For me I thought the Telecaster could only do country. But now that I’ve owned one for a while I’ve realized it can do many genres of music. It’s very versatile.
I forgot about quite of the guitars I have after getting a yamah revstar. all about giving something an honest chance and seeing if you really like it or not.
Yup thats what I thought about telecasters also. But country music is also looked at as one thing so maybe that's why I tightcast the guitar. Country guitarists don't often get enough credit for their playing for example most of your greatest guitar players lists always skip over country players in favor of the shreddy rock n rollers
A few years ago I had 70 deluxe tele I traded in to get Martin. The Martin is amazing and I love it but there isn’t a day that goes by I don’t regret it. I would of rather just bought the Martin than trade the tele in 😢😢😢
I agree to an extent but there is a reason you don't see metal bands using stratocasters for example lol. Any guitar could play anything but of course certain tools will be better fit for certain jobs
@@stephensarmento3529 Well yeah you are right, like you say there is a reason metal bands don’t play strats, but if they wanted to they could y’know. I mean even then what defines a strat as a strat, is it the pickups or is it the body shape, because most of the metal players out there that I’ve met use super strats, which are basically just a strat with humbuckers and without the contour body. Sorry if I’m rambling
A guitar player I was in a band with knew another guitar player selling a left handed Epiphone SG with an old Kramer hard case for $200. I happen to play left and jumped on it. I was surprised how much I ended up liking it.
Same, same, man. I always hated them bc they’re ugly as sin. Then I picked one up at a studio a couple months ago and it felt like I’d been playing it my whole life.
@@jamesonowens4562 Yeah, definitely one you have to try to fully appreciate. It didn't feel "familiar" like I had been playing it my whole life, but I liked how it did feel. The neck seemed so forward, where the 12th fret was like right under your eyeballs. I was used to my tele where the 12th fret seemed way back on my gut. It's kinda hard to explain.
Fun story, my son wanted to learn guitar, he was a big AC/DC fan, so I bought him a cheap Epiphone SG. I think the whole thing with the case was like $125. But holy crap, that is a fun guitar to play. As an old guy myself, I remember when I was younger and learning guitar you couldn’t buy anything for under $500 that was playable. I can’t believe how good this thing plays and sounds for $125.
Right? I'm 49 and I remember scraping to put together $500 for an Epiphone Les Paul (which thankfully I still have). And of course, $500 in 1992 dollars is a LOT more than $500 now. Cheap guitars are SO much better now. Makes me happy for all the young players (and parents trying to make ends meet) that the barrier to entry on a decent guitar is so much lower today.
Ha! I hear you, cause I'm and old dude too, and in the old days, you really DID have to buy either a Gibson or a Fender (okay, there were some others, such as Hagstrom, Rickenbacher etc), but the rock gods all played Fenders or Gibsons. But then the mid '70's came along and Ibanez started producing excellent electric guitars and the Fender/Gibson dominance started cracking. It was still not 'cool' to play an Ibanez, but I bought a 1977 Ibanez Explorer back then, and it was every bit as good as a Gibson, and anyone who played one knew the Gibson/Fender jig was up, and frankly I always thought that was a good thing. Nowadays there are PILES of very good, cheap guitars around like the Epiphone SG you picked up, and that's great. It levels the playing field. No more guitar snobbery. It's like just get out there and play the damned things.
For high-gain music, or on a heavy-EQ-able gear, pickups matter the least. Certainly far less than the speaker you play it through and, if recording, the microphone you use for capture. That aside, I agree, most guitars are versatile enough to play pretty much any genre on them.
@@zwerko That ain't true at all lol. There's a reason most rock/metal players use higher output pickups that are either Alnico 5 or ceramics. You can play on anything, but in order for high gain playing, its amp>pickup>speaker. Reason the speaker is last is because people back in the 70s/80s when high gain were first coming out started using higher output pickups like he Super Distortion or JB and it was enough to drive lower output amps with the variety of speakers they had back then. Amp matters most, but even with a super high gain amp, stuff like pinch harmonics, clarity, or clarity during drop tunings sound way better with higher output pickups.
