Maestro Electric Guitar By Gibson For Sale (2023 Update)

Now that I'm in my 60's, jumping around on the stage with a 10lb Les Paul is no longer an option. I'd never even consider an SG, but it was so lightweigh I thought I'd give it a try. OMG why did I wait so long? This thing is a Rock 'n Roll time machine! Besides being incredibly lightweight and resonant, it sound amazing. And due to the double cut and neck joint construction, it's soo easy to play all the way to the 22nd fret. The wide slim taper neck is incredibly fast… and its light weight means no neck dive. I should have picked one of these up years ago!Steve

Yes, this guitar is 100% worth it. I wanted to wait a full year of owning the guitar to write this so that I'd be certain. There's too much good to write about this SG to be honest so to summarize I can't even call this guitar a rock and machine id call it a musical weapon. It sounds absolutely phenomenal which for me was the most important part. I'm used to strats which id been playing the last 18 or so in terms of playability, it def plays different but it plays really nicely. It has a lot more pop and feels stiffer. The finishing and everything else is top quality as well. Guitar is beautiful. Not only does the guitar sound awesome with literally any type of gain, but the cleans are extremely nice sounding as well. This guitar is the real deal, I waited a long time to pull the trigger on this thing and it was 1000% the right decision.Pd

If you're buying and enjoying an SG you're probably aware it's a unique and quirky instrument. The body is very light despite being all mahogany and it does suffer the classic neck dive and tuning stability issues common with Gibson guitars. But these are aspects of the guitar more than negatives in my opinion. It's a classic shape. It's very light weight and plays easily. If you don't like the Les Paul because of its chunky neck and thick neck pocket you may be pleasantly surprised by the thinner neck and upper fret access of the SG! It tends to be a darker sounding guitar with it's all mahogany body and neck with rosewood board and classic nickel fret wire. But I'm nit picking here. You only need listen to Angus Young's classic tones to hear how this guitar can cut thru a mix with the right amp. The medium jumbo frets and shorter scale length are great for easy bends. With volume and tone controls for each pickup you get a lot of control over the sound of the guitar. If tuning stability is an issue try pencil graphite or Nut Sauce to lube the well cut (usually well cut) nut. Gibson is unfortunately known for let's say less than perfect fit and finish on their instruments. You will probably see imperfections in the paint job and finish if you look closely enough. That's just par for the course with Gibson. But I'm a Gibson fan. They make instruments that don't sound like anything else and the SG is one of those iconic rock and roll machines! I highly recommend it!Donnie

I have been playing for 50 years, and have played many electric guitars, some very expensive. This guitar is an amazing value,and plays better than some of the More expensive. The pickup is adequate, and with better strings it frets well. Blow the speaker out on that little amp, after all it's basically free. plug in to a good amp and you can make it sound surprisingly good For 80 bucks, just do it!Dano

Basically, it's a good guitar. I recommend to newbies and intermediate player. The head, neck and body are good. The finish is smooth just like mirror. The amp is good working as well as pick-up. Only one thing that i had been noticed are those fret-wires sharp-edge or burrs (top & bottom). I used small pile with lightly stokes to create chamfer at the edge, it takes me a couple of minutes to do that. It's fun to play this guitar.cyriescoba-0

It's no wonder Gibson is having financial difficulties, this guitar is a prime example of why. Purchased and delivered for around $75? Are you kidding me? Delivered? Gibson's main line guitars are priced beyond value these days. The other line they own, Epiphone, now makes some higher end guitars considered Gibson's near equal, while they are practically paying me to buy this. Subtract the costs of final delivery to my door, shipping from China to US, the extras like the flimsy gig bag, strings, DVD and the adorable amp(with KICKSTAND), they probably have about $30 in this guitar as it leaves the factory. Considering that, there is no better guitar made anywhere than this beautiful but awful guitar. Beautiful finish, solid feel and… well it is pretty. After a couple hours of filing away at frets that were sharp enough to cut skin on the edges and as level as a gently rolling MOUNTAIN RANGE, a restring with better strings, setting the action, tightening tuners and bridges and trying with almost no success to intonate it, I have a guitar that plays way outside it's price range. I'd say it plays more like a $100 guitar than the $30 guitar that Gibson sent. Sadly some may stumble upon this guitar kit as a starter, a way to learn guitar. In that respect, I hope it doesn'tstymie and stifle young potential talent who may not realize that the guitar can be improved upon, as the way it came out of the box would likely do. It sounded horrible, with good reason. Loose tuning pegs and bridges not being snugged along with crappy strings and a downright dangerous fretboard will do that. On the other hand, now it looks pretty AND sounds pretty… well OK, prettier. It's not a Gibson, it's not even an Epiphone, it's a Maestro. If you want to learn how to become a luthier, this starter set rocks.vc_computing

