The Gibson SG Special Faded was born from a variety of small changes made to Gibson instruments over the course of 50-plus years. The SG Special evolved from the Les Paul Special in the early '60s, and was meant to be a less expensive, stripped-down version of the SG Standard for no-frills players. The SG Special Faded, released in 2002 and still in production today, implemented another cost-reducing measure: the use of a light satin finish. Those digging the SG body shape but who don't need unnecessary bells and whistles may want to take a look at the Gibson SG Special Faded.