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Vintage SGs, are there different bridge pickup positions?

hogy

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2005
Messages
715
I recently got a chance to revisit a '63 SG Standard that I sold ten years ago. That guitar was always pretty bright on the bridge pickup. This time around I noticed that the bridge pickup on that guitar is so close to the bridge that the treble side thumb wheel almost touches the pickup frame.

Then I looked at a thicker sounding '61 SG, and it's bridge pickup is noticeably further away from the bridge by at least 1/4"

I never paid any attention to this in the past, is this something that's been discussed. Random variation?

Both guitars I looked at were unquestionably original.
 

Cream Fan

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Messages
2,695
They had no CNC machines back then. All the bodies were cut and routed by hand using proprietary jigs, which if not placed precisely from one body to the next will result in variances—some subtle and some not. For example, the bridge pickup on my '61 SG/LP is actually slightly crooked. Probably a Monday morning guitar...or would that be a Friday afternoon guitar? In any event, you're undoubtedly right about the originality of those guitars.
 

ScumbackSpeakers

Active member
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Messages
247
I saw a 61 ES-335 last week who's ABR-1 was set too far back to intonate properly. A luthier had
to move the bridge forward at the treble side for 10-46 to sound right. Good thing the thumb wheels
cover the touch up nicely, but I guess it had no angle before the fix.
 

Guitar Whiskey

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
2,757
I had a '65 ES335 that had the bridge pickup on an angle. Quite noticeabe visually. Anything is possible at Gibson.
 
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