The 2005 Gibson SG ’61 Reissue is a USA-made recreation of one of the most important early versions of Gibson’s double-cutaway solid-body design, combining an exceptionally lightweight-feeling mahogany body with a fast 1960s SlimTaper-style mahogany neck, bound rosewood fingerboard and traditional twin-humbucker electronics.

This particular guitar has also received a significant pickup upgrade. The original ’57 Classic humbuckers have been replaced with a pair of Gibson Custombuckers, bringing the guitar closer to Gibson Custom’s PAF-inspired tonal philosophy with a more open, dynamic and vintage-oriented response.

Offered in Good condition, this 2005 example is supplied with a hardcase and represents an appealing option for players looking for an older USA Gibson SG with a premium pickup upgrade.

At A Glance

Pre-Owned Condition Report

Good Condition

This 2005 Gibson SG ’61 Reissue is offered in Good condition.

Good condition reflects clear evidence of previous ownership and regular use while the guitar remains functional, playable and suitable for continued stage, studio, rehearsal and home use.

The most important specification change is the installation of Gibson Custombucker humbuckers in place of the original ’57 Classics.

No other repairs or modifications have been supplied for this listing.

What’s Included?

✔ 2005 Gibson SG ’61 Reissue
✔ Hardcase

✘ Original ’57 Classic Pickups Not Included Unless Supplied Separately
✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

This guitar has been graded Good, making it particularly suited to somebody looking for an older Gibson to play regularly rather than a cosmetically pristine collector example.

As a guitar dating from 2005, visible evidence of normal use and ownership should be expected within the Good condition grade.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This Pre-Owned Gibson SG has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before sale.

Our checks include the Custombucker pickups, three-way selector, individual volume and tone controls, output socket, frets, rosewood fingerboard, neck condition, tuning machines, Tune-O-Matic bridge, stopbar tailpiece, hardware, tuning stability and overall playability.

The included hardcase has also been checked for basic usability.

Service / Setup Work

All Pre-Owned electric guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

Our assessment includes action, neck relief, fret condition, intonation, tuning stability, electronics, pickup output, bridge setup, hardware and overall playability.

Please note that setup can shift slightly during delivery because changes in temperature and humidity can naturally affect wooden instruments in transit.

Why Choose The 2005 Gibson SG ’61 Reissue?

Classic Early-SG Construction

The ’61 Reissue uses the ingredients most closely associated with the original early SG design: a thin solid mahogany body, set mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard and twin humbuckers.

The result is a guitar with a noticeably different feel from a Les Paul despite sharing the same 24.75" scale and traditional Gibson electronics.

Fast 1960s SlimTaper Neck

One of the defining features of the ’61 Reissue is its slim neck profile.

Compared with thicker 1950s-style Gibson necks, the profile feels quicker and less substantial in the fretting hand, making it particularly appealing for lead playing, fast position changes and players who simply prefer a slimmer Gibson neck.

Gibson Custombucker Upgrade

This individual guitar is fitted with Gibson Custombuckers, replacing its factory ’57 Classics.

Custombuckers were developed by Gibson Custom as a more detailed interpretation of vintage PAF-style humbuckers, using Alnico III magnets and intentionally unbalanced coils. They provide a particularly dynamic response with excellent clarity and harmonic detail.

Excellent Upper-Fret Access

The slim double-cutaway body and high neck joint are fundamental to the SG’s playing experience.

Compared with a Les Paul, the highest frets are exceptionally easy to reach, making the SG particularly effective for lead players.

Traditional Gibson Controls

Two independent volume controls, two tone controls and a three-way pickup selector provide the familiar Gibson twin-humbucker layout.

This makes it easy to preset contrasting rhythm and lead sounds and switch between them during a performance.

Custombuckers vs Original ’57 Classics

This guitar originally used Gibson ’57 Classic humbuckers, which were Gibson’s primary vintage-inspired production pickup during this period.

The Custombuckers currently fitted are a later design developed for Gibson Custom’s Historic instruments. Compared with the balanced coils and Alnico II magnets traditionally associated with the ’57 Classic, Custombuckers use Alnico III magnets and deliberately unbalanced coils, giving them a more open and dynamically sensitive character.

For a player looking for vintage-inspired SG tones, the modification is particularly appealing because it changes the guitar without fundamentally altering what the ’61 Reissue is designed to do.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

SG ’61 Reissue vs Gibson SG Standard

A regular SG Standard generally uses a larger pickguard and has historically been offered with a somewhat different neck joint and pickup specification. The ’61 Reissue is the stronger choice for players wanting the cleaner small-pickguard appearance and early-1960s-inspired construction.

SG ’61 Reissue vs Modern SG Standard ’61

The current SG Standard ’61 carries forward many of the same basic ideas, but this 2005 instrument represents Gibson’s earlier generation of the reissue. Its Custombucker upgrade also distinguishes it significantly from a standard-production modern example.

SG ’61 Reissue vs Gibson Les Paul Standard

Both use mahogany construction, twin humbuckers and Gibson’s 24.75" scale, but they feel dramatically different. The Les Paul is heavier and more substantial, whereas the SG is thinner, lighter-feeling and provides significantly easier upper-fret access.

SG ’61 Reissue vs Gibson Custom Historic SG

A Gibson Custom Historic model goes considerably further in recreating vintage construction and details. This USA ’61 Reissue offers much of the fundamental early-SG playing experience without moving into the considerably higher Custom Shop price category.

Who Is It For?

Blues-Rock Players

The Custombuckers are particularly responsive to picking dynamics and guitar-volume adjustment, making the guitar well suited to clean, edge-of-breakup and overdriven valve-style tones.

Classic Rock Guitarists

Few guitar designs are as closely associated with rock music as the SG. Its focused midrange, easy upper-register access and twin humbuckers make it particularly effective for both rhythm and lead work.

