickguard covering the face and the later streamlined neck joint.
The C-profile neck has the slimmer 1 11/16" nut width used from this time until the end of the '60's but the neck itself has a chunkier feel than many, especially as it approaches the body. The neck joint is still the older squared-pocket style and the small pickguard, capped knobs and solidly body-mounted pickup are all still '64 spec. Such transitional variations are typical of Gibson, where nothing went to waste!
This guitar features one very hot "dogear" plastic covered P-90 and all chrome hardware including the "short" Vibrola and solid stud-mounted bridge that were standard Gibson fittings throughout the '60's. It looks to have been originally fitted with Japanese-made strip tuners, something Gibson used only around 1966-7, the result of industry shortages or company penny-pinching, or both! It has been retrofitted with the Kluson strips more commonly used on this model. Very soon after this example was built all SG's were modified with a large center body rout covered by an expanded pickguard allowing bodies in stock to be assembled into any SG or Melody Maker model. This final earlier-'60s style Junior is one little screamer of a guitar, and more versatile in operation than many think (Ask Chris Spedding!)
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 9/16 in. (40 mm.).
This is a largely original guitar showing some wear and tear but still playing very well. The deep cherry finish has very little fade and retains a deep strong color. There is light checking and small dings, dents and scrapes overall; the back of the neck has a couple of feelable dings in the lower positions but not much play wear. The bottom edge of the body took a hit at some point; there is a decent sized chip of wood missing from the back edge of the control cavity and a couple of tight grain cracks to the body in this spot. These have been stabilized and are not conspicuous; there is also a small finish chip missing by the output jack.
All hardware is original except the tuners; currently old Kluson Deluxe machines are fitted but several sets of tuners appear to have been on and off over the decades; there are larger bushings installed. The screw securing the vibrato arm is newer, as is common. The pickguard has shrunken up a bit as is typical but has no popped-off tips, there is some scuffing to the face and more to the plastic pickup cover. The guitar has been refretted with wire similar to 1966 spec but just a bit taller; these frets are full height with very little wear. This guitar has a better neck angle than many of these and plays great with a bright ringing sound even unplugged; when paired with a lively amp it really comes to life. It lives in a modern HSC. Very Good + Condition.