'New' SG basses

[Dave W]

If you have an active preamp on a PCB, it makes sense to mount the pots and jack on the board as part of the manufacturing process, although it complicates replacing them. There's no reason or excuse for it on simple passive guitar or bass. That's why I suspect these are being imported as a complete assembly.

[Granny Gremlin]

Yeah - I don't disagree; mostly joking about how cruddy most guitar pots are.

[chromium]

That's why I suspect these are being imported as a complete assembly.

I'd bet that's a safe assumption.  

Even in a simple passive setup, a pick-and-place robot could stuff and solder a PC board in a fraction of the time it would take a worker to manually fly wires and build up the harness...

Most of the board manufacture and automated assembly is happening in east Asia.  Anyone can order it online now from board houses like PCBCart.com, and get complete, assembled circuit boards back in the mail.

[Chris P.]

I heard from several sources that fretboards are made in the right size and cut in Asia. I din't know if frets are mounted in the US. They just have to put on the boards on the neck. Wasn't that where the raid was about? A fretboard not being wood but a semi finished product or something?

I also heard all the wiring harnesses of at least the cheaper instruments are wired in Asia.

[Thornton Davis]

If you scroll down on the Gibson page you can select 3 different colors - I like the chocolate!

Cool. Didn't see those there.

Thx,

TD

[LoEndMaestro]

I am very happy with my new Chocolate Satin SG Special.

[drbassman]

I like my SG Special that I got a few weeks ago.  Nice little bass for the money.

[Dave W]

I heard from several sources that fretboards are made in the right size and cut in Asia. I din't know if frets are mounted in the US. They just have to put on the boards on the neck. Wasn't that where the raid was about? A fretboard not being wood but a semi finished product or something?

I also heard all the wiring harnesses of at least the cheaper instruments are wired in Asia.

It wouldn't surprise me about the wiring harnesses, but if they were caught importing cut and sized fretboards, then the guitars would no longer qualify for the Made In USA label. The body and neck have to be completely manufactured here in order to qualify.

Of course it wouldn't surprise me to find out they were trying to get away with something like this, but I don't think so in this case. They have said that they are importing sheets of veneer and laminating the fretboards here.

They did get caught by the Federal Trade Commission some years ago for importing partially manufactured necks from Japan for their Montana acoustics and labeling those guitars as Made In USA; they were told to stop or relabel.

[gearHed289]

Keeps the cost down.      I don't have anything against satin finishes done well, but most Gibsons I've seen aren't done well.

FWIW - the satin tobacco finish on the Explorer I had for a while was really good. Some of the sanding around the neck/body joint could have been better though.

[saltymonkey]

I like the new fireburst satin SG. Nicely priced at $700 too. The new walnut/gloss model is really beautiful and my favorite of the finishes but twice the price.

[Dave W]

FWIW - the satin tobacco finish on the Explorer I had for a while was really good. Some of the sanding around the neck/body joint could have been better though.

Bad sanding would change it from 'good' to 'not good' for me. There's no excuse. My cheapo Melody Maker is smooth. No reason the more expensive ones shouldn't be.

[westen44]

If anyone knows what one of these SG Special basses weighs, I'd really love to know.  I got some whiplash injuries years ago and try to stay with light basses now.  It's my guess it's pretty light, but I just don't know for sure. 

[drbassman]

Mine comes in at 7 lbs.  I got mine on one of those sales last month.  It has a small finish flaw where the nitro sunk into the grain a little on the back.  Finish flaw?  I thought Gibson made them all like that!!!  Anyway, for a few bucks over $800 for a new SG, I couldn't resist.  The tuners are heavy and it has a slight neck dive, but nothing my padded neoprene strap couldn't counteract.  Putting lite tuners on it could make it even lighter.

I played it at a gig last month and it did a nice job.  As usual, an easy bass to play and wear long term.

[66Atlas]

Sweetwater lists the weight for each one on their site (others may too, IDK), it's kind of interesting to compare the different serial numbers and see how much the weight varies on the same model.

[westen44]

Thanks.  I was thinking it was probably about 7 lbs, but wasn't sure.  I wish weight didn't have to be such of an issue for me, but it is, unfortunately.  But 7 lbs is not bad.