Gibson SG (Xbox 360)

Lore & Background

The Gibson SG—short for Solid Guitar—entered production in 1961 as a successor to the Les Paul, quickly earning a reputation as the instrument of choice for players who wanted a lighter, more aggressive tone and a body that got out of the way. Its sharp double-cutaway horns and slim waist made it visually distinct from the rounder Les Paul, and it became synonymous with hard rock, blues, and heavy metal through the hands of players like Jimmy Page, Angus Young, and Slash.

In Rock Band for Xbox 360, Harmonix brought that silhouette into the game's customization layer. Selecting the Gibson SG body reshapes the rendered guitar on the performance stage, the band-select screen, and the unlock celebration cutaway. It does not change the Pro Guitar's five-color string layout, the strumming mechanics, or the whammy-bar behavior; it is strictly a visual identity choice. For players who wanted their in-game rig to read as a rock instrument rather than a generic one, the SG body was the most immediately recognizable option in the roster.

Because Rock Band's customization system was tied to cumulative play rather than a single purchase gate, the SG body sat within reach of a player who simply kept playing songs and earning points. This made it an early-mid progression reward—something you'd unlock within a handful of sessions and then carry forward as your default look for the rest of your save file.

In Their Own Story

The stage lights dim to a low amber wash. You stand at the monitor, watching the band members file in one by one. Your guitarist walks up, plugs in, and the crowd murmurs—because the body on that neck is unmistakable. The double-cutaway horns catch the light, the headstock tilts back just enough, and for a second the whole room smells like rosin and old wood. You hit the downbeat. The first chord rings out, and the Gibson SG shape on the screen sways with every strum, a small angular shadow against the backdrop of the virtual crowd. Nobody's counting strings right now. They're just watching the shape, the way it moves, the way it looks like it was built to be played loud.

Reader's Guide

Gibson SG — Guitar body slot

Applies to: Guitar (Pro Guitar controller). This is a body-shape cosmetic; it does not affect the five-color string layout, strumming, whammy bar, or any scoring mechanic. It changes only the rendered silhouette of the guitar on-stage and in band-select screens.

Unlock: Earned through cumulative in-game progression. Play songs, build your accuracy, and collect customization points. The SG body becomes available once you have accumulated enough points through regular play; no separate DLC pack or achievement is required. Once unlocked, it is permanently available in the customization menu for the rest of your save.

Visual description: A double-cutaway solid-body shape with sharp, pointed upper and lower horns, a slim waist, and a single-cutaway-style neck joint. The body reads as angular and aggressive compared to the stock Strat-style option, with a flat top surface and a slightly thinner profile. Pairs with any available neck, string, and pickguard cosmetic selections.

Manufacturer (real-world): Gibson Guitar Corporation, Nashville, Tennessee. The SG name stands for "Solid Guitar." First produced in 1961.

Note: In Rock Band (Xbox 360), all guitar body options are purely cosmetic. The Pro Guitar's physical string layout, button mapping, and gameplay behavior remain identical regardless of which body you select.

Did You Know?

• The Gibson SG's name simply stands for 'Solid Guitar,' a nod to its all-solid-body construction, and it was introduced in 1961 as a lighter alternative to the Les Paul.
• In Rock Band (Xbox 360), the Gibson SG body is a visual-only swap; the Pro Guitar's five-color string layout and all input mechanics remain unchanged no matter which body shape you equip.
• The SG's double-cutaway design was partly a practical response to Les Paul players who found the single-cutaway body too heavy and the upper horn too difficult to reach for high frets.
• Rock Band's guitar customization system separates body, neck, strings, and pickguard into independent slots, so the Gibson SG body can be mixed with any other neck or string cosmetic in the roster.