What SG is this?

[murrayscot]

I have an SG which I believed to be dated from 1970/71, but can't confirm this. I know Gibson serial numbers are pretty unreliable from this time, but for what it's worth the number is 687171. The guitar has dot inlays from the first fret up, controls mounted on a half moon shaped black plate (2 vol, 2 tone and a selector switch), 2 pickups with black Gibson engraved plastic covers, no tremolo and is red in colour. Any help or advice as to where to look would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Spud1950]

As to the serial number, here's info from the Vintage Guitars Info site.

Gibson Serial Numbers, early to mid 1970's.
All models, stamped in back top of headstock. "MADE IN U.S.A." stamped below the serial number in back top of peghead, in the same size type, and on two lines with "U.S.A." below the "MADE IN":
Number Year
------ ----
6 digits + A 1970
000000's 1973
100000's 1970-1975
200000's 1973-1975
300000's 1974-1975
400000's 1974-1975
500000's 1974-1975
600000's 1970-1972, 1974-1975
700000's 1970-1972
800000's 1973-1975
900000's 1970-1972
A + 6 digits 1973-1975
B + 6 digits 1974-1975
C + 6 digits 1974-1975
D + 6 digits 1974-1975
E + 6 digits 1974-1975
F + 6 digits 1974-1975

[murrayscot]

This is really beginning to bug me now! I've checked the everything SG page and can't find a guitar with the same configuration. The Gibson serial number site tells me it is from 1970, 71 or 72, but I have scoured the web to try and find images of the guitar without success. I badly need someone to restore my sanity!

[Spud1950]

This is a most mysterious model. I've checked all the VintAxe collection catalogs of that time period and it isn't in any of them. Same for the Everything SG site catalog collection. Also no luck with a Google image search. I have a feeling that it might have been a limited run model that never made it into a catalog. The control plate shape, the Gibson logo P90 pickups and that style bridge are are definitly from that 1970s time period. Hard to tell from your pictures,but is there any indication that the guitar originally had a pick guard? Any screw holes where it would have been mounted? What I would do is join the forum on the Everything SG site as there are probably some people there with a lot more expert SG knowledge.

[murrayscot]

Thanks to an eagle eyed viewer of the pics I pisted on everything SG, I'm told this is a modified SG Pro. The holes where the tremolo was have been filled in, the stopped tailpiece and new bridge added, and the guitar refinished. No doubt this seriously reduces the value to a collector, but now I know what I have, and I wouldn't sell it as it's a great guitar to play and it complements the EB3 1970/1 bass with the slotetd headstock I managed to aquire some time ago. Thanks to everyone who pondered over the puzzle.

[Spud1950]

Ok,a modded Pro. Actually,the bridge looks to be original. Here's one that's identified as a 1971.



Edit- Just went back and checked the 1972 catalog on the Everything SG site. The Pro has the same bridge.