In 1961, Gibson came out with a newly redesigned line of solid body guitars to replace the underperforming Les Paul model. Two of the key issues they wanted to address was the lack of access to the upper frets and the weight. Gibson came up with the design which would later be known as the SG (solid guitar) which had a unique and more aggressive looking double cutaway along with a ultra thin ( 1 5/16") body. Kinship to a traditional guitar was no longer deemed a requirement. Up until the last quarter of 1963, Gibson continued to refer to these new designs as "Les Pauls" despite Les Paul's disapproval. His name was dropped from the line when his contract with Gibson ended.

"I was not happy with that guitar, I didn't like the horns the cutaway...too sharp. Got up fast, you could injure your wrist" -Les Paul

If you're looking for a early SG Jr, this is it. No issues, no breaks whatsoever. It is currently set up with 11 gauge D'addario half rounds which suits the guitar perfectly. The slightly warmer tone of the heavier gauge half rounds balances out the brightness of the bridge position P-90 pickup nicely, transforming it into a surprisingly versatile instrument suitable for anything from rock to even jazz! It has the earliest style slanted wraparound tailpiece which we feel is the most aesthetically pleasing variation of the stop tail piece. Weighing in at just under 5.5 pounds, it feels practically weightless on a strap and is even lighter than some modern Parker fly guitars! It comes with the original Gibson hard shell case which is very unusual because this was considered a budget model which would normally come with a chipboard case so a hard case would have been a significant up charge. These early 60's SG guitars are still a great bargain in the vintage electric world.