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1968 Gibson SG Special Value Guide: Original vs Hot-Rodded
A 1968 Gibson SG Special is a P-90 solid body with the wide "batwing" pickguard. Original and lightly modified examples have recently been listed at $4,500 to $8,600, while a refinished, humbucker-swapped 1966 sold for $2,495. Edgewater Guitars, based in Ohio, buys 1968 SG Specials nationwide. Call or text (440) 219-3607, or text us photos.
1968 Gibson SG Special: what to expect
Edgewater's SG Special value guide covers 1961 through 1965, the model's early years with the original small pickguard. By 1968 the guitar had moved on. Two P-90 pickups stayed standard on the SG Special through the 1960s. The pickguard, nut and hardware all changed by 1968, and that's what to check first.
Gibson moved the SG line to a larger, semi-symmetrical pickguard that players now call the "batwing," replacing the small original guard. A 1968 SG Special should carry that batwing guard, not the earlier small one; real 1968 examples we found for sale confirm it. Nut width narrowed from 1 11/16 inch to 1 9/16 inch starting in 1965 and stayed narrow through the rest of the decade; two real 1968 and 1969 examples we found for sale measure exactly that. Hardware plating moved from nickel to chrome over the same stretch, so chrome parts are correct for 1968, not nickel.
Feature | 1968 Gibson SG Special |
|---|---|
Pickups | Two P-90 single coils, factory standard |
Pickguard | Large "batwing" shape; the earlier small guard is gone by this point |
Nut width | 1 9/16 in, narrowed from 1 11/16 in starting 1965 |
Hardware plating | Chrome, replacing earlier nickel |
Tuners | Three-on-a-plate strip tuners, often swapped later for Grover, Schaller or reproduction tuners |
Bridge/tailpiece | Often a factory Maestro Vibrola vibrato with a separate bridge |
Serial number | Impressed into the headstock, no "MADE IN USA" stamp (that starts in 1970) |
Serial numbers from this era are not reliable alone. Six-digit ranges were reused across more than one year in the 1960s, so a genuine 1968 serial can overlap with 1966 or 1969. Pot codes, neck features and hardware are the better tiebreakers. Our SG Special dating guide covers dating in more depth; our Gibson serial number lookup will run your number.
The hot-rodded SG Special: how these mods move the offer
Plenty of SG Specials got modified over the decades, often with a refinish, a humbucker swap or new tuners. Here is how the common mods change what we can offer.
Humbucker routing. An SG Special's pickup cavities were cut at the factory for P-90s, a different shape and depth than a humbucker needs. Fitting a humbucker means enlarging that cavity, and the route is permanent. Once the wood is removed, the guitar can never go back to a documented all-original P-90 configuration, even if a P-90 goes back in later.
Refinish. A non-original finish, even a clean, well-done one, is one of the biggest value events on any vintage Gibson. Buyers pay for the original nitrocellulose, checking and all, not a fresh coat.
Replaced tuners. Strip-style tuners and Schaller or Grover replacements often use different mounting footprints. Swapping tuners can leave extra screw holes in the headstock face that a later owner can't hide, even after putting the original-style tuners back on.
Replaced pots and wiring. Original potentiometers carry a stamped date code that helps confirm a guitar's age. Replaced pots and rewired electronics remove that evidence and count against originality, even when the replacement parts work fine.
Stack a refinish, a humbucker swap and replaced tuners on one guitar and you get a real guitar that is worth considerably less than a clean original. One appraiser writing in Premier Guitar's "Trash or Treasure" column put a number on that gap: in that appraiser's assessment of a related guitar, a 1961 SG Special, a completely refinished, non-original restoration was worth 50 to 60 percent less than an all-original example. That's one appraiser's rule of thumb for one specific guitar, not a blanket rule, but our own comps below land in the same territory.
What a 1968 Gibson SG Special is worth in 2026
These are real, named listings, not estimates, and we're calling out what's original and what isn't rather than folding everything into one number. A 1969 SG Special listed on eBay, with all-original electronics, tuners, vibrato and bridge but a professionally repaired neck break, was listed at $4,500. A 1968 in excellent condition with its original P-90 pickup pair was listed on eBay at $5,300 through Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar. Mahar's Vintage Guitars is asking $5,499.99 for a 1968 with its original pickguard, P-90s and case, though the tuners, bridge and nut have since been replaced. Another eBay listing, for a 1968 with a large pickguard, P-90s and Wilkinson tuners installed in place of the originals, which the seller still has, was listed at $8,600. A fourth eBay listing, for a 1967 in Alpine White with its original electronics but a replaced Grover tuner set and bridge, was listed at $8,100.
A refinish brings much less. Rivington Guitars sold a 1966 SG Special refinished in black, with the original P-90s swapped for 1970s DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers and a replaced bridge, for $2,495, well below the $4,500 to $8,600 range of the listings above. Separately, Jimmy Wallace Guitars sold a 1968 SG Special for $2,800; the listing doesn't describe condition or originality beyond noting a hardshell case, so we can't call it a clean original or a modified guitar.