Overall: I live in a large city and it is still impossible to find a Gibson 335 that plays and sounds great, has no issues or questionable history and comes with a price tag lower than a new one to justify the gamble. As a result, I decided to pull the trigger on a new one and went for the figured, not so much for the flame but for the lower weight and select wood, knowing both my back would thank me and that the guitar would probably be a bit more open and resonant. Block inlays are certainly nice and that may have helped sway my decision too. The 335 arrived with an impeccable setup, right out of the box from the factory. In my 35 years of playing, I’ve never had this happen. I’ve heard of it happening but never to me. I always have to tweak the truss rod to straighten the neck a bit, adjust the bridge action, widen the nut slots and intimate the guitar. Every time. The only adjustment I’ve had to make is lower the pickups a bit for balance, that’s it! Plays like an absolute dream. Here is why you want this guitar rather than a used one—. the neck. None of that weird pencil thin 335 necks from the past or those horrible and slow baseball bat necks… this is perfect. I don’t know what Gibson is doing in Nashville now, but they are making these guitars better than they ever have. Having always been a fan of Classic ‘57 pickups, I read about these T Type pickups being bright. It is true that they are bright, however it works so well in this guitar. Roll back the tone knobs for the mellower and darker sounds, especially when in the neck position for a classic straight-ahead jazz sound, or rolled back in the bridge to fatten up rhythms…but the thing is, roll the tone up for that beautiful bite and thunk in single line solos. I have had bright guitars in the past and there is nothing you can do for them. No matter the pickups or amp, it remains bright and pingy. This is not a bright guitar and has such a beautifully balanced and mellow acoustic voice, the pickups suit it well and I will not replace them. Is it an insane amount of money? Yes. It is. In 10 years when I have blown through $4K many times over and have nothing to show for it, will I still have this 335? Yes. I will. It’s an investment and zZounds makes it possible for someone like me to have something nice. This is an absolutely breathtaking guitar. In playability, sound, and appearance—Gibson is on top of their game these days and I think the future will look back at this era as their new golden age.Michael

Upon opening the case, the case was hard to open, like it didn't fit top cover to bottom cover. The guitar smells of cheap carnauba wax (if you wax your own car you know there are great waxes that smell good) this is not the great smell of the past Gibson guitars I have purchased in the past. There was a light haze to the guitar like the wax was dried but not wiped off completely. The was not common of years pasts Gibson's. Its a very light weight guitar. Nice to hold and even sitting with it to play does not dig into the underarm like a thick acoustic does over time. The ice tea version does look great front to back. I can't tell if it's AAA but its very nice. The head stock look s like it wasn't cut symmetrically compared to the other side or sanded to much. The neck is nice and thick and wider top to bottom which I like for fitting all my fingers on the 1-5 frets for chords. Their is a lot of fret buzz on the G string throughout the range of the neck, It looks like the G string is higher than all the other strings in an attempt to reduce the buzz. I thought these were machine prepped ?? I can most likely (hopefully)make some adjustments for this. The frets feel thinner than my Les Paul's. Not sure if I like this but I can get used to it. The sound on a clean channel is great. I really like the sound. The volume knobs have no volume from 0 – almost 2, they don't change the volume a lot from 3-7, from 8-10 is almost all the volume change. I have never had this experience before. The tone knobs actually lowers the volume from 1-3 which I thought is also strange. I have no experience with a ES model so maybe this is normal. If it is, then I am not sure I would have purchased. I don't regret the purchase but I was expecting perfection for this price.Just Me

I love 335 but played several that I found meh. Preferred the Heritage H-535 I bought to most Gibbies I tried. Until I played that one at my local GC store. Was immediately captivated with the tone. Went back several times, and took the plunge despite the sticker shock. At home, in my amp it sounded even better than in the shop. Absolutely wonderful guitar, that feels and sounds as good and sometimes even better than vintage 60s 335 I tried or owned. I am in love! But what a price tag…Gibson CS is becoming unattainable fast.Stéphane

Alright, so the first one of these new SG Specials in Pelham Blue showed up with a giant crack (not finish checking) that wrapped from the input jack to the control panel. I knew I had to return it but tuned it up and noodled a bit and tested pickups to make sure it was worth the exchange. The guitar was so good I almost kept it. My girlfriend convinced me to return it for a new one and it's the best decision I've ever made regarding gear. I've had the new one for a few days and it is just better in every way compared to the damaged but also incredible guitar I originally received. The resonance, sustain, comfort, aesthetic, playability, P90s, even the smell… all perfect. Gibson even learned to cut a nut. The fretboard is darker (better), the setup and finish is better. It just feels and sounds better. There is no neck dive on this one, although the first one did have a neck heavy feel (nothing a leather/suede strap couldn't fix). I say all this to remind everyone that every guitar is different and just hope you get one with mojo. I went to a competitor today and played a new Les Paul Standard that was tagged at $1K higher than this SG. No comparison. I was laughing at how much better the SG was in every single department. I can't wait to take this on the road as my new #1 and I seriously doubt it will ever be topped. New or vintage. Gibson is taking this rebuild seriously, and these Original Collection models are the best step they could have taken.UglyRunnerMusic

