In 1961, the Gibson Les Paul design changed dramatically. With a flat top, double-cutaway, pointed-horn body, this new Les Paul body shape ultimately became known as the SG, and it has more than proved itself as an iconic rock n' roll axe ever since the first chord. In late 1963, Gibson built an extremely limited number of perhaps the most rare SG configuration: a three-pickup, small pickguard Les Paul Custom with a Lyre Vibrola in Cherry finish.
This 2007 Gibson Custom Shop SG is a reissue of that rare '63 Les Paul Custom, and it is an absolute rock n' roll machine. With three '57 Classic humbuckers under the hood, this SG is big and fat across all three positions, but the three-pickup design packs a ton of versatility, especially when you play with the volume and tone controls. This guitar would be an excellent stage guitar because—in addition to its distinctive looks—it makes a great one-guitar quiver.
While the Gibson Custom shop offers a litany of distressed options (Aged, VOS, Relic, etc.), this '07 SG Custom looks road worn because it actually is. Telluride Music acquired this guitar from Vermont guitarist Benny Yurco who used this guitar extensively with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. This guitar has toured the world, and Benny even played it on the David Letterman show as well as in the music video for Grace's hit 2010 "Paris." As a result, this guitar looks road worn because it has actually been there (no bags of nails, belt sanders, or other medieval implements needed to get this patina). That's mojo you can't recreate. At the same time, though, this guitar is setup perfectly, and it plays like a dream. That's because Benny needed it to deliver night after night, and now it is ready to inspire the next player and go on tour once again.
You can catch Benny Yurco on tour with Michael Nau & the Mighty Thread. We've been spinning their self-titled 2018 release in the shop, and we highly recommend you check it out as well.