Gibson Custom Shop 60th Anniversary 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Reissue — Sideways Vibrola | Serial #108271 | Excellent Condition | Full Documentation

The Instrument

This is a Gibson Custom Shop 60th Anniversary 1961 Les Paul SG Standard with Sideways Vibrola, serial number 108271, hand-crafted by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee — as confirmed by the instrument's official Certificate of Authenticity presented in its embossed book-style case. This is not a standard production SG. It is a limited anniversary commemorative instrument, built to the highest standards the Custom Shop produces, released to mark the 60th year of one of the most historically significant guitar designs ever created.

The Finish

The cherry finish on this instrument is, simply stated, flawless. It is the deep, translucent, high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer cherry red that defined the original 1961 design — a color simultaneously vibrant and rich, warm under direct light and almost wine-dark in shadow. The mahogany grain is visible through it with exceptional clarity, giving the body a living, dimensional quality that a solid opaque finish could never achieve. Both front and back are free of checking, dings, chips, or playwear. The SG's signature double-cutaway silhouette — with its swept, pointed horns — frames the finish dramatically, and the chrome hardware against that deep cherry red is a visual combination that has never been improved upon in six decades of production.

The hardware deserves equal notice. The chrome Sideways Vibrola — the period-correct tremolo unit that makes this anniversary model immediately identifiable — is pristine. Not a mark, not a scratch. The chrome ABR-1 bridge, pickguard hardware, tuner buttons, and control knobs are equally unmarked. This is an instrument that has been stored and handled with exceptional care.

Historical Significance

The Certificate of Authenticity states it precisely: 1961 brought some of the most consequential changes in Gibson's history — a sleek, all-new double-cutaway all-mahogany body design that would later be renamed the SG. This was the body Angus Young built a career on. It was the guitar Tony Iommi used to define heavy metal. The 1961 SG Standard with Sideways Vibrola is the purest, most historically complete expression of that design — the original hardware configuration before Gibson revised the vibrato system later in the decade.

60th Anniversary Build Quality

Gibson Custom Shop anniversary runs are distinguished from standard Historic production in meaningful ways. Wood selection, hardware sourcing, and build inspection standards are elevated for commemorative instruments. This guitar reflects that commitment throughout — the mahogany body and neck are resonant and light, the neck joint is clean and secure, and the fit and finish across every surface meet the exacting standards expected of a Custom Shop commemorative release.

Specifications

Feature Specifications:

Model: 60th Anniversary 1961 Les Paul SG Standard

Serial: 108271

Builder: Gibson Custom Shop, Nashville, TN

Body: All-mahogany, double-cutaway

Finish: High-gloss nitrocellulose cherry

Neck: Mahogany, set

Fingerboard: Rosewood, boundInlaysLarge trapezoid, pearloid

Headstock: "Les Paul" script with diamond/arrow inlay

Tuners: Kluson-style, period-correct, cream buttons

Pickups: Two humbuckers, nickel covers

Pickguard: Black, period-correct large SG guard

Bridge: ABR-1, chrome

Tailpiece: Sideways Vibrola, chrome

Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way toggle

Hardware finish: Chrome throughout

Condition

Near mint. The nitrocellulose finish is without meaningful wear on body, neck, or headstock. One small blemish on the bottom of the guitar. Frets show no appreciable play wear. The rosewood fingerboard is clean. The guitar has been "PLEKed" for perfectly level and crowned frets. No cracks, repairs, or modifications are present anywhere on the instrument. The Sideways Vibrola and all chrome hardware are fully intact and unmarked.

Case & Documentation

Includes the original Gibson Custom Shop brown hardshell case with red plush interior, the embossed book-style Certificate of Authenticity (serial #108271, model: 60th Anniversary 1961 Les Paul SG Standard with Sideways Vibrola), Gibson Gold Warranty card, original hang tag, "A Solid For 60" commemorative accessory, and additional case candy as photographed. Complete and correct in every detail.

Summary

A 60th Anniversary Custom Shop instrument is a significant piece of Gibson history — limited in production, elevated in build standard, and tied to one of the most celebrated guitar designs of the 20th century. This example is in exceptional condition, with a cherry finish and chrome hardware that present as close to new as a played instrument can. The Sideways Vibrola is factory correct, complete, and pristine. Full documentation is present.

No trades. Fully insured shipping in original case.