I am astonished at how quiet the P90's are in this SG. The hum is negligible — substantially less than the high gains in my Rickenbacker and only barely more the Lace Sensors in my strat (which are 99% silent). I had anticipated ordering some hum-canceling Lindy's to go in there, but that won't be happening. These sound phenomenal. They're just about all I could ever want from a pickup. The guitar came with the neck set almost completely straight. Just a smidge of relief (the perfect amount, really). Fretwork is essentially perfect. No sharp ends, frets are perfectly even and well-polished. The action was set a bit high, but was fairly easy to remedy. So why 4 stars instead of 5? The lower set screw (high E side) on the lightning bar wraparound bridge arrived stuck. Under no tension, it could not be adjusted in or out with the 1/16 hex key on the included Gibson multi-tool. I had to use an extractor plier to get it out out of fear of grinding down the end of the hex. Upon inspection, some of the threads near the cup point on the screw were malformed. There were no issues with the screw on the upper (Low E) side. Tracking down a replacement #5-40 3/8" set screw in small (< 100) quantity was actually kind of difficult. A stuck screw on a bridge is not catastrophic, but it does seem like something that should have been caught in QA. Aside from the one issue, everything else was immaculate. Also, great service from Musicians Friend.Justin

Overall: This is my umpteenth Epiphone custom sg guitar ive bought since the last guitar i had which was the more lower end 61 standard i bought here used last year. The caps pots and Gibson USA burstbuckers are definitely a step up in the right direction and are true to the original reissue Sg standards back in the beginning of the Gibson sg. It sounds like a 2000 dollar Gibson reissue sg but at Epiphone import prices. I intend on keeping this guitar for a lifetime and is a good backup guitar to my similarly pricef esp ltd viper 1000 deluxe i bought a year ago from a competitor in the now disconnected tiger eye finish from zZounds. Lastly i also intend on getting a real Gibson sg custom 63 version used for a discounted price. One more thing i might buy a backup les Paul sg standard by Epiphone just in case this one gets stolen or lost. Thank you Epiphone custom for stepping up your game and making better sg custom shop guitars than in the past. The black Epiphone sg custom with gold hardware is no joke either and i might another one when i get done paying for this Les Paul sg standard first fron here.Isaac

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

Overall: I live in a large city and it is still impossible to find a Gibson 335 that plays and sounds great, has no issues or questionable history and comes with a price tag lower than a new one to justify the gamble. As a result, I decided to pull the trigger on a new one and went for the figured, not so much for the flame but for the lower weight and select wood, knowing both my back would thank me and that the guitar would probably be a bit more open and resonant. Block inlays are certainly nice and that may have helped sway my decision too. The 335 arrived with an impeccable setup, right out of the box from the factory. In my 35 years of playing, I’ve never had this happen. I’ve heard of it happening but never to me. I always have to tweak the truss rod to straighten the neck a bit, adjust the bridge action, widen the nut slots and intimate the guitar. Every time. The only adjustment I’ve had to make is lower the pickups a bit for balance, that’s it! Plays like an absolute dream. Here is why you want this guitar rather than a used one—. the neck. None of that weird pencil thin 335 necks from the past or those horrible and slow baseball bat necks… this is perfect. I don’t know what Gibson is doing in Nashville now, but they are making these guitars better than they ever have. Having always been a fan of Classic ‘57 pickups, I read about these T Type pickups being bright. It is true that they are bright, however it works so well in this guitar. Roll back the tone knobs for the mellower and darker sounds, especially when in the neck position for a classic straight-ahead jazz sound, or rolled back in the bridge to fatten up rhythms…but the thing is, roll the tone up for that beautiful bite and thunk in single line solos. I have had bright guitars in the past and there is nothing you can do for them. No matter the pickups or amp, it remains bright and pingy. This is not a bright guitar and has such a beautifully balanced and mellow acoustic voice, the pickups suit it well and I will not replace them. Is it an insane amount of money? Yes. It is. In 10 years when I have blown through $4K many times over and have nothing to show for it, will I still have this 335? Yes. I will. It’s an investment and zZounds makes it possible for someone like me to have something nice. This is an absolutely breathtaking guitar. In playability, sound, and appearance—Gibson is on top of their game these days and I think the future will look back at this era as their new golden age.Michael

