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Entered the early 60s Vintage group and its Glorious! Clean 64 SG Junior..yes pics..

Hotshot

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Jul 25, 2017
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282
First up, Thx to the people on this forum for the help, they know who they are.

I travel a lot in my field. A few months ago I posted some pics and how I played a 64 SG Special and loved the neck.

One thing i do often is search the local classifieds where ever I am. While in Atlantic Canada I was browsing at the hotel and saw an ad for a 64 SG Junior. Not something you see everyday... It looked clean and being a Vintage Gibson Nut, it stuck with me..

I am always suspect to Craigs list or kijiji ( CDN online thing ). By the weeks end I was at an event in my home town and watched a very popular band tare it up, and a 64 SG was in doing the taring....Was this a sign...The next day I still saw the add ( though a 900 miles away ) and sent a msg. You can weed a lot of sellers based on there employs to questions. The story on the guitar checked out, and when i asked about the thick 11/16th nut, He replied with a photo if it and a Stewmac gauge on top of it... a good sign.

First thing he said was that the only non Orig thing on it is the Truss rod Cover and thats only because the owner misplaced it and will send me it when he finds it. Not to worried..

After many pics sent and questions answered, we worked out a deal and I flew back and got it. The price was very fair and I'm happy based on seeing what stuff is listed at online lately. When I finally saw it, i just knew. The neck, everything was in great shape. Theres a deep but solid crack and the bottom of the cavity. Thats it. You have to flip it on its side to see it. I was suspect about the solder joint on the one pot, as the date code isn't readable past 6.. Again, all done before he had it. Originaly the guitar in from California. He even gave me all the paperwork from that sale. Its been up here for 11years and was never gigged, so it stayed very clean. No checking, just fades n dents..

I suspect when the hit happened, force or a loose connection called for added solder.. again, no big deal..

No breaks, blacklight test was fine, everything else is in check, even the beat up but Original case.

Plugging it into my 69 Fender or JMP, the sounds are glorious. Im more of a rhythm player and its a chimy chord machine.. I cant believe how good that P90 canclean up or goes full insane. I haven't put it down.. So fun.

Brought it too a couple of my fav shops, and everyone digs this thing. Pretty hard to beat an old slab of wood and a vintage P90.

What I really like is having a piece of golden year Gibson, mid century history. It will be loved and played a lot. A perfect compliment to my 80 KM LP.


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renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
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SAWWWWWEEEEEEEET!

Is your neck sticky? I ask because mine is and the grain looks like yours.
 

Hotshot

Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
282
Very slightly. Only after playing it for a while. I noticed the same thing on one LP I have that I re fin’d. I tried sanding it a little and it helped. What I do there is a quick lighter fluid wipe and she’s good.

I suspect the “sticky” is dried human DNA. The nitro has been dry for 56 years on it and my LP since last March..

also, the seller had it nice and clean for me, and I only noticed it being sticky after 6 people and me played it for hours.
 

fernieite

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Jan 3, 2010
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609
Congrats man! I too am looking for an early SG Junior. I'd kind of like a slim necked one, perhaps a Les Paul junior (1961-63)
I don't want to buy without playing, so finding one here in Ontario would be ideal.
Again, congrats on a beautiful guitar. :peace2<strike></strike>
 

Bruce R

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Mar 2, 2007
Messages
1,029
Very nice guitar! I'd look into a modern-spaced "lightning bolt" bridge, for intonation purposes, unless you play with wound G strings. Many folks make them now and are available in aged nickel plating.

Enjoy!!
 

Hotshot

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Jul 25, 2017
Messages
282
Congrats man! I too am looking for an early SG Junior. I'd kind of like a slim necked one, perhaps a Les Paul junior (1961-63)
I don't want to buy without playing, so finding one here in Ontario would be ideal.
Again, congrats on a beautiful guitar. :peace2<strike></strike>

You may want a 65. They are a lot thinner. This neck is not thin. There’s a 65 special at 12th fret right now. Try that neck if you can get out that way.
 

fernieite

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609
Thanks for the tip. I'd like to see it.
However, I do prefer the earlier 1 11/16 nut and the Brazilian board and nickel plated hardware... I don't think any of these are guaranteed for 1965, are they?
 

slater529

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Jul 18, 2011
Messages
195
Thanks for the tip. I'd like to see it.
However, I do prefer the earlier 1 11/16 nut and the Brazilian board and nickel plated hardware... I don't think any of these are guaranteed for 1965, are they?