@@JJDon5150I agree. For rock or metal I think the amp matters more than the pickups. You can slap a guitar like a tele/strat into a high gain amp and that thing will still chug.
For me as a metal player, when I started I thought the classic guitars were boomer guitars and I needed something ultra modern to play metal. Now i play doom on a 50's les paul with p90's.
to be fair. if i was told i was to play a metal gig using a guitar design from before 1970 and it could only have single coil pups; it would be a Les Paul or SG with P90s. try doing that with a jangly-ass SSS American strat (the Mexis are warmer sounding and kinda doable but not really).
@@fistovuzi it's not great for death metal but it's awesome for doom, not too surprising there though. Orange and P90 was the og sound of Black Sabbath.
But yea for a long time I felt that Les Pauls were for blues lawyers only but there's a magic to a well made Les Paul Standard. And the gold top is a beauty.
@@djencode i got a few guitars over the years and pretty much got all the sounds i was after, more or less. this very day i put a deposit on a Gretsch of all things, their mid-range Electromatic range are great value and i needed that bell-like chime of the semi-hollow clean tones. the last guitar i need is my dream guitar, never managed to get my hands on one. Les Paul gold top with cream P90s to match the trim. unless i win the lottery, it'll be an Epiphone tho, lol.
If you take an SG with PAF style pickups, and a Marshall half stack, you can find almost every sound you ever heard from an electric guitar by playing with the knobs.
Well, being a lot older than you Mike. I'm a Brotha from Detroit. I started highschool in 1981 and went to a school in the suburbs of Detroit. There was sort of a revolution going on it seemed to me where I took guitar lessons. You had the old guard who was trying to keep what I called "Bell bottom" rock alive. (70's rock) and us new younger guys who were into the original Alternative/under ground/new wave/Punk music that was happening at that time. Gibsons seemed to represent the 70's rock and the new stuff was played on various Fenders. If you were into newer hard stuff like Van Halen the thing to do was take your strat and put in a Duncan Humbucker, swap out the tremolo for a Floyd Rose and order a Charvelle neck. So I stayed away from Gibsons until about 1996. I picked up this 1968 Gibson SG Jr and I couldn't believe how fast I could work the fretboard. So I bought it for $600. It's only got the bridge pick up but it does have the tremolo and I have the original tremolo bar with it.
The same way that you use to feel about the Gibson SG was the same way that I used to feel about the Fender Telecaster. When I was younger, I always associated the Telecaster as a guitar for country music and punk rock. It wasn't until I got a little older did I start to appreciate the Telecaster.
I’ve used a 2005 Epiphone version of the 61 with maestro vibrola in a worship setting for over 15 years, and it’s beyond versatile- and I get lots of comments about how good it sounds from other guitarists.
Good review of the SG. I have bought and sold several Gibson solid bodies over the years, the SG is the only one I liked enough to keep. They can be as sweetly expressive or as harsh and driving as you want. Add the fact that they are comfortable to play, and you have a winner.
Had my SG Stnd for about 12 years...sold it last month....could be 'the one that got away'. Rawked like no other...played GREAT in the hands...but I seldom played it. Had frets dressed and parted ways. Fetched a nice price for a lefty 2005. Oh, as you already know....the Tele is another guitar riddled with misconceptions. I"m into Tele's now...full circle for me....from early 20's to now in my early 60's...Tele's are my fav.
Funnily enough, my very first guitar was an Epiphone SG Special, but I thought it was only good for the AC/DC kind of thing. At the time though, that didn't matter to me. It wasn't until various points throughout the years that I realized how much an SG can actually do. I learned not only about Tony Iommi, but Eric Clapton in Cream, Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, and even George Harrison. Because of that, I have gained an even higher appreciation for the instrument than I already had to begin with. In fact, a couple years ago I finally let myself buy one of my dream guitars, which was a Gibson SG Standard from 2007 - the year I started playing. One of the best purchases I've ever made. It has made guitar even more fun for me.