Upon opening the case, the case was hard to open, like it didn't fit top cover to bottom cover. The guitar smells of cheap carnauba wax (if you wax your own car you know there are great waxes that smell good) this is not the great smell of the past Gibson guitars I have purchased in the past. There was a light haze to the guitar like the wax was dried but not wiped off completely. The was not common of years pasts Gibson's. Its a very light weight guitar. Nice to hold and even sitting with it to play does not dig into the underarm like a thick acoustic does over time. The ice tea version does look great front to back. I can't tell if it's AAA but its very nice. The head stock look s like it wasn't cut symmetrically compared to the other side or sanded to much. The neck is nice and thick and wider top to bottom which I like for fitting all my fingers on the 1-5 frets for chords. Their is a lot of fret buzz on the G string throughout the range of the neck, It looks like the G string is higher than all the other strings in an attempt to reduce the buzz. I thought these were machine prepped ?? I can most likely (hopefully)make some adjustments for this. The frets feel thinner than my Les Paul's. Not sure if I like this but I can get used to it. The sound on a clean channel is great. I really like the sound. The volume knobs have no volume from 0 – almost 2, they don't change the volume a lot from 3-7, from 8-10 is almost all the volume change. I have never had this experience before. The tone knobs actually lowers the volume from 1-3 which I thought is also strange. I have no experience with a ES model so maybe this is normal. If it is, then I am not sure I would have purchased. I don't regret the purchase but I was expecting perfection for this price.Just Me

I love 335 but played several that I found meh. Preferred the Heritage H-535 I bought to most Gibbies I tried. Until I played that one at my local GC store. Was immediately captivated with the tone. Went back several times, and took the plunge despite the sticker shock. At home, in my amp it sounded even better than in the shop. Absolutely wonderful guitar, that feels and sounds as good and sometimes even better than vintage 60s 335 I tried or owned. I am in love! But what a price tag…Gibson CS is becoming unattainable fast.Stéphane

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

Only $300 difference from standard and $500 from modern LP… tough choice. I like flame tops for sure but bored of tobacco burst, honey burst, cherry burst and other plain traditional bursts… so leaned towards something more classic modern and bold… so went with translucent cherry. And my back isn't great so wanted something lighter. The coil tapping is nice to have but isn't great… especially compared to my PRS guitars. I'm not sure why Gibson can't figure this out. Again nice to have but wish Gibson could do a better job with this. Coil tapping quality was the same on my studio. I absolutely love the pickups on this guitar… probably some of best humbuckers ever made because of the extra brightness and clarity. I've sold so many of my guitars with humbuckers and gravitated towards single coil guitars because humbuckers are typically muddy in comparison. These 61's are a game changer for me and got me interested in Gibson LPs again. I love the colors of the LP modern too… but not sure what you're are getting extra for the added $500 other than a carved heal joint which I'll never use… and ultra weight relief… which is good if you have a bad back. But I think the electronics are the same with slightly hotter pickups. I guess boils down to which pickups you prefer and color. I love the classic and modern LP colors… again tough choices…but classic is perfect for me… I really love them all for different reasons though.Thad

What we have here is a great American made Gibson Les Paul for a good price. I bought one a year ago and bought a second as a backup/different tuning for stage use. Not that the guitar requires a backup, but strings break and things happen. The 490 pickups are great all around work horses. While I'd recommend different pickups on a per person/per style situation, these are right in my ball park and do what I want them to (goosed with an OD or boost at times). All of the electronics and hardware are fine. Same with fit/finish and the gig bag (which is also very nice). As I said, I have two of these now. The first is a year old and has been through once a week rehearsals and twice a week gigs. The satin finish on the neck settles in nicely with a bit of playing and sweat. It gets slicker over time, shows age, and feels great. Same with the body as well. As with all satin finished guitars, it wont stay that way. Playability on both were perfect out of the bag. No sharp frets and setup/intonation were just to my liking. Now let's compare these Tributes to a Standard. I won't discuss the chambered body versus non nor the maple versus mahogany necks. You really won't notice the difference other than the weight. More weight does not always equal better tone. Here's the thing, I don't notice a difference in tone between the Tribute and Standard….well, not enough to justify the cost difference. I had my doubts when I ordered my first one that it could stand up to my Standard. But I dug it off the bat. To quell my doubts, I had the other guitarist in my band run it through its paces so that I could stand back and hear. That was the Les Paul tone….I was happy. As such, I ordered a second as they were in my stable to stay. Solid guitars with great tone that I will not cry about when they get dinged or messed with at a gig. Now, the Tributes are thinner than the Standards. And of course no bling such as binding or headstock inlays. Switch washer comes in the bag should you choose to install it. But the tone and playability is what you expect from a Les Paul. I would, and have, recommended these to my friends. Great instrument at a great price. BTW, the included case. This was an incredible surprise as I didn't know what to expect. It's a lether "type" exterior, great padding, pink fuzzy interior, LARGE front pocket, and double backpack straps. It's a VERY nice bag! Accessory kit gets you a picture of your guitar being setup, documents that you will probably not read, a few tools, and as of this posting, a nylon guitar strap. While lower in scale compared to the Standard (what with it's hard case, multi tool, and leather strap), it's still rather cool. All in all, these are my go to guitars for stage and studio right now. I have more expensive guitars, but cost doesn't equal tone or feel.Brandon

