Another Gibson SG question

jambayleaf

What's the difference between "standard" and "special"? And what's the benefit of having the junior with 1 pickup?

MissYouAllDay

Hey,

Standard has covered pickups, it also has a nicer neck than the special. It is bound and has trapezoid inlays instead of dots.

I would like to think that the standard also has slightly better wood selection and craftmanship. It is like 400$ more afterall.

jambayleaf

Thanks for that response, did not know those differences.

I wouldn't think Gibson would skimp on craftsmanship on a guitar. The store here in town has faded, special, and classic sg's and didn't know the difference between standard and special. Sound the same? Same pickups, I would think so.

HailHailVitalogy

i have the special

pm me for any certain questions you have about it, and ill be glad to help

dont_go_on_me

i have a standard.

ask me whatever...

moster78

Are the necks on the special and standard the same thickness? Or is the standard like a Les Paul in that you can get it with either a thick or thin neck? I know the 61 has the thin neck, which I prefer. Just curious.

dont_go_on_me

moster78 wrote:

Are the necks on the special and standard the same thickness? Or is the standard like a Les Paul in that you can get it with either a thick or thin neck? I know the 61 has the thin neck, which I prefer. Just curious.

classic is thicker and not nearly as nice.

Pacomc79

jambayleaf wrote:

Thanks for that response, did not know those differences.

I wouldn't think Gibson would skimp on craftsmanship on a guitar. The store here in town has faded, special, and classic sg's and didn't know the difference between standard and special. Sound the same? Same pickups, I would think so.

You think too much of gibson even though we do bitch, they still make very fine guitars, many like myself simply believe they are too proud of the product they produce at the price they choose to charge. Any company that employees accountants skimps on craftsmanship to increase the bottom line.

The Faded, Special and Standard SG's all have 490R and 498T Alnico magnet Gibson pickups. On the standard they are covered, on the special and faded the coils are exposed. The standards neck is bound, this is primarily to dress it up a little. this makes the neck slightly thicker at the edges too however.
The Special and Standard have nice gloss finishes, the faded has a much cheaper finish, but I believe they also have ebony fretboards a brighter wood as opposed to rosewood which is warmer, niether is really better it's a rhetorical choice, I wish there was a choice on SG STD's oh, also the specials have a simple dot inlay and the STD's have the nicer more expensive trapazoid inlay, again, some prefer simplicity some like more class. Some prefer ebony and like the faded finish. The SG Classic, is similar to the guitar that Pete Townsend played in the early 70's (Isle of Wight) era. It's essentially an SG special fitted with P90 pickups but it dosen't come in the same finishes as the special, the reason Ed Vedder had his special routed to fit P90's. SG Juniors, are usually equipped with a single P90. IT's a no bullshit guitar, grab and go, some like the look and the approach. There used to be a model called the SG-X with a single humbucker, again strait foward simplicity, I believe you could also split the coil. I did like that model very much for a time.

If you want to learn more check out http://www.everythingSG.com

dont_go_on_me

Pacomc79 wrote:

The Faded, Special and Standard SG's all have 490R and 498T Alnico magnet Gibson pickups.

The faded and specials both have a 490T in the bridge. Only the standard has the 498T.

Pacomc79

don't_go_on_me wrote:

The faded and specials both have a 490T in the bridge. Only the standard has the 498T.

ah, you're right, that used to not be so. See the above accountants comment. Let's save 3 cents worth of copper.

jambayleaf

Thanks for all of this info, it was really helpful. I don't get your angle though, you hate gibsons, think they are cheap? Doesn't matter, you gave alot of useful info, thanks alot.

Pacomc79 wrote:

You think too much of gibson even though we do bitch, they still make very fine guitars, many like myself simply believe they are too proud of the product they produce at the price they choose to charge. Any company that employees accountants skimps on craftsmanship to increase the bottom line.

The Faded, Special and Standard SG's all have 490R and 498T Alnico magnet Gibson pickups. On the standard they are covered, on the special and faded the coils are exposed. The standards neck is bound, this is primarily to dress it up a little. this makes the neck slightly thicker at the edges too however.
The Special and Standard have nice gloss finishes, the faded has a much cheaper finish, but I believe they also have ebony fretboards a brighter wood as opposed to rosewood which is warmer, niether is really better it's a rhetorical choice, I wish there was a choice on SG STD's oh, also the specials have a simple dot inlay and the STD's have the nicer more expensive trapazoid inlay, again, some prefer simplicity some like more class. Some prefer ebony and like the faded finish. The SG Classic, is similar to the guitar that Pete Townsend played in the early 70's (Isle of Wight) era. It's essentially an SG special fitted with P90 pickups but it dosen't come in the same finishes as the special, the reason Ed Vedder had his special routed to fit P90's. SG Juniors, are usually equipped with a single P90. IT's a no bullshit guitar, grab and go, some like the look and the approach. There used to be a model called the SG-X with a single humbucker, again strait foward simplicity, I believe you could also split the coil. I did like that model very much for a time.

If you want to learn more check out http://www.everythingSG.com

Thorns2010

I don't think he hates Gibson, just their prices and the way they run their business.

Also on a side note about Gibson. I work instrument retail; the company I work for is Schmitt music. If you are from the Midwest you have probably heard of them. Anyway, number of stores nationwide, we are the 6th largest music/instrument chain in the country and 5th largest in sales. Now yes we do deal a lot with pianos and school band instruments, but I think it’s a joke that we don't carry Gibson.

