Gibson SG Standard 61 Faded: classic mahogany double-cut with SlimTaper neck, 60s BurstBuckers, vintage hardware, faded nitro finish, and full case-true early-60s SG vibe.
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Don’t sell your soul to a creditor to get the gear you need. At AMS, we want to lower the barriers to create. That’s why we offer in-house 0% financing, and you don’t even have to open a new line of credit! Spread out payments on your credit card to simplify financing and avoid hefty late fees or service charges. Cost shouldn’t interfere with your creativity.
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The SG Standard ’61 Faded revives the essential design elements that made the SG an undisputed icon, blending the warmth of a vintage classic with the reliable performance of a modern masterpiece. It’s like having a trusted stage companion straight out of the case — without the decades of wear and tear or the vintage price tag.
You get the raw, aggressive edge of historically accurate humbuckers and the smooth playability that lead guitarists crave, offering a creative playground designed to inspire relentless riffing.
A Profile That Commands Attention
While some guitars strive for flashy perfection, the SG Standard ’61 Faded strives for pure, unadulterated character. Finished in a faded nitrocellulose lacquer, it mimics the subtle imperfections of a well-loved instrument to make your playing experience feel organic, not sterile. It’s like strapping on a piece of rock history that breathes with every strum.
Faded Nitrocellulose Finish: Forget glossy, sticky finishes; this thin lacquer breathes with the mahogany wood, delivering a warm, broken-in tactile feel that sits comfortably against your body from the very first chord.
Solid Mahogany Construction: Command thick, complex tones with a deeply contoured, double-cutaway body that remains surprisingly lightweight, saving your shoulders during marathon gigs and long studio sessions.
Classic Teardrop Pickguard: Sculpt your aesthetic with a vintage-correct 5-ply teardrop pickguard that highlights the iconic twin horns, paying proud homage to the early days of loud, rebellious rock and roll.
Playability That Moves You
Stiff necks are uninspiring. The ’61 Faded changes that with versatile playability to ignite your fretboard acrobatics. With a fast SlimTaper profile and a brilliantly designed neck joint, it transforms simple scales into dynamic, soaring solos. It’s accessible enough for rhythm players to lay down thick grooves, yet fast enough to craft a blistering lead effortlessly.
SlimTaper Mahogany Neck: Carved for speed and supreme comfort, this neck profile lets your hand glide freely, turning complex chord changes into smooth, effortless transitions.
Unhindered Fret Access: Split your leads across the entire board thanks to the neck joint set perfectly at the 22nd fret, allowing you to hit those soaring high notes without bumping your hand against a bulky heel.
Bound Rosewood Fretboard: Featuring a 12-inch radius and 22 medium jumbo frets, this board offers a natural feel for open chords while ensuring your high-register bends ring out cleanly without fretting out.
Tone That Cuts Through the Mix
Let's be real: tone is king. This axe sings, screams, and soars, armed with historically accurate humbuckers and premium, hand-wired electronics. It's a sonic time machine that carves its own space in any modern soundscape. The controls are buttery smooth, giving you a dynamic range that goes from a whisper to a stadium-shaking roar in a heartbeat. Dig in for a satisfying bite, or roll back the volume for sweet, articulate cleans.
60s BurstBucker Pickups: Built with Alnico 5 magnets and unbalanced coils, these humbuckers produce an open, harmonically rich voice that bites beautifully when pushed into overdrive.
Premium Hand-Wired Electronics: Dial in your exact sound using audio taper potentiometers and authentic Orange Drop capacitors, offering a musical, sweeping range of tonal shaping that responds to your every touch.
Rock-Solid Hardware: Keep your tuning strictly in check with a reliable ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge, aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece, and Vintage Deluxe tuners, ensuring every note strikes with absolute precision.
More Than Just a Guitar
The Gibson SG Standard ’61 Faded is what happens when you focus purely on soul, sound, and swagger. It captures the spirit of the classics while offering the road-ready reliability of a modern workhorse. It’s an electric guitar for players who want to explore the gritty, expressive limits of rock, blues, and beyond without ever looking back.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Gibson SG Standard ‘61 Faded
What makes the Gibson SG Standard ‘61 Faded different from the regular SG Standard?
The '61 Faded model specifically replicates the early 1961 design specifications, including a SlimTaper neck profile, a smaller 5-ply teardrop pickguard, and 60s BurstBucker pickups. Additionally, the "Faded" designation means it features a thinner, satin-like nitrocellulose lacquer finish instead of a high-gloss finish, giving it a vintage, broken-in look.
What kind of pickups are in the SG Standard ‘61 Faded?
This guitar is equipped with Gibson's 60s BurstBucker humbuckers. They’re designed with historically accurate unbalanced coils and Alnico 5 magnets to accurately reproduce the open, airy, and harmonically rich tones of early Patent Applied For (PAF) pickups.
Does the Gibson SG Standard ‘61 Faded come with a case?
Yes. The Gibson SG Standard '61 Faded includes a high-quality Gibson hardshell case to ensure the instrument is fully protected during storage and transit.
Is the SG Standard ‘61 Faded good for lead guitar players?
Absolutely. The SG design is famous for its playability, specifically due to the neck joint meeting the body at the 22nd fret. This allows for entirely unhindered access to the highest registers of the fretboard, making it a favorite among lead guitarists across multiple genres.
How does the faded nitrocellulose finish affect the guitar?
The faded nitrocellulose finish is thinner than modern polyurethane or high-gloss nitro finishes. This allows the mahogany wood to resonate more freely, enhancing the instrument's sustain and acoustic volume. It also provides a smooth, non-sticky tactile feel on the back of the neck for faster playing.
Gibson SG Standard ’61 Faded Features:
Solid mahogany body featuring the instantly recognizable double-cutaway SG outline
Faded nitrocellulose lacquer finish for a warm, vintage-inspired, broken-in feel
Mahogany neck carved to a fast, highly comfortable SlimTaper profile
Bound rosewood fretboard with a 12-inch radius and classic acrylic trapezoid inlays
22 medium jumbo frets with an unhindered neck joint at the 22nd fret for supreme lead access
