Navigator SG Copies

The first **Navigator SG** copies were introduced around 1976, with Navigator being ESP's high end sub-brand. They were originally manufactured by Kasuga. Kasuga builds can be identified by the larger control cavity. Around 1982, production moved to ESP. The logo changed in 1982-1984 so that the "v" no longer dropped below the baseline.

## ES-11 "SGUDEL"

This copy is most similar to the 1973-1974 Gibson SG Standard, due to the pickguard shape, large headstock and black binding resembling the unbound fretboard.

* ~1976-1977
* 75,000 Yen MSRP
* 120,000 Yen MSRP (3 pickups)
* 125,000 Yen MSRP (Custom made)

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid African Mahogany body
* Varnished finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn African Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 18th fret

* Rosewood fretboard
	+ Mother of Pearl trapezoid inlays
	+ 15.75" radius?
* Large Open Book headstock
	+ Holographic foil Navigator inlay
	+ Holographic foil crown inlay (inconsistent use)
	+ Volute
* 22 frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 9/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Black color

**Electronics:**

* Two humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Grover-style buttons
	+ Keystone buttons
		- Double ring
* 5-ply Angel Wing style pickguard
* Bell shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
* Black Speed knobs
* Tune-O-Matic style bridge
* Harmonica-style bridge (inconsistent use)
* Stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Wine Red
* Walnut

## SG-75

   This model is based on the Kasuga SG-600.

* 1980
* 75,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid African Mahogany body
* Varnished finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn African Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 18th fret

* Rosewood fretboard
	+ Acrylic pearloid small block inlays
	+ 15.75" radius
* Large Open Book headstock
	+ Holographic foil Navigator inlay
	+ Volute
* 22 frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 9/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Black color

**Electronics:**

* Two humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Grover-style buttons
* 5-ply Angel Wing style pickguard
* Bell shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
* Black Speed knobs
* Harmonica-style bridge
* Stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Wine Red
* Walnut

## SG-125

Not shown in catalogs, possibly represents the custom build option. 125,000 Yen MSRP.

## SGS-140

Introduced as SG-140 and re-named SGS-140 by 1983.

* 1978-1985
* 140,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
* Angled heel (???-1985)
* Polyurethane finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 19th fret (1978-1983?)
	+ Joins body at 22nd fret (1983?-1985)

* Rosewood fretboard
	+ Acrylic pearloid dot inlays
	+ 15.75" radius
* Narrow Open Book headstock
	+ Holographic foil Navigator inlay
	+ Holographic foil crown inlay (1978-1982?)
	+ Maple veneer
* 22 frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 11/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Fret-edge-binding

**Electronics:**

* Two LH-200 humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Keystone buttons
	+ Double ring
* 5-ply Angel Wing style pickguard
* Bell shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
	+ Wide bevel (1978-1982?)
* Black Witch Hat knobs
* Tune-O-Matic style bridge
* Stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Wine Red
* Walnut
* White

## SGS-180

Introduced in 1981 as SG-180. Though not depicted in catalogs, these appear to have been made with Batwing pickguards as well.

* 1981-1989
* 180,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
* Angled heel
* Lacquer finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 22nd fret
	+ Stepped hangover

* Rosewood fretboard
	+ Acrylic pearloid trapezoid inlays
	+ 15.75" radius
* Narrow Open Book headstock
	+ Mother of Pearl Navigator inlay
	+ Mother of Pearl 2-pc crown inlay (late 1980s?)
	+ Maple veneer
* 22 frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 11/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Fret-edge-binding

**Electronics:**

* Two LH-200 humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Keystone buttons
	+ Double ring
* 5-ply Angel Wing style pickguard
* 3-ply Batwing style pickguard
* Bell shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
	+ Wide bevel
* Black Reflector knobs
* Tune-O-Matic style bridge
* Stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Wine Red (WR)
* Snow White (SW)

## SGC-180

"SGC" may simply refer to any custom order SG model, but this is speculation.

* 1983
* 180,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
* Angled heel
* Lacquer finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 22nd fret

* Rosewood fretboard
	+ Acrylic pearloid trapezoid inlays
	+ 15.75" radius
* Open Book headstock
	+ Mother of Pearl Navigator inlay
	+ Maple veneer
* 22 frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 11/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Fret-edge-binding

**Electronics:**

* Two LH-200 humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Gold hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Keystone buttons
	+ Single ring
* Bell shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
* Black Speed knobs
* Tune-O-Matic style bridge
* Stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Black

## NS-180

    4th and 5th digit of serial number indicate production year.

