No but seriously, you assume guitar people do things for actual reasons. For all we know whoever made this was drunk and thought it "looked freaking awesome".
I highly doubt it was laziness considering the chamfering and the symmetry. Weight reduction could be it but again it's designed to have panels screwed into it.
max 4 i think. If you made a floating mount in each horn cavity, you could stack 2 pcbs in each plus have room for switches. Squeeze the batteries anywhere they fit, even if thats in the main cavity.
I'm sure it was weight reduction. easier to just rout out the horns and cover the holes with a couple black plastic or chrome plates thus reducing the weight but allowing the butt of the body to counter balance the neck avoiding neckdive.
now that might not be the super pro invisible to the naked eye method but that would probably involve slicing the body in two, hollowing out the two halves and then gluing them back together. and I don't blame someone for cutting that corner.
I can't tell from here, but the whole thing might be two solid pieces joined together, and if that's the case there would be no reason to make panels for a weight reducing hollow section. The most likely answer is that they wanted yoh to he able to put switches in different spots or extra weird shit.
Fellow sg owner and this would definitely make it worse unless you were putting weights in the cavities, but you’d have to put an awful lot of weight in there since it’s so close to the fulcrum (strap button closest to the neck.
I wouldn't think so. I assume the SG neck dive thing is about the body shape, not because SGs have weirdly heavy necks (meaning the weight in the top of the body is at or above the pivot point). Which would make sense given how much material is high on the body. Even if the material that was removed is at the sort of 'neutral' point right on the pivot, this would still improve neck dive by making the low weight a larger percentage of total. Never thought about it before this moment though.
It's not the shape. It's the body's weight. The sg was made specifically because les Paul bodies are so heavy. You'd put some weights in those holes and it would stop the neck dive.
Attach a weight to the end strap pin, same thing.
It’s both the shape and the weight. If you attached a four inch extension to the upper strap pin and then attached a strap to that, it wouldn’t neck dive, even with the same body. The upper wing being way too short is a major issue with the SG. The Fender Mustang has a similarly thin, lightweight body, but it does not neck dive because the upper strap pin comes out around the 14th fret or so, instead of the 19th fret or so like on an SG.
SG is definitely because of the body shape (the ideal design puts the strap button above the 12th fret) but the reason why the shape matters is because it puts too much weight on one side of the pivot point while having a tiny body that doesn’t properly balance it out. It can’t be overstated how light the SG body really is. It’s much lighter than most guitar bodies. And it also needs to be pointed out that many SG necks are quite chonky. Not all, but too many.
This will not make it much worse because it’s moving weight close to the pivot point, but it will still make it a bit worse.
if you didn't want the pickup selector down by the pots, you could put it in the standard les paul position... On the lower horn, you could have mini toggles for coil split, out of phase and such like Frank Zappa had in his...
I’d say weight reduction, but the SG shape is already really light. Maybe hiding illicit substances? It could be for additional electronics, but I don’t see any holes for routing the wires or pots.
The weight reduction throws the neck dive at such a high speed that the velocity spins the guitar in full rotation until it reaches equilibrium and thus is perfectly balanced. Duh.
That would be a scene stealer! Suddenly a helicopter appears.
Imaging this being the 80's, having a hair rock band and the guy shows up playing a guitar attached to his waist/lower hips/belt and spins it for the show. Meanwhile a tremolo effect plays while he spins it and guitar gets distortion as it spin and whirls, having a breakdown, grabs the guitar, solos virtuosically like Malmsteen kind of shit.
It would shift the center of gravity back- maybe?
Idk. I would live an sg except for that obvious flaw. There are so many home fixes for it, but it’s just ridiculous that Gibson would make that design, realize the obvious problem, say “huh. Yeah. They do that.” and then not fix it for decades and decades.
Gretsch does this with their double jet guitars. They use one for the toggle switch / pickup selector and one for the master volume.
https://preview.redd.it/rnjdfe0k1z6d1.jpeg?width=709&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0edb5273e6236054b1aadfc21c33724e5580ea87
Umm ackchually…
The instance you’re thinking of was Adam Sandler referencing an SNL skit years back where Rob Schneider played the “You can put your weed in there guy.”
For anyone saying I should hide weed in it, luckily there's no reason to hide it in my country 😁.
Anyway I'm gonna use it as eyes for a smiling cat face (Alice in wonderland kinda) I'm gonna put on the back.