The changes made in '65 were gradual. I have an early '65 SG Standard and the only difference between it and a '64 is that mine has the larger headstock. Everything else is the same.
 

Hotshot

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Jul 25, 2017
Messages
282
Thanks for the tip. I'd like to see it.
However, I do prefer the earlier 1 11/16 nut and the Brazilian board and nickel plated hardware... I don't think any of these are guaranteed for 1965, are they?

That’s a little outside my knowledge bank. But I would love to know if you find out. I do know Gibson transition years are as accurate as throwing watch parts against a wall and making a watch.
 

Hotshot

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Messages
282
Thanks for the tip. I'd like to see it.
However, I do prefer the earlier 1 11/16 nut and the Brazilian board and nickel plated hardware... I don't think any of these are guaranteed for 1965, are they?

Mark from Norms has some very helpful Guitar if the Day bits on YouTube. He mentions some things
 

Progrocker111

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You may want a 65. They are a lot thinner. This neck is not thin.

Exactly, my 64 Juniors neck was very wide at the nut (certainly wider than late 60s or early 70s LP Customs) and fairly fat too, with big shoulders. 65s are much thinner, later in 65 even at nut.
 

Hotshot

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Jul 25, 2017
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Ya in 65 the nut apparently went down in size 3 times. 1 11/16th being the first Measurement and referred to as the " Wide " neck..
 

latestarter

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Ya in 65 the nut apparently went down in size 3 times. 1 11/16th being the first Measurement and referred to as the " Wide " neck..

What are these 3 step changes you mention? Neck width and profile was a semi fluid thing during this time and I've seen most variations in the 25 odd 60's Gibsons I've owned.

My '64 SG had a '59 style neck, my '63 has a massive baseball bat and is wide, my '65 is wide but flatter, the '61 I had was also like a '59 but slightly narrower nut at 1 10/16ths, my '65 SG Special has a very wide, Firebird style neck and is flatter at the nut end but massive at the 12th.....so I don't think we can say there are defined "sizes", only variations on a general trend for the years in the period.

We can say however that from mid '65, things did indeed get narrower at the nut for the majority (if not everything). But often the necks remained very rounded, and often full at the 12th.
 

guitplayer

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2,114
What are these 3 step changes you mention? Neck width and profile was a semi fluid thing during this time and I've seen most variations in the 25 odd 60's Gibsons I've owned.

My '64 SG had a '59 style neck, my '63 has a massive baseball bat and is wide, my '65 is wide but flatter, the '61 I had was also like a '59 but slightly narrower nut at 1 10/16ths, my '65 SG Special has a very wide, Firebird style neck and is flatter at the nut end but massive at the 12th.....so I don't think we can say there are defined "sizes", only variations on a general trend for the years in the period.

We can say however that from mid '65, things did indeed get narrower at the nut for the majority (if not everything). But often the necks remained very rounded, and often full at the 12th.

I can say I concur with all this...
 

Hotshot

Member
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Jul 25, 2017
Messages
282
What are these 3 step changes you mention? Neck width and profile was a semi fluid thing during this time and I've seen most variations in the 25 odd 60's Gibsons I've owned.

My '64 SG had a '59 style neck, my '63 has a massive baseball bat and is wide, my '65 is wide but flatter, the '61 I had was also like a '59 but slightly narrower nut at 1 10/16ths, my '65 SG Special has a very wide, Firebird style neck and is flatter at the nut end but massive at the 12th.....so I don't think we can say there are defined "sizes", only variations on a general trend for the years in the period.

We can say however that from mid '65, things did indeed get narrower at the nut for the majority (if not everything). But often the necks remained very rounded, and often full at the 12th.

Guys...

