Here is a nice example of a vintage wide-guard Gibson SG Junior model. This guitar was made at the original Gibson factory in Kalamazoo Michigan, U.S.A. in 1968. It is solid with no breaks, no cracks, and no structural repairs. It is all-original with the exception of the vintage reissue tuners. The guitar has been professionally set up and is ready to go-it needs nothing. This wide-guard/long tenon configuration only lasted 2 years ('68 & '69) so it is pretty rare to come across one in the wild. Let's party...
The body and neck are both made from mahogany for a resonant and lightweight combination. The guitar features the classic Gibson set-neck construction-and this guitar has the extra long tenon that some 68-69 Gibsons featured. The lengthy tenon is clearly visible in the photos. The long tenon creates a very stable junction between body and neck. It increases sustain, gains structural stability and adds resonance. It is a costly and time-consuming process that was abandoned by 1970. These guitars are highly sought after because of this high-quality characteristic. The body is clean with nice double contours and crisp lines. The dark cherry red finish has faded slightly but looks more like real 'cherry wood.' There is handling evidence in the lacquer finish here and there-it looks nice and vintage with a perfect patina. The backside is clean also. The big long neck joint is a superb fit and finish and the neck angle is perfect.
The neck itself is smooth and laser-straight. The neck has a 1960's slim taper profile and the girth measures .817" at the 1st fret and 1.004" at the 12th fret. The nut measures 1.57" wide. The original open-back strip tuners were of poor quality-so the previous owner had vintage reissue klusons installed. The tuner ferrules were kept original size and aside from the mounting screws-no modifications were made. The original open-back tuners would cover the mounting holes if someone wanted to return it to original spec. As it is, the white button kluson tuners look more recognizable, as these are the type of tuners Gibson used throughout the 50's and 60's. They functions smoothly and stay in tune great. The headstock and logo display very nicely with light patina. The rosewood fingerboard is in good condition and has a nice soft feel and really beautiful grain-see photos. The frets are nice and wide and have a good height. They have been professionally leveled, crowned and polished and appear excellent-see photos. The action is currently set low for a fast and easy playing experience. The string height measures .010" at the 1st fret and .040" at the 12th fret. The bridge is fully adjustable and can be easily raised if you prefer a higher action. As it is-it plays excellent up and down the fingerboard with a light touch. There are no dead spots anywhere and this guitar strums, picks and shreds!
The P-90 pickup absolutely SCREAMS bloody murder! It is a very rock and roll tone with full body and lots of brilliance. With any quality tube amp-solos are wicked and packed with overtones. Open chords have incredible distinction and clarity. Bar chords belt out a chunky authority. In short, it rules. The wiring harness is all original, along with the pickup and potentiometers-which date to 1968. The solder joints are all original too-even the output jack is original. The bridge is the classic wraparound with vibrola tailpiece. The vibrola functions smoothly. If you don't use a vibrato-you can use the wraparound option for an increase in sustain and resonance. It makes quite a difference in the studio and adds even more overtones in a live setting at higher volumes! The pickup has an excellent signal and measures 7.89 ohms.
The guitar is an amazing weight-it only weighs 6.05 lbs! It is super lightweight and feels excellent on a strap or in your lap. This is a killer vintage 1960's Gibson that looks, sounds and feels really good. It comes with original Gibson chipboard case with era-correct red interior. It would make a real nice addition to anyone's collection.
