This was a cool, freaky find! 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/35504113-video-1980-gibson-sonex-180-deluxe-prototype?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10 ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/ 🎸New Guitar Day Program: troglysguitarshow.com/ngd/ 👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211
I changed the strings on the 10 S guitar and polished the frets with steel wool. New strings do make it sound brighter. I remembered to graphite the nut. I pay attention.
Its been a while since I've tuned in, but I do wanna say though, you've gotten better at playing guitar, Trogg! Keep rockin'! Great video, thanks again!🤟
@@johnnyrandom100 True, but I would have to at least check the condition. Even if I don't start playing it immediately. I know he does this for a living and the unboxings are a big part of it, but a month? Damn, dudes got better impulse control than me lol
Austin: I'm selling this amazingly beautiful Steve Howe's Les Paul. Also Austin: A hollow Les Paul Special made of plastic with a bolt on neck, this is the best investment I did in my life. Collectors, I'll never understand them...
He had the ultimate BEST INVESTMENT in that The les Paul , only owned by this little knowed guitarest Steve Howe.If Austin would have held on to that axe by the time he was sixty he could had seen at least 200.000(????) for it .BTW 10.000 for the sonex .
That neck pup actually sounds pretty good. I love the tones out of Res-o-glass guitars. The neck looks really good too. Almost looks too nice to be on a Sonex lmao. I still prefer the Marauder over the Sonex but this is definetely a cool find man.
I don’t read comment sections. Does anybody ever point out that you have a very unique timbre to your voice. Big fan of the show. Keep teaching us the stuff.
I'm happy for you finding something that really excites you. Those moments get rarer the longer you collect something. What a great example too. As good as that line will ever get and it even has a great tone!
Wow, it does really has the “airy” sound like those semi hollow, full hollow. What’s more surprising is that you shredded in dropped D!!!! What a sick solo!
Trogly, you can increase the string tension by doing a bottom wrap. In the same way you do a top wrap just bottom wrap the strings and then lower the tailpiece as far as you can before hitting the body. Once you get the correct adjustment height, you will never have to do it again. Hope that helps. Note: Now that I am looking at another shot, it looks like you can lower the tailpiece a lot without having to try my suggestion.
I still have a 1981 Sonex Artis in Silver Burst, Active electronics Ebony fret board. I bought it special order when I was working at a music shop back in 1981. I think I'll keep it for a little while.
Can't get any better than this: awesome rare model in all its Gibson glory and the prototype presentation was so awesome, it deserved the video game music and skipping of usual intro!
I'm guessing that Gibson R&D just grabbed the nearest pots and caps they had in the old parts bin as well as the neck. I think it's more of a proof of concept for the body and electronics
I wouldn’t pay more than a grand for it. But it does sound pretty cool. And it’s definitely unique. So some collectors may dish out for out big money. But even so, I don’t see more than 2500 tops. You’d really have to want it.
Hey, trogly! You might want to use a boost and a bit less gain on your dirty channel to give in the clarity. Or just a bit less gain, get everything less muddy. Otherwise, this is SO COOL!!
I wanna know what the thought process was for Gibson. Imagine for a moment...its a new decade, the Superstrat is about to explode in popularity, what shall we do to survive as a company? Make a plastic guitar! Honestly tho, sounds pretty good. Im impressed.
I mowed a shit ton of lawns to plop down $200 for a Sonex 180 Custom in the late 80’s. Had Dirty Fingers that had a riveted bridge on the top leg for the two screws…those fucking pickups are the best Gibson ever made. I played my first show in a punk rock band with that Sonex run through a cranked Gibson GA40 that belonged to my dad and a Realtube pedal…the ones that had a plug into the wall.
For a time, I had a Gibson GGC 700, 1980 or 81 I believe, which is the upgrade from the Sonex. The GGC 700 used real wood, better pick ups etc. They look almost identical, mine had the original case etc, silk screen loge "Gibson Guitar Company". Sold it for I believe about $1K....true what some say, rare doesn't always mean collectible.
