The insert for Gibson's The "SG" Standard shows an image and specifications identical (save the lack of colour) to the description/image on page 56 of the 1980 Gibson catalog. It was pretty unusual in that it had an all-walnut construction (body and neck) with an ebony fretboard. No maple, mahogany or rosewood in sight!
The "SG" (Standard and Deluxe) were part of Gibsons Firebrand series: an important part of Gibson's product alignment strategy of mid-1980. In short, Gibson would be offering guitars in three separate series following a 'triadic alignment' of good / better / best, the series being named Sonex / Firebrand / Professional. Within each of these series would be the usual triadic gradations of Deluxe / Standard / Custom. In theory then, any model could have had up to nine possible variations. If it sounds complicated it might explain why the idea was scrapped almost immediately. But it does explain some of the names of guitars from 1980. Middle-level Firebrand series SGs were named The "SG" but only the Deluxe and Standard versions came to fruition.
So by 1981 the system was shelved. Many of the guitars continued (The "SG" Deluxe, for example) but some were deleted. Along with another Firebrand series guitar, the 335-S Standard, The "SG" Standard was included here as a close out model (see the inside cover), last included in a Gibson price list in July 1980, at $599.
$2650
$1850