1960 (SG) Les Paul special prototype!

[fernieite]

Just stumbled upon this article. Enjoy.

This unearthed 1960 prototype reveals what the Gibson SG Special nearly looked like

Meet the SG Special's rarely seen slab body forebear

www.guitarworld.com

 

[Norton]

Cool... and it looks like most of the SG's in the late 70's.

 

[Decadent Dan]

I’d like to see more pics because this is a 1960 SG Special…

 

[PermissionToLand]

Wow, that is truly an incredible find! I will have to add this to the SG wiki for sure!

For more pics, check Well Strung Guitars' website: https://wellstrungguitars.com/guitar/sg-special-prototype-cherry/

Usually when you see a "prototype", it's complete bullsh*t. This is not.

The serial puts this way ahead of the earliest SGs I've been able to find. The earliest I could find with a serial pic was 0 8765. This Special has the serial 0 10XX. I think they're right that the slab body was a budget compromise because the Standard pictured in the '61/62 catalog appears to be an even earlier prototype but that does have beveling. No visible serial though, so hard to say.

It's especially surprising because the Special and Junior kept the old LP body style the longest, being produced with the old body into early 1961.

 

[Blueline]

That special looks like it has serial number 010xxx not 0 10xx . That 6 digit serial number places well after the 08000 series. So it is not a protoype to any of the sculptured Les Paul new standards .

 

[PermissionToLand]

That special looks like it has serial number 010xxx not 0 10xx . That 6 digit serial number places well after the 08000 series. So it is not a protoype to any of the sculptured Les Paul new standards .

That's not how the serial numbers worked back then. They started at 100, and added digits as necessary. In that case, it would be five digits, starting with a 1. See this '61 Standard with a five digit serial:

1961 vintage Gibson Les Paul SG Standard cherry red PAF pickups original | dtown

vintage early 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Standardoriginal real PAF pickupscherry finish with sideways tremeloall original electronics including 2 original PAF humbuckerspickups may have been removed to swap out at some point and put back in there is also an extra pointless ground wire between the 2...

www.dtownguitars.com

Here's an even earlier 1961 with a four-digit serial number:

1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard + OHSC

Stunning, first generation, Gibson Les Paul Standard with zero issues, no neck cracks, no repairs and all undisturbed solder in a very nice, brown Lifton 5 latch case with the pink lining. If you are after one of these, then this is probably the finest one available right now…Very early 1961...

www.atbguitars.com

They didn't start using six digits until 1967 and this sure as heck ain't a '67.

If it weren't a prototype, what would it be?

 

[Blueline]

I am talking about 1960 not 1961
6 digits were and are real numbers for the 1960 models
Check the serial number on the prototype it has no space after the 0.
here are some examples of Les Pauls SGs from 1960
011186, 011189, 011190, 011485.

The special protoype was produced late in 1960 well after the sculptured LP SGS were in production.



Here is a special with serial number 012202. Note that there is no space after the zero.

here is one in the same range as the prototype 010838

 

[PermissionToLand]

I am talking about 1960 not 1961
6 digits were and are real numbers for the 1960 models
Check the serial number on the prototype it has no space after the 0.
here are some examples of Les Pauls SGs from 1960
011186, 011189, 011190, 011485.

The special protoype was produced late in 1960 well after the sculptured LP SGS were in production.



Here is a special with serial number 012202. Note that there is no space after the zero. View attachment 51370

here is one in the same range as the prototype 010838

View attachment 51372

I see. But unlike the Standard and Custom, the Special and Junior did not switch to the SG body style until after 1961, as there are 1961 dated examples with the old Les Paul body. So it still tracks with the idea that they were working out how the cheaper student models would transition in later 1960.

 

[Blueline]

Yes I think that was indeed the case in that the idea was how to make the special not quite as high level as the sculptured standard but still get a modern thinner double cutaway. Yes... a working it out model.

 

[Gibbo SG]

One of the cooler type 1 SG Specials ever!