SG

The SG models were, needless to say, Samick's Gibson SG style offerings.

Despite featuring a small pickguard like early 1960s SG models, the rest of the features are closer to late 1960s SGs; a thicker heel, slim neck profile, shallower bevels, chrome hardware and a dark Wine Red finish (on later models).

SG-450

1989-1994

Body:

Beveled, solid Alder body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck
Slim profile
Medium-long tenon
Rosewood fretboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Deluxe headstock
Mother of Pearl holly and Wave logo inlays (1989-1995)
Mother of Pearl "S-Diamond" inlay (International models)
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale
1 5/8" nut width

Binding:

Single-ply, neck

Electronics:

Two ceramic humbuckers (covered)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
Gotoh tulip style tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover (1989-1991)
Pointed bell shaped truss rod cover (1992-1993)
Headstock-matching truss rod cover (1994)
Black Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Cherry (CH)
Black (BK)

SG-450 (Artist Series)

1995-2001

Body:

Beveled, solid Alder body (1995-1996)
Beveled, solid Nato body (1996-2001)
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck
Slim profile
Medium-long tenon
Rosewood fretboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Deluxe headstock
Silk-screened Artist logo
Silk-screened Artist logo V2 (1997-2001)
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale
1 5/8" nut width

Binding:

Single-ply, neck

Electronics:

Two ceramic humbuckers (~8K Ohms D.C.)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
Gotoh tulip style tuning machines
Headstock-matching truss rod cover
Black Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Cherry (CH)
Wine Red (WR)
Metallic White w/ color-matched headstock (MWH)
Black (BK)

Also branded as:

JB Player JBP Artist
Silvertone SSG
Vantage VG-405

SG-612 (Artist Series)

The SG-612 had a different body shape from the SG-450, coincidentally more like it's successor, the Signature Series Torino.

2000-2001

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato necks
One six-string, one twelve-string
Slim profiles
Medium-long tenons
Rosewood fretboards with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Deluxe headstocks
Ornate Artist logo silk-screens
14^oheadstock pitch
20 frets (each)
24.75" scale

Binding:

Single-ply, necks

Electronics:

Four ceramic humbuckers
3-way neck switch
Two 3-way pickup switches
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
Headstock-matching truss rod covers
Black Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridges with stopbar tailpieces

Finishes:

Wine Red (WR)

SG (Japanese Market)

Renamed SG-7 in 1990.

1987-1991
¥38,000 Yen (1988 MSRP)
¥40,000 Yen (1990 MSRP)

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck w/ scarf joint
Slim profile
Medium-long tenon
Rosewood fretboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Open Book headstock
Mother of Pearl Holly inlay
Mother of Pearl Script logo inlay (Version 1)
Silk-screened Script logo (Version 2)
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale

Binding:

Single-ply, neck

Electronics:

Two ceramic humbuckers (covered)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
Gotoh tulip style tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Black Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Black (B)
White (W)
Cherry (CH)

Also branded as:

Diamond (by Aria) ASG-42

SG-1P (Japanese Market)

1989-1991
¥36,000 Yen (1989 MSRP)
¥40,000 Yen (1990 MSRP)

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck
Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays
Open Book headstock
Silk-screened Script logo
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale

Electronics:

One "Dog Ear" P-90
1 Vol, 1 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Black Speed knobs
Wraparound bridge/tailpiece

Finishes:

Cherry (CH)
White (W)

Also branded as:

Diamond (by Aria) Beat Master

SG-2 (Japanese Market)

Because the neck on the SG-2 is bolted on, it was set further into the body, pushing the neck pickup and the tailpiece further inward, while the bridge pickup was not moved (likely because it would require a new pickguard design, for a budget model). This unique arrangement results in the bridge pickup sounding more like a middle pickup would in a 3-pickup arrangement.

1987-1988

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Bolt-on Nato neck w/ scarf joint
Rosewood fretboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Open Book headstock
Mother of Pearl Holly inlay
Mother of Pearl Script logo inlay (Version 1)
Silk-screened Script logo (Version 2)
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale

Binding:

Single-ply fretboard

Electronics:

Two ceramic humbuckers (covered)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Black Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Cherry (CH)
Black (B)
White (W)

SG-2H (Japanese Market)

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck w/ scarf joint
Slim profile
Medium-long tenon
Rosewood fretboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Open Book headstock
Mother of Pearl Holly inlay
Mother of Pearl Script logo inlay (Version 1)
Silk-screened Script logo (Version 2)
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale

Binding:

Single-ply fretboard

Electronics:

Three ceramic humbuckers (covered)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Gold hardware
16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Gold Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Black (B)

SG-3P (Japanese Market)

¥45,000 Yen (1990 MSRP)

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck w/ scarf joint
Slim profile
Medium-long tenon
Rosewood fretboard with acrylic trapezoid inlays
Open Book headstock
Mother of Pearl Holly inlay
Mother of Pearl Script logo inlay (Version 1)
Silk-screened Script logo (Version 2)
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale

Binding:

Single-ply fretboard

Electronics:

Three ceramic humbuckers (covered)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Gold hardware
16:1 ratio lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Black Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Black (B)
White (W)
Cherry (CH)

Meriken SGB (Japanese Market)

Also branded as Samick.

1989-1991
¥45,000 Yen (1990 MSRP)

Body:

Beveled, solid Nato body
Belly carve
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck w/ scarf joint
Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays
Open Book headstock
Silk-screened Meriken logo
Silk-screened Script logo
14^oheadstock pitch
21 frets
34" scale

Electronics:

One EB-style humbucker, one EB-style single coil
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
Lubricated, die-cast tuning machines
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Black Witch Hat knobs
Individually adjustable bridge

Finishes:

Cherry (CH)

Vantage VG-405

1996-1998
$509.95 MSRP (1997)

Body:

Beveled, solid Alder body
Thin Polyurethane finish

Neck:

Set-in Nato neck
Slim profile
Medium-long tenon
Rosewood fretboard w/ acrylic trapezoid inlays
Vantage headstock
Silk-screened Vantage logos
14^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24.75" scale

Binding:

Single-ply fretboard

Electronics:

Two ceramic humbuckers (covered)
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone

Hardware:

Chrome hardware
Gotoh tulip style tuning machines
Deluxe headstock-matching truss rod cover
Black "notched" Speed knobs
Tune-O-Matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece

Finishes:

Cherry (CH)

SG

Contents

SG-450

SG-450 (Artist Series)

SG-612 (Artist Series)

SG (Japanese Market)

SG-1P (Japanese Market)

SG-2 (Japanese Market)

SG-2H (Japanese Market)

SG-3P (Japanese Market)

Meriken SGB (Japanese Market)

Vantage VG-405

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