What do you think?
Rate this book
The SG Guitar Book: 50 Years of Gibson's Stylish Solid Guitar
To many vintage guitar fans, it seems inconceivable that Gibson dumped the Sunburst Les Paul in 1960 and, during the following year, introduced a completely new design, the one that we know now as the SG (“solid guitar”).
At the time, however, it made good business sense. Sales of the Les Paul were faltering, and Gibson decided to blow a breath of fresh air through its solidbody electric guitar line. The company described the result as an “ultra-thin, hand-contoured, double-cutaway body.” The modernistic amalgam of bevels and points and angles was a radical departure, and this new book tells the story of all the SG models that the Junior, Special, Standard, Custom, and more.
There are interviews with and stories about Gibson personnel through the years, and all the major SG players, including Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton, Angus Young, George Harrison, Gary Rossington, Tony Iommi, and Derek Trucks.
In the tradition of Tony Bacon's bestselling series of guitar books, The SG Guitar Book is three great volumes in one a collection of drool-worthy pictures of the coolest guitars; a gripping story from the earliest prototypes to the latest exploits; and a detailed collector's database of every production SG model ever made.
At the time, however, it made good business sense. Sales of the Les Paul were faltering, and Gibson decided to blow a breath of fresh air through its solidbody electric guitar line. The company described the result as an “ultra-thin, hand-contoured, double-cutaway body.” The modernistic amalgam of bevels and points and angles was a radical departure, and this new book tells the story of all the SG models that the Junior, Special, Standard, Custom, and more.
There are interviews with and stories about Gibson personnel through the years, and all the major SG players, including Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton, Angus Young, George Harrison, Gary Rossington, Tony Iommi, and Derek Trucks.
In the tradition of Tony Bacon's bestselling series of guitar books, The SG Guitar Book is three great volumes in one a collection of drool-worthy pictures of the coolest guitars; a gripping story from the earliest prototypes to the latest exploits; and a detailed collector's database of every production SG model ever made.
136 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2015
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 6, 2025
I own a couple of SGs, so I was excited to read this book. It has a detailed history of the SG, including references to every model up to 2015 (year of publication) and most of the famous SG players. Plus there are copious full-color spreads throughout the book showing off every kind of SG you can imagine.
I greatly enjoyed learning about this classic guitar style, and I'll definitely be thumbing through the book again at regular intervals.
I greatly enjoyed learning about this classic guitar style, and I'll definitely be thumbing through the book again at regular intervals.
Displaying 1 of 1 review