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    Gibson

    SG Standard2023

    The SG Standard is the double-cutaway workhorse of the Gibson range, lighter and more aggressively sounding than a Les Paul thanks to its thinner mahogany body.

    15 mods reviewed: 8 drop-in, 3 need verification, 3 need modification, 1 not compatible.

    Gibson SG Standard guitar

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    Andertons

    £1399.00In stock
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    The SG Standard is the double-cutaway workhorse of the Gibson range, lighter and more aggressively sounding than a Les Paul thanks to its thinner mahogany body. This listing shows an ABR-1 bridge and 490R/490T pickups; worth double-checking against the left-handed SG Standard on file, which lists Nashville spec, since these are genuinely different post spacings.

    Quick facts

    Tailpiece

    Stopbar

    String spacing

    52mm (2.05")

    Scale length

    24.75" (629mm)

    Tuner hole size

    10mm (25/64")

    Not published by Gibson: bridge mounting spacing. Measure this before buying a bridge.

    Watch out

    Gibson's own listings for this guitar and its left-handed counterpart disagree on the bridge. This one shows an ABR-1, while the left-handed version, carrying the same 490R and 490T pickups, shows a Nashville spec. Those are genuinely different post spacings, and whether this is a real production difference or an error in one of the listings has not been established. Measure your own post spacing before buying a bridge for it.

    Bridge

    4 options, 1 that doesn't fit
    Faber ABRN Nashville Bridge

    Faber ABRN Nashville Bridge

    Needs verification

    This is the wider Nashville-spec bridge. This guitar's exact spacing isn't fully confirmed yet, so we can't promise this fits either. Measure before buying.

    Why we say this

    This is the Nashville-spec side of the same unresolved bridge conflict. If the left-handed listing's Nashville spec turns out to be correct for this guitar rather than the ABR-1 shown here, this would be the matching bridge instead. Right now neither spec is confirmed.

    Help confirm this fit

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    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Gotoh GE104B ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic Bridge

    Needs verification

    This guitar has an open question about its exact bridge spacing, worth checking before ordering. It also uses metric threads rather than the inch threads on older Gibson hardware, worth checking that too.

    Why we say this

    There is an unresolved discrepancy over whether this model uses ABR-1 or Nashville post spacing, and those are genuinely different, so the bridge question cannot be settled until that is. Separately, this bridge uses M4 metric threaded posts rather than the 6-32 inch threads genuine vintage Gibson ABR-1 hardware uses, and retailer listings for it genuinely disagree on whether that counts as a direct fit for post-2017 Gibson bushings.

    Help confirm this fit

    See current price at Reverb

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    TonePros AVR2 Tune-o-Matic Bridge

    TonePros AVR2 Tune-o-Matic Bridge

    Needs verification

    We haven't nailed down this guitar's exact bridge spacing yet, so this ABR-1-spec bridge isn't a sure thing. Measure your posts before buying.

    Why we say this

    Same unresolved bridge spec conflict applies here. TonePros builds the AVR2 to ABR-1 spacing, which only matches if this guitar is genuinely ABR-1 rather than the Nashville spec listed for the left-handed version.

    Help confirm this fit

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    Hipshot 6-String Tone-A-Matic Bridge

    Hipshot 6-String Tone-A-Matic Bridge

    Requires modification

    This bridge is built for Nashville and Epiphone-style Tune-o-matics, not the ABR-1 bridge on this guitar. It will not swap in without modification.

    Why we say this

    Hipshot's Tone-A-Matic is built for Nashville and Epiphone-style mounting, not ABR-1, per Hipshot's own published spec. This guitar's bridge is listed as ABR-1, which is the narrower post spacing, so the two do not match. Worth knowing that the SG Standard's bridge spec is disputed across Gibson's own right-handed and left-handed listings, but on the ABR-1 figure this guitar carries, the Tone-A-Matic is a mismatch.

