The original JayDee-modified ca. 1970 SG Standard
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. Most notably, it is said to have a neck-through build. This is curious, as Angus' original is not neck-through. The finish is also much lighter and more translucent than the production version, and the pickup covers appear to be nickel plated instead of chrome.
More detailed info on Angus' personal SGs here.
2000-2009[]
- $1,849 Street (2000-2005)
- $2,099 Street (2005-2007)
- $2,309 Street (2008)
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")
- Indian Rosewood fretboard
- Acrylic Trapezoid 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
- 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
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Grover "Gibson Deluxe" tuning machines
- 14:1 ratio
- Green Keystone buttons
- Manufactured by Ping
- TonePros "Kluson Deluxe" tuning machines (2009)
- 15:1 ratio
- Yellow Keystone buttons
- 5-ply "Batwing" pickguard
- Bell shaped truss rod cover
- 2-ply b/w
- Black Witch Hat knobs
- ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
- 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:
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
- Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo
- 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
- ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Nylon saddles
- Zamak stopbar tailpiece
Finishes:
- Angus Cherry
2007 Custom Shop "Production Sample"[]
Image credit: Matt's Guitar Shop
Body:
- Solid 2-piece Honduran Mahogany body
- Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish
Image credit: Matt's Guitar Shop
Neck:
- 1-pc quartersawn Mahogany
- Angus profile
- Neck-through 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
- Inlaid Mother of Pearl Gibson logo
- 22 medium-jumbo frets
- Leveled by Plek machine
- 24 5/8" scale
- Bone nut
- Cut by Plek machine
- 1 9/16" nut width
Image credit: Matt's Guitar Shop
Binding:
- Single-ply, neck
- Thinner vintage-style
- Fret-edge binding
Image credit: Matt's Guitar Shop
Electronics:
- Seymour Duncan Pearly gates humbuckers
- AlNiCo II magnets
- 7.3k (neck) & 8.35k (bridge) Ohms DCR
- Nickel 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
- Schaller-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
- ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Nylon saddles
- Zamak stopbar tailpiece
Finishes:
- Angus Cherry