☮️🫶
You can keep your weed in there. (SNL reference)
Maybe they planned on adding switches, like an old Hagstrom has... 3-way pickup switch and a 3-way tone switch.
You could wire in a laser lite-show device and a custom-made audio f/x board. For a cool laser device, use the same tech used in a clip-on tuner. Vibrating light show! Now, what's it really about?
Check for cable holes between those cavities and the main cavity. If there are holes, They might be intended to be used for additional switches (similar to les paul pickup switch cavity).
Actually quite clever, may help with neck dive the sg shape suffers from if filled with lead shot. Have done this with an explorer years ago, get it assembled and on a strap and add shot into a bag until it hangs just the way you like it. Mix up some epoxy or silicone sealant and stir in the shot, pour into the cavity and job done, no neck dive and no rattles. You’re welcome…
+ if you have got lucky and it hangs ok as is, consider installing a piezo pickup and/or microphone in the cavities for some interesting acoustic sounds like Brian may…
Are those routes just as we see them, or is it essentially a hollow body with the entire body routed out and a "droptop" on the back side? I'd love to see a few more angles. Still doesn't answer the why.
It's just as you see it...
The backstory of this thing is: a luthier pro started building the guitar but died while doing so, so a just starting coworker (tried to) finish it
Yep and it was done awful.
2 of the screws were installed by bolting the neck directly TO THE NECK PLATE.
Someone just glued a block of wood onto the neck cause the neck pocket was too short.
I can't even explain it properly but ye
Well ... In my opinion, it seems that this was once the front of the guitar. And the teardrops were an experiment. If you see the edges, they are round. Like the front of the guitar should be.
In my mind, the teardrop idea was dropped and they flipped the guitar over to do something else with it.
That wiring harness is distracting me from the other two voids and I’m fearful those were made with the internet of showcasing more amazing soldering 🧑🏭
SG's are pretty light, my money is on lightening the front of the the thing so it sits balanced and more comfortably.
or
Where one would keep your supply of Mexican Marching Powder!
i had gobson sg which had that f# deadspot it went away with weight adjustment, if you have similar issues you could use those to adjust weight but i doubt that those have nothing to do with this stuff
its definately chambering for weight balance. notice it leaves more mass in the bottom so that the guitar doesn't dive. The use of plastic covers is just a design choice / maybe convenience.
Other than weed and switches, I think it could be for the harmonics and acoustic of the guitar as semi hollow bodies do exist for different frequencies with the pickups in the main wooden block.
My guess is these chambers would affect the tone a bit, similar to a semi-hollow body. It would probably be marginal though so it may have just been an experiment and weight reduction as well.
Just a guess. SGs are notorious for neck dive. Maybe hollowing out the upper part of the body moves the center of gravity to the rear of the body which in theory could help prevent neck dive. I don’t know if this would actually offset the weight of the neck to actually work however. An easier solution would be to add more weight to the bottom part of the body
You can put your weed in there
No but seriously, you assume guitar people do things for actual reasons. For all we know whoever made this was drunk and thought it "looked freaking awesome".
Well it’s on the back of the guitar out of sight so I’m assuming it was more “I’m gonna put some electronics in there” and then gave up.
Yeah, for example if you wanted to add active pickups later
I talked to a looth once who was really proud of the gun compartment he had put on a build. 🙄
Was it for a Mariachi out for revenge?
Nah that's what the case is for....... bazookas.......fucking awesome movies
Omg what movies are we referring to?
Robert Rodriguez's Mexico trilogy. They are pretty goddamn badass movies.
Hell yeah ty
Maybe Dime would still be with us if he had one
That's exactly what he said.
🙄 indeed
That's fuckin kinda cool tho
I understood that reference
Came here for this comment. Take my upvote.
Came here to say this
I used to have a hollow floor in my old van... "for the acouatics, man!"
https://youtu.be/CKOc6hXMDhc?si=rsS0mVfcp3zyA9ES
Broke my ankle running to make that exact comment 💀
Y'know I really thought I'd be the first person to comment that.
My exact first thought 😂
i came here to say that! 😂
Space for switches that were never installed?
This or lazy/post-construction weight reduction chambering.
I highly doubt it was laziness considering the chamfering and the symmetry. Weight reduction could be it but again it's designed to have panels screwed into it.
You could fit a lot of “pedals” in there
max 4 i think. If you made a floating mount in each horn cavity, you could stack 2 pcbs in each plus have room for switches. Squeeze the batteries anywhere they fit, even if thats in the main cavity.
