SG Elite

The SG Elite was introduced in 1987 and only produced until 1988. It slotted between the SG Standard and SG Custom.

As a result of a factory mistake, 32 SG Elites were accidentally routed for three pickups in February 1987. Those instruments were then fitted with SG Custom hardware and sold as Customs. Most were sold as factory seconds, with only 8 not being marked as such. The main differences from a regular SG Custom are the crown headstock inlay, lack of headstock binding and Elite finish options.

Elite

Body:

Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish

Neck:

1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
Set-in construction
- 3 degree angle
- Titebond glue

Joins body at 22nd fret
Slim Taper profile (.800/.875")
Ebony fretboard
- Mother of Pearl block inlays
- 12" radius
Narrow Open Book headstock w/ fiber veneer
Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo
Inlaid Mother of Pearl crown
"Made in U.S.A." stamp
17^oheadstock pitch
22 frets
24 ⁹/₁₆" scale
1 11/16" nut width

Binding:

Neck, single-ply
Fret-edge binding

Electronics:

Three "Spotlight" humbuckers (1987)
- Two AlNiCo V magnets
- ~7.5 - 8.5k Ohms D.C. resistance
- Designed by Tim Shaw
Two "The Original" Humbuckers (1988)
- AlNiCo V magnets
- 7-9k (neck), 13-15k (bridge) Ohms D.C. resistance
- AKA "HB-R/L" & "Circuit Board" pickups
- Designed by Bill Lawrence

3-way switch
2 Vol, 1 Tone
1 coil tap mini-switch

Hardware:

Gold hardware
Grover Rotomatic tuning machines
- 14:1 ratio
5-ply "Angel Wing" pickguard
Bell shaped truss rod cover
- 2-ply black/white, blank
Black single-ply tenon cover
Black/Gold Reflector knobs
Kahler Deluxe locking nut
ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
TP-6 fine-tuning tailpiece
Optional "Supertune" vibrola

Finishes:

Metallic Sunset
Pearl White

Elite / Custom Limited Edition