gibson sg

jambayleaf

So, I'm looking at getting a gibson sg. I'm pretty much a beginner/intermediate player, have been playing for about 3 years now and love it. This would be a HUGE, significant upgrade, since I play a fuckin' Johnson right now, which was nice and cheap for learning how to play, bu I want a nicer guitar now, so I'm not so embarrassed when I pull it out in front of others, my guitar that is. I plugged in the faded SG today and loved it. It was 649, and the special and classic were about 200 bucks more then that.

I know the classic has p-90 pickups (which I'm not sure what that means other then the dude told me it will give a more bluesy sound) and the other two have humbucker pickups (which the dude told me would give more of a dirtier, rock, ac/dc sound).

I've already upgraded my amp to a Line 6 30 watt and like that amp. Nice for my little house. Any suggestions opn the guitar? Is it just the finish and look the difference between the faded and the special. Any expertise would be very appreciated.

MissYouAllDay

Yah the faded is ugly as hell if you ask me.

I think SGs are beatiful guitars in General though. P90s can sound rockin also. There are some special owners on here I think. I am sure there are standard owners too.

One thing to consider is that a guitar like an SG you have to be very careful with. The headstock is prone to breaking if mistreated (bumped etc). This is due to the thiness of the wood there and the angle its at.
You could stab through drywall with the headstock of a Tele

SGs have legendary sustain and comfort. I think its a good choice for an upgrade if you like rock and blues and like the looks etc.

jambayleaf

MissYouAllDay wrote:

Yah the faded is ugly as hell if you ask me.

I think SGs are beatiful guitars in General though. P90s can sound rockin also. There are some special owners on here I think. I am sure there are standard owners too.

One thing to consider is that a guitar like an SG you have to be very careful with. The headstock is prone to breaking if mistreated (bumped etc). This is due to the thiness of the wood there and the angle its at.
You could stab through drywall with the headstock of a Tele

SGs have legendary sustain and comfort. I think its a good choice for an upgrade if you like rock and blues and like the looks etc.

Thanks for that information. I played it today and fell in love. I could have sat there for hours. So, it's not really worth the extra 200 to go with the finish? Maybe that's preference, I kinda liked the dull look.

HailHailVitalogy

i have a SG Special (in the teal flipflop color )

its very versitile...rock, blues, punk..you name it

its got stock humbuckers instead of the p90s...

i absolutly love it to death

i dont know what else to say, PM me if u got a question

but the classic is amazing as well

jambayleaf

What's the difference between a faded or standard, verses an epiphone? Why are they so much cheaper?

StoneG82

I just bought an SG Classic with P90's and I absolutely love it. It has a geat finish (better than the fadeds) and the P90's are just totally rocking.

HailHailVitalogy

jambayleaf wrote:

What's the difference between a faded or standard, verses an epiphone? Why are they so much cheaper?

mostly becaues the name of Gibson is bigger than Epiphone...on a lot of the Epiphone products the quality isnt as good (wood, electronics, tuners, etc) but still great for the money...if you go the Epiphone route i would go with the Elitist series, those are the closest to a Gibson you can get

the epiphone elitist 61 resissue is only 550$ right now which i would do in a minute if i had the money but im looking at a hollowbody in stead..actually i would do that, just switch the pickups to '57 classics and you basically got a gibson

jambayleaf

Doesn't Gibson make Epiphones? Sorry about dumb questions, I am new to the whole technical aspect of playing. So, Epiphones are just cheaper made, not as good of pickups?

enharmonic

jambayleaf wrote:

I know the classic has p-90 pickups (which I'm not sure what that means other then the dude told me it will give a more bluesy sound) and the other two have humbucker pickups (which the dude told me would give more of a dirtier, rock, ac/dc sound).

Whoever told you that...punch 'em in the throat a few times. That's hogwash if I ever head it. I hate when young players get scammed by marketing hype :(

A P-90 is a larger single-coil pickup. It has a sound that is fatter than say...strat or tele pickups. They can also sound "bigger" than a number of humbucker designs. The disadvantage to them is that they hum. They hum like nobody's business. The will pick up 60 cycles from just about any source, and you will have to deal with that in your rig.

Blues and rock are styles. Styles can be played with any instruments depending on your skill and musicianship. Humbuckers buck hum. That's all that they do. They feature two coils wound in reverse polarity to eachother, which creates a hum cancelling effect. They can be perceived as "fatter", "thicker", or "fuller" sounding than single coils, but I find that this is simply a matter of design, and not necessarilly an objective way to classify them. I've had P-90's that sounded HUGE next to humbuckers...made 'em sound small and squashed. On the same token, I've had humbuckers that sounded massive.

