Introduced in 2002, the Epiphone Elite SGs were part of Epiphone's new Elite Series, which consisted of guitars made in Japan by Terada and Fujigen with higher quality materials than their regular lineup, including pickups made in the USA. This series essentially brought the existing Japanese market exclusives to the international market, while adding American-made pickups and a bone nut. In the Japanese market, the guitars continued to bear the Gibson headstock. In 2004, the series was renamed "Elitist" due to a conflict with Ovation's use of the term "Elite Series". The Elitist SGs were discontinued in 2006.
Interestingly, the Elitist SGs actually had heels with a hangover (like many original '60s SGs), which was a feature not present on the Gibson '61 Reissue. That feature would only appear on Gibson's Historic SG reissues.
Related:
'61 SG Standard (US Market)[]
- 2002-2005
- 2005: $849 Street
- 2006: $599 Street (Clearance)
Body:
- Beveled, bookmatched 2-pc African Mahogany
- Angled heel
- Polyurethane finish
- Satin sheen, no grain filler (Worn finishes)
Worn Brown (Photo Credit: SoundPure.com)
Neck:
- 1-pc quartersawn African Mahogany
- Set-in construction
- Joins body at 22nd fret
- '61 style heel w/ hangover
- Slim Taper profile
- Rosewood fretboard
- Acrylic trapezoid inlays
- 12" radius
- Elitist Tombstone headstock
- Resin impregnated fiberboard veneer
- Inlaid Mother of Pearl Epiphone logo
- Inlaid Mother of Pearl crown
- Elitist series decal
- 17o pitch
- 22 frets
- 24 9/16" scale
- Bone nut
- 1 11/16" nut width
(Photo Credit: SoundPure.com)
Binding:
- Neck, single-ply
- Frets over binding
Electronics:
- Two 50SR/60ST humbuckers
- AlNiCo V magnets
- ~8.5k (neck) & ~13.8k (bridge) Ohms D.C. resistance
- 3-way switch
- 2 Vol, 2 Tone
- 500k pots
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Grover Rotomatic tuning machines
- 14:1 ratio
- Manufactured by Ping
- 5-ply "Angel Wing" pickguard
- Bell shaped truss rod cover
- 2-ply b/w
- Wide bevel
- "Gibson" hot stamp (2002-2003)
- "Elitist" hot stamp (2004-2005)
- Black Reflector knobs w/ pointers
- Gotoh ABR-style Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Gotoh stopbar tailpiece
Finishes:
- Cherry
- Ebony
- Worn Cherry
- Worn Brown
SG '61 Reissue (Japanese Market)[]
Image Credit: Catalogism.com
The Elite SG '61 Reissue Faded was introduced in 2003.
- 2002-2005
- 100,000 Yen
- 89,000 Yen (Faded)
Body:
- Beveled, bookmatched 2-pc African Mahogany
- Angled heel
- Polyurethane finish
- Satin sheen, no grain filler (Faded)
Neck:
- 1-pc quartersawn African Mahogany
- Set-in construction
- Joins body at 22nd fret
- '61 style heel w/ hangover
- Slim Taper profile
- Rosewood fretboard
- Acrylic trapezoid inlays
- 12" radius
- Open Book headstock
- 22 frets
- 24 9/16" scale
- Bone nut
- 1 11/16" nut width
Binding:
- Neck, single-ply
- Frets over binding
Electronics:
- Two 50SR/60ST humbuckers
- AlNiCo V magnets
- ~8.5k (neck) & ~13.8k (bridge) Ohms D.C. resistance
- 3-way switch
- 2 Vol, 2 Tone
- 500k pots
Hardware:
- Nickel hardware
- Grover Rotomatic tuning machines
- 14:1 ratio
- Manufactured by Ping
- 5-ply "Angel Wing" pickguard
- Bell shaped truss rod cover
- Black Reflector knobs w/ pointers
- Gotoh ABR-style Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Gotoh stopbar tailpiece
Finishes:
- Cherry
- Ebony
- Worn Cherry (Faded)
- Worn Brown (Faded)
- Navy Blue (Limited Run)