1967-71 Gibson SG Standard

Angus Young is certainly one of the most electrifying performers in rock and roll history.  Born in Glasgow, Scotland in March 31, 1955, his family emigrated to Australia when he 8 years old.

 

He is a founding member of AC/DC formed in 1973, and is well-known for his outrageous performances, schoolboy-uniform (from his secondary school, Ashfield Boys High School) stage outfits, a variation of Chuck Berry's duck walk and his spasm-like contortions while playing lead guitar lying on the floor.  

 

He was listed 24th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003. Most recently in May 2012, Angus was named Best Australian Guitarist Of All Time by a poll conducted by Australian Guitar Magazine.

 

Although Angus is typically the main visual focus during live performances aside from vocalist Brian Johnson, he usually credits his brother Malcolm as being a more superior guitar player than he is (see separate page "1961-68 Gretsch Jet Firebird double-cutaway" for more details about Malcolm and his guitars)

 

Angus is currently residing in Sydney, Australia and also has a home in Aalten, Netherlands.

Angus is one of those guitar players who stick to one guitar pretty much for the entirety of their careers.  In Young’s case, his guitar choice is the Gibson SG, which he used basically from the start.  

When he goes on tour, instead of bringing dozens of guitars, like many other professional guitarists do, Angus typically only brings three guitars, one primary, a backup for if his primary goes out of tune, and a backup just in case something breaks. And of course, they’re all SGs. 

While Angus has owned and played many guitars over the years, below is a summary of some of his most notable SG's:

 

1971-78:  1968 (or 70?) Gibson SG Standard (Image #2,  )

• This is the most important guitar in Angus’ collection and the one that started it all and is still Angus's favorite guitar: "It’s so battered it’s kept locked away so it’s always ready for the studio. Over the years when I used it live it got so many bumps and cracks and I got to the point where I don’t want it damaged any more. I want to make sure to preserve it so it’s there for when I’m doing studio stuff. When I’ve got that guitar, it’s so reliable, you know? I just have to plug it in. I can get all my guitars and line them up, and I can go through them all and go in and everyone will go, ‘Yeah, that’s a great sound, that’s a good sound. But that one, that’s the one.’ It’s just got its own thing to it.” - Angus Young 2020
• Angus's 1st electric guitar bought when he was around 16 years old ~1971, from a music shop just down the road from the family home in Sydney 
• Finished in walnut and featuring a Lyre Maestro tremolo bridge, Angus made some modifications over the years.
  • First, he removed the pickup covers to give them a little more bite.
  • He also moved the input jack to the bottom of the guitar, instead of on the face like a standard SG. Since he wasn’t a master woodworker, he just plugged the original input hole with some tape. 
  • Since the roll of tape was already out from “fixing” the input jackhole, Young also wrapped the edges of his pickups in tape to prevent sweat from getting in and damaging the electronics.
• There is some debate regarding the model year of this guitar.  Gibson's own documentation identifies this as a 1968 model, however, SoloDallas presents evidence that it is actually a 1970 model
• He used this guitar exclusively in AC/DC's early history – up until 1978, when he retired the guitar from stage use.
• Although this guitar was retired from the stage, Angus has claimed that it was used on all of the AC/DC records.

 

Before heading out on the Highway to Hell tour, Angus had to retire his original SG.  He went to a music store on 48th Street in New York City and purchased several Gibson SGs including:

1978-82: 1970s Gibson "Factory Second" SG Standard (Image #3)

• This guitar is almost identical to his first ’70-’71 SG, except it had a red Cherry finish.  When he pulled it off the wall, there was a “#2” stamped into the back. He asked the clerk what it meant, and he said it was a factory second—a reject. Angus immediately thought, “Yep, that’s me!” and bought the guitar.
• This guitar went on to be Young’s primary guitar for the Highway to Hell album and tour

1978+: 1970 Gibson "Back in Black" SG Custom (Image #4)

• This was Young’s primary guitar for the Back in Black tour
• According to his current guitar tech, Trace Foster, originally, the SG was finished in walnut color, featured three pickups, and styled a tremolo piece
• Sometime between 1980 and 2016, the guitar completely changed its appearance. Angus removed the middle pickup and the tremolo piece and painted the guitar black with a white "Batwing" pickguard that covered the empty middle pickup routing

1978-88: 1960s Gibson SG Standards (Image #5)

• Throughout the late ‘70s and well into the ‘80s, Angus played either his 1970s "Factory Second" SG or one of his 1960s Gibson SGs
• Most of these SGs had a red cherry finish and a stop tailpiece
• Everything on them was completely stock, except for a bit of tape around the pickups to prevent sweat from reaching the electronics.

