Description
Gibson SG Special Faded USA 2007 Worn Brown
Epiphone hard case.
Want to trade? layby? swap? or make an offer?
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Tony Elder / Steve Jackson
Black Dot Music
Est 1985
In great condition. Plays and sounds fabulous! Some small shirt button, scuffs and indentations on the guitar without paint loss.
This model came without hard case and this SG has an added Epiphone Hard case.
Info from Gibson when new …
Astounding Value in a Genuine American-Made SG
The SG Special Faded is distinguished by its simpler headstock adornments, the businesslike dot inlays on its rosewood fingerboard (which is also left un-bound in keeping with its stripped-down ethos), and its elegant worn satin nitro finish. Under this thin skin, however, today’s Gibson USA SG Special Faded runs neck-and-neck with the flagship of the SG family. Its solid mahogany body packs all the resonance and sustain that has helped to make SGs legendary, and it sports the beveled edge that is such a big part of this model’s distinctive styling, while also enhancing playing comfort.
Two deep cutaways with sharp, slightly asymmetrical horns offer unparalleled access to the top of its 22-fret neck, which you’ll scale at lightning speed thanks to the SG Special Faded’s fast, comfortable, rounded ’50s neck profile. Cranking all this tonewood and superb playability to the max is a pair of Gibson’s most popular humbucking pickups from the Modern Classics series: a 490R in the neck position, and a 490T in the bridge. Made in the style of the hallowed PAF humbucker, with genuine Alnico II magnets, but updated to meet the demands of today’s player and 21st century rock’s high-volume requirements, this pairing offers everything from smooth, creamy, vocal warmth in the neck to raunchy rhythm tones and searing leads in the bridge. It all runs through Gibson’s classic control configuration of independent volume and tone knobs for each pickup, and three-way toggle selector switch.
Keeping it all locked and loaded are a Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, arguably the most emulated hardware configuration on the planet, and a set of vintage style tuners with vintage pearloid buttons. To top it all off, the SG Special Faded comes to you already looking like a long-played friend in your choice of two great satin nitrocellulose finishes: Worn Cherry and Worn Brown.
Each guitar comes protected in a padded Gibson gigbag, and is covered by Gibson’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
A lightweight body made from resonant solid-mahogany, with contoured edge and deep asymmetrical cutaways, distinguishes the SG Special Faded as a rock legend, while making it extremely comfortable to play. The guitar is available in your choice of two great satin pre-faded nitrocellulose finishes: Worn Cherry and Worn Brown.
The SG Special Faded is crafted in classic Gibson style with a glued-in neck made from solid quarter-sawn mahogany and topped with an unbound rosewood fingerboard, minimally adorned with simple dot inlays. It has an angled headstock for superior resonance, and its rounded ’50s profile and 1-11/16″ wide molded nut help to make it supremely playable.
The SG Special Faded carries two of Gibson’s most popular humbucking pickups, a 490T in the bridge position and a 490R in the neck, left uncovered to reflect the model’s “bare bones” look. Both are updated renditions of Gibson’s famous PAF humbuckers of the late ’50s and early ’60s, modified for improved versatility, and routed through the classic Gibson four-knob and three-way switch control section.
The hardware set on the SG Special Faded echoes that worn by SG Standards of the mid to late ’60s, and includes Gibson’s sustain enhancing Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece, along with vintage-style tulip-button tuners and traditional aluminum strap buttons. The bridge and tailpiece are both plated in chrome for a professional and durable finish.
Body
The body of each SG Special Faded is crafted from solid mahogany, one of the most revered tonewoods in the history of the electric guitar, and the same wood used for the SG Standard and Special since the introduction of this classic Gibson design in 1961.
Tonal Characteristics
Mahogany is a medium-dense wood with excellent resonance and superior sustain, and it offers a rich, round, warm tone, but with plenty of high-end sheen and good midrange presence. It has long been acknowledged as a classic tonewood for rock and blues instruments in particular.
The SG Special Faded follows the classic lines of the SG Standard, with a flat top, contoured body edges, and deep cutaways that yield two slightly asymmetrical pointy body “horns.”
