The ongoing salvation of a 70's Gibson SG...

imalrightjack

My first gig, at 16, in November 1992 using my dad’s friends 1974 Gibson SG:

It was a world away from my Aria Pro II MG. It sounded lovely and warm, although the G was out of tune for the majority of the gig...I have it on VHS somewhere, the set list including all-sorts from Queen to Megadeth. 

Fast-forward to November 2017:

“So, yesterday, I decided to go for a walk around the back of the village I live, little rural roads, secluded and quiet. Quite common for me on a day off. Cold, bracing, lovely. Already buzzing from a nice time with my girlfriend.

Car drove past, ah, it's my dad's old mate Joe. Big wave, he pulled up. Talked guitars. I borrowed his '74 SG in 1992 for my first proper gig, the 25th anniversary of which just passed within the last fortnight (I still have it on VHS!). 

Last time I saw the guitar, it was on the concrete floor of an outhouse, headstock snapped off. I berated him and told him it was criminal. He's since had it repaired but still when I went round to his to have a look, it was very dirty, loosely strung, no bridge, pots knackered. Again, I had to let him know that this just wasn't good enough!  

I asked him how much he would want if he chose to sell it.  As he knows my history with the guitar and how much I loved it, he has remarkably decided that if I were to be the owner it would make him very happy to know it has gone to a good home.  So it's now mine to hopefully restore to as close as possible to its former glory.”

I never found out who did the repair. Perhaps for the best!

Pics are post-cleanup:

     

Later that year, @OilCityPickups covered the yellow bobbins and @SteveRobinson did a full setup and rewired it:

Following the work, it played well, sounded great. But the U-style neck never sat right with me. I’d play it occasionally but I didn’t like the worn lacquered neck and it never fully intonated correctly. And fast-forward to this year and my girlfriend has been my wife for nearly two years. Having had HJ Williams build me a couple of guitars, I asked if we would build me a new neck. So, he commenced:

This is the disaster zone that was the original ‘repair’ job after Haydn chipped away the car filler and whatever other crap was used to hold it together:

I’m pleased to say, Haydn has managed to salvage (edit!) the fretboard. It will be re-refretted (perhaps obvious from the next pic!). The new neck he has begun to carve is yet to be glued and is made of wenge and will be oiled (I’m a total rosewood fanboy and wanted something similar):

   

Despite the Gibson heritage, it will no longer be a Gibson. So I’m not opting for decals and have asked Haydn to do an abalone inlay of the following, which is Sanskrit for breathe (I’m a bit of a meditation nerd and has personal meaning - I also considered an HP Lovecraft Elder Sign!):

        

UPDATES:

 

Finish work.  Original tuners changed to Gotoh locking, 2.5mm fret-wire and radius re-shaped to a conical 10 to 14.


And listen to it in use here (rough and ready!): https://voca.ro/eAwOBSJ5iJy

LPManic

Great story. Keep us updated.

lovestrat74

Love it  

tony99

yes love that! great story, although I'm sure hayden salvaged the fretboard rather than savaged it

I preferred the uncovered pick ups though, personal preference I guess

would love to know more about the 1992 set list too, think I was still into house and techno then haha

imalrightjack

tony99 said:

would love to know more about the 1992 set list too, think I was still into house and techno then haha

Christ. From memory:

Nirvana - In Bloom
L7 - Pretend We’re Dead
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Queen - Stone Cold Crazy

Guns ‘N’ Roses version of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Megadeth - Skin Of My Teeth

Struggling a bit behind that! I’m glad to say, I don’t have a VHS player!

LastMantra

That's cool! 

roberty

Awesome well worth the effort for something with sentimental value like this. Can't you reuse the veneer from the old headstock?

That repair gave me a panic attack

fastonebaz

It's Trigger's broom  :-)

tony99

imalrightjack said:

tony99 said:

would love to know more about the 1992 set list too, think I was still into house and techno then haha

Christ. From memory:

Nirvana - In Bloom
L7 - Pretend We’re Dead
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Queen - Stone Cold Crazy

Guns ‘N’ Roses version of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Megadeth - Skin Of My Teeth

Struggling a bit behind that! I’m glad to say, I don’t have a VHS player!

knockin on heavens door must've been the slowie, all the 90s kids having a neck haha

imalrightjack

roberty said:

Awesome well worth the effort for something with sentimental value like this. Can't you reuse the veneer from the old headstock?

That repair gave me a panic attack

It’s a shocker. 

I asked him to do a matching ebony veneer. The headstock looked so crap, because of whatever glues and things had been smeared on it, that I presumed it wouldn’t scrub up. I should ask for d old headstock though!

roberty

imalrightjack said:

roberty said:

Awesome well worth the effort for something with sentimental value like this. Can't you reuse the veneer from the old headstock?

That repair gave me a panic attack

It’s a shocker. 

I asked him to do a matching ebony veneer. The headstock looked so crap, because of whatever glues and things had been smeared on it, that I presumed it wouldn’t scrub up. I should ask for d old headstock though!

Yes you can hang it on the wall as a warning to the others :-) 

DulcetJones

Great story and beautiful guitar.  

Moominpapa

Jebus, that original neck repair looked like one of those car accidents that leave hardened traffic officers crying on the kerb. Great to see you bring this SG back to life.

Philly_Q

I'm impressed by how cleanly the old neck came out.  But the headstock repair looks like it's been in a fire!

imalrightjack

@Moominpapa The repair reminds me of this:

@philly_q, I think that’s why the likes of @Deijavoo describe Haydn as a genius!

Deijavoo

He really is one clever dude. Absolutely lovely chap too.

Deijavoo

Nice tee by the way.  Where was that?

imalrightjack

Deijavoo said:

Nice tee by the way.  Where was that?

Monroes, Workington. Oh, so long ago!

Switch625

Great story and pics. I have a VHS/DVD recorder. If you’re interested in converting your gig video to DVD I’d be happy to do it. Drop me a PM. 

imalrightjack

Thanks, @switch625 I think I’d be too embarrassed to let anybody else see it. If I recall correctly, it has my first gig (few months before) in a school field where I sing Metallica, etc. very badly. But it has the bonus of In Bed With Chris Needham on there. 

imalrightjack

It’s definitely not a Gibson anymore...