The GGC is my absolute favorite, "Rare but not valuable" guitar...or at least it used to be. Haven't been able to find one under $1500 for a lot of years now...now with the recent 'boom' people are asking for $2k+, which is a bit overboard.
I have one for you that I just purchased. A 1977 ES Artist prototype experimental. Only 2 produced and the one I have is new old stock. Never left the music store until I recently purchased it.
If it's fiberglass they used to have issues with the paint not moving with the glass. Newer gel coatings have pretty well fixed that. Corvettes and some beds on Chevy trucks had that problem
I have a Silvertone Airliner and it's great, blows that Sonex out on looks alone and it looked damaged to me, the area in which we were able to see that it was hollow looked like a piece had been pushed through or someone has gone in to hard with a tool, it looked very jagged and well broken @10:27 Someones had Troglys pants down but it's still the best thing since sliced bread? You have to hand it to him though he's a shrewd buisness man.
I restored a Gibson invader a year ago and those guitars are really interesting. These were frankenstein projects of left over parts from sonics and other models. I'm surprised you've never done a video about them
I just picked up a gibson challenger II made june 6 1983 in Nashville..I love this guitar for me the neck is perfect so easy playing and sounds awesome. Heavy though.
I knew it would be a special video the instant I heard different intro music. Great find and some surprising specs! I really like the looks of this guitar and although an original Sonex owner in the early '80's, I was never enamored with the production control layout and switch location. The neck on my Sept 1980 Sonex is one-piece mahogany and I still have the broken off headstock.
Those pickups are the same Samick was using. Look at the mounting with a third screw. I had a January 1993 SG g310b and those are the pickups I had in plastic covers. That looks like a Matsumoku CNC neck.. Norlin was a customer.
You should go check out an estate sale down in Franklin Tennessee. They have a bunch of guitars including a bunch of Gibsons. Vintage melody maker, Rickenbacker , 61 sg standard, es335 66 model, 55 lp gold top, dickey Betts sg , house of jb with coffin case, 1989 batman guitar( my favorite and in need of a review), danelectro 6 string bass, 1961 Fender Stratocaster,2006 Gibson Jimmy Hendrix Flying V Psychedelic, Triggs Archtop Guitar “Bare Naked Lady” - Case marked #220.
I had never heard of the Sonex. Many years back I bought a Les Paul XR-1 (2nd hand) which I was told was the predecessor of the Studio. It's dated 1981 has no holes in the body which i was told was actually better than the Studio which has chambers to make it lighter though I was told without them there is more sustain. But mine weighs more. 14 lbs. It has the dirty finger pick ups, a coil tap switch but the cheaper tuners that you showed. The best part is it cost me about $250 Canadian. I find mine sounds better than yours clean but about the same with distortion. Oh yes, it also doesn't have a bolt on neck.
Yeah this is a super cool guitar! And sounded pretty decent too!!! I had no idea Gibson had something like this out there. Crazy to think if they kept this going were would it be now? Thanks Trogly!!!
I used to own an Epiphone prototype EJ-200 7 string. I traded it to a pawnshop for a Roland keyboard in a road case, and ended up trading that for a washer and dryer 😂
It seems to me that the manufacturer was not quite sure about the longevity of the plastic-wood glue joint? So the plate and bolts are for extra security and peace of mind. 😁
G'day Trogly. These are great, but what would be really interesting is if you gave more of the history of ownership and provenance. Who has owned it? Where did you get it from? etc.
Love your videos I watch all the time. I see you take a lot of measurements, you should start measuring the neck angle using a digital level. Would be interesting to see how the construction of each guitar is different and how it changes over the years.
Sorry Austin , I can't get excited about a Sonex , even if it is a prototype ! All the years I owned a Marauder and lusted after a Les Paul , other guitarists would say "Cheer up , at least it's not a Sonex!" 😁
The only problem I had with mine is I didn't like the neck pickup, but the dirty finger in the bridge is a rock machine. Never played one with the other pickups though so it might be a big difference.