The average weight of a raw SG Special Faded body is 4.03 lbs, which contributes to the relatively light weight of the finished guitar.
Available Finishes
The SG Special Faded is finished in your choice of Worn Cherry and Worn Brown, which resemble the look of a long-played, road-tested guitar. Worn Brown Worn Cherry Surface Texture
The SG Special Faded has a “worn” satin texture like that of a much-played vintage guitar, giving it the look and feel of an SG that has already been on the road for decades.Process
The SG Special Faded is hand-finished in grain-textured nitrocellulose in a simplified process that results in a gently road-worn appearance. Unlike many other manufacturers, who settle for a hard polyurethane finish, Gibson opts for a breathable nitrocellulose finish that will encourage the natural vibration of the instrument for a purer tone. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous and actually gets thinner over time, so your guitar will further age gracefully as you play it.
Pickups Model
Two popular units from the Modern Classics series, Gibson’s 490T and 490R pickups (“T” for treble, and “R” for rhythm) have the traditional characteristics of the original “Patent Applied For” pickups of the late 1950s, with a few upgrades. These pickups take advantage of wax potting, which does away with any air space inside the pickup, therefore lessening the chances of microphonic feedback.
The result is a humbucker with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. Used as a set, this pair is also calibrated for outstanding output balance, with the slightly overwound 490T in the bridge position easily matching the output of the 490R in the neck.
Gibson’s 490R and 490T both use Alnico II bar magnets.
Tonal Characteristics
Used together, the 490R and 490T constitute an extremely versatile humbucking pickup set. In the neck position, the former yields juicy, warm vocal tones with outstanding clarity, while the latter in the bridge position excels at everything from bright jangle through a clean amp to wailing overdrive with outstanding sustain through a high-gain amp. Selected together, the pair gives you everything from funky to greasy, depending upon amp and effects settings.
Electronics
The SG Special Faded uses an individual volume control for each pickup, which consists of a quality 300k linear potentiometer for a smooth, natural volume roll-off.
Tone Controls
The SG Special Faded features individual tone controls for each pickup, comprised of 500k non-linear potentiometers with .022mF tone capacitors for a smooth transition from bright to warm.
The SG Special Faded features one three-way Switchcraft toggle switch. In the down position, only the bridge pickup is active. In the middle position, both pickups are active. In the up position, only the neck pickup is active.
Output Jack
The guitar features a 1⁄4″ output jack made by Switchcraft. Its super heavy duty construction holds your guitar cable securely in place.
Hardware
Tuning Keys
The headstock of the SG Special Faded is equipped with vintage-style tuners with pearloid tulip buttons and an efficient 14:1 turn ratio. These tuners provide a classic look in line with the model’s lineage, and smooth, robust performance.
Trussrod Cover
The truss rod cover on the SG Special Faded is made from black vinyl plastic, in the shape of an antique bell.
Strap Buttons
The SG Special Faded’s aluminum strap buttons are the same style and design that Gibson has used since the early 1950s.
Pickguard
The SG Special Faded has a three-ply black/white/black pickguard designed in the image of the larger pickguards of SGs from the mid to late ’60s. In addition to providing protection from pick scratching, this larger ‘guard provides the mounting surface for the guitar’s two pickups.
In 1954, Gibson revolutionized guitar hardware when it debuted the Tune-o-matic bridge, setting a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. Included on the SG Special Faded, the Tune-o-matic provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. It also yields excellent coupling between strings and body, maximizing resonance, tone, and sustain. This bridge is made from Zamak then plated in chrome, and each one weighs approximately .118 lbs.
Tailpiece
Every Tune-o-matic bridge is combined with a separate “stopbar” tailpiece, which is essentially a modified version of the earlier wraparound bridge that’s designed to further enhance the connection between the strings and the body. The SG Special Faded’s stopbar tailpiece is made from Zamac then plated in chrome, and each one weighs approximately .24 lbs.
Control Knobs
The controls on the SG Special Faded are topped with Gibson’s translucent black “top hat” knobs.
Strings
The SG Special Faded is fitted with genuine Gibson strings, sizes .010-.046.