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The only slight diversion from Gibson guitars Angus Young ever made (and it’s very slight) was to a Jaydee SG given to him in 1981:

1981-86:  1981 Jaydee Donnington SG (Image #6)

• The Jaydee was built by famed British luthier John Diggins— “J.D.” spelled out “Jaydee”. It was modeled after the Gibson SG (of course) with a few key alterations.
  • First, the Jaydee SG was bright red and featured gold hardware. It also had custom-wound Jaydee “Hooligan” pickups that Young absolutely loved.
  • Diggins also included a built-in wireless battery pack on the back of the guitar, like Young, was adding to his other SGs. Since Young sweated so much on stage, the battery pack would shock him occasionally, which is why he opted for strap-mounted battery packs in the future.
• While it might be purely aesthetic, the real draw to this guitar was the iconic lightning bolt fret inlays—a feature that would later be incorporated into the Gibson SG Angus Young Signature.
• John Diggins custom built the guitar especially for Angus Young in secret. Jaydee gave it to Angus right before AC/DC took the stage for the 1981 Monsters of Rock Donington Festival.  Angus loved the guitar so much that he took it right out on stage and played the entire show with it after owning it for only a few hours.
• Young continued to use the guitar sporadically throughout the ‘80s, but he eventually went back to exclusively Gibson SG models by the turn of the decade.

 

 

2000+:  Gibson SG Angus Young Signature Models (see "Reissues & Replicas" section below for more detail)

• In 2000, after almost 30 years of loyal SG playing, Angus Young finally got to team up with his favorite guitar maker to build his very own Gibson SG signature model.
• Angus Young rocked his signature model SG for the Stiff Upper Lip tour and a few subsequent shows. You can hear how great Angus’s signature sounds as he rips through “Stiff Upper Lip” in 2003.

2010 Gibson Custom Shop Angus Young SG MSRP $9,409 / $6115

• Limited Edition with only 250 made:
  • 50 Aged and Signed by Angus MSRP $9,409
  • 200 VOS MSRP $6,115
• This model comes in a beautiful dark red finish that only exists on Angus' guitars. It thoroughly copies the SG Angus was holding for the Black Ice photoshoot, a 68 SG modded by British luthier Jaydee that was played for many concerts and recordings.
• Mahogany SG body in Angus Red
• Set mahogany neck
• 22-fret bound ebony fingerboard
• Thin SG profile neck
• Genuine bone nut with 1.55" width
• 12" fingerboard radius
• Pearl lightning bolt fingerboard inlays
• Schaller tuners
• 24-3/4" scale
• ABR Tune-O-Matic bridge
• Stopbar tailpiece
• Aged chrome hardware
• Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker (neck)
• Duncan Pearly Gates modified humbucker (bridge)
• 2 tone and 2 volume black witch-hat knobs with silver inserts
• 3-way selector switch
• Three-ply black/white/black pickguard
• Includes hardshell case and certificate of authenticity

 

2009-13 Gibson Angus Young "Thunderstruck" SG Model # SGA3ACCH-13  MSRP $3719  (Image #8)

