A 1962 Gibson Les Paull/SG Standard anyone? 

This particular guitar has only had a single owner, used by a member of the Pete Best (yes, the ex-Beatle!) Four, a picture of which is included with the guitar where the previous owner can be seen holding this very guitar in the publicity photos.

Designed to take on the Fender’s more futuristic stylings, the 60s brought about the new look Les Paul with a lighter body and a slimmer, faster neck.  Les never liked it. It did prove to be one of the more popular of Gibson’s forays into the angular… 

This guitar is impressive. The body is in great shape, the top has retained its wonderful cherry hue. There are a few marks and dings here and there, but nothing too serious. The back has some dings and a patch where the foam in the case has reacted with the lacquer giving it a rough texture. What's impressive though is the way that the cherry hasn’t faded and kept its deep shade.

The neck, like the body, has a few minor dings but again retains some of that cherry hue with some patches of fading. The heel has been cracked at some stage and repaired. As with the body, there is a patch where the lacquer has reacted with the foam from inside the case. This has eaten through the lacquer to the wood and left a rough patch around it. This can be felt but does not hinder playing. The fretboard shows signs of wear and there is plenty of life left in the original frets.

The all nickel parts look very good with only slight dulling. The plastics are in great shape too.

Electronically everything is original. All solder joints look to be undisturbed. Pickups are a Patent Number in the neck and PAF in the bridge, the solder on both looks to be undisturbed too.

The guitar comes with its Selmer hardshell case which will be shipped with a lot of padding to ensure the neck does not break again!

Tonally, this guitar  really brings quite a unique perspective on the twin humbucker combination. The smoothness of the neck pickup with the bite of the bridge and never too woofy. Like any Gibson from this period and earlier, there is such a scope to the sound, a notion that was lost with later incarnations from the venerable manufacturer.

If you’re searching for an SG for the collection then you cannot go wrong with this one. Grab it before it gets away… The last few SG's we have had have flown.