The Gibson SG Custom 1970 is a Gibson electric guitar, currently around $6799. Close alternatives include the EVH Rasta Frankenstein and the Jaydee Donnington. It pairs well with the Boss Acoustic Singer Pro and the Divided by 13 FTR 37.
Gibson SG Custom 1970
Gibson · electric guitar
Angus Young's modified 1970s Gibson SG Custom is best remembered from AC/DC's 1979 Hammersmith Odeon concert during the Highway to Hell tour, and continued to see occasional use into the 1980 Back in Black tour, most likely acquired during a 1978 US visit. According to his guitar tech, the guitar originally shipped in a walnut finish with three pickups and a tremolo unit, a spec distinct from the two-pickup SG Standard, in walnut with a Lyre Maestro tremolo, that had been Young's very first guitar and his main studio instrument on AC/DC's earliest albums. Together the two guitars mark different points in Young's early rig: the Standard for foundational studio work, the Custom for a specific, well-documented stretch of high-profile live shows during one of the band's most pivotal touring periods.
- touring
- tremolo
- live
- studio
- drive
- recording
- stage
- hard rock
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Gibson SG Custom 1970 is commonly used in
- Hard Rock
- Rock
- Metal
- Punk
- Punk Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Gibson SG Custom 1970
Pedals that stack with the Gibson SG Custom 1970
Cheaper alternatives
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
See all alternatives to the Gibson SG Custom 1970 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Gibson SG Custom 1970?+
The closest matches in character are the EVH Rasta Frankenstein, the Jaydee Donnington, the Gibson SG Standard. Budget picks: Gibson SG Standard, Gibson Les Paul Custom 1969.
What pairs well with the Gibson SG Custom 1970?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Boss Acoustic Singer Pro, Divided by 13 FTR 37, J. Rockett Archer — What Boss Acoustic Singer Pro brings here leans toward transparent — that's worth building a pairing around.
How much does the Gibson SG Custom 1970 cost?+
Around $6799 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).