I just gotta say, the SG and les Paul are are some of THE MOST versatile guitars out there right now. Great for everything and still have a timeless look and feel!
@@waynesilverman3048 Two differences imo. 1) I find the SG to be better for lead parts because of the higher range sounds. 2) The Les Paul I find had more bass and mids, maybe because of the thiccness of it. Also, the les Paul feels for natural for playing rhythm. The SG is better for leads because of the unmatched fret access.
@typicalkyle3085 I actually feel the SG has more mid than the les Paul. I used to hate the sound of the SG but now I own an 86 62 reissue and it's my favorite guitar because it has more mids than my LP standard.
The thing that surprized me most wasn"t a specific guitar, it was actually the P90 pickup! I really love it and have it on the guitar I play the most, it"s a Sire L7v...
For me it really was the SG. Was led to believe for the longest time it was just a rock machine. Ended up buying one because at the time it felt the comfiest and the ergonomics were amazing for me; and learned it sounded amazing playing just about anything I wanted on it.
I actually learned on an SG. Not a real one. A lawsuit era Japanese one. Even though I’ve acquired several other types but my heart will always be with the SG. The one I should never have dismissed is the BC Rich Warlock. Surprisingly comfortable and felt very similar to the SG with it access to the upper frets. I built one for my family’s Stranger Things Halloween costume and it quickly become one of my favourites.
I'm 49 and and my first guitar, I saved up all summer working for at 17 was a 1991 Gibson SG Standard. Bought it new in 1991 and still own it, and will until the day I die. I have a a couple Les Pauls, but SGs will always be my go to Gibson shape! They are not one trick ponies by any stretch!
You do not need a Vibrola. You don't get tuning stability problems because you only use it twice before you learn to leave the stinkin' thing alone. Most of them that you see these days lost the handle about three days after the original owner bought it but sometimes you get the "Derek Trucks" type of signature reissue with the big lump of pointless chrome but...................no handle. In fact, usually the whole thing has been replaced by a stoptail. You do not need a Vibrola. Nobody needs that on their lovely S.G.
Mike, you're aging like a fine wine! Thanks for the comedy, the great playing, and most of all sharing your experiences as you go through the stages. Us old folks know those stages, but it refreshing and fun to watch your videos. You really get it!! All the very best to you!
i got a epiphone sg special for $25, no cord jack, not sure what was wrong with pickups/wiring,etc but couldn't get to work, put in new jack, no solder wiring and seymore duncan phat cats. sounds great now.
I played my first show with my uncle’s ‘62 Les Paul (SG) and it was magic. I play a Telecaster as a #1 now, but that Valentine’s Night in 1986, I was playing that vintage-instrument with reckless abandon. It was a “battle of the bands” and we won. I was 16 & I’ll never forget the sound of that guitar through my Dad’s Fender-Twin … cranked.
I have an old SG that I got from my mom. It has one of the original pickups, someone put a Seymour Duncan SH-4 in it that I replaced with a Dimarzio Steve's Special, and I rewired it to '50s wiring. I challenged myself to only play it for a week and I was basically able to make it sound like any of my other guitars. The SG is a great guitar if you get a sense for how to use those knobs
Personally my favourite guitar. Sits nicely in my lap and fits my hand well. I’ve heard, and read a lot of complaints about the SG but I don’t have any of the issues commonly identified. I believe it’s Gibsons best selling guitar style, but I’ve never seen their records or talked to a rep who could confirm that. Good review Mike. I hope you do another one when you have had some time to get used to it.
The biggest one person whine about is "MuH nEcK dIvE" even though it's really simple to deal with by HOLDING THE GUITAR BY THE NECK or getting a nice strap
@@johnstackhouse1706 I haven't yet found a Gibson SG I can afford, so I play copies, some suffer with dive a bit, some sit rock solid horizontal, depends on the make - I remember testing my SGs, wearing a t-shirt and using a cheep nylon strap, plesently surprised by how many hung well (without dive). I play horizontal neck, but for folks pointing their nect up a bit, even more of these should balance well. The standard cure for neck heavy instruments, as you say, is a wide strap; if you rest your strumming arm on the body that also helps. I have heard the SG was designed to have the vibrolla trem, instruments with this fitted balance well, it's the ones without that have more problems - I've never played an SG with trem though so can't comment how right this is?
