Gibson · SG Special · 1961–1971 (the P-90 years)
The SG Special sat between the one-pickup Junior and the humbucker Standard. It arrived with the new SG body in 1961 and kept the Junior's simple bones, adding a second P-90 and a bound board with dot inlays, with a wraparound tailpiece as standard and a Vibrola as an option. The name is a little older than the shape, since Gibson had already called the slab-body double-cut Les Paul Special an SG Special in late 1959. Two P-90s in a light mahogany body make a raw, punchy guitar, and it found the right people. Pete Townshend went through late-1960s SG Specials with the Who, and his 1970 Isle of Wight set shows what one can do. Tony Iommi built Black Sabbath's early sound on a modified left-handed 1964 he called Monkey, and Carlos Santana played one too. Gibson kept the P-90s until 1972, when mini-humbuckers took over. Check the neck and the original P-90s and wiring first, and treat cosmetics as a distant second.
Like other 1960s SGs, the serial is impressed into the back of the headstock and numbers were reused later in the decade, so check the features. A small pickguard means early 1966 or before, chrome hardware and a narrower nut mean 1965 or later, and from late 1966 a large pickguard covers most of the top.
SG Specials share the thin neck and small heel of every early SG, so look hard for headstock and heel repairs. Swapped pickups, replaced tuners and missing original bridges are common, and old celluloid pickguards often shrink and crack at the screws.
Buying guide
Buy pete3rwr's 1963 titled 100% original with no cracks or breaks at $8,175 delivered if you want an early one, or a 1969–71 Special from a US seller at $2,576–3,900 if you want to play it. About 14 are listed and the $5,025–8,750 band is mostly 1965–69 guitars, while three 1961s titled refinish ask $8,789–11,615 from Japanese dealers and the one cherry 1961 without that word asks $15,299 from a 94.1% seller. Serials were reused later in the decade, so check the features, where a small pickguard means early 1966 or before, chrome hardware and a narrower nut 1965 or later, a large pickguard late 1966 on, and a 1971 should still have P-90s, since mini-humbuckers took over in 1972. Every early SG has a thin neck and small heel, so ask for angled headstock and heel photos and the control cavity to see the original pots and solder, and look for filled holes if the wraparound or Vibrola has been changed.
$2,575.76est. delivered
The cheapest SG Special here, a 1971 in cherry at $2,576 delivered from a US seller, about $750 under the next one. Confirm it still has P-90s and ask for the headstock, heel and control cavity.
1971 Gibson SG Special In Cherry Red Finish
$8,175.00est. delivered
A 1963 titled 100% original with no cracks or breaks, at $8,175 delivered from a US seller, inside the band and under every 1961 here. Ask for the headstock, heel and control-cavity photos that back that up.
1963 Gibson SG Special - 100% Original - No Cracks or Breaks - Very Clean
$3,900.00est. delivered
A 1969 with its original hard case at $3,900 delivered from a US seller, a sensible first vintage SG to play. Ask for angled headstock and heel photos, since thin SG necks break there.
1969 Gibson SG Special, OHSC, Made in USA
$3,326.15est. delivered
Titled with a fresh refret and original electronics, a 1971 in walnut at $3,326 delivered from a US seller. A new refret is fine on a player, and photos of the pot backs and solder will back up the electronics claim.
1971 Gibson SG Special Walnut / Fresh Refret / Original Electronics / Vintage
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 11, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$2,575.76est. delivered
$2,500.00 + $75.76 shipping
Buy It Now$2,500.00
Good buy
1971 cherry, no originality claim. In the US.
Seller: dousha_14
100% positive
Used$8,175.00est. delivered
$8,000.00 + $175.00 shipping
Buy It Now$8,000.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Titled 100% original, no cracks or breaks. In the US.
Seller: pete3rwr
100% positive
Used$3,900.00est. delivered
$3,800.00 + $100.00 shipping
Buy It Now$3,800.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
1969 with OHSC. In the US.
Seller: josephpbuck
100% positive
Used$3,326.15est. delivered
$3,299.00 + $27.15 shipping
Buy It Now$3,299.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
1971 walnut, titled fresh refret and original electronics. In the US.
Seller: northsummittrading
100% positive
Used$5,060.00est. delivered
$5,000.00 + $60.00 shipping
Buy It Now$5,000.00
Our take
1965, no originality claim. In the US.
Seller: suproman1
100% positive
Used$6,125.00est. delivered
$6,000.00 + $125.00 shipping
Buy It Now$6,000.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
1967 in Polaris White with OHSC. In the US.
Seller: jwkujo
100% positive
Used$8,788.82delivered
$8,788.82 · free shipping
Buy It Now$8,788.82
Our take
1961, titled refinish. Ships from Japan.
Seller: eastislandcrew
100% positive
Used$15,298.99est. delivered
$14,999.00 + $299.99 shipping
Buy It Now$14,999.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
94.1% feedback, and well above the band. In the US.
Seller: sixstringbrokerage
94.1% positive
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