The SG Deluxe was introduced in June 1971 at Summer NAMM as a replacement for the SG Standard. Production appears to have started later in the year, however there is at least one example with an unbound fretboard and pots dating to April 1971. It also appears the production of the Standard may have overlapped with the Deluxe somewhat. Ultimately, this would prove to be the most controversial SG model ever made. This was because the Deluxe marked some significant departures from traditional SG features; a front-routed control cavity, zero degree neck pitch, deeper set neck and a Les Paul style pickguard. It was also the first ever SG below the Custom to have Mother of Pearl fretboard inlays. Yet, many of the features that the Deluxe is commonly associated with were not actually new, for example the SG Standard had a narrow 1 9/16" nut since 1966, a laminated neck since mid-1969 and a volute since 1970. However, public reception would cause the model to be quickly discontinued and the Standard to return in mid-1972. The Deluxe remained on price lists until October 1972 as remaining supply was sold off.
The transition back to the SG Standard started in mid-1972 as the last Deluxe parts were being used up. The first change was moving the control cavity cover to the rear of the body again. Then, the pickguard changed to something similar to the early '60s Angel Wing style, but with less of a curve for the cutaway, which was fixed by 1973 as the cutaway beveling returned. These transitional models are detailed below as the "SG Deluxe/Standard".
Curiously, Gibson's shipping ledgers show small numbers of SG Deluxes being shipped out as late as 1975. At least one example has surfaced. It features 1973 dated pots but also T-Tops with an engraved patent number, and is noticeably different from an older Deluxe, now sharing many Standard features. The seller speculated it being an early Nashville factory build. While this can't be confirmed, it does use a different style serial number stamping than most Kalamazoo builds of the era.
In 1998, a new SG Deluxe was introduced, bearing no resemblance to the original Deluxe, aside from a Bigsby tremolo. It featured what Gibson called a "1959 Slim Taper" neck profile, which they described as a 1959 radius, but slimmer. It was only produced through 1999.
The name returned again on a totally different model in 2013, now resembling an SG Supreme. Again, the only feature common to every version of this model being a Bigsby tremolo.
1972 Deluxe / Standard
After a short hiatus, being replaced by the Deluxe, the Standard returned mid-1972 as the last Deluxe parts were being used up. The first change was moving the control cavity cover to the back of the body again. Then, the pickguard changed to something similar to the early '60s Angel Wing style, but with less of a curve for the cutaway, which was fixed before the cutaway beveling returned (or pickguards were cut by hand as they worked on creating a new template; there is variation in pickguard shape at this time). Some examples even have holes left behind from Les Paul style pickguards that were going to be mounted on them. Other features like knobs, pickups and bridge are essentially randomly grabbed from parts bins and do not transition in a linear fashion. Embossed pickup covers were used on both T-Tops and Super Humbuckers at first. Once the cutaway beveling and neck angle return, it can again be considered a Standard and not a transitional model.