Now that I'm in my 60's, jumping around on the stage with a 10lb Les Paul is no longer an option. I'd never even consider an SG, but it was so lightweigh I thought I'd give it a try. OMG why did I wait so long? This thing is a Rock 'n Roll time machine! Besides being incredibly lightweight and resonant, it sound amazing. And due to the double cut and neck joint construction, it's soo easy to play all the way to the 22nd fret. The wide slim taper neck is incredibly fast… and its light weight means no neck dive. I should have picked one of these up years ago!Steve

Yes, this guitar is 100% worth it. I wanted to wait a full year of owning the guitar to write this so that I'd be certain. There's too much good to write about this SG to be honest so to summarize I can't even call this guitar a rock and machine id call it a musical weapon. It sounds absolutely phenomenal which for me was the most important part. I'm used to strats which id been playing the last 18 or so in terms of playability, it def plays different but it plays really nicely. It has a lot more pop and feels stiffer. The finishing and everything else is top quality as well. Guitar is beautiful. Not only does the guitar sound awesome with literally any type of gain, but the cleans are extremely nice sounding as well. This guitar is the real deal, I waited a long time to pull the trigger on this thing and it was 1000% the right decision.Pd

If you're buying and enjoying an SG you're probably aware it's a unique and quirky instrument. The body is very light despite being all mahogany and it does suffer the classic neck dive and tuning stability issues common with Gibson guitars. But these are aspects of the guitar more than negatives in my opinion. It's a classic shape. It's very light weight and plays easily. If you don't like the Les Paul because of its chunky neck and thick neck pocket you may be pleasantly surprised by the thinner neck and upper fret access of the SG! It tends to be a darker sounding guitar with it's all mahogany body and neck with rosewood board and classic nickel fret wire. But I'm nit picking here. You only need listen to Angus Young's classic tones to hear how this guitar can cut thru a mix with the right amp. The medium jumbo frets and shorter scale length are great for easy bends. With volume and tone controls for each pickup you get a lot of control over the sound of the guitar. If tuning stability is an issue try pencil graphite or Nut Sauce to lube the well cut (usually well cut) nut. Gibson is unfortunately known for let's say less than perfect fit and finish on their instruments. You will probably see imperfections in the paint job and finish if you look closely enough. That's just par for the course with Gibson. But I'm a Gibson fan. They make instruments that don't sound like anything else and the SG is one of those iconic rock and roll machines! I highly recommend it!Donnie

I have always wanted a 335, but did not like the larger size. I saw this 339 and stepped up and bought it home. Had to wait 6 weeks, but was it ever worth it. This is the best guitar I have ever played or been around. Cannot make my mind up if it plays better than it looks, or if it looks better then it sounds. It came set up really well, intonation and all. All I had to do was tune it and go. Cannot find one flaw in the paint, assembly or anything wrong at all. It rings so true, holds a note and there is a major difference when selecting either pickup or both, and the tone and volume controls lets you have an infinite setting control on tone and volume. Set the bridge to really ring out and the neck one a little muddy and together it is killer, but can flip the switch and brighten a solo up good. An absolute joy to play. Just strike your favorite chord and let it ring…beautiful fun. I was worried about the neck thickness, but it is a non issue. Easy to chord, simple to fret in any way you please. I cannot express just how happy I am with this guitar. Michael at musicians friend was a great help in every way getting it here.Keith

Very comfortable to hold and play, with a slightly chunky neck which is my preference. Combines the best aspects of 335s and Les Pauls. It's also heavier than I thought it would be (again for me a good thing, I don't like feather-light guitars) I was expecting SG weights and annoying neck dive. As suggested already it seems to sound somewhere between a full-sized 335 type and a solid body, which again isn't much of a surprise. Seems to have more twang than my LP which is good for my taste, which is more soul and funk. The finish is also perfect, though slightly different to the one advertised at the time of purchase. The neck fades into a natural varnish rather than the all-black paint. Also the sides are solid natural varnish rather than the fading between black and natural effect.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

I bought my first Les Paul in 1974. I was a little concerened about the new "lightend and improved" version but it turned out to be great. Pickups are better. Feels great, plays great and all around great guitar at a good price. Required minimal set up to play really good. I liked it so much, I bought another one 3 weeks later. I love my Strats but right out of the box, they require a lot of work to make them play and stay in tune. Got my first Strat in 72. If I was a kid (I'm in my 60's), I would choose this Les Paul Studio first. Because it is easier to set up and play right out of the box. I love my Strats, but this is a really good guitar.Stephen C

Still a novice player, but decided that I had stuck with it long enough to justify spending a bit more than I had spent on my used Squier Strat. After reading a ton of reviews and watching a bunch of YouTube videos, I chose the LP Studio in Smokehouse Burst. Wow! What an incredible difference. I find it easier to play with a wider fretboard and the sound is just amazing. I'm not sure if I just got a good one or if Gibson has stepped up their QA game as mine does not display the defects described by other reviews here. I have not found any cosmetic or fit/finish flaws. The color also closely resembles the photos with just a slightly darker shade on the burst. It is an absolutely gorgeous instrument and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. I know that Gibson switched over to the soft case rather than the hard one to save costs, but quite frankly, I don't see that they could have saved too much. The soft case is very high quality and with the exception of shipping or air travel, I feel that my guitar is well protected when put away. Although, I doubt that I'll ever be traveling to perform in this lifetime. Thanks Gibson. Great job on a beautiful instrument.ArmchairAstro

