NGD! 1961 Special

[Lunacy the Faded]

Scored this SG for $275 shipped to my door



There it is all done up, it sounds and plays lively!!



Out the box with all the case candy inside a bag in the soft case-- an instrument cable, picks and strap were bonus items. It was close to standard tuning with unplayed strings so I plugged it in, the action was a mm higher than what I wanted but I jammed, adjusted the p90s and used the controls for awhile



After a long jam it hit the bench for a deep clean and light fret polish, nothing was wrong with the level and crown work. The ends of the frets do not overhang or have sharp edges which is great



I set the bridge bushings in flat with some love taps but after the strings went on their lean came back-- I should have removed the bushings to add material to the holes walls (maybe a split short end of a toothpick in each)



You can see just how much beveling they do on the bodies by the veneer flaws... No veneers on the limited edition/custom shop Epiphone SGs would be nice, like the MiK Samick Epiphone SGs



The Wilkinson Deluxe 3 and 3 tuners have some vintage small posts for push in bushings. I put in some lubrication to help the gears turn smooth but the strength leaves a bit to be desired... After excessive string stretching 10s would still slip flat from unison bending

I guess it will get hybrid slinky strings (9-46) to see if I can keep the neat looking weak stock tuners



The neck is a cool rounded off epiphone slim taper D profile and the frets are comfy medium feel. I love where the neck heel is and how it is shaped. The strap button doesnt bother me on this SG, others have when playing in the highest position there



The pots turn on the stiff side but no issues, just needed the knobs aligned on the pointers tight again



I over tightened the jack which made (a crunch) the signal cut out and finicky when messed with. So I soldered in a better replacement jack and modified the guitar from modern to 50s style wiring by cutting a few connections, grounding the tone pot lugs and soldering new capactors across to complete the circuit

 

[Norton]

Is this a currently available model??

Love it.

 

[DrBGood]

You nailed it, congrats !

I can't see why the tuners seem to slip with bends. How do you wrap the strings, do you lock them on the post like this ?

​

 

[cerebral gasket]

View attachment 36182​

Great to see that one getting around.
I took that closeup photo of the tuning post from one of my SG Classics. It's in my photo album here.

 

[plankton]

Is this a currently available model??

Love it.

No, it's a special edition, from 2011 I think. I've been keeping my eye out for one for awhile, but they're rare down here.

 

[DrBGood]

No, it's a special edition, from 2011 I think. I've been keeping my eye out for one for awhile, but they're rare down here.

They don't come on the market often here neither and they're usually priced high.

 

[DanB]

looks totally awesome, how do you like the P 90 pickups? I really wish Epiphone would start making a left handed version of the SG Junior again, I would love to pick one up for the P 90s.

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

looks totally awesome, how do you like the P 90 pickups? I really wish Epiphone would start making a left handed version of the SG Junior again, I would love to pick one up for the P 90s.

I like P90 tone but these needed adjustment to sound how I imagine they should, these pickups benefit from 50s wiring tremondously imo

I can't see why the tuners seem to slip with bends. How do you wrap the strings, do you lock them on the post like this ?

View attachment 36183

View attachment 36181

View attachment 36182​

I always wrap this way with only a few winds and every set of tuners I have on other guitars hold better.


Before lubing the nut on this guitar it had a tacky feeling to the touch which sucked. The problem may be there because after an eccessive bend it goes really flat but you can strum it hard and the string goes sharp a bit but not back to being in tune usually. The nut seems like a synthetic bone material when scratched but rubbed under pressure it feels like a rubberized plastic which I dont believe would be good under string friction. The slots and height are perfect though.

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

Is this a currently available model??

Love it.

It was in production for only a short time and sold out but they do pop up in guitar centers etc, I first saw a white one maybe a year ago on guitar center website for $220 but hesitated because honestly.. I like red.



Im in love with it too, I set it up only a mm lower than factory on the bass side and kept it 4mm on treble

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

I was lubing the nut and underside of the strings at the nut and noticed where the strings go on the lightning saddle...



Perhaps the problem is there? The intonation isnt perfect with the stock Epiphone bridge either, maybe locking down the bushings and replacing that with an intonatable bridge will have less variables on the string tension

 

[DanB]

I was lubing the nut and underside of the strings at the nut and noticed where the strings go on the lightning saddle...

View attachment 36190

Perhaps the problem is there? The intonation isnt perfect with the stock Epiphone bridge either, maybe locking down the bushings and replacing that with an intonatable bridge will have less variables on the string tension

thanks, I just went over to Epiphone's site a few minutes ago and I noticed that the current Epiphone SG Jr. does not even have P 90s but some form of humbucker pickup. I guess I will continue to look for those elusive P 90 pickups! It seems like even the used guitars with these pickups get snapped up fast, and even moreso for left handed models, which as a lefty I look for.

 

[DrBGood]

I always wrap this way with only a few winds and every set of tuners I have on other guitars hold better.

That is not a locked string.

Look at the images below carefully. The string has to be locked under itself, before you start winding it. Practice with a string if you have to. Once you get it you'll go DOH ! Why didn't I see that ?

​

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

That is not a locked string. Look at the images carefully. The string has to be locked under itself, before you start winding it. Practice with a string if you have to. Once you get it you'll go DOH ! Why didn't I see that ?

View attachment 36191

View attachment 36192

View attachment 36193

​

Yeah that is neater and I see the function of the tucked string. That's a good habit to get into I will try to start next time but.. the lubrication and some pushing on all the bending points the strings have at the bridge seemed to fix the issue so its actually holding tune well!