• Body: Solid mahogany
• Finish: High-gloss ebony black
• Neck and headstock: Solid, quartersawn mahogany
• Truss rod
• Neck profile: Super-slim, 0.775" thick at the 1st fret, and 0.850" thick at the 12th.
• Neck pitch: attached at a 4-degree angle
• Headstock angle: Gibson's traditional 17 degrees
• Logo: Gibson logo, inlaid in mother-of-pearl, Gibson's crown inlay in the center of the headstock
• Neck Joint: Mortise and tenon
• Fingerboard: Rosewood with single-ply antique plastic binding
• Radius: 12"
• Frets: 22 jumbo
• Inlays: Acrylic "lightning bolt" position-markers
• Nut: Corian
• Nut width: 1.550"
• Pickups: Gibson '57 Classic humbucking pickup (neck); Angus Young humbucker based on the Seymour Duncan SH-PH1 (lead)
• Volume Controls: individual volume control for each pickup, high-quality linear 300K potentiometer
• Tone Controls: high-quality non-linear 500K potentiometer, 0.0223mf capacitor
• Toggle Switch: three-way, stainless steel with cream plastic tip and cream trim ring
• Output Jack: 1/4"
• Tuning Keys: vintage-Kluson-style tuners with pearloid keystone buttons, 14:1 gear ratio
• Bridge: Tune-o-matic, zinc with chrome plating
• Tailpiece: "stopbar," made from Zamak then plated with chrome
• Strap Buttons: aluminum
• Control Knobs: Gibson's black witch-hat knobs with silver inserts
• Pickguard: five-ply black/white/black/white/black
• Truss Rod Cover: black and white vinyl plastic, with Angus Young signature
• Includes Black form fitting Hardshell Case with Gibson USA screenprint Brown/Pink Reissue 5-Latch, Certificate of Authenticity

 

2008-15 Jaydee Donnington SG (Image #6)

• The Jaydee Donnington SG, a custom guitar inspired by the SG built by UK luthier John Diggins for Angus Young of AC/DC, was presented to Young backstage at the 1981 Monsters of Rock festival in Donington.
• This guitar was offered as a production model from 2008-15 and still available as a custom order from Jaydee Custom Guitars

 

2007-09 Angus Young Gibson SG Artist Proof VOS

• Spot-on replica of his famous Jaydee. Yes, a replica of an SG replica made by a luthier.  Like his old faithful, this #1 has a neck-through, nylon saddles, Schaller tuners and a pickup ring for the treble pickup even though there’s a large pickguard. The neck-through makes it very different from what eventually became Young’s second signature SG with Gibson, which looked a lot like this Production Sample but was structurally quite different.
• Limited Edition with only 14 made.  Artist Proof Gibson guitars are the instruments made by the Custom Shop for the artists to approve before they start building the actual run. Artist Proof instruments are already rare as hen’s teeth, and rarely get sold outside of the musician’s inner circle, but Production Sample guitars are even harder to find. They are usually made to order for the artist themselves when they need a special instrument for a tour or recording, not necessarily with the intention of it ending up becoming a production model.

 

2005 Back In Black 25th Anniversary Signature  Model SGAYEBBCJ

• Limited Edition with only 7 made
• ebony fret board and blacked out hardware
• Angus Young model pickup in the bridge position. The neck pickup was the Gibson '57 Classic pup

 

2000-09 Gibson USA Angus Young Signature ‘68 SG Standard Model SGAYACNH1 MSRP $3299 (Image #7)

• The Gibson SG Angus Young Signature is modeled after Young’s first SG
• ‘68 SG profile Solid Mahogany body
• Aged Cherry Nitrocellulose finish
• SG b/w/b 3 ply "Batwing" pickguard
• Mahogany Neck with Angus Young signature thin profile (1st Fret: 0.78"12th Fret: 0.88"),
• 12" Rosewood fingerboard with aged binding
• Pearloid trapezoid inlays
• ABR bridge, “Angus” engraving on the Lyre vibrato tailpiece
• Nut Width: 1.625"
• Gibson Deluxe tuners
• Gibson Mother Of Pearl  inlay and devil decal on headstock
• For pickups, Angus Young got to work with the pros at Seymour Duncan to develop a custom bridge pickup, which is one of Young’s favorites.
• The neck position has the tried-and-true Gibson ’57 classic humbucker (one of their most premium pickups)
• 3-way selector switch, Hand Wired CTS 250K Pots & Orange Drop Capacitors,  
• 2 tone and 2 volume black witch-hat knobs with silver inserts

 

Angus Young Signature Models review - Trogleys

The Mach Five guitar is a "twin" of Angus Young's infamous walnut '68 SG, and is a vintage 1968 Gibson SG Standard “Largeguard” in walnut with original T-Top pickups, Maestro Vibrola, and Grover tuners SN 101830611

 