Here's what I suggest you do...play one with humbuckers and one with P-90's. Which ever one speaks to you the most is going to be the instrument that you should get. That will be the instrument that will inspire you to play...and that's all that matters.

If you do choose the P-90 SG, one trick for live performance would be to have a tech reverse-wind one, either your neck or bridge pickup...then, when you are playing live, use the middle position (both pickups on) of your pickup selector switch. this will create a hum cancelling effect that works particularly well, while preserving the positive things about P-90's that you can apply in the studio. You'll have to move around a lot to find the "sweet spot" where P-90's don't hum or buzz in a room unless you have them wound out of polarity to eachother and engaged at the same time. That is still a much different sound than a traditional humbucker, but closer to a P-90 than not.

The other option would be to get the humbucker equipped instrument for it's obvious hum-cancelling benefits, and drop in a set of Fralin P-92's. they are noiseless P-90's. Lindy accomplishes this by splitting the single coil into equal halves. It looks a bit like a domino...sort of like the old pickups he wound for the early PRS instruments.

jambayleaf

Thanks a ton for that information. Really helps me out alot.

MissYouAllDay

Jambay,

I was agreeing that for another 200$ it IS worth it for a gloss finish. The faded is butt Ugly I think. Also the wood must be prone to denting and chipping etc on the faded. A gloss coat protects the wood, it also must change the sound the sound in a subtle way.

I mean the faded probably sounds great, but it looks like a kid made it in shop class.

I doubt you want to go all the way up to the pricey standard, but if you did the standard has a far nicer neck than the special or faded version. It has the nicer neck inlays (blocks instead of dots) and it has a really nice bound neck. Take a look at the picture on musiciansfriend.com of the standard and then of the special neck. You can see what I mean.

exhausted

the wood on the faded models is still protected and no more or less susceptible to dings as a gloss finish.

it's just an aesthetic thing and it's a lot easier to pump out satin finish instruments.

i like the faded brown colour. not so much the cherry red.

moster78

I say go with the old, get what you think looks the best, what sounds the best to you and what you feel comfortable playing. Me, personally, if I were to get an SG, I'd want the 61 Reissue, but thats just my two cents.

hippy_joe_cool

enharmonic wrote:

If you do choose the P-90 SG, one trick for live performance would be to have a tech reverse-wind one, either your neck or bridge pickup...then, when you are playing live, use the middle position (both pickups on) of your pickup selector switch. this will create a hum cancelling effect that works particularly well, while preserving the positive things about P-90's that you can apply in the studio. You'll have to move around a lot to find the "sweet spot" where P-90's don't hum or buzz in a room unless you have them wound out of polarity to eachother and engaged at the same time. That is still a much different sound than a traditional humbucker, but closer to a P-90 than not.

i've never played one but i would think that it would come stock as the mid being hum canceling. if not, you should just take the pick up out and turn it around. its easy to do.

jambayleaf

MissYouAllDay wrote:

Jambay,

I was agreeing that for another 200$ it IS worth it for a gloss finish. The faded is butt Ugly I think. Also the wood must be prone to denting and chipping etc on the faded. A gloss coat protects the wood, it also must change the sound the sound in a subtle way.

I mean the faded probably sounds great, but it looks like a kid made it in shop class.

I doubt you want to go all the way up to the pricey standard, but if you did the standard has a far nicer neck than the special or faded version. It has the nicer neck inlays (blocks instead of dots) and it has a really nice bound neck. Take a look at the picture on musiciansfriend.com of the standard and then of the special neck. You can see what I mean.

I knew that's what you were getting at. The dude at the store said, just as a sidenote, that if someone wants to test an sg, that he gives them the faded one to test, because he said that it doesn't ding as much as the glossy ones. Anyways, I will take all of your input into account, great thoughts. I think I might save a little more money and go big or go home.

moster78

jambayleaf wrote:

I think I might save a little more money and go big or go home.

That's the way to do it, I think. If you're going to do it, do it right the first time, even if it takes a little longer to save.

MissYouAllDay

I agree with your go big or go home mantra.

I almost shortcut so many times on my american Tele cause the excitement of a new guitar is too great.

I almost got the 72 custom reissue.... I almost got this and that....

Eventually I waited and got my awesome guitar which I love.

?ing my education

I own the Faded SG. I personally like the way it looks. I also think it is a wonderful guitar that sounds and plays great!! Mine came with open coil humbuckers and they sound really good. I can get a nice loud clean sound or I can get a thick crunchy sound.

I know what you mean about the epi vs. gibson. I thought about the epi version of the SG as well but I waiting an extra month and got the Gibson. I mean, if anything else, its a fucking Gibson!

