The (very) delayed NGD

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

Well, finally able to post this!

so with lockdown I had a good mess about with what gear I had and a bit of a think what I was using and wasn’t, what I might be missing. So a couple of guitars moved on to free up space and cash and here’s the result...

well, the eventual result. Sadly it had arrived with a warbling noise that a bit of an investigation identified as likely being some screws missing for tightening the vibrola to the body. So after a bit of back and forth with Gibson and GuitarGuitar some screws arrived this morning. Installed them and problem solved.

So drama of that aside, I absolutely love it. The neck is a touch chunkier than the 59 medium C but that’s the neck it’s aping. I was really on the fence about the vibrola in general but it’s a nice tool to have on the box and it looks to be set to stay in tune even with a fair bit of use. The pickups though...my word. Fair warning that they don’t like high gain much, but light overdrive and vintage crunch or a bit of hair and they’re absolutely incredible. Got such a nice open feeling and chewiness to the sound that it’s addictive.

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

Philly_Q · August 2020

Excellent! I'm glad you were able to sort out the tailpiece and decided to keep the guitar. I'm envious of that chunky neck.

timmypix · August 2020

Well that's about as pretty as they come. Lovely!

PonchoGreg · August 2020

Lord have mercy. Stunning.

Iamnobody · August 2020

Wonderful! A big neck with a vibrola is about as perfect as an SG could be for me. Congrats.

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

Philly_Q said:

Excellent! I'm glad you were able to sort out the tailpiece and decided to keep the guitar. I'm envious of that chunky neck.

Yep, took just shy of a month all in all to get from telling them there was an issue to the screws arriving. Covid plays a part there. It is chunky, but not overly and the C shape and rolled edges help out for thumb over. The neck was a big part of why I was excited about the 64 along with the unpotted pickups and both delivered for my preferences.

Iamnobody said:

Wonderful! A big neck with a vibrola is about as perfect as an SG could be for me. Congrats.

Thanks. The vibrola will get some use since it doesn’t throw it out of tune. Just trying to find the best place for the arm since I’m a somewhat enthusiastic strummer sometimes (really bad habit). It doesn’t clear the switch or pots swung clockwise, but can be tucked down Phil X style if I were putting it out the way, although it needs a bit of tension slacking to get it over the saddles and once down there to get it to pitch.

liamon · August 2020

What are the pickups?

liamon · August 2020

(I have stock 57 Classics in my CS SG and they are my favourite pickups).

skullfunkerry · August 2020

I remember you posting about the missing screws a while back. Glad you got it sorted; HNGD (at last!)

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

liamon said:

What are the pickups?

Unpotted A3 custombuckers. I like the potted ones as well. Interestingly I think most custom shop models have A3 custombuckers now, but I’d be curious on whether they’re voiced differently to each model.

The 57s are nice pickups, had them in a Les Paul and liked them.

Alex2678 · August 2020

My dream guitar there, congratulations

Philly_Q · August 2020

I forgot to ask, does it have the nylon saddles and if so, do you think they make any difference to the sound and/or tuning stability?

THR1LLHAU5 · August 2020

Looks fantastic! Congrats!

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

Philly_Q said:

I forgot to ask, does it have the nylon saddles and if so, do you think they make any difference to the sound and/or tuning stability?

It does have nylon saddles yes. Supposedly they do help on stability re vibrola but I don’t have anything to A/B. Ditto re sound for difference.

The nylon saddles are quite soft though so could see why they’re supposed to help.

Philly_Q · August 2020

HandwrittenHero said:

Philly_Q said:

I forgot to ask, does it have the nylon saddles and if so, do you think they make any difference to the sound and/or tuning stability?

It does have nylon saddles yes. Supposedly they do help on stability re vibrola but I don’t have anything to A/B. Ditto re sound for difference.

The nylon saddles are quite soft though so could see why they’re supposed to help.

I was just looking at the Wildwood site and they have half a dozen '64-spec SGs in stock, all with stop tailpieces. The only difference from the '61-spec seems to be the bigger neck - and the nylon saddles.

$5,099 each though, unfortunately. Plus shipping and import fees.

stickyfiddle · August 2020

Fiiiiiiit. A3 humbuckers are perfection in an SG. Good GAS!

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

Philly_Q said:

HandwrittenHero said:

Philly_Q said:

I forgot to ask, does it have the nylon saddles and if so, do you think they make any difference to the sound and/or tuning stability?

It does have nylon saddles yes. Supposedly they do help on stability re vibrola but I don’t have anything to A/B. Ditto re sound for difference.

The nylon saddles are quite soft though so could see why they’re supposed to help.

I was just looking at the Wildwood site and they have half a dozen '64-spec SGs in stock, all with stop tailpieces. The only difference from the '61-spec seems to be the bigger neck - and the nylon saddles.
$5,099 each though, unfortunately. Plus shipping and import fees.

Yeah, that would not be a small amount of import duty either. There is a nearly new 64 on reverb and eBay. It’s been on there long enough that the seller might be a touch more open to a bigger price reduction. Otherwise it’s a wait it out for stock with Covid or other used ones (it’s a fairly new model)

Bigsby · August 2020

Lovely SG!

Glad you got the screw issue sorted. Either I read that on another forum, or someone else had the same issue of screws missing from the Maestro on a Custom Shop.

HandwrittenHero · August 2020

Bigsby said:

Lovely SG!

Glad you got the screw issue sorted. Either I read that on another forum, or someone else had the same issue of screws missing from the Maestro on a Custom Shop.

It was likely me elsewhere as well, I signed up to everything SG just to see if could get an opinion from people a bit more experienced with the guitar as an average when I had the buzz but wasn’t sure what was causing it. Then spotted it was likely due to the missing screws.

allen · August 2020

Really nice SG

I've been considering adding one of these to my collection. Are you still playing and enjoying it after the honeymoon?

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The (very) delayed NGD

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