Lead Guitarists

The slim neck, 22-fret joint and double-cutaway body give excellent access to the highest register of the fingerboard.

Players Who Prefer Lightweight-Feeling Gibsons

An SG generally feels significantly less bulky than a Les Paul, making it appealing for long rehearsals and live sets.

Gibson Enthusiasts

A 2005 ’61 Reissue represents an earlier generation of Gibson USA production that is no longer available new in exactly the same specification.

Suitable Genres And Uses

• Blues
• Blues rock
• Classic rock
• Hard rock
• Alternative
• Indie
• Punk
• Heavy rock
• Southern rock
• Lead guitar
• Rhythm guitar
• Overdriven valve amps
• Fuzz and boost
• Studio recording
• Live performance

What Makes The SG ’61 Reissue Different?

The ’61 Reissue focuses on the earliest form of the SG design rather than the later specification most commonly associated with the SG Standard.

Its small pickguard leaves the humbuckers mounted in individual pickup rings, while the slim neck and extended neck joint give the guitar the distinctive playing feel of Gibson’s early-1960s double-cut design.

This particular example goes one step further with its Custombucker conversion, offering a more premium vintage-voiced pickup set while retaining the straightforward passive electronics of the original guitar.

Story & Context: From Les Paul To SG

In 1961, Gibson radically redesigned the Les Paul. Instead of the thick single-cutaway body used throughout the 1950s, the new model featured an extremely thin mahogany body, twin pointed cutaways and extensive beveling.

Initially, these instruments still carried the Les Paul name, which is why the earliest examples are often described today as 1961 Les Paul/SG models.

Les Paul himself was not closely involved with the new design, and his endorsement agreement with Gibson subsequently ended. Gibson gradually removed his name, with the model becoming known as the SG – Solid Guitar.

The ’61 Reissue was created decades later to recapture the appearance and feel of those earliest instruments rather than the later SG Standard design. The small pickguard, slim neck and deeply sculpted body are all key parts of that identity.

This 2005 example therefore represents Gibson USA’s interpretation of one of the most important transitional guitars in the company’s history.

Technical Specifications

Specification Note

This guitar’s Gibson Custombuckers are not original 2005 factory equipment. Gibson introduced the Custombucker in 2013, while the SG ’61 Reissue of this period was originally supplied with ’57 Classic humbuckers.

The guitar’s finish and serial number have not been supplied, so no finish-specific or serial-specific information has been assumed.

Power Requirements

No battery or external power supply is required.

The Custombuckers and guitar electronics are entirely passive and connect to a suitable guitar amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or recording interface using a standard 1/4" instrument cable.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

Buying Pre-Owned is often the only way to access earlier generations of discontinued Gibson models such as this 2005 SG ’61 Reissue.

It can also provide opportunities to find instruments that have already received worthwhile upgrades. In this case, the fitted Gibson Custombuckers are a notable change from the original factory pickup specification.

At Fair Deal Music, our Pre-Owned guitars are individually checked and assessed before sale, helping customers buy older, modified and discontinued instruments with greater confidence.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The 2005 Gibson SG ’61 Reissue with Custombuckers is a particularly interesting player's SG.

The core guitar already offers everything that makes the ’61 Reissue attractive: lightweight-feeling mahogany construction, excellent upper-fret access, a slim neck and the clean small-pickguard appearance of the earliest SGs. Adding Gibson Custombuckers gives this example an additional layer of vintage-inspired response and dynamic detail.

Best suited for: Blues, classic rock and hard-rock players who want an older USA SG with a slim neck and premium vintage-inspired pickups.

Customers usually upgrade from: SG Specials, Epiphone SGs, SG Standards and more affordable twin-humbucker guitars.

Most commonly paired with: Valve amplifiers, overdrive, boost, fuzz, wah, delay and reverb.

Our tip: Custombuckers respond extremely well to the guitar's volume controls. Try setting the amp slightly dirtier than required and controlling gain directly from the SG.

Showroom feedback: The slim body and neck make the ’61 Reissue immediately different from a Les Paul, while the Custombuckers give this particular example a more open and responsive personality than the standard factory pickup specification.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

From our Birmingham showroom, our knowledgeable musician-led team helps players find the right equipment whether they're purchasing their first serious instrument, upgrading an existing setup or searching for something distinctive within the Pre-Owned market.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to expert advice from knowledgeable musicians, carefully checked new and Pre-Owned equipment, secure ordering, UK-wide delivery and friendly support before and after your purchase.

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, amplifier, keyboard, drums or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation and we'll be happy to discuss your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Custombuckers original?

No. The guitar dates from 2005, while Gibson introduced the Custombucker in 2013. The factory pickups in a 2005 SG ’61 Reissue were ’57 Classics.

Are Gibson Custombuckers active?

No. They are traditional passive humbuckers and require no battery.

What do Custombuckers sound like?

They are designed around vintage PAF characteristics, with relatively open output, strong dynamic response and plenty of harmonic detail.

Is the neck slimmer than a typical Les Paul?

Yes. The ’61 Reissue uses a 1960s SlimTaper-style neck, which feels considerably slimmer than many 1950s-style Gibson profiles.

Is an SG lighter than a Les Paul?

SGs normally feel significantly lighter because of their much thinner all-mahogany body, although the exact weight of this individual guitar has not been supplied.

Is this suitable for high gain?

Yes. The Custombuckers retain good clarity with overdrive and distortion, although they are vintage-inspired rather than extremely high-output pickups.

Can I request a closer look before buying?

Yes. Our Request a Video Demo option is particularly useful for an older Good-condition instrument if you'd like to see its individual cosmetic wear and hear the Custombuckers before purchasing.