Which Gibson SG Has The Widest Neck???

Inspector #20

Ambassador of Tone
Fallen Star
Country flag
Don't need one, but I'm thinking I might try a Gibson SG again. The 1961 Reissue is really cheap at only $2,000 (that's $1,000 less than my 2021 Gibson Les Paul 50's Standard Gold Top) and looks like a decent model.

Screenshot_20220406-070300_Chrome.jpg

I read somewhere that one variant of the SG had a 1.800" nut width???

Thoughts appreciated...
 
61 is THE definition of the SG: the one all others are judged by. Today, the necks of the 61 Reissue and Standard are basically identical being 2.26" wide fretboards, 12" radius, 1.695"nuts on 60s Slim Necks. Previous versions however, had the Standard using a 50s Rounded neck with a thicker fretboard that gave it a fatter feel ( my 96 Standard is one of these).

The biggest notable differences of the two are obviously the half pickguard of the 61 vs the full " batwing" of the Standard. But the 61 is typically lighter in weight due to sharper body tapering and uses Burstbucker 61 pickups ( previously 57 Classic and originally PAF), alongside having a neck joined at the 22nd fret

The Standard has slightly less tapering, thus often a slightly heavier weight and uses 498T/490R pickups, alongside a neck joint at the 19th fret, which arguably gives a lil more strength
 
This model has the same neck width and profile as my 2021 Gibson Les Paul 50's Standard - 1.695" advertised, bit Sweetwater said it actually "calipers out" at 1.715", exactly like my 50's Standard Gold Top

According to Sweetwater anyways????

Screenshot_20220406-080915_Chrome.jpg
 
Don't need one, but I'm thinking I might try a Gibson SG again. The 1961 Reissue is really cheap at only $2,000 (that's $1,000 less than my 2021 Gibson Les Paul 50's Standard Gold Top) and looks like a decent model.

View attachment 82483

I read somewhere that one variant of the SG had a 1.800" nut width???

Thoughts appreciated...
Rob,

That's the exact model I bought a year ago, and it quickly became one of my favorites. It's fun to play, sounds great. Love the way the burstbuckers sound and as with all SGs, its a featherweight. I have mine tuned to either D or C# std depending on my mood.
 
Rob,

That's the exact model I bought a year ago, and it quickly became one of my favorites. It's fun to play, sounds great. Love the way the burstbuckers sound and as with all SGs, its a featherweight. I have mine tuned to either D or C# std depending on my mood.

Thick, clubby neck?
 
Seems to me if you want a wide neck, get a 2015 SG Standard on the used market.
Gibson got so much flak for issuing those, it was like a sh*t storm in 2015.
That's the guitar model with all the "innovatiions". Gibson called the wide neck their "soloist" neck.
Look it up, it's probably close to what you want.
That one also had the robot tuners and the zero fret nut made of soft metal.

They did the same with the 2015 Les Pauls... I never went over to MLP to see what the
consensus over there was on the subject of Gibson's new ideas, but I'm sure it was scathing.
The prices on the used market might reflect how much everyone seemed to hate those
models. ...might not.

But those were lovely to look at, in spite of all this. Most people replaced the metal nut
(which was an excellent idea, just too soft) with Gibson's titanium nut, which was given free
to original owners of 2015s. The zero fret nut was adjustable and it was a very good idea.
But narrow minded guitarists couldn't stand the idea, and Gibson stopped pushing it.

Most people replaced the robot tuners with regular ones... leaving them with a starkly beautiful
SG with a wide neck. I'll bet you could find one modded like that on the used market.
Tusq makes a replacement nut too.
 
Last edited:
Seems to me if you want a wide neck, get a 2015 SG Standard on the used market.
Gibson got so much flak for issuing those, it was like a sh*t storm in 2015.
That's the guitar model with all the "innovatiions". Gibson called the wide neck their "soloist" neck.
Look it up, it's probably close to what you want.
That one also had the robot tuners and the zero fret nut made of soft metal.

They did the same with the 2015 Les Pauls... I never went over to MLP to see what the
consensus over there was on the subject of Gibson's new ideas, but I'm sure it was scathing.
The prices on the used market might reflect how much everyone seemed to hate those
models. ...might not.

But those were lovely to look at, in spite of all this. Most people replaced the metal nut
(which was an excellent idea, just too soft) with Gibson's titanium nut, which was given free
to original owners of 2015s. The zero fret nut was adjustable and it was a very good idea.
But narrow minded guitarists couldn't stand the idea, and Gibson stopped pushing it.

Most people replaced the robot tuners with regular ones... leaving them with a starkly beautiful
SG with a wide neck. I'll bet you could find one modded like that on the used market.
Tusq makes a replacement nut too.

Thanks for the tip!!!!
 
Seems to me if you want a wide neck, get a 2015 SG Standard on the used market.
Gibson got so much flak for issuing those, it was like a sh*t storm in 2015.
That's the guitar model with all the "innovatiions". Gibson called the wide neck their "soloist" neck.
Look it up, it's probably close to what you want.
That one also had the robot tuners and the zero fret nut made of soft metal.

They did the same with the 2015 Les Pauls... I never went over to MLP to see what the
consensus over there was on the subject of Gibson's new ideas, but I'm sure it was scathing.
The prices on the used market might reflect how much everyone seemed to hate those
models. ...might not.

But those were lovely to look at, in spite of all this. Most people replaced the metal nut
(which was an excellent idea, just too soft) with Gibson's titanium nut, which was given free
to original owners of 2015s. The zero fret nut was adjustable and it was a very good idea.
But narrow minded guitarists couldn't stand the idea, and Gibson stopped pushing it.

Most people replaced the robot tuners with regular ones... leaving them with a starkly beautiful
SG with a wide neck. I'll bet you could find one modded like that on the used market.
Tusq makes a replacement nut too.

Good thinkin Col.

Nut Width 1.795in. 45.993 mm

 
Last edited:
If that version with the bat-wing pickguard from Sweetwater has the longer late sixties heel, it will be more stable than an early sixties style neck and heel. They are very thin, and go out of tune easily if you play ham-fisted. You'll definitely have to play with a more delicate touch on an early sixties style neck if you don't want every note to be out of tune. A Tele it is not.
 
If that version with the bat-wing pickguard from Sweetwater has the longer late sixties heel, it will be more stable than an early sixties style neck and heel. They are very thin, and go out of tune easily if you play ham-fisted. You'll definitely have to play with a more delicate touch on an early sixties style neck if you don't want every note to be out of tune. A Tele it is not.
⬆⬆⬆ Absolutely!
Dad has a 61 Reissue and 60 Les Paul SG Custom Reissue and both have that 22nd fret joint which can knock out of tune very easily if you hard hitting. The Standards that have the 19th fret joint take a whole lot more pounding before they detune ( both he and I have 96 Standards that have that joint)

That being said however, I personally still like that style ( early 60s SGs) over the one I have, as its just a just a better feel and sound honestly.

A guitar that you definitely cant say wears your shoulder out playing!
 
If that version with the bat-wing pickguard from Sweetwater has the longer late sixties heel, it will be more stable than an early sixties style neck and heel. They are very thin, and go out of tune easily if you play ham-fisted. You'll definitely have to play with a more delicate touch on an early sixties style neck if you don't want every note to be out of tune. A Tele it is not.

Thanks for the tip!
 
Back
Top