1. The Mach Five Guitar
2. Angus Young's 1st Guitar
3. 1970s Gibson "Factory Second" SG Standard
4. 1960s Gibson SG Standard
5. 1970 Gibson "Back in Black" SG Custom
6. 1981 Jaydee Donnington SG
7. 2000-09 Gibson USA Angus Young Signature ‘68 SG Standard
8. 2009-13 Gibson Angus Young "Thunderstruck" SG
9. Angus playing his 1st Guitar
10. Angus playing his 1st Guitar
11. Angus with Bon Scott
12. Angus with Brian Johnson
13. Angus with Malcolm Young
14. Angus duck walk
15. Angus schoolboy horns
     

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Angus Young Marshall Amplifiers

• Angus Young has used nothing but Marshall amps for almost the entirety of his musical career. 
• His favorite head is the Marshall 100-watt Super Lead. Depending on the venue, he’ll have dozens of heads pushing his live sound. 
• Although all the heads are Marshalls, each one is a little bit different. They might have different wiring configurations, parts, or setups, but they all produce about the same tone. Almost all of Angus Young’s amps run on EL34 tubes.
• Every single head goes directly to the cabinets, except for one.  One head—which is usually a pristine, authentic vintage model—pushes a mic’d cabinet that goes to the front-of-the-house sound engineer, so they can mix the live sound.
• Despite his hard-rocking sound, Angus uses a surprisingly clean tone. He sets all his heads to almost identical settings:
  • Presence: 1
  • Bass: 3
  • Middle: 3
  • Treble: 3
  • Volume: 6
  • Preamp: 8
• The way Angus Young finds the right amp settings is to mess with each head individually, find the perfect sound, then turn it up a bit more. He really likes to push the envelope when it comes to making noise.
• Because of his affinity for playing loud and proud, Young goes through quite a few amps on the road. In fact, he has a full-time amp tech whose entire job is to fix amps and swap out tubes. According to Young’s guitar tech, he has been known to blow up as many as three amp heads in one show!

 

Angus Young Marshall Cabinets & Speakers

• Angus Young’s various tube heads push Marshall 4×12 cabinets. The number of cabinets he brings on tour depends on the venue.  At a “medium-sized” show, he uses five stacks of three 4×12 cabinets. That’s 15 cabinets total!
• All of Angus’s cabinets use 25-watt Celestion Greenback speakers (for reference, 15 cabinets include 60 speakers!)
• Most rockstars have a wall of cabinets behind them just to look cool; they’re typically not all live. Angus Young, however, isn’t most rockers.  At an AC/DC show, every single head and cabinet are hot, live, and making lots of sounds!
• Angus Young doesn’t use in-ear or stage monitors, so he relies on his cabinets to hear what he’s doing.

 

Angus Young Kikusui PCR4000M Power Supply 

• The Kikusui PCR4000M is considered the “secret weapon” in Angus Young’s live-sound arsenal. It’s not an effect, per se, but it does help create Angus Young’s sound. 
• The Kikusui is a power supply. It allows Angus to control how much power is sent to his amps. Mike Hill, the creator of the Marshall JCM800, suggests Marshall amps run at 234V. Being who he is, that’s just not enough power for Angus Young. He found the recommended power rating made his tone too “spongy.” 
• To fix the problem, Angus sets the Kikusui to 236V, sending just a touch more power to his amps than what’s recommended.  While it might blow a few more tubes, it makes his amps a bit hotter.  Besides, he has a full-time amp tech, so what does he care about a few blown tubes?

 

Angus Young Pedals and Effects Overview 

• Because of his minimalist mentality, Angus Young doesn’t use any official effects!  There’s nothing on the stage except for him and his guitar.
• If you haven’t figured it out yet, Angus Young likes to keep his setup as simple as possible.  According to him, “When you get on stage and you’re playing rock and roll, the big lesson is this: If you’ve got too many toys up there, then there are too many things that can go wrong.”  Plus, when you’re jumping around on the stage as Young does, there’s not much time to mess with a pedalboard. 

 

Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (SVDS) Wireless System

• Although Schaffer's design objective was to create a wireless system that sounded transparent—as close as possible to the wired version—artists, such as Rick Derringer, Eddie Van Halen and Angus Young of AC/DC, chose to use their wireless units in the recording studio. The slight coloration added by the Schaffer-Vega was considered part of the desired guitar tone.
• In 2015, the audio section of the SVDS was put into production and brought to market as a stand-alone effect by Filippo "SoloDallas" Olivieri and selected for inclusion in Guitar Player Magazine's 2015 Hall of Fame.

 

 

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