I felt the same way for a while about the SG until I played one. I had a huge misconception of SGs and Les Pauls. For long time I always wanted a Les Paul until I played one and then played an SG. I love the feel of the SG and the feel of a Les Paul just doesn’t click with me. Ever since I played an SG I hope to own one one day.
SG has become synonymous with Angus and metal to a point that it's kind of hurt the guitar and people's preconceptions about what it's built for. It was originally a Les Paul model... Les Paul was a jazz player. He played with his wife Mary Ford who was a country/western musician... this guitar was built for all of those things. It's so versatile that I'd buy another one in a heartbeat if Gibson would just figure out a way to fix the neck dive issue...
SG neckdive is exaggerated, it is not a near problem at all, and when people "Show it", the have no hands or arms resting on it, whereas if you just have an arm slightly resting on it like you normally would, it'll stay.
@@JeansBootsGuitars I think it depends greatly on the SG... I've payed some with absolutely none, and I've played some where it is noticeable and annoying... likewise the degree of annoyance depends greatly on the player.
Yeah, it was meant to be the "new" version of the LP. Les Paul himself absolutely hated it, and demanded that they take his name off of it. I only recently learned, after loving SGs for decades, that "SG" stands for "Solid Guitar".
Get a wide leather strap and you should have no problem. Another thing you could do is get the regular SG Standard instead of the 61 Standard. I know that many people prefer the 61‘s pickguard shape and smaller heel, me included, but the plain old Standard has a long tenon neck and bigger heel so the weight is more concentrated in the body and there is less neck dive. A bonus is that the neck joint is sturdier because there is more mass there and it makes it less likely to have heel cracks that sometimes show up on the 61 Standards.
Guitars with humbuckers sound so similar to one another that pretty much all of them can do any kind of tones. It's about the other gear, the settings and the speakers.
I keep looking at SGs more and more. I have a Gretsch 2627 with triple broad'trons. Each pickup has it's own volume in addition to a master volume. With a little tweaking, it can sound like anything. Something about engaging the middle pickup with either or both other pickups, creates an incredible jazz tone.
Angus actually uses a 1970/1971 Gibson SG Standard. The actual date of the guitar is unknown, but it was his first SG. It was rebuilt from heavy use but it remains his number 1. It's hard to miss because its the dark wine SG with bolt inlays and cream toggle switch cover. The late 60's-1970 SG Standards will BLOW you away, they sound incredible.
Yes, SGs are actually very versatile "work horse" guitars and can be used in almost any genre of music. They are light weight, easy to play and a brilliant design which has stood the test of time. Both the humbucker and the P90 versions are great. They are incredibly misunderstood and have been stereotyped due to their association with AC/DC. What people don't realize is they produce wonderful clean tones as well. You can even play jazz or country on them. In fact, there is almost no style of music they can't handle.
I got an epiphone sg at the start of my playing career, again after getting into AC/DC just thinking it was the coolest guitar ever. Two years ago I got my first Sg standard and I love it to bits . Always been an sg player .
If my telecaster can play metal then your SG can play country. The L5 can do both, Ted Nugent plays a Gibson Byrdland…(Look it up) but NOBODY wants to take a $10,000+ L-5 to a ruckus gig and risk hurting it. I wouldn’t even bend a damn string on an L-5. But I do love your videos. Good job!
When I moved back to The States, LP was selling for ~$3000. I’ve never spent that much on a guitar and never plan to. I found two SG Standards in excellent shape in hard cases for $700 each (pre covid numbers obvs). Even though I didn’t like SGs I wasn’t;t gonna pay thousands for a LP. So, I gave the SGs a try. Who knew I’d LOVE THEM?? They produce the kinda tone that gets me compliments after my shows and they always handle well.
