With the 1964 SG Standard Reissue, Epiphone has brought one of the most iconic SG models ever made back to the stage, inspired by the very year legends like George Harrison and Eric Clapton first adopted the SG. 1964 marked the first time the "Les Paul" name disappeared from the headstock, and the SG fully came into its own, both in terms of appearance and playability. The early "sideways" vibrato system experiment was replaced by the much more practical Maestro Vibrola, and the neck profile became slightly chunkier than the ultra-slim 1961 versions, resulting in a more comfortable feel in the hand. This reissue was developed in close collaboration with the Gibson Custom Shop, boasting historically accurate details, premium components, and an authentic vintage feel.
The guitar's two-piece mahogany body features a central seam and boasts the classic, deeply bevelled double cutaways of the original SG shape, while its extremely lightweight design and one-piece set mahogany neck offer superb resonance. A long-tenon neck joint ensures a highly stable connection between neck and body – and the extra sustain that this detail gives the 1964 SG Standard Vibrola CR can certainly be heard. The '60s Slim Taper neck profile ensures a comfortable playing feel for everything from rhythm work to rapid lead runs, and the 22-fret rosewood fingerboard features cream binding and real mother-of-pearl trapezoid inlays. The guitar also comes with a solid setup and a pleasantly low string action right from the factory, giving players the feeling of picking up and playing a treasured and familiar old gem.
The Epiphone 1964 SG Standard Reissue with Maestro Vibrola is aimed at players seeking an authentic vintage SG experience without the considerable price tag of an equivalent US-made Gibson model. Perfect for fans of Classic Rock, Blues, or psychedelic tones, this model combines a vintage vibe, tried-and-tested ergonomics, and premium components. Even fans of Gibson USA Custom Shop instruments seeking a stage-ready backup will find what they are looking for here, and its instantly comfortable playing feel, direct response, and sensitive vibrato unit mean that this surprisingly versatile SG Reissue will be as at home in the studio as it is on stage.
Today, Epiphone is known only as the Asian budget offshoot of Gibson. Yet both companies were once independent, equal, and also bitter rivals. The roots of Epiphone go back to the 1870s and to Anastasios Stathopoulo, a Greek instrument maker, who emigrated to America in 1903 with his son Epaminondas ("Epi" for short). Epi changed the name of the firm to the "Epiphone Banjo Company" after taking over the family business in 1928. During this year, Epiphone also began to manufacture guitars, which rapidly came to dominate their sales. In 1957, Epiphone was taken over by C.M.I., which already included Gibson, but continued as a separate brand until 1970, when manufacturing was outsourced to Asia. Well-known Epiphone models include the Casino, played by the Beatles, and the Sheraton, John Lee Hooker's instrument of choice.
Tonally, the Epiphone 1964 SG Standard Reissue delivers everything players would expect from a classic-spec SG - and maybe a little more. It comes loaded with a pair of Gibson Custombucker pickups with AlNiCo 3 magnets – the very same pickups used on high-end, US-made Gibson Custom Shop guitars, incidentally – which deliver a warm, midrange sound with a smooth attack and outstanding transparency. The neck pickup produces singing lead sounds and bluesy warmth, while the bridge pickup is perfect for full-bodied riffs and vintage crunch. Thanks to its hand-wired electronics, which include CTS pots and Black Beauty capacitors, the guitar responds sensitively to the player's picking dynamics and cleans up excellently when the volume is rolled off. The vibrato system can be used without putting the guitar out of tune, and is ideally suited to the gentle techniques favoured during the 1960s. So whether the goal is Classic Rock, Garage, or Indie, the Epiphone 1964 SG Standard Reissue offers far more than its retro looks might suggest.
Maestro Vibrola vibrato system
Introduced in 1964 as a mainstream replacement for the earlier "sideways" mechanism, the Maestro Vibrola remains one of the most elegant vibrato systems in use today. The smooth spring action allows for gentle vibrato, downward bends, and subtly "floating" chords. Unlike the famous Bigsby system, which takes up more space and gives the guitar a more cumbersome feel, the Maestro Vibrola integrates seamlessly into the SG's lightweight design. Visually, the long, chrome-plated cover arm engraved with the Epiphone logo is a real eye-catcher that perfectly complements the guitar's high-end appearance. But this is by no means just a replica of the original – Epiphone has fitted a genuine Maestro system, underscoring the high standards behind this reissue.