What Edgewater offers. Our cash offer on a clean, original 1968 SG Special typically lands around 20% under documented figures like the ones above, and considerably lower for a refinished example like the hot-rodded guitar below. Condition, originality and finish move the number, so the accurate answer for yours is a free appraisal: call or text (440) 219-3607.
The hot-rodded 1968 SG Special Edgewater bought
Edgewater bought a 1968 SG Special that had been refinished, fitted with DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers in place of the original P-90s, and given a set of Schaller tuners. In the words Edgewater used to describe it, this was a hot-rodded, 1980s-style SG Special. We don't publish what we paid, but the offer on a guitar like that reflects what's described above: priced as a modified guitar, not an all-original one. If you have a similar hot-rodded SG Special, or an all-original one, that's exactly the kind of guitar we want to see.
Sell your 1968 Gibson SG Special
Edgewater Guitars buys 1968 SG Specials in any condition, from an all-original example in its factory finish to a hot-rodded guitar with humbuckers and replaced tuners like the one we bought. We travel for the right guitar, pay by check or cash the same day, and show you the comps behind our offer. Get a free estimate, call or text (440) 219-3607, or text us photos. Our sell your Gibson page explains how the process works.
From a recent Google review: "Gavin ... provided speedy responses and a very honest and fair assessment of my 1963 Gibson SG Special. I highly recommend them!" (George Watts, August 2025)
Frequently asked questions
How much is a 1968 Gibson SG Special worth?
Original and lightly modified examples have recently been listed at $4,500 to $8,600 on eBay and at dealers. A refinished, humbucker-swapped 1966 has sold for as little as $2,495. Edgewater gives free appraisals on any 1968 SG Special: call or text (440) 219-3607.
Does adding humbuckers hurt an SG Special's value?
Yes. Fitting a humbucker into a P-90 SG Special means enlarging the pickup cavity, and that cut is permanent; it can't be undone even if a P-90 goes back in later. A 1966 SG Special with its P-90s swapped for humbuckers and a refinish sold for $2,495, well below the $4,500 to $8,600 listed for less-modified examples.
How can I tell if my SG Special is a 1968?
The larger "batwing" pickguard, a 1 9/16 inch nut and chrome hardware place a guitar in the late 1960s, not a specific year; the same features fit a 1966, 1967 or 1969 SG Special too. Pot codes narrow it further, and serial numbers alone are unreliable since ranges repeat across the decade. Our free appraisal will confirm the year.
Is a refinished SG Special worth restoring back to original?
Usually not financially. Once a guitar is refinished or routed for humbuckers, that work can't be fully undone, and buyers pay for genuine, untouched originality, not a restoration. One appraiser, writing in Premier Guitar, put a refinished, non-original guitar at 50 to 60 percent below an all-original one. It's still a real, sellable guitar as is.
Where can I sell my 1968 Gibson SG Special?
Edgewater Guitars buys 1968 SG Specials nationwide, original or modified, with a free appraisal based on real comps like the ones in this guide. We travel to you and pay the same day. Start with our Gibson serial number lookup or call or text (440) 219-3607 for a free estimate.
Sources
Gibson SG, Wikipedia (pickguard history): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_SG
Gibson SG Special, Wikipedia (pickups, bridge/Vibrola options): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_SG_Special
Vintage Gibson nut width and neck profiles, True Vintage Guitar: truevintageguitar.com
Gibson serial number lookup and chart, True Vintage Guitar: truevintageguitar.com
Gibson guitar serial numbers by year, Tone Wolf: tonewolf.com
Feature: 1968 Gibson SG Standard, Crave Guitars: craveguitars.co.uk
1969 Gibson SG Special reference page, Vintage Guitar and Bass: vintageguitarandbass.com
Gibson SG Special listings (1966 to 1969), Vintage Guitar and Bass: vintageguitarandbass.com
Gibson dating and spec changes (hardware plating), guitarhq.com: guitarhq.com/gibson.html
Gibson SG Special 1968, Large Pickguard, asking $5,499.99, Mahar's Vintage Guitars: maharsvintageguitars.com
1969 Gibson SG Special, Black Book Guitars (period spec reference): blackbookguitars.com
1968 Gibson SG Special, sold $2,800, Jimmy Wallace Guitars: jimmywallaceguitars.com
1966 Gibson SG Special with DiMarzio Super Distortion pickups, sold $2,495, via Rivington Guitars: gbase.com
Trash or Treasure: Is Restoring a Non-Stock '61 SG Special Worth $4,000?, Premier Guitar: premierguitar.com
Written by Stephen Pedone, co-owner of Edgewater Guitars, a vintage guitar buyer based in Valley City, Ohio with more than 140 Google reviews at a 5.0-star average. The firsthand section above is from Edgewater's own purchase of the guitar; market figures are from the listings cited above. Last updated: September 24, 2026.
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