1966 Gibson SGJR Restoration

1966 Gibson SG Junior Restoration & Relic Work 🎸🔧

1966 Gibson SGJR Restoration has a story—originally purchased for $700 by the owner of Third Coast Guitar Service from a local grocery store owner. Somewhere along the way, someone took what looked like a carrot peeler to the neck area, attempting to route it for a neck pickup (without the right tools). They also drilled extra holes for a second volume, tone control, and a three-way switch, altering the original design.

The goal? Bring this vintage Gibson back to its original factory look. I filled in the extra routing, touched up the finish, and then carefully re-relic’d it to match the original wear patterns. To keep things as authentic as possible, I even made a mock pickguard before painting, ensuring that if the pickguard was ever removed, the fade and finish would still look period-correct—just like a true 1960s Gibson SG.

Considering the condition it came in, I’d say the transformation was well worth it. Restoring vintage guitars like this takes patience, but keeping a classic Gibson from being lost to bad mods? Always worth it.