This guitar surprised me. Sometimes minimalism is the right approach. The pickups have plenty of bite but are very articulate and take to modulation extremely well. The body is thinner so it's lighter and more resonant than a standard sg. Highly recommend!Mississippi Son

I am upgrading the pickups to Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invaders – as machine wound pickups can sound colourless. It has a cool 'Retro-Modern' look.eamomhan_0

Bought one of these a couple years ago. Fit and finish was ok, but static popping when touching pick guard and strings. The volume pot for bridge pickup goes silent when pushed at 10. Poor shielding on these guitars. I spent over 150 resolving the issue rather than letting it languish with Gibson.Timothy

I rarely buy new, but this was worth it. Unbelievably light (just over 7 pounds) and incredibly resonant. The entirely thing noticeably vibrates with each strum. Love the gloss nitro, gives the body and neck a sleek feel. Very good fretwork. BB2/BB3 combo in this guitar is perhaps my favorite HB combo thus far for rock tones, and I have been through many of the biggest mass-market pickups. Very versatile. What's also really impressive is that this is as comfortable as any guitar I've owned so far, out of dozens. It's surprisingly…ergonomic? Really, don't knock an Explorer before you try it. Also, it looks killer if you're into that mid-century modern thing. It's a little pricey for what it is, but if you play an awesome one and can foot the bill, I say go for it. Only bad thing I'd note is that the jack plate is mounted off-center. Not terribly so, but noticeable. It's baffling, the rest of the guitar is all aces, but this looks like someone eyeballed it when the drilled it. The guitar as a whole is so good that I'm not going to go into a whole Gibson quality rant, but it is really weird that something like that slides by. A close friend has a '19 Standard with the same issue. I also have a TV Yellow Special with some really minor finish issues along the bottom of the neck binding. Again, nobody will see it, but if you're dropping thousands of $$$…your mileage may vary. It will be up to you whether to overlook it. Be sure to give it your "55 point inspection."Bam Bam Gordy

I gig over 100 times a year. I play Les Paul's. My current number one has burstbucker pro pickups. This modern has them as well with the asymmetrical neck. it sounds and plays amazing, and will likely replace my standard has my number one. I checked it out for quality issues. This is a very well-made guitar. Only one small thing it arrived with a broken tone knob cap. I called Gibson and I got one in the mail two days later very quick.Bill

I've been a long time Gibson fan and have owned several over the years. I've held on to the good ones and have gotten rid of the rest. Gibson has been known to have their quality control issues for quite a while now and being that I'm an online buyer I was reluctant to pull the trigger on this one. But…I heard that Gibson was under new management and I'm also a sucker for an ebony fretboard, MOP inlays and locking tuners…so I pulled the trigger! Let me say that this one is an absolute keeper! The fit and finish is perfect except for a dull spot on the finish under the pickguard nut/pad (this is from putting the guard on when the finish hasn't cured all the way), the binding is flush with the side of the of the body around the entire guitar (a common problem from routing the binding channel too deep), and the frets edges are finished smooth even in the higher register. I love everything about this guitar, the sparkle finish of the Graphite color top (it's shows but is not over done), the pickups sound great and have the switching capabilities for any style of music, the bypass switch is super cool as it takes you from whatever pickup/coil tap combination you're in at the time right back to a straight bridge pickup, and the neck feels good and natural at any place along the fretboard. If I had to say something negative about the guitar, I would say that they didn't do a great job on their intention of the "new modern contoured heel" because it still has a blocky corner at the neck joint, but as a Gibson owner I am accustomed to blocky heels so I really doesn't bother me. First time buying a guitar from Sam Ash and it was set up perfectly and was immediately playable. The tech that set this up knew what he was doing! You have a repeat customer here!!Dave C.

The action and finish were flawless out of the box. The compound radius neck was very comfortable for single note playing. Unfortunately, the guitar body did not resonate well when playing chords. It might have been a one-off fluke. Although the LP was very playable, I preferred the width and scale of an Ibanez RG550 neck.Anonymous

Bought one of these a couple years ago. Fit and finish was ok, but static popping when touching pick guard and strings. The volume pot for bridge pickup goes silent when pushed at 10. Poor shielding on these guitars. I spent over 150 resolving the issue rather than letting it languish with Gibson.Timothy

