Introducing the School of Rock Limited Edition Gibson SG Standard Guitar and Bass Guitar.

For the last 25 years, School of Rock has been enriching lives through its revolutionary approach to music education. To commemorate this milestone anniversary, we and our partner Gibson Brands, have created two entirely unique, vintage-inspired instruments that pay homage to the history of rock music and other genres like blues, reggae and pop. Our students, parents and staff will have the opportunity to cherish these American-made, signature instruments. These may not be intended as a student's first instrument, but instead designed to be ones that will last a lifetime.

The SG (solid guitar) Standard was first introduced by Gibson in 1961. Its contoured body and double cutaway make this guitar immediately comfortable to hold and easy to play. The set-neck and solid mahogany body also give this guitar a tone that is perfectly suited for rock music. Upon release, the SG was quickly seen as a capable and versatile workhorse for many famous musicians. In its first year, Sister Rosetta Tharpe played a white Gibson Les Paul SG with three humbucking pickups and a customized maestro vibrato. Other artists such as Angus Young (AC/DC), Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Mike Ness (Social Distortion), Robby Krieger (The Doors) and Frank Zappa, have made the Gibson SG Standard their guitar of choice. The Gibson SG Standard sound is embedded in much of the music found in School of Rock’s curriculum. What better way to pay homage to these genres than to create signature guitars based on an instrument so influential to music history? 

In the guitar, we’ve opted for a pair of 60s Burstbucker pickups rather than the standard 490s. The main difference between Burstbucker and 490 pickups is the sound. Burstbucker pickups with their alnico 5 magnets provide a warmer and richer sound. On the other hand, even though 490 pickups produce crunchier tones, they sound more brittle because of their less powerful alnico 2 magnetic setup. For the bass guitar, a pair of calibrated SG bass pickups (neck and bridge) were selected. Each has individual volume and master tone controls to further add to the tonal possibilities.

Just like the original SG Standard, the School of Rock Limited Edition Gibson SG Standards’ bodies and necks are made from solid mahogany. A hard, tonewood known for its resonance. Both come in Heritage Cherry and have a glossy nitrocellulose lacquer. This is the same type of lacquer used in the ‘50s. A “nitro” finish is a special thing. It’s classic, vintage, and will age with the guitar as students carry it throughout their musical journey. Most importantly, a nitro finish is extremely thin, which maximizes the natural resonance of the mahogany body.

Both instruments are crafted with a rosewood fretboard that boasts a warm, rich and clear tone. But on the guitar, the fretboard is surrounded by a cream binding that provides a classic, vintage aesthetic. Further up the neck, take note of the inlay on the 12th fret on both instruments. Yes, that is School of Rock’s iconic “Lighting Bolt” logo as the 12th fret marker. Gibson logos are also inlaid into a thin slab of cherry on the headstocks of both guitars.

We’ve paired the Heritage Cherry bodies with all nickel versus chrome hardware on both instruments. The nickel will age nicely with normal use and over time, they will have an authentic, well-played aesthetic. To round out the look of these guitars we’ve swapped out the tuning machines. The guitars have vintage deluxe with keystone buttons. And the basses have Hipshot ultra-light mini-clovers.

The School of Rock Gibson SG Standard Guitars and Bass Guitars are limited editions. At this time we are producing only 300 guitars and 100 bass guitars. To commemorate our 25th year and this special series, each guitar comes with a custom backplate, making it an instant collectible. The truss rod cover is also customized and features the iconic School of Rock "Batwing" icon. These guitars are only available for purchase to School of Rock students, parents and staff. 

With your Limited Edition SG Guitar or Bass we’re including the Spark MINI portable amplifier from Positive Grid with custom School of Rock printed grill. The Spark MINI is a battery-powered portable practice amp and Bluetooth® speaker with smart app integration and big, beautiful multi-dimensional sound. This small amp delivers innovative, customizable smart guitar playing to go. With high-quality sound, 33 amps, 43 effects and endless tonal possibilities it’s the biggest, smallest rig ever.

The Levy’s 3" top grain leather strap is a premium padded leather strap handcrafted to provide uncompromising support. The strap is constructed from hand selected top grain Italian leather and padded with high density foam for comfort during the longest performances. Its fully stitched construction and reinforced buttonholes guarantee durability to last through a lifetime of gigs. The strap also features the iconc guitar swirl logo as an added customization. Adjustable from 37" to 51" to suit any playing style.