Very nice vid. As a 90s kid, I spent a lot of time looking at Musician's Friend mail-in catalogs. I always loved the SG, but didn't care much for Strats. Now, I love them all, much more into them all, jamming all the time.
The secret sauce to all Gibson guitars is their pickups. They are all great. I put the 61s in an Epiphone 335, wow, that thing rocks now. As for the guitar, where a Les Paul puts up a fight, the SG is soo easy to play. Lighter, lower action. I have two, the SG Special w/P90s and SG Futura with P90 Sidewinder in neck and burstbucker 3 in bridge - and it has become my favorite. Easy to play, love the sounds, it has a boost built in too. So easy to play. I still love my les paul but definitely a different playing experience. I would love a '61 with the vibrola, if I didn't have the two that I do, I might chase one...
I bought an SG Standard in the late 60s when I was playing in a cover band. All the other guitar players in town were using Les Pauls. I played them both and I chose the SG because it weighed half as much! I never regretted my decision. It sounded great through a Vox or Marshall and it could do just about any type of music like you say. I wish I still had it.
My teacher has an X-shaped small Jackson with active humbuckers and a floyd. looks metal af but he teaches all kinds of things on it to me, from blues to thrash metal
I bought an Gibson SG at my local store. It was only $999.00. The manager had retrofitted it, removing the dreaded auto-tuners. I knew how much a SG costs, and at this price it was a bargain. Another salesman told me it will never sell. After I commented on the excellent price, he agreed with me.
had this exact experience today. suddenly it dawned on me that that middle ground between a strat and a les paul might already exist, the SG. I played a 61 standard and it blew me away immediately. never had such an instant reaction to a guitar. love at first sight...sound
It’s the SG for me too. I went to the store for a PRS Vela, and when I said I wanted a lightweight guitar, was shown a used sparkling burgundy SG Special. It’s been by my side since. I love it.
Great examples. 06:15 it sounds like a fender guitar. So cool all the music you can do with this guitar. 07:24 what tunning is this? It sounds awesome! beautiful notes.
I have tried to play an SG a few times. I can never get those to work right. The neck is too wide, the front pickup is too muddy, the body is too thin. It’s a mess. Some people can use em really well. Derek Trucks. Angus Young. I think one of the original Allman Brothers had one. Clapton. I think Eric Johnson uses one sometimes. Not me.
I remember when I first was getting into guitar, I saw Angus playing his SG and thought it was a custom built guitar since it had the horns. Then I find out that Gibson is the one making SGs and I fell in love. Own 2 SGs and a third one sometime soon. SGs and Telecasters are my about favorite guitars, though I have an awesome Kauer as well. And yes, my SG can cover a lot of ground as well.
I've got 2 SGs, one with a Seymour Duncan JB pickup in the bridge and an SG Junior with a single P90 pickup. Both are great! I would prefer the P90 one for more low gain crunch/clean stuff.
I have a 2017 SG. I wanted to learn electric guitar. The guitar tech at the shop ran it through a peddle similar to yours. Since I was interested in variety of music, I chose it as my electric guitar.
when you were doing that blues lick/I half expected Eddie Vedder to Start singing Yellow Ledbetter..oh yeah i have an Epiphone SG from a pawn shop for 40 bucks..it had a busted ground wire and cracks in the horns BUT she does sound amazing
Well Mike, I actually owned a 61 Les Paul/SG with the vibrola. When I purchased the guitar in 1972, from a person in South Bend, Indiana, it had a broken headstock. Wasn't snapped off but almost. I bought the guitar for $100.00 hoping it could be repaired. I got it fixed by Roxy Music in LaPorte, Indiana. It was a great guitar, but at the time, they weren't seen as a collector's guitar and I eventually sold it. (You.may kick me now) Oh well, such is life!! Love your channel!! Keep up the great work!! Oh and I have lots of guitars and amps I should have kept stories, but I think we all do.