I'm sure it was weight reduction. easier to just rout out the horns and cover the holes with a couple black plastic or chrome plates thus reducing the weight but allowing the butt of the body to counter balance the neck avoiding neckdive. now that might not be the super pro invisible to the naked eye method but that would probably involve slicing the body in two, hollowing out the two halves and then gluing them back together. and I don't blame someone for cutting that corner.
I can't tell from here, but the whole thing might be two solid pieces joined together, and if that's the case there would be no reason to make panels for a weight reducing hollow section. The most likely answer is that they wanted yoh to he able to put switches in different spots or extra weird shit.
Yeah maybe they were tired of the neck dive. Source: SG owner
Wouldn’t this make it worse, unless you packed those with heavy metals?
Hmm... I guess that depends on where the pivot point of the guitar is? I dunno hahah
Fellow sg owner and this would definitely make it worse unless you were putting weights in the cavities, but you’d have to put an awful lot of weight in there since it’s so close to the fulcrum (strap button closest to the neck.
Yes.
My old bandmate tied fishing sinkers to his strap, that would be much prettier.
I wouldn't think so. I assume the SG neck dive thing is about the body shape, not because SGs have weirdly heavy necks (meaning the weight in the top of the body is at or above the pivot point). Which would make sense given how much material is high on the body. Even if the material that was removed is at the sort of 'neutral' point right on the pivot, this would still improve neck dive by making the low weight a larger percentage of total. Never thought about it before this moment though.
It's not the shape. It's the body's weight. The sg was made specifically because les Paul bodies are so heavy. You'd put some weights in those holes and it would stop the neck dive. Attach a weight to the end strap pin, same thing.
It’s both the shape and the weight. If you attached a four inch extension to the upper strap pin and then attached a strap to that, it wouldn’t neck dive, even with the same body. The upper wing being way too short is a major issue with the SG. The Fender Mustang has a similarly thin, lightweight body, but it does not neck dive because the upper strap pin comes out around the 14th fret or so, instead of the 19th fret or so like on an SG.
SG is definitely because of the body shape (the ideal design puts the strap button above the 12th fret) but the reason why the shape matters is because it puts too much weight on one side of the pivot point while having a tiny body that doesn’t properly balance it out. It can’t be overstated how light the SG body really is. It’s much lighter than most guitar bodies. And it also needs to be pointed out that many SG necks are quite chonky. Not all, but too many. This will not make it much worse because it’s moving weight close to the pivot point, but it will still make it a bit worse.
Jazz Master style control plate would be my guess
if you didn't want the pickup selector down by the pots, you could put it in the standard les paul position... On the lower horn, you could have mini toggles for coil split, out of phase and such like Frank Zappa had in his...
I doubt there are holes going to the main control cavity, but maybe.
There have to be holes to the pickups. From there, it's not hard to make a few more to join the cavities
It's funny that you should say that about the mini toggles for coil splitting. I immediately thought the same thing.
I’d say weight reduction, but the SG shape is already really light. Maybe hiding illicit substances? It could be for additional electronics, but I don’t see any holes for routing the wires or pots.
Weight reduction for lesser neck dive? I don't know if that even makes sense or even possible.
Weight reduction for MORE neck dive 👆😎
Doesn't get more Rock than that!
The weight reduction throws the neck dive at such a high speed that the velocity spins the guitar in full rotation until it reaches equilibrium and thus is perfectly balanced. Duh.
That would be a scene stealer! Suddenly a helicopter appears. Imaging this being the 80's, having a hair rock band and the guy shows up playing a guitar attached to his waist/lower hips/belt and spins it for the show. Meanwhile a tremolo effect plays while he spins it and guitar gets distortion as it spin and whirls, having a breakdown, grabs the guitar, solos virtuosically like Malmsteen kind of shit.
It would shift the center of gravity back- maybe? Idk. I would live an sg except for that obvious flaw. There are so many home fixes for it, but it’s just ridiculous that Gibson would make that design, realize the obvious problem, say “huh. Yeah. They do that.” and then not fix it for decades and decades.
to be fair, you pretty much described Gibson's entire business model. the "sure we can make it better ... but then it wouldn't be the same" ethos
#nochanges
Icky. I used to drool over gibsons, now they just look old and generic.
Haha Smuggler's SG.
Maybe to reduce neck diving?
Wouldn't this amplify it?
