The Angus Young Signature SG was introduced in July 2000. While not a direct copy of any particular SG that Angus used, it was styled generally after the 1966-1971 Batwing style SGs Angus played most often in his early career. However, one feature was inspired by a specific SG of his; the neck profile of his very first SG, which was very thin. The result is that the Angus Young Signature has the thinnest official neck specification ever used on a production SG. That said, there's much variation due to hand-sanding and most of these guitars seem to have thicker necks than the official specification. The body design was borrowed from the contemporary SG Standard and it was built on the regular production line. Earlier examples tend to be lighter in color and more brownish-red, while later examples are darker. This model was produced continuously through 2009. A prototype for this model surfaced, which showed that it was originally intended to have "AC/DC" engraved into the tailpiece instead of "Angus", and had a different Angus Devil decal on the headstock as well as a Rounded '50s neck profile.
In November 2009, two new Angus Young Signature SGs were introduced. Again, the USA model was not a direct replica of any SG Angus owns, but seems to be loosely based on a refinished Ebony 1963 SG Standard he has used heavily live since 1991 (and which has been his #1 ever since the Stiff Upper Lip tour), with the addition of lightning bolt inlays. The Custom Shop model, however, was a direct replica of a circa 1970 SG Standard (Gibson incorrectly calls it a '68 and implies it was his first SG, which it wasn't) that Angus had almost entirely rebuilt by JayDee guitars in 1982, with distinctive lightning bolt inlays. This guitar was used most frequently on the tours for For Those About To Rock, Who Made Who and Black Ice, as well as the Stiff Upper Lip Live DVD. However, while the original likely features T-Tops rewound by JayDee, the Gibson replica features Seymour Duncans similar to what Angus uses in his other SGs on recent tours. Another difference is the Gibson logo on the headstock; Angus' original uses the squared font found on a 1970/1971 SG Standard, while the replica uses the font that succeeded that one. There is circumstantial evidence that these guitars may have been produced as early as 2008 and the release was possibly delayed.
Artist proof pre-production models have since surfaced. They have "artist proof" and a number written in white marker on the back of the headstock. It appears that around 20 were built. There are no noticeable differences from the final product.
An extremely rare "production sample" for the Custom Shop signature is owned by Matthieu Lucas of Matt's Guitar Shop in Paris, France. This appears to be the earliest prototype and has a couple noticeable differences from the production version. It has a three-piece body, the finish is much lighter and more translucent than the production version, and the pickup covers appear to be nickel plated instead of chrome.
Maestro vibrola w/ engraved lyre, lightning bolts and "Angus"
Finishes:
Aged Cherry
2005 Back In Black 25th Anniversary Signature[]
Limited Run of only 7 units.
Body:
Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
Standard style beveling
Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish
Neck:
1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
Set-in construction
4.25 degree angle
Titebond glue
Standard style heel
Joins body at 19th fret
Angus profile (~.775" / .850")
Ebony fretboard
No inlays
12" radius
Narrow Open Book headstock
Resin impregnated fiberboard veneer
Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo
Silk-screened Angus Devil cartoon
Drawn originally by Angus himself
"Made in U.S.A." stamp
17o pitch
22 frets
24 9/16" scale
1 10/16" nut width
Binding:
Neck, single-ply, black
Thicker style
Fret-edge binding
Electronics:
'57 Classic humbucker (neck)
AlNiCo II magnet
~7.9k Ohms D.C. resistance
Black chrome plated cover
No polepiece screws
Angus Young Signature humbucker (bridge)
AlNiCo V magnet
9 - 14k Ohms DCR
Black chrome plated cover
No polepiece screws
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone
Hardware:
Black hardware
Grover "Gibson Deluxe" tuning machines
14:1 ratio
Black Keystone buttons
Manufactured by Ping
Black single-ply "Batwing" pickguard
"Back In Black | 25" logo
Bell shaped truss rod cover
Single-ply black
Black Witch Hat knobs
ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
Maestro vibrola w/ engraved lyre, lightning bolts and "Angus"
Black cover, Nickel arm and claw
Finishes:
Ebony
2010-2013[]
$2,309 Street (2010-2012)
$1,499 Street (Ebony clearance, 2013)
$1,899 Street (Aged Cherry, 2013)
Body:
Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
Standard style beveling
Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish
Neck:
1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
Set-in construction
4 degree angle
Titebond 50 glue
Standard style heel
Joins body at 19th fret
Angus profile (~.775" / .850")
Ebony fretboard (2010 - March 2012)
Indian Rosewood fretboard (March 2012 - 2013)
Acrylic Lightning Bolt inlays
12" radius
Narrow Open Book headstock
Resin impregnated fiberboard veneer
Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo
Inlaid Mother of Pearl Crown
"Made in U.S.A." stamp
17o pitch
22 jumbo frets
Leveled by Plek machine
24 9/16" scale
Corian nut
Cut by Plek machine
1 9/16" nut width
Aged Cherry
Binding:
Neck, single-ply
Thicker style
Fret-edge binding
Electronics:
'57 Classic humbucker (neck)
AlNiCo II magnet
~7.9k Ohms D.C. resistance
Angus Young Signature humbucker (bridge)
AlNiCo V magnet
9 - 14k Ohms DCR
Nickel plated cover
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone
CTS 300K linear vol
CTS 500k audio tone
Hardware:
Chrome hardware
Grover "Gibson Deluxe" tuning machines
14:1 ratio
Green Keystone buttons
Manufactured by Ping
5-ply "Angel Wing" pickguard
Bell shaped truss rod cover
2-ply b/w
Angus Young's signature
Black Witch Hat knobs
Zamak Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece
Finishes:
Ebony (2010-2012)
Aged Cherry (2013)
2009/2010 Custom Shop Signature[]
Limited run of 200 VOS and 50 aged & signed units.
$4,299 Street (VOS)
$6,699 Street (Aged & Signed)
Body:
Solid 2-piece Honduran Mahogany body
Offset center seam
Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish
Neck:
3-pc quartersawn Maple
Angus profile
Set-in construction
2.5 degree pitch
Franklin Titebond 50 glue
Joins body at 21st fret
Unique heel shape
Ebony fretboard
Mother of Pearl Lightning Bolt inlays
12" radius
Large Open Book headstock w/ Holly veneer
Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo
Later '70s style font
Inlaid Mother of Pearl Crown
17o pitch
22 medium-jumbo frets
Leveled by Plek machine
24 5/8" scale
Bone nut
Cut by Plek machine
1 9/16" nut width
Binding:
Single-ply, neck
Thinner vintage-style
Fret-edge binding
Electronics:
Seymour Duncan Pearly gates humbuckers
AlNiCo II magnets
7.3k (neck) & 8.35k (bridge) Ohms DCR
Chrome plated covers
3-way switch
2 Vol, 2 Tone
CTS 500k audio taper pots
Tone controls bypassed
Hardware:
Chrome hardware
Schaller M-6 tuning machines
12:1 ratio
Gibson-branded
3-ply "Batwing" pickguard
Pickup ring mounted in bridge position
Bell shaped truss rod cover
2-ply, blank
Black Witch Hat knobs w/ pointers
Text worn off volume knobs
Nashville-style Tune-O-Matic bridge
Nylon saddles
Flathead-adjustable posts
Zamak stopbar tailpiece
Finishes:
Angus Cherry
2007 Custom Shop "Production Sample"[]
Image credit: Matt's Guitar Shop
Note: While the seller claims it has neck-through construction, the pictures appear to show a set-in neck, and Angus' original had a set-in neck, so it wouldn't make much sense to be neck-through.