The SG as well. Never was really into it until seeing Clapton demonstrating it with the wah, so when my strat got stolen, that's the one I had most fun at the store. Then I got my strat back, and now I'm only getting another guitar if it's with a p90.
HUGE ACDC fan but i didnt want to be an Angus clone so avoided SGs. Fast forward 30 guitars later and I got one. Well I was wrong. Light. Thinnish body. Access to all the frets. Mine has no neck dive so they exist. Easy to play. Sounds awesome. Amazing guitar.
I'm curious about that blues lick you played. It sounded like Yellow Ledbetter, and I'm wondering if that was a play on that song, or if it was another song altogether. I know the song is basically just Hendrix riffing, but I really enjoy it.
Probably the Godin 5th Avenue with the single p90. I never owned a p90 guitar before and I found that it is WAY more versatile than I ever gave any Jazz box guitar credit for.
I have several with vibrolas. Only problem, the vibrola keeps the guitar detuned. Can't even get through a bar without having to stop and retune. Other than that it's a beautiful and wonderful sounding/playing guitar.🙂
Im an offset Fender/Squier kinda person, but I pulled the trigger on an Ibanez RG470 MSP w/Floyd Rose. I dunno, my Korn/Vai appreciation finally got the best of me. I can't tell you how happy I am with it! I thinks it's worthy to sit with my Jazzmasters & Jaguars.
I really had issues with my first "real" SG, epiphone g-400, that my brother bought overseas, that slim taper neck, and the left shifting, used to pisses me off, and felt weird on my big fat, long fingers hands, but I had to play it, if I wanted to play, Now the arctic white almost cream, gotoh bridge and aluminium tailpiece, plus some SD pearly Gates, a proper nut and now, I love it, not only because of my brother's effort, because it's such a relief to play, slim and light, and sounds and plays amazing.
Sg is such a versatile piece. I had one with p90s walnut finish, beautiful guitat both look and sound. Sold it because i needed money and i was tired or bashing the headstock due to it being heavier than the body. Regret it everyday such a unique sound.
My son bought a Epiphone SG Pro and i was blown away at how diverse the sound is. The only challenge I have is everytime I play it, the 5th fret isn't where I'm used to having it. But I do like its sound and it only takes a second for me to adjust.
I think the Telecaster is often labeled as the “Do All” guitar. But, I generally think the opposite. People think of Hollowbody guitars as being very small in scope. But, put the right pickups in one & you have a much more versatile guitar, than any Tele’, SG or any other guitar.
I rec'd a broken (like body & head) 1992 SG some months ago. Took it too my local shop & they fixed up the wood, the wiring, etc, new keys, about $400. I never thought of me & an SG. BUT IT"S GREAT! It can be heavy or it can be spanky, I can do rock or country w it. It's my new fave guitar, why did I wait so long to get an SG????
I bought my SG deluxe with the Bixby tailpiece back when it was brand new in the early 70s. I always had trouble keeping it in tune and finally decided it was because of a problem between the Bixby and the bridge. I had a guy take the Bixby off And it seem to solve the problem. Of course this makes it not original, but I have kept it that way ever since. The same guy that took off the Bixby did some wiring changes and added some switches so that I can put the front pick up in and out of phase. This has been a great thing and allowed for much diversity of timber. The only other thing I don’t like about my SG is that the neck on this version is very narrow and my hands are big. This causes me some finger clutter when playing D and E in the first position. Other than that, I have done lots of recording with it; played live for years and like it pretty much. It is significantly lighter than the Les Paul. Les Paul guys think that makes for a better sound. I think it makes for a sore back…
My 1999 SG Special is my favorite guitar. She’s coming up on her 25th birthday, and still going strong. I’m the original owner, and can’t imagine having any other electric guitar. I play hymns, blues, and 60s & 70s tunes with it. It always Sounds Great. I’d say the SG is a Super Guitar.