I rarely buy new, but this was worth it. Unbelievably light (just over 7 pounds) and incredibly resonant. The entirely thing noticeably vibrates with each strum. Love the gloss nitro, gives the body and neck a sleek feel. Very good fretwork. BB2/BB3 combo in this guitar is perhaps my favorite HB combo thus far for rock tones, and I have been through many of the biggest mass-market pickups. Very versatile. What's also really impressive is that this is as comfortable as any guitar I've owned so far, out of dozens. It's surprisingly…ergonomic? Really, don't knock an Explorer before you try it. Also, it looks killer if you're into that mid-century modern thing. It's a little pricey for what it is, but if you play an awesome one and can foot the bill, I say go for it. Only bad thing I'd note is that the jack plate is mounted off-center. Not terribly so, but noticeable. It's baffling, the rest of the guitar is all aces, but this looks like someone eyeballed it when the drilled it. The guitar as a whole is so good that I'm not going to go into a whole Gibson quality rant, but it is really weird that something like that slides by. A close friend has a '19 Standard with the same issue. I also have a TV Yellow Special with some really minor finish issues along the bottom of the neck binding. Again, nobody will see it, but if you're dropping thousands of $$$…your mileage may vary. It will be up to you whether to overlook it. Be sure to give it your "55 point inspection."Bam Bam Gordy

Happily this guitar lived up to its expectations given that it cost a pretty penny. Very nicely set up and beautiful to look at it also delivered a muscular sound. As you'd hope at this price point the guitar decimated my other SGs that I own making them sound puny in comparison. Glorious.Russell P.

Horrible! This is such a wasted effort by GIBSON to even produce this guitar. I went through three units from MF and each unit had substantial faults. I bought a Blackberry, Pellham Blue and a Faded Pellham Blue unit. #1: Paint blemishes………..each unit had light and dark rough areas from poor paint work. There was impressions in the paint from being handled prior to curing. #2: Body routing………..was not consistent and very uneven around the entire perimeter. #3: Low output pickups……….The DS-C pickups measured just 7.25ohm across all three units I had. The bridge and neck pups are the same. They are stamped GIBSON on the underside but have a paper sticker displaying a different model number for each. They are exactly the same! #4: Improper pickup sizing……….the pups are designed as a one size fits all method which means they all measure exactly 48mm's pole spacing, yet the bridge spacing is 52mm's. This does not allow for correct string oscillation (and poor alignment). #5: Poor tuners………the tuners are 14-1 ratio and do not hold tuning well. I tried down tuning and they still had to be retuned after several minutes. #6: Cheap Head-stock design………it's a piece of plastic laminated to the wood (had poor routing on the edges). The truss rod cover is painted logo, not embossed. #7: Broken components……….one of the units came with a defective 3-way switch and another had screws falling out of the pick guard plastic. How does that get past QC Gibson? #8: Fret boards were unfinished………one unit had sanding dust still one it and another looked as though it was never finished out. It was as rough as an old rustic barn wall. The frets weren't dressed properly either. #9: Improper balance……..neck dives because GIBSON routed out TOO MUCH of the body cavity for the electronics. Hint to GIBSON = Less is More. #10: High action………could not be resolved. #11: Cheap metal components. GET THE PICTURE FOLKS?Speedforhire

Where to start. Loved this axe right off the wall. Great acoustic qualities. Easy on the shoulder with very good strap balance. 3 days later realized it needed some upgrades to truly live up to the Gibson logo on the headstock. I use a '65 Blackface Deluxe at low volumes, no pedals, and let the gear do their thing… This Bird fell short of what I expect. After a set of Gotoh nickle tuners, lightening bar bridge w/lags & studs, DR Pure Blues 11s, nickle covered P94 (neck), nickle covered 498 (bridge), CTS 300K linear pots, .002 Panasonic poly film cap as a treble bleed, .022 Orange Drop 100v cap for tone, vintage shielded wiring, Schaller mushroom head strap buttons, fret ends groomed, enlarge the side markers, shellac soak & buff the fret board, wet sand & buff the satin neck finish, wet sand & buff that stupid looking gloss from the body finish, Top hat knobs with pointers… This axe has the look & snap you'd expect from a neck thru Bird. Very sweet voice. Solid & stable on stage. I still want to knock some height & put a shoulder only crown on the frets. I'll put an amber toner on the neck at the same time. That can wait until a bit more of a break-in period. Still have less then 750. in it & it sounds, looks & plays like a million. How great a deal is that?Joe

I've read a LOT of negative reviews about these guitars.. fortunately, I decided to try it for myself. The ONLY way you will not enjoy this guitar is if you are expecting an expensive customshop instrument. There are obviously differences between a customshop guitar and a budget model, but NONE of the things I've read about these are accurate. It's a well constructed American made guitar.. quartersawn maple neck, poplar body, rosewood fingerboard. The bridge adjusts and intonates perfectly, the electronics and pickups work well and sound decent. There are NO corners cut on these guitars.. they are designed to be inexpensive to meet a price point and do this perfectly. If you are expecting a vintage holy grail instrument with all of the bells and whistles you will be disappointed (and probably aren't very clever). If you are expecting a decent instrument on a budget, you will be very pleasantly surprised.. I have MANY Gibsons that run the gammut from vintage to customshop reissues to floyd rose equipped Les Paul Axcess and I am very satisfied with this guitar. I recommend treating yourself and buying one, they are a joy to play.the realist

