School of Rock 25th Anniversary Gibson Custom SG 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 an entirely unique, vintage-inspired instrument that pays 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 this American-made, signature instrument. This may not be intended as a student's first instrument, but instead designed to be one that will last a lifetime.

Limited Edition

The School of Rock Gibson SG Standard Guitar is a limited edition. Only 300 guitars have been produced. 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.

The Pickups

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.

The Wood

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.

The Neck

These 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 the guitar.

The Hardware

We've paired the Heritage Cherry bodies with all nickel versus chrome hardware. 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.