Now I do have an Epi Les Paul that I really love. I just recently switched out the pup's and man that thing is sounding even better! But I am definitely glad I bought the Gibson Faded SG. I will ALWAYS have this guitar!!

Just my opinion and 2 cents worth!!

jambayleaf

?ing my education wrote:

I own the Faded SG. I personally like the way it looks. I also think it is a wonderful guitar that sounds and plays great!! Mine came with open coil humbuckers and they sound really good. I can get a nice loud clean sound or I can get a thick crunchy sound.

I know what you mean about the epi vs. gibson. I thought about the epi version of the SG as well but I waiting an extra month and got the Gibson. I mean, if anything else, its a fucking Gibson!

Now I do have an Epi Les Paul that I really love. I just recently switched out the pup's and man that thing is sounding even better! But I am definitely glad I bought the Gibson Faded SG. I will ALWAYS have this guitar!!

Just my opinion and 2 cents worth!!

Thanks for that input. I have made contact with somebody who wants to sell me there teal standard SG and lives in the area, so I might go give that a test run. There's also a teal flip flop on Ebay for 500 that I was looking at.

moster78

jambayleaf wrote:

Thanks for that input. I have made contact with somebody who wants to sell me there teal standard SG and lives in the area, so I might go give that a test run. There's also a teal flip flop on Ebay for 500 that I was looking at.

I saw that Teal one you're talking about on eBay too. No bids yet. I saw another one for 600, but there was a noticeable chip in it below the bridge.

chadwick

.

gimmesometruth27

i have a blue teal gibson sg. it is a 2003 or 04. i love that thing. very versatile. it is not a standard color so it is a conversation starter at gigs. i ordered mine from the gibson factory brand new. the pickups in mine are hotter than the ones in my gibson les pauls. it cleans up very well and can get gnarly when i roll the volume all the way up. it is pretty bright with the bridge pickup at 10 so I normally dial my bridge tone knob to about 7 or 8 to dull some of the shrillness.

All Those Yesterdays

Unless its changed in the last couple years, the faded series always seemed like some extra fret work was required after purchase. Lots of sharp frets.

Noise and P-90s is not as bad as you may think. Most of the time a quick change in position will eliminate the hum. Also you get used to just muting the guitar with the tuner between songs. I have strictly played single coil guitars for years now and have never had any major noise issues.

gimmesometruth27

All Those Yesterdays said:

Unless its changed in the last couple years, the faded series always seemed like some extra fret work was required after purchase. Lots of sharp frets.

Noise and P-90s is not as bad as you may think. Most of the time a quick change in position will eliminate the hum. Also you get used to just muting the guitar with the tuner between songs. I have strictly played single coil guitars for years now and have never had any major noise issues.

i thought you were once a bass player? i could be confused though. i was thinking switching from bass to single coil guitar is a huge change. less ball-rattliness when you crank it, haha..

All Those Yesterdays

gimmesometruth27 said:

All Those Yesterdays said:

Unless its changed in the last couple years, the faded series always seemed like some extra fret work was required after purchase. Lots of sharp frets.

Noise and P-90s is not as bad as you may think. Most of the time a quick change in position will eliminate the hum. Also you get used to just muting the guitar with the tuner between songs. I have strictly played single coil guitars for years now and have never had any major noise issues.

i thought you were once a bass player? i could be confused though. i was thinking switching from bass to single coil guitar is a huge change. less ball-rattliness when you crank it, haha..

I still am. Oh I still am. Well lately I can only be called a "instrument gatherer".

For the record I pretty much only use single coils on bass as well.... LOL

gimmesometruth27

nothing wrong with being an instrument gatherer if you can play them all.

and all single coils? blasphemy.... lol j/k. i always say play whatever sounds good to you.

All Those Yesterdays

gimmesometruth27 said:

nothing wrong with being an instrument gatherer if you can play them all.

and all single coils? blasphemy.... lol j/k. i always say play whatever sounds good to you.

The only humbucker based electric I own is a bass... LOL. Don't really use that anymore. Just prefer my single coil world.

BHealy

My wife surprised me last year with a 2007 Standard SG- I love it. The bound neck feels really nice, and it sounds great. I also have a Les Paul studio deluxe, and the difference in the feel of the two necks (and how the frets feel) is pretty significant. She bought it from my neighbor for less than $700, which seemed like a steal. I think both my Gibsons (the SG and LP) had 490R pickups in the neck, and it sounded really muddy in my LP (even after playing with pickup height), so I swapped it out with a Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup. The 490R sounds brighter in the SG- I like it.

At the end of the day, whichever guitar feels the best, is probably "the one." Have fun with your decision! Enjoy the process!