loading
reading
writing
saving
searching
2007 Gibson SG Faded Worn Cherry with fitted hard case - $1,000 (Reno Sparks Fernley)
QR Code Link to This Post
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.
BodySpecies
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.
Design
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."
Average Weight
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 FinishesColor
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.
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.
Neck and Headstock
Neck Species
The neck of the SG Special Faded is constructed from solid mahogany, cut using the superior "quarter sawn" orientation for improved strength and resonance.
Headstock Angle
The SG Special Faded headstock is carefully angled at Gibson's traditional 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.
Neck Profile
The neck on the SG Special Faded is carved to Gibson's comfortable, rounded '50s profile, which offers a smooth playing feel in the hand. This neck shape has been a favorite with many players, and echoes the chunkier neck shapes of many SG Standards of the mid '60s.
Truss Rod
Gibson's traditional truss rod, found in most all of our guitars, is highly responsive to the individual adjustments you'll want to make to personalize and optimize string action and sustain.
Tonal Characteristics
The angled, classical-style peg head and mahogany neck work together to provide exceptional tonal richness and resonance from the neck, with a good string definition and sustain.
Logo
The Gibson logo — one of the most globally recognized logos of all time — is silkscreened in gold across the top of the headstock face of the SG Special Faded.
Average Weight
The average weight of the neck is .96 lbs.Joint
Gibson uses what is known as the Mortise & Tenon joint to bind neck to body so that the two pieces form one solid unit. This time-tested technique has been used for millennia in all the great woodworking arts—from shipbuilding to cabinetry—to create one solid wood unit from two separate sections, and has been proven to yield a stronger neck and body than if the instrument was made from a single piece of wood.
Adhesive
The adhesive used to join neck and body is Franklin Titebond 50, one of the strongest glues on the market today.Tolerance
When fitting the neck and body together, we take advantage of our precise measuring equipment so that all angles, pitches and alignments maintain a tolerance within .005 of an inch. Not only does this help to keep your guitar in tune but it also maintains proper string alignment relative to the fingerboard.
Fingerboard and Nut
Fingerboard Species
The neck of the SG Special Faded carries an unbound rosewood fingerboard, the traditional fingerboard of the original SG Standard. Rosewood is both hardwearing and sonically superlative, adding sweetness and depth to the guitar's overall sound.
Inlays
The SG Special Faded fingerboard carries acrylic dot position markers.
Frets
The SG Special Faded sports 22 medium-jumbo frets, the preferred size of rock and blues players looking for optimum playing comfort, tone, and easy bending.
Nut Material
SG Special Faded has a specially molded nut, made from a hard-wearing acrylic polymer. This alternative to bone offers a very durable material, delivers enhanced sustain, and benefits from clean and precise string slots. It is installed into the top surface of the neck, butting up to the end of the fingerboard to ensure proper tone and sustain transfer.
Tonal Characteristics
Rosewood fingerboards are known for their rich, round tone and superb definition.Radius
The 12-inch radius of the SG Special Faded fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates "dead" or "choked out" notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses.
Nut Width
The width of the nut on the SG Special Faded is approximately 1 11/16", the traditional nut width of Gibson electric guitars.
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.
Bridge
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.
Pickups
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.
Magnet Material
Gibson's 490R and 490T both use Alnico II bar magnets.Magnet MaterialTonal 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.
ElectronicsVolume Controls
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.
Toggle Switch
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.
Smoke free, pet free home.
If the ad is up it is available, if you email leave a phone and reference the item interested in. I will ignore you if you send an email asking simply "Is this available" with no context or phone number. Text for fastest response.
Serious Enquiries only. Cash sale, face to face, can meet in Sparks or I can deliver in Reno, Sparks, Fernley area if needed.
s7evn s7even f5ive N9ine E8ight Z0ero F5ive F5ive T2wo S7even