Why you ask? They expect each store to have.... something like $15,000.00 inventory in each store. A little much for some of our smaller stores. I'd love to carry Gibson, but they are a bit high on themselves.

Pacomc79

jambayleaf wrote:

Thanks for all of this info, it was really helpful. I don't get your angle though, you hate gibsons, think they are cheap? Doesn't matter, you gave alot of useful info, thanks alot.

no, I don't hate gibsons. I own an 87 Les Paul. My problems with gibson are more about quality control than anything else. I love gibson guitars, but they don' t build them all up to thier own high standards. If you want a gibson, only a gibson will be good enough, just keep in mind you will probably have to do some extra work and tweaking on it to get it perfect. For me it's like that with just about every guitar. I detest the stock tuners that gibson puts on thier guitars, I prefer a few other options that were found on older model gibsons. For instance, my 87 has an ebony fretboard new ones are rosewood. I just happen to prefer ebony. I love gibson. I just don't like the way they do things currently.

Example 2. I am a blues lover. The ES-335 is one of my favorite all time guitars. Gibson memphis released a cheaper faded model that is around 1000 dollars. but instead of making it 5 ply maple, like the regular model and the Epiphone Elite model, they chose to cheapen it further by building the sides out of poplar. To me that's like a slap in the face, here, buy our thousand dollar guitar, which will net us more money, because you are too stupid to do the research and find out where we cut corners. Now, I am a total gear geek, so what's one guy, when they will sell thousands of units on the principle name alone? That's my problem with gibson. I love gibson guitars. I just wish they would build them up to thier own standards.

If you want an SG get it. Just shop around, wait and find the perfect one. It took me 4 years to find the right strat. The Special my friend bought is one of the best examples of an SG I've ever played, well turns out the factory messed up and put a Ebony blank on a Special, they weren't supposed to it just happened why don't they just make both? The kluson tuners they have been using forever I detest, part of the reason jimmy paige and Townsend and all those guys have the grovers and I have the schallers.

I hope you find it, if you need any help well that's what we are all here for. I just want to to shop around and play a few to decide on the perfect one.

jambayleaf

Thorns2010 wrote:

I don't think he hates Gibson, just their prices and the way they run their business.

Also on a side note about Gibson. I work instrument retail; the company I work for is Schmitt music. If you are from the Midwest you have probably heard of them. Anyway, number of stores nationwide, we are the 6th largest music/instrument chain in the country and 5th largest in sales. Now yes we do deal a lot with pianos and school band instruments, but I think it’s a joke that we don't carry Gibson.

Why you ask? They expect each store to have.... something like $15,000.00 inventory in each store. A little much for some of our smaller stores. I'd love to carry Gibson, but they are a bit high on themselves.

I went to my local shop to test run the different models, he told me they would no longer carry gibson because under their new ownership, they are required to purchase $100,000 worth of product. He said they can't do that. Damn shame.

jambayleaf

Pacomc79 wrote:

no, I don't hate gibsons. I own an 87 Les Paul. My problems with gibson are more about quality control than anything else. I love gibson guitars, but they don' t build them all up to thier own high standards. If you want a gibson, only a gibson will be good enough, just keep in mind you will probably have to do some extra work and tweaking on it to get it perfect. For me it's like that with just about every guitar. I detest the stock tuners that gibson puts on thier guitars, I prefer a few other options that were found on older model gibsons. For instance, my 87 has an ebony fretboard new ones are rosewood. I just happen to prefer ebony. I love gibson. I just don't like the way they do things currently.

Example 2. I am a blues lover. The ES-335 is one of my favorite all time guitars. Gibson memphis released a cheaper faded model that is around 1000 dollars. but instead of making it 5 ply maple, like the regular model and the Epiphone Elite model, they chose to cheapen it further by building the sides out of poplar. To me that's like a slap in the face, here, buy our thousand dollar guitar, which will net us more money, because you are too stupid to do the research and find out where we cut corners. Now, I am a total gear geek, so what's one guy, when they will sell thousands of units on the principle name alone? That's my problem with gibson. I love gibson guitars. I just wish they would build them up to thier own standards.

If you want an SG get it. Just shop around, wait and find the perfect one. It took me 4 years to find the right strat. The Special my friend bought is one of the best examples of an SG I've ever played, well turns out the factory messed up and put a Ebony blank on a Special, they weren't supposed to it just happened why don't they just make both? The kluson tuners they have been using forever I detest, part of the reason jimmy paige and Townsend and all those guys have the grovers and I have the schallers.

I hope you find it, if you need any help well that's what we are all here for. I just want to to shop around and play a few to decide on the perfect one.

Once again, very much appreciated from a guy who is figuring out there is way more to learn about playing guitar than just picking it up and plucking chords. Thanks so much. I have been shopping Ebay and am tempted to pull the trigger, but I just can't do it on there for some reason. Never playing it and buying it, I will probably end up buying new, probably a special or standard.

Pacomc79

jambayleaf wrote:

Once again, very much appreciated from a guy who is figuring out there is way more to learn about playing guitar than just picking it up and plucking chords. Thanks so much. I have been shopping Ebay and am tempted to pull the trigger, but I just can't do it on there for some reason. Never playing it and buying it, I will probably end up buying new, probably a special or standard.

Good choice it will give you some peace of mind too. You still might find a few used in your local shop as well just keep your eyes open. Good luck and enjoy the search.