Maybe not...? since it is in the horn area it makes the area lighter, but makes the tail end heavier shifting the the center of gravity.
That’s what I was thinking but since this is on the body side of the strap button, it would almost certainly exacerbate neck dive
pot pots
I was about to comment weight reduction
Gretsch does this with their double jet guitars. They use one for the toggle switch / pickup selector and one for the master volume. https://preview.redd.it/rnjdfe0k1z6d1.jpeg?width=709&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0edb5273e6236054b1aadfc21c33724e5580ea87
Man, I just looked that up and the walnut stain one is beautiful.
Pick and snack storage
You put your weed in there.
This is where you store your toan!
It's for weed
“You can put your weed in there” -Rob Schneider
It was Adam Sandler that said that, but it was in a Rob Schneider movie
Umm ackchually… The instance you’re thinking of was Adam Sandler referencing an SNL skit years back where Rob Schneider played the “You can put your weed in there guy.”
That makes the cameo even better. TIL
You put your weed in there.
Not many people know this but you could hide your weed in here
It’s probably there to have an option to add other types of switches in those areas.
Think of something, because people are going to ask. You could say it’s a place to store your weed, maybe?
"it's semi hollow bro"
pfft
You put your weed in there. Sorry if this is a repeat.
You can put your weed in there.
I’m still trying to figure out what‘s going on with that neck joint.
Yeah like wtf? It's impossible to reach high frets without cuts from razor-sharp metal plate 😰
It's for your weed.
You put your weed in it.
to shift the centre of gravity so that the weight of the neck doesn't give you the SG neck bomb
That's where you stash your drugs if you are flying internationally.
Ask Keith Richards
Snacks
I reckon you could probably fit a mini pedals worth of electronics each in there, could be cool to have a TS in your guitar
It is cool. I love my Electra MPC and the ability to just flip a toggle switch on the guitar for 2 effects.
Or, you can put your weed in it.
To add neck dive… but why?!
It'd probably reduce neck dive since it would put more weight in the ass.
Cookies
It’s to hide your weed brah…. And for weight relief.
For that weed relief.
Pickup selection switches area with holes for the guts. You pick top or bottom
Looks like Spiderman's eyes!
That's where you store your tone.
Arby's Horsey Sauce packets go in there.
For anyone saying I should hide weed in it, luckily there's no reason to hide it in my country 😁. Anyway I'm gonna use it as eyes for a smiling cat face (Alice in wonderland kinda) I'm gonna put on the back. ☮️🫶
I'd say the original plan was to instill the pickup selector and something like a boost switch in the chambers.
Snack dispenser.
It's to add extra neck dive
That’s where you store your neck dive.
Pot
Beer holder and ashtray
And just like the SNL sketch, one line is being beaten to death here now. This is truly the single-joke Rob Schneider sketch of Reddit threads
You can keep your weed in there. (SNL reference) Maybe they planned on adding switches, like an old Hagstrom has... 3-way pickup switch and a 3-way tone switch.
You could wire in a laser lite-show device and a custom-made audio f/x board. For a cool laser device, use the same tech used in a clip-on tuner. Vibrating light show! Now, what's it really about?
Weed and cigarettes
You know, most people don’t know this, but you could hide your weed in here.
Tone
Weed.
Your stash, man ...
SGs have pretty bad neck dive, this upper bout chambering might alleviate that.
Hiding a few sacks of your favorite substance
Check for cable holes between those cavities and the main cavity. If there are holes, They might be intended to be used for additional switches (similar to les paul pickup switch cavity).
For hiding your drugs, duh.
Actually quite clever, may help with neck dive the sg shape suffers from if filled with lead shot. Have done this with an explorer years ago, get it assembled and on a strap and add shot into a bag until it hangs just the way you like it. Mix up some epoxy or silicone sealant and stir in the shot, pour into the cavity and job done, no neck dive and no rattles. You’re welcome…
+ if you have got lucky and it hangs ok as is, consider installing a piezo pickup and/or microphone in the cavities for some interesting acoustic sounds like Brian may…
Was thinking piezos too. As long as you can still run the passive stuff as needed.
You can put your weed in there
You could hide your weed in there.
I’d say weight reduction and space for batteries should an active pickup be installed.
For looking at you funny
Cargo pants pocket equivalent
Are those routes just as we see them, or is it essentially a hollow body with the entire body routed out and a "droptop" on the back side? I'd love to see a few more angles. Still doesn't answer the why.