Now that I'm in my 60's, jumping around on the stage with a 10lb Les Paul is no longer an option. I'd never even consider an SG, but it was so lightweigh I thought I'd give it a try. OMG why did I wait so long? This thing is a Rock 'n Roll time machine! Besides being incredibly lightweight and resonant, it sound amazing. And due to the double cut and neck joint construction, it's soo easy to play all the way to the 22nd fret. The wide slim taper neck is incredibly fast… and its light weight means no neck dive. I should have picked one of these up years ago!Steve

Yes, this guitar is 100% worth it. I wanted to wait a full year of owning the guitar to write this so that I'd be certain. There's too much good to write about this SG to be honest so to summarize I can't even call this guitar a rock and machine id call it a musical weapon. It sounds absolutely phenomenal which for me was the most important part. I'm used to strats which id been playing the last 18 or so in terms of playability, it def plays different but it plays really nicely. It has a lot more pop and feels stiffer. The finishing and everything else is top quality as well. Guitar is beautiful. Not only does the guitar sound awesome with literally any type of gain, but the cleans are extremely nice sounding as well. This guitar is the real deal, I waited a long time to pull the trigger on this thing and it was 1000% the right decision.Pd

If you're buying and enjoying an SG you're probably aware it's a unique and quirky instrument. The body is very light despite being all mahogany and it does suffer the classic neck dive and tuning stability issues common with Gibson guitars. But these are aspects of the guitar more than negatives in my opinion. It's a classic shape. It's very light weight and plays easily. If you don't like the Les Paul because of its chunky neck and thick neck pocket you may be pleasantly surprised by the thinner neck and upper fret access of the SG! It tends to be a darker sounding guitar with it's all mahogany body and neck with rosewood board and classic nickel fret wire. But I'm nit picking here. You only need listen to Angus Young's classic tones to hear how this guitar can cut thru a mix with the right amp. The medium jumbo frets and shorter scale length are great for easy bends. With volume and tone controls for each pickup you get a lot of control over the sound of the guitar. If tuning stability is an issue try pencil graphite or Nut Sauce to lube the well cut (usually well cut) nut. Gibson is unfortunately known for let's say less than perfect fit and finish on their instruments. You will probably see imperfections in the paint job and finish if you look closely enough. That's just par for the course with Gibson. But I'm a Gibson fan. They make instruments that don't sound like anything else and the SG is one of those iconic rock and roll machines! I highly recommend it!Donnie

Now that I'm in my 60's, jumping around on the stage with a 10lb Les Paul is no longer an option. I'd never even consider an SG, but it was so lightweigh I thought I'd give it a try. OMG why did I wait so long? This thing is a Rock 'n Roll time machine! Besides being incredibly lightweight and resonant, it sound amazing. And due to the double cut and neck joint construction, it's soo easy to play all the way to the 22nd fret. The wide slim taper neck is incredibly fast… and its light weight means no neck dive. I should have picked one of these up years ago!Steve

Yes, this guitar is 100% worth it. I wanted to wait a full year of owning the guitar to write this so that I'd be certain. There's too much good to write about this SG to be honest so to summarize I can't even call this guitar a rock and machine id call it a musical weapon. It sounds absolutely phenomenal which for me was the most important part. I'm used to strats which id been playing the last 18 or so in terms of playability, it def plays different but it plays really nicely. It has a lot more pop and feels stiffer. The finishing and everything else is top quality as well. Guitar is beautiful. Not only does the guitar sound awesome with literally any type of gain, but the cleans are extremely nice sounding as well. This guitar is the real deal, I waited a long time to pull the trigger on this thing and it was 1000% the right decision.Pd

If you're buying and enjoying an SG you're probably aware it's a unique and quirky instrument. The body is very light despite being all mahogany and it does suffer the classic neck dive and tuning stability issues common with Gibson guitars. But these are aspects of the guitar more than negatives in my opinion. It's a classic shape. It's very light weight and plays easily. If you don't like the Les Paul because of its chunky neck and thick neck pocket you may be pleasantly surprised by the thinner neck and upper fret access of the SG! It tends to be a darker sounding guitar with it's all mahogany body and neck with rosewood board and classic nickel fret wire. But I'm nit picking here. You only need listen to Angus Young's classic tones to hear how this guitar can cut thru a mix with the right amp. The medium jumbo frets and shorter scale length are great for easy bends. With volume and tone controls for each pickup you get a lot of control over the sound of the guitar. If tuning stability is an issue try pencil graphite or Nut Sauce to lube the well cut (usually well cut) nut. Gibson is unfortunately known for let's say less than perfect fit and finish on their instruments. You will probably see imperfections in the paint job and finish if you look closely enough. That's just par for the course with Gibson. But I'm a Gibson fan. They make instruments that don't sound like anything else and the SG is one of those iconic rock and roll machines! I highly recommend it!Donnie