* ~1993-1998
* 180,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
* Angled heel
* Lacquer finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 22nd fret
	+ Stepped hangover

* Rosewood fretboard
	+ Acrylic pearloid trapezoid inlays
	+ 15.75" radius
* Open Book headstock
	+ Mother of Pearl Navigator inlay
	+ Mother of Pearl 2-pc crown inlay (inconsistent use)
	+ Maple veneer
* 22 frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 11/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Fret-edge-binding

    **Electronics:**

* Two LH-200 humbuckers
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone
	+ CTS pots

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Keystone buttons
	+ Single ring
* 3-ply Batwing style pickguard
* Tombstone shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
	+ Wide bevel
* Black Witch Hat knobs
* Tune-O-Matic style bridge
* Stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Wine Red (WR)

## NS-300W

* 1993
* 300,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, solid Honduran Mahogany body
* No cutaway bevels
* Lacquer finish

**Necks:**

* 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
* Set-in construction
	+ Join body at 15th frets?
* Indian Rosewood fretboards
	+ Acrylic split parallelogram inlays
	+ 15.75" radii
* Open Book headstocks
	+ Inlaid Mother of Pearl Navigator logos
	+ Maple veneers
* 20 frets per neck
* 24 3/4" scale
* 1 11/16" nut width???

**Binding:**

* Necks, single-ply
* Fret-edge-binding

**Electronics:**

* Four uncovered "Mother-II" humbuckers
* 3-way pickup switch
* 3-way neck switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone (One for each neck)
	+ CTS pots

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Keystone buttons
	+ Single ring
* 4-ply pickguard
* Tombstone shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 2 screws
	+ Wide bevel
* Black Speed knobs
* ABR-style Tune-O-Matic bridges
* Stopbar tailpieces

**Finishes:**

* Walnut?

## N-SG-LTD

Introduced as **N-SG-300 LTD** in 2002, renamed **N-SG-320 LTD** in 2006 and renamed **N-SG-450 LTD** in 2008. In 2014, the numbers (roughly) representing the price are finally removed and it's re-named **N-SG-LTD**.

This model is intended to compete with Gibson's Custom Shop Historic SG Reissue.

* 2002-Present
* **2002-2005:** 300,000 Yen MSRP
* **2006-2007:** 336,000 Yen MSRP
* **2008-2013:** 472,500 Yen MSRP
* **2014-Present:** 480,000 Yen MSRP

**Body:**

* Beveled, 1-pc Honduran Mahogany body
* Angled heel
* Lacquer finish

**Neck:**

* 1-pc quartersawn Honduran Mahogany
* U shape profile
* Set-in construction
	+ Joins body at 22nd fret
	+ Stepped hangover

* Honduran Rosewood fretboard
	+ Acrylic pearloid trapezoid inlays
	+ 12" radius
* Open Book headstock
	+ Mother of Pearl Navigator inlay
	+ Maple veneer
* 22 JESCAR FW47104-NS frets
* 24 3/4" scale
* Bone nut
* 1 11/16" nut width

    **Binding:**

* Neck, single-ply
* Fret-edge-binding
* Ivory color

**Electronics:**

* Two Seymour Duncan APH-1 humbuckers
	+ AlNiCo II magnets
	+ ~7.6k (neck) & 8.1k (bridge) ohms D.C. Resistance
* 3-way switch
* 2 Vol, 2 Tone
	+ CTS pots
	+ Paper-In-Oil caps

**Hardware:**

* Nickel hardware
* Gotoh SD-90 tuning machines
	+ 12:1 ratio
	+ Keystone buttons
	+ Single line, single ring
* 5-ply Angel Wing style pickguard
	+ Wide bevel
* Fish shaped truss rod cover
	+ 2-ply b/w
	+ 1 screw
* Black Reflector knobs
* Tune-O-Matic ABR-style bridge
* Aluminum Gotoh GE101A stopbar tailpiece

**Finishes:**

* Cherry Red (CHR)
* Natural (NT, 2002-2003)
* Walnut (WN, 2004-2009)
* Black (BK, 2010-Present)