Gibson USA SG Standard '61 Faded Vintage Cherry Satin Modern

The Essentials to Know About the Gibson SG Standard '61 Faded Guitar

• "Played vintage" look thanks to the Faded nitrocellulose finish: natural feel, warm aesthetics, and immediate patina.


• Two 60s Burstbucker humbuckers (Alnico 5 magnets, deliberately unbalanced windings): clarity, harmonic richness, and expressive grain in overdrive.


• SlimTaper neck + rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets: fast playing, modern comfort, easy access to the high frets thanks to the neck joint at the 22nd fret.


• Nickel hardware ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic + aluminum Stop Bar: precise attack, sustain, and an "old school" feel true to early 60s SGs.

An SG in the Spirit of 1961: The Birth of an Icon, Reinterpreted in Faded Version

In 1961, Gibson introduced a new solidbody design destined to become legendary: the SG, standing for "solid guitar." The SG Standard '61 Faded adopts the aesthetic and ergonomic codes of the early 60s SGs: instantly recognizable double cutaway silhouette, pointed horns, refined contours, and a 5-ply "teardrop" pickguard (classic style, rather than the large "batwing" pickguard of later versions). The addition of the Faded nitrocellulose finish enhances the impression of a well-broken-in instrument, ready to play, with a more direct feel and a naturally "road-ready" look.

Who It's For, Which Styles, and Why It's So Easy to Adopt

This SG is aimed at intermediate to expert guitarists who want an electric guitar that is both lively, comfortable, and characterful, without compromising on craftsmanship. Its SlimTaper neck promotes fast transitions, blues-rock riffs, and rock lead phrasing, while the neck joint designed for high fret access makes the SG a natural ally for solos. Style-wise, it excels in rock, hard rock, blues, garage, punk, and any genre where an expressive humbucker is sought, capable of moving from spacious clean tones to singing distortion.

The Sound

The tonal foundation comes from the mahogany body + mahogany neck duo, a combination renowned for its midrange density, sustain, and warm response. On this base, the 60s Burstbuckers provide a signature inspired by the first "PAF" humbuckers: unbalanced coils that offer more air, definition, and harmonics than a very "uniform" humbucker. The neck pickup delivers round and articulate tones, perfect for blues, thick rhythms, or smooth leads. The bridge pickup offers a sharper attack and bite ideal for riffs and solos that need to cut through the mix.

The electronics are designed for musical use: 2 volumes + 2 tones (one pair per pickup), with audio taper potentiometers and vintage-style wiring featuring Orange Drop capacitors. The result: you can finely shape your tone, switch from dynamic crunch to a thicker lead, or clean up distortion with the volume without losing the sound's personality. The ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic and aluminum Stop Bar combo contributes to attack precision and a very "direct" response, typical of Gibson rock-oriented guitars.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To complete your SG Standard '61 Faded, you can confidently pair it with universal electric guitar accessories: a strap (standard size), a 6.35 mm jack cable, a tuner (clip-on or pedal), a stable guitar stand, and picks suited to your playing style. For transport, the instrument comes with a hard shell case included.

Technical specifications

Electronics: microphone configuration	HH	Body	Mahogany
Category	Double cut	Bridge / tailpiece	Fixed
Left handed	No	Electronics	Passive
Strings	Steel	Color	Red
Nbr of strings	6	Finishing	Satin
Fingerboard	Rosewood	Hardware	Nickel
Nbrs of frets	22

Shape	SG 61	Bridge	ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Wood	mahogany	Tailpiece	aluminum Stop Bar
Binding	none	Tuners	Vintage Deluxe with Keystone buttons
Profile	SlimTaper	Knobs	Black Top Hat with silver reflector
Nut width	43.053 mm / 1.695"	Hardware finish	nickel
Scale length	628.65 mm / 24.75"	Neck pickup	60s Burstbucker
Radius	304.8 mm / 12"	Bridge pickup	60s Burstbucker
Number of frets	22	Controls	2 volumes, 2 tones, hand-wired with Orange Drop capacitors
Fret type	medium jumbo	Pickguard	5-ply "teardrop"
Nut	Graph Tech	Finish	Faded nitrocellulose lacquer
Inlays	acrylic trapezoids	Case	hard shell case