I said “apparently”. On all the knowledge I gathered ( online and from old catalogs ) I was able find that nut width dropped 3 sizes after somewhere in 65. Not Jan 1 but some time in 65. 1-11/16 was the widest then two more recorded sizes shorter. That’s all I meant. I stopped concerning myself with it as what I prefer was 11/16th width. Again, I’m talking but with here. That’s it. That’s what I meant by neck.

I personaly hated SGs until one day I played a 64. I loved it. So when I tried telling people about it, they said “ya 11/16”... so I measured the or I bought and wouldn’t you know it 11/16th. Then, I saw it written in the 63-64 Catalogs
 

guitplayer

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From what I can tell the size difference in 65 happened around 5XXXXX.
But there may be some 360XXX out there with 1 9/16.
 

Hotshot

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Ya the numbering is all over the place. My 64 is 171xxx and then I’ve seen 2xxxxx.. then there’s the 3s.

So, it’s 1 11/16ths then call it late 64 early 65 it’s 1 5/8s and the 1 9/16ths. That’s what I can gather.
 

latestarter

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Guys...

I said “apparently”. On all the knowledge I gathered ( online and from old catalogs ) I was able find that nut width dropped 3 sizes after somewhere in 65. Not Jan 1 but some time in 65. 1-11/16 was the widest then two more recorded sizes shorter. That’s all I meant. I stopped concerning myself with it as what I prefer was 11/16th width. Again, I’m talking but with here. That’s it. That’s what I meant by neck.

I personaly hated SGs until one day I played a 64. I loved it. So when I tried telling people about it, they said “ya 11/16”... so I measured the or I bought and wouldn’t you know it 11/16th. Then, I saw it written in the 63-64 Catalogs


They’re great guitars, and congrats. I’m not having a go at you. I’m pointing out to those interested that things were inconsistent. Especially the point that the nut width of 1 5/8ths isn’t confined to this “second step” of changes in 1965. As mentioned, this size occasionally appeared earlier. Maybe the sanding guy got carried away? Who knows? We have in NZ an early ‘64 Special that came from Olivia’s Vintage that has between a 1 9/16 and 1 5/8 nut width. It’s kind of important, and why I am slightly laboring the point, because I’ve seen guys throw money at a guitar due to the year “guaranteeing” a nut width. The only way is to have it measured, properly. Something I believe you sensibly did when applying due diligence for your purchase.

Back to your cool Jr. The best playing one I ever had was a ‘64. I refretted it early on and put a MojoAxe bridge on it for intonation. It had a Lollar P90 when I got it and to be honest, it sounded as good as any other P90 from that era I have played. The weight of that thing, the way it vibrated. Amazing neck....which was, case in point, 1 5/8ths wide at the nut.
 

Hotshot

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Jul 25, 2017
Messages
282
They’re great guitars, and congrats. I’m not having a go at you. I’m pointing out to those interested that things were inconsistent. Especially the point that the nut width of 1 5/8ths isn’t confined to this “second step” of changes in 1965. As mentioned, this size occasionally appeared earlier. Maybe the sanding guy got carried away? Who knows? We have in NZ an early ‘64 Special that came from Olivia’s Vintage that has between a 1 9/16 and 1 5/8 nut width. It’s kind of important, and why I am slightly laboring the point, because I’ve seen guys throw money at a guitar due to the year “guaranteeing” a nut width. The only way is to have it measured, properly. Something I believe you sensibly did when applying due diligence for your purchase.

Back to your cool Jr. The best playing one I ever had was a ‘64. I refretted it early on and put a MojoAxe bridge on it for intonation. It had a Lollar P90 when I got it and to be honest, it sounded as good as any other P90 from that era I have played. The weight of that thing, the way it vibrated. Amazing neck....which was, case in point, 1 5/8ths wide at the nut.

No worries, didn’t take it that way. I come here to learn so have at it. That’s good stuff to know. Just wanted to show where I was coming from.

Im pissed I can’t see my pot codes (it’s a 6 for sure), but at the same time, it’s so awesome that I like it the way it is. Kinda don’t wanna pull it apart. It’s a truly in too good shape that I wouldn’t gig with it out in public. I thought it was player grade on the price... then again, what online/brick stores list for and what they sell for are different matters.
 
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