Gibson SG Standard, cherry red, made in USA 2009. Some guitars just make sense, and a cherry red SG Standard is one of those: it does exactly what it sets out to do. This is a tasty example of Gibson's longrunning SG Standard. At 3.1kg it's on the light side for an SG, but it's nicely balanced and doesn't suffer from major neck dive. The neck is a moderately chunky profile, not enormous, but with plenty of beef to it: perfect for big rhythm parts. For rock rhythm stuff, this absolutely delivers the goods: enough percussive snap and punch to bring out the nuance of any strumming pattern, with a mellow but assertive natural bass and a singing, rich midrange. It's got a convincing balance of growl and attack, it really works. The finish has a few marks around the edge, which is common on these super thin gloss nitro finishes once there's a bit of play on the clock, which only serves to add a certain streetwise swagger to the aesthetic. This one came in from Japan, so it would've had to pass an extra strict quality control process on arrival in 2009 or the Japanese distributors would've sent it back Stateside. There's a notable chip on the headstock, but hey... all in the name of punk, right?

Model: Gibson SG Standard
Made: 2009, USA (serial 005091358)
Finish: heritage cherry, gloss nitro
Body: mahogany
Neck: mahogany with rosewood board, 24.75" scale, 12" radius, '61 style beefy round profile
Weight: 3.130kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Gibson 490R/T humbucker x2
Case: non original Gibson branded padded gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: mild finish wear. The headstock has a decent chip on the back top corner, as well as some dimples on the end and light scuffs on the front and back. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples on the back only. The back has a decent bald patch from rub wear in the middle as pictured, as well as widespread light scuffs and surface scratches. The sides have minor dimples around the whole body, nothing too nasty to note. The front has some dimples near the knobs, in the elbow area and on the top horn, as well as some standard play wear on the guard and horn, no major marks. Overall: good condition (7/10).

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. Frets have some normal wear,  there's no major buzz issues and there's plenty of height left, 7/10 for life left. No headstock breaks! Setup with fresh 10/52 Moonshiners strings.