Why has Ed switched to SGs?

wolfamongwolves

I play guitar but I'm pretty ignorant of the technical side of things, so I was wondering...
I was just watching YouTube videos of the Amsterdam shows and noticed Ed's playing Gibson SGs instead of his usual Telecasters. I know he flirted with SGs on the 1998 & 2003 tours too. Any speculation as to why he might make the change? It's probably reading too much into it to point out that he only plays SGs when he's got short hair, so how do they sound/play differently?

xtremehardy388

There is a difference in sounds and how heavy an SG will sound as opposed to a Tele (think RVM, Spin the Black Circle, Insignificance). While he's used both on almost all the songs, it just goes with preference and the sound the band is into. Kind of like how Mike and Stone swap out on LPs, SGs, and Strats....(think Stone using a Strat or LP on songs like Jeremy, Alive, and Evenflow). Mike has used both strats, LPs, and SGs on songs like Porch and Jeremy.

wolfamongwolves

Thanks. Good excuse (as if one were needed) to listen to old boots and compare the sound.

gimmesometruth27

sometimes you just feel the need to change things up.

that is my best guess.

ed has never had the best guitar tone. it is just kinda bland, clean tone. with 3 guitars you need a guy like that though, and it really adds to the overall sound of the band. i liked his tone better when he was playing the hi watt in the late 90s and early 2000s. in my opinion, if you are going to play a high output amp that has great distortion like a hi watt, you are going to want a humbucker. it just gives you a little more "ooompf". although since he plays the fenders now, i think the tele sounds better with that setup.

i am just guessing that he wanted to change things up this tour.

mccreadyisgod

I always thought Ed's best tones were the P-90 SGs thru the Hiwatt. I'll be interested in hearing how they sound thru the Fenders.

mattsl1983

Ed's guitar tone has always been based off Pete's tone. Pete historically has been an SG, then Tele player through a Hiwatt. Ed's always gotten that tone, because he uses a very similar setup. Pete never had the dirtiest, or cleanest, or hardest sound ever. It's just a raw sound. Same with Ed. It's just this half clean sound that gets dirty when he digs in. Ed's gone from the tele (the black one from mid 90's was a pete signature schecter, not a fender) to an sg with P90's to his more recent identifying guitar, the black sparkle tele with p90 in the neck. He's obviously a huge p90/The Who fan. But all in all, guitarist typically switch from guitar to guitar, depending on the setup, the sound they want ect ect. Don't be bummed if you got a tele because that's what Ed played and now you want an sg.

xtremehardy388

Also, remember the Schecter. The Tele he used on SNL for RVM was one of my favorite "Ed" tones.

TheLuckyOnes

He was playing more Strat then Tele when solo, and seemed to throw a little more live Strat into the PJ mix in else '12 or '13. I hope he's still playing SG's when he gets to Detroit, so i can get an actual idea, haven't listened to much from this tour.
I'd still like him to play SG into a Vox. that would be different, and i think really cool for what he does.

cheers

Dr.Teeth and the Electric Mayh

I bet the weight had a lot to do with it, especially if he's hobbled as some are alluding to.