Only minor snagging I believe a small amount of material can come out of the G and D slots to help a bit with the angle they pull at from the sides

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

Hey the windings are cool either way in my book never an issue. I usually wrap the B a bit less its my superstition about stretching and it works on all my guitars like so



It really doesnt matter if you lock the string if you have a lumpy unorganized wind around the post, I always make sure the string goes around tight and under the previous wrap for perfect results

 

[DrBGood]

View attachment 36190
Perhaps the problem is there? The intonation isnt perfect with the stock Epiphone bridge either, maybe locking down the bushings and replacing that with an intonatable bridge will have less variables on the string tension

Those bridges work fine, but you have to take the time to make them so.

I had one big problem with mine. It couldn't go low enough to get a decent action. So I countersunk the bushings flush with the surface. I did this very carefully with a razor sharp blade (X-Acto knife). One guy just grinded the flange off to get the bridge flush to the surface. I think countersinking is better.

​

That solved that.

It would be a good thing to do on yours, since the bushings seem to lean forward in their hole. The solution is to set them permanently in glue. I used wood glue that I let dry for a full 24h after re-inserting the posts in the wood. Some will use wood shims, but I feel that the wood can still compress. Look it up.

Then, a good habit for wraparounds of all kinds, is to add an extra string ball end to each string. That way the twisted end of the string doesn't stick out the bridge and the string will bend better around the curve of the bridge.

​

I find a wraparound to resonate better than a bridge with ajdustable saddles. So I tend to do everything possible to have the wraparound work flawlessly. Intonation has to be done diligently with some patience. Start with getting the low E intonated, then the high E. You have to take tension off the strings every time you adjust the little intonation screws. If not you'll just eat the thread in the bridge, not good. Once the high E is intonated, you'll have to redo the low E, because the bridge will have moved at on that side from the other end being adjusted. You have to do this several times to get it perfect. Then put the 4 other strings on and recheck. But take the time to go back and forth to get everything balanced.

Those lightning bridges have been on top end Gibson and Epiphone guitars for a long time and people play them, so they must be good eh ?

Patience will get you there.

 

[dub-setter]

It would be a good thing to do on yours, since the bushings seem to lean forward in their hole

yap,
they seem to lean forward...


and for the nut:
if anything fails for tuning stability
i always can recommend a bone nut,
cutted to the specs of your guitar/model.

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

Those bridges work fine, but you have to take the time to make them so.

I had one big problem with mine. It couldn't go low enough to get a decent action. So I countersunk the bushings flush with the surface. I did this very carefully with a razor sharp blade (X-Acto knife). One guy just grinded the flange off to get the bridge flush to the surface. I think countersinking is better.

​

That solved that.

It would be a good thing to do on yours, since the bushings seem to lean forward in their hole. The solution is to set them permanently in glue. I used wood glue that I let dry for a full 24h after re-inserting the posts in the wood. Some will use wood shims, but I feel that the wood can still compress. Look it up.

Then, a good habit for wraparounds of all kinds, is to add an extra string ball end to each string. That way the twisted end of the string doesn't stick out the bridge and the string will bend better around the curve of the bridge.

​

I find a wraparound to resonate better than a bridge with ajdustable saddles. So I tend to do everything possible to have the wraparound work flawlessly. Intonation has to be done diligently with some patience.

Thats a great solution to get the bushing flush for more adjustment range thank you! I'll post to this thread when I get around to doing that mod and reinforcing stability with hide glue for sure @DrBGood

The more I look at the lightning bridge I dont know if there is a replacement that is right on intonated in reference to the positioning of the epiphone studs and the "stagger"...

I want a smooth compensated one (actually intonated) on it to be honest, the lightning I'll set up best I can, your advice is exactly how I go about it too +1. I'll keep the strings and set the hex screws patiently after the bushing work, but if I don't find a happy medium or spot on angle then I will eventually try another quality bridge. The strings I'll put on will be 9-46 if I find a correct part for it and I'll keep the ball ends from this set to help the strings bend flush too.

I dont want one of the bulkier adjustable bridges because the "badass" design usually have saddles too high off the body for setting good string action

Heres some shots of the SG for the thread y'all

 

[Lunacy the Faded]

 

[DrBGood]

I dont want one of the bulkier adjustable bridges because the "badass" design usually have saddles too high off the body for setting good string action.

That's the worst design ever. If you want to go with adjustable, get this one.

https://www.amazon.com/Musiclily-Tu...=UTF8&qid=1505693825&sr=8-1&keywords=MX1280CR

​

I used it on a few guitars, but on my Special 1 LP, I found it killed the tone a tad, so I went back to a staggered wraparound. Since my lighning one was buzzing, I found this on Reverb, a FrankenTone. It's similar to the PRS wraparound and works great.

 

[Col Mustard]

good luck with this
all you lot...

I prefer the Nashville bridge, but I wrap my strings over the
tailpiece similar to what I see above.

Trying to get the best of both worlds, that's me.
Using a TonePros replacement for the Nashville, that's also me.

i've spoken to fans of the aulde Gibson wrap-over bridge (no tail)
Those guys would never let a Nashville bridge any wheres near their
guitars.

I don't get that, but I don't argue, because I'm a Bass player normally
so I let the guitarists crow and squawk about this rig or that one.
Mostly they're ALL right, until they begin to convince themselves that
their opinion is the only one that's important.

There's where I get off the bus. A closed mind is nothing
to be proud of. *shrugs I'd rather play music.