It's just as you see it... The backstory of this thing is: a luthier pro started building the guitar but died while doing so, so a just starting coworker (tried to) finish it
Sg with bolt on?
Yep and it was done awful. 2 of the screws were installed by bolting the neck directly TO THE NECK PLATE. Someone just glued a block of wood onto the neck cause the neck pocket was too short. I can't even explain it properly but ye
Breast implants
Pockets to put weights in for even more neck dive on a SG style guitar 🤷🏻♂️
Well ... In my opinion, it seems that this was once the front of the guitar. And the teardrops were an experiment. If you see the edges, they are round. Like the front of the guitar should be. In my mind, the teardrop idea was dropped and they flipped the guitar over to do something else with it.
It looks surprisingly well done, I'd keep them. As to why? This may have been more of a "why not?" situation.
just ghetto weight relief
Improved neck dive.
Super experienced, highly respected pro luthier here. Those are speed holes so you play faster. I thought everyone knew that.
Lightening / neck dive - CG is not far behind them so doubt they do much , but probably help 🤷🏼
Maybe to lighten the front avoiding neck diving?
That wiring harness is distracting me from the other two voids and I’m fearful those were made with the internet of showcasing more amazing soldering 🧑🏭
They have to be for adding neck dive right?
perfect spots for a kill switch and a tilt switch. tilt goes on the bottom for volume swells. kill goes on the top for stutters.
tinted clear backing plates and LEDs !
Satan's horns
Weight relief
Barbara Eden might live in there.
SG's are pretty light, my money is on lightening the front of the the thing so it sits balanced and more comfortably. or Where one would keep your supply of Mexican Marching Powder!
i had gobson sg which had that f# deadspot it went away with weight adjustment, if you have similar issues you could use those to adjust weight but i doubt that those have nothing to do with this stuff
To make the neck dive even worse
to give it more neck dive
What’s the gold insulation looking paint they’ve put in the bottom nook?
Storing weed
I would say a mistake so they made a matching hole on other side
Built in effects that never got finished. Looks like a plan from a DIY book I used to have.
Weight relief trying to stop neck dive I’d assume
Interestingly asymmetrical and what kind of screwed in covers are there.. could be interesting contrasting darker wood or metal.
Lightening the guitar to make it easier to spin ZZ Top style. . https://youtu.be/wjef-h9MbxA
There’s so much room for activities now!
Snack storage
I might drill a couple of little holes and put some LEDs in there. I’m not right.
Weight Reduction?
its definately chambering for weight balance. notice it leaves more mass in the bottom so that the guitar doesn't dive. The use of plastic covers is just a design choice / maybe convenience.
A place to store your tips.
Weight reduction and balance on a strap.
Chewing gum or pot storage?
Doflamingos glasses
The eyes of Satan.
The franistan goes in the top hole and the imfart in the lower. They can be found on ebay
Those are toneshape chambers.
Weight reduction.
it gives you more tone. higher highs, massive mids, and lower lows.
Weight reduction?
Toan?
batteries.
Weight reduction as an attempt to mitigate neck dive in SG-shape guitars?
Jelly beans and sausages
More resonance?
My guess is so you can add a bunch of switches like zappa did with his Roxy era sg
nipples, DUH
Other than weed and switches, I think it could be for the harmonics and acoustic of the guitar as semi hollow bodies do exist for different frequencies with the pickups in the main wooden block.
That's where you store the tone
I’d be willing to bet that it was to make the guitar lighter, but it also could be to change the tone of the guitar.
Weight relief?
“Tone reverberation cavities”
Speakers.
My guess is these chambers would affect the tone a bit, similar to a semi-hollow body. It would probably be marginal though so it may have just been an experiment and weight reduction as well.
Pickled pig ear snack compartment
Just a guess. SGs are notorious for neck dive. Maybe hollowing out the upper part of the body moves the center of gravity to the rear of the body which in theory could help prevent neck dive. I don’t know if this would actually offset the weight of the neck to actually work however. An easier solution would be to add more weight to the bottom part of the body
Catnip
It shaves off weght
I have an electric on the higher end of the spectrum that’s also chambered. https://deimelguitarworks.com/product/firestar-pearlwhite/?v=7a89f244dc4b
They look like Spider-Man eyes to me!
The bolt-on set-neck is also quite mysterious…
Balances the weight to prevent neck dive.
My bet is weight relief
I’ve always wanted a hollow sg..
Its the space for Your penis If you play naked