    Help confirm this fit

    Pickup

    3 options
    DiMarzio Super Distortion

    DiMarzio Super Distortion

    Likely drop-in
    Soldering

    Fits the standard humbucker route on this guitar, a straightforward solder-in swap.

    Why we say this

    Fixed-bridge mahogany guitar with a standard humbucker route and standard string spacing, matching the non-F-spaced version of this pickup.

    £89.99 at Andertons

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    Gibson Burstbucker Pro Set

    Gibson Burstbucker Pro Set

    Likely drop-in
    Soldering

    Fits the standard humbucker route this guitar's stock pickups already sit in. You will need to solder it in.

    Why we say this

    Standard humbucker route, not affected by the bridge spacing question. A higher-output alternative from the same manufacturer family as the stock 490R/490T pickups.

    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 Humbucker (Black)

    Likely drop-in
    Soldering

    Fits the standard humbucker route this guitar's stock pickups already sit in. You will need to solder it in.

    Why we say this

    Standard humbucker route, the same footprint the stock 490R/490T pickups sit in. Not affected by the bridge spacing question, pickup routing is unrelated to bridge post spacing.

    £129.99 at Andertons

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    Tuner

    6 options
    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Gotoh SG381 Locking Tuners (Magnum Lock-Trad), 3+3

    Likely drop-in

    Should swap straight into the existing tuner holes, no reaming needed.

    Why we say this

    Standard Gibson 3+3 footprint, 10mm holes. Open discrepancy is about bridge post spacing, not tuners.

    See current price at Amazon

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    Gotoh SG381 Tuners (Standard, Non-Locking), 3+3

    Gotoh SG381 Tuners (Standard, Non-Locking), 3+3

    Likely drop-in

    Should swap straight into the existing tuner holes, no reaming needed.

    Why we say this

    Standard Gibson 3+3 footprint, 10mm holes.

    See current price at Amazon

    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Grover 102 Rotomatic Tuners

    Likely drop-in

    A direct swap for the stock tuners, no reaming needed.

    Why we say this

    This guitar's tuner holes are confirmed at 10mm, matching the standard modern Grover Rotomatic bore directly. Tuner hole size is unrelated to the bridge spacing dispute.

    £129.99 at Andertons

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    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Kluson Revolution Diecast Locking Tuners

    Likely drop-in

    Kluson's Revolution uses a screw-in bushing sized for 10mm holes, which is what this guitar has. No reaming needed.

    Why we say this

    Standard Gibson 3-per-side headstock drilled at 10mm, and Kluson's Revolution threads into a 10mm peghole. The unresolved question on this model is its bridge post spacing, which has no bearing on tuner fit.

    See current price at Amazon

    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Kluson 3-Per-Side Vintage Tuners (SD90SLN)

    Requires modification
    Drilling

    These are sized for smaller, vintage-style tuner holes. This guitar's holes are the larger modern size, so a bushing adapter is needed for a solid fit, not a straight swap.

    Why we say this

    This guitar's tuner holes are confirmed at 10mm, the modern size, not the smaller 8.5mm vintage bore these Klusons are built for. Installing a smaller-post vintage tuner into a larger modern hole leaves it loose without a bushing adapter.

    Help confirm this fit

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    Tailpiece

    1 option
    Illustration, photo coming soon

    Bigsby B7 Vibrato (direct mount)

    Requires modification
    Drilling

    A real modification, not a drop-in. New holes go in the guitar, best left to someone experienced or a tech. We could not find a no-drill adapter kit made for this guitar's specific body shape.

    Why we say this

    This guitar ships with a fixed stopbar, not a vibrato. Direct-mounting a Bigsby means new holes in the top. No confirmed no-drill adapter kit was found for the SG's flat body shape specifically, unlike the Les Paul and ES-335 body styles, which have their own dedicated Vibramate kits, so this is the only real option currently listed for this guitar.

    Help confirm this fit

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    This page has 6 open questions

    If you have fitted any of these to this Gibson SG Standard, tell us what you found and we'll update the data.