Derek Trucks Signature SG
Over the past two decades, Derek Trucks has risen from child prodigy to being one of the most accomplished and respected guitarists working today. Co-leader of the acclaimed new Tedeschi Trucks Band and longtime bandleader of The Derek Trucks Band, Trucks has established a reputation for exploring and blending a variety of musical genres while surrounding himself with top-notch musicians. Trucks also continues to play with the Allman Brothers Band, joining the band as a full time member in 1999, and has performed with legends like Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton. His sublime tone and unique playing style—both of which benefit from liberal slide playing—are entirely unforgettable once you have experienced them, and his weapon of choice is a Gibson SG Standard. To celebrate the achievements of this original and dynamic artist, Gibson USA presents the Derek Trucks Signature SG. Built from the finest tonewoods, and loaded with two of Gibson’s most authentic PAF-style humbucking pickups, this SG is rendered in the style of the slightly modified 1961 models that Derek Trucks plays, and built to his preferred specs for a superb, fast playing feel.
The Derek Trucks Signature SG is crafted by Gibson USA in the image of the groundbreaking 1961 SG, with its radical asymmetrical dual-horned body style with characteristic beveled body edges. Body and neck are made from Grade-A mahogany and finished in high-gloss Heritage Cherry. The neck is carved to the slim “true D” profile of the early ’60s, which measures .800” deep at the 1st fret and .895” at the 12th. A rosewood fingerboard carries 22 medium-jumbo frets, with a 12-inch radius for smooth, easy bending. The hardware complement is where this instrument first departs from original 1961 SGs, and the Derek Trucks Signature SG carries the decorative Lyre vibrato cover with the vibrato mechanism itself removed—a Trucks mod—and a stopbar tailpiece in its place. Also at the artist’s request, the guitar employs the early style “no wire” ABR-1 Tune-o-matic tailpiece, and is issued without a pickguard. The headstock carries pearloid button vintage-style tuners as well as a PLEK-cut Corian nut for superb resonance and sustain, and is adorned with a mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and holly inlay.
To give this instrument all the deep, in-the-bone tone of the originals, Gibson USA loads the Derek Trucks Signature SG with a pair of the most accurate PAF-styled humbuckers available today. The ‘57 Classics in the neck and bridge position are made with genuine Alnico II magnets, and wound with 42-AWG enamel-coated wire just like the originals, but are wax potted to combat microphonic squeal for high-volume playing. This pair offers throaty warm neck tones with plenty of clarity, and sweet, singing lead tones from the bridge position, with rounder, funkier tones in between. At Derek Trucks’s request, the ‘57 Classics are routed through 500k potentiometers for both volume and tone for each pickup. In short, the Derek Trucks Signature SG is a scorching tone machine by any standards, and a fitting tribute to one of the most powerful players working today. Each guitar includes a Gibson hardshell case and owner’s manual, and is covered by Gibson’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
Product Features
- Grade-A Mahogany body with high-gloss nitrocellulose finish
- Mahogany neck with slim “true D” profile
- Rosewood fingerboard with figured acrylic inlays
- Pair of ’57 Classic humbucking pickups in the neck and bridge positions
- ABR-1 Tune-o-matic bridge with Lyre vibrato covered stopbar tailpiece
- Vintage-style machine heads with pearloid buttons and 14:1 tuning ratio
For more information on Derek’s current project with the Tedeschi Trucks Band and his Grammy nominated album “Revelator” go to: www.TedeschiTrucksBand.com