My most versatile guitar is my EBMM Majesty 6; my main guitar is EBMM Kaizen 6, I have a few and plan to get more. Up until 2023, I never looked at EBMM guitars or considered them. My main hardtail guitar is Ibanez PS (I have a few, including a PS 10), and my fav trem guitar prior to discovering EBMM is Jackson Rhoads, with Duncan Blackouts and FR. The Majesty is not only versatile, it's the easiest and most comfortable guitar I've ever played. Still prefer the Kaizen 6, which quickly became my favorite guitar for everything, Cheers!
I picked up a hollow-body Gretsch while I was in a bit of a rockabilly kick, and it quickly became my #1. Does a great job with blues, rock, punk, jazz, and just about anything else I throw at it. The SG is still my #2 though.
People always knock on the SG until they actually try it for awhile, while it does have neck deck it really isnt as big as an issue as people make it out to be, once you're used too it you really dont notice it, its an incredibly comfortable guitar, be it standing or sitting, and highly versatile. there's a reason that the SG has never been discontinued. the good thing is people eventually give the SG a shot and end up liking it, i just wish that the neck dive wasnt put on such a large pedestal?(no idea if thats the correct wording) when it comes to the cons, as to me its a very small con. compared to everything else the SG offers.
The Gibson Vibrola is a favorite of mine. It should be set up right , with the felt pad directly on the body. If it's not pressing down on the body with some pressure, you lose some sensitivity on the action of the arm. I had the lower tier Gibson models - a 65 Firebird III and a 69 SG special. They don't have the Tune-O-Matic bridge but use the Lightning Bolt bridge. It's awesome because you can either use either the vibrola or just the lighting bridge alone. I used to go back and forth with each string change. It's the best of both worlds.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe played one. She wasn't exactly ripping it up at high gain. I love how SGs feel to play, you can sling them around all over the place. I like the neck dive, I like wrestling with it and shoving it around, it forces movement to add to the performance.
I got a ‘61 SG Standard recently, and I had a heck of a time trying to dial in my favorite tones. This is my first guitar that I can’t just have all the volume and tone knobs set to 10. I have to roll back the volume to get a clean tone that I’m happy with. I have to roll back the tone knobs to get a lead tone that I’m happy with. And of course all the knobs all the way up gives me a crunch tone that I’m happy with. None of my other guitars need this much adjusting to get where I want to go, I usually just switch pickups. But for my SG, I need to do a lot more adjusting than I’m used to. At first, I found it annoying, but now I know the sweet spots, and this guitar gets me tones that I can’t get on my other guitars
I own an Epiphone Pro SG and I love it on the cleaner side with minimal distortion. I think in the video you always had some overdrive but not enough clean tones. Great content either way, thanks
I've had the opposite experience. Growing up in the 80's, Stratocasters and Super-Strat guitars were foremost in my mind. Picking one up disappointed me, and I fought this hard until recently. I can get what I want out of an S-type, but I have a lot to learn about amps while we're at it. Telecasters were a struggle until I found one I could bond with. It's cheap. It's old. It's made in Japan, and it has Dimarzio pickups. It makes no sense. But it does the Telecaster thing all the others fight me to deliver. So I wanted to like the SG. Has all the hardware of a Les Paul, so why doesn't it work for me? Like the Telecaster, it took a lateral step to find what I was looking for. Pick up a Guild Polara, and everything I can't stand about an SG falls away. Specifically 90's Polaras. I haven't had the chance to try the new ones, but the '98 Polara I tried was divine. The neck, frets, tone, and balance were all better by just what I wanted.
Love the SG style. My first two electric guitars were SG knockoffs, and I'm itching to get another (though not a Gibson - out of my price range!) One of the unique things about the SG is that the lower curve, where you rest it on your thigh when seated, is below the bridge pickup. Almost every other body style, including the Les Paul and Strat-style guitars, have that curve under the neck pickup. That makes it sit a little differently; to me it's more comfortable. It shifts the guitar a bit to the left, compared to a LP. Also, check out the old-school SG player, Sister Rosetta Tharpe!
I live in PA, too. Most people either love SG’s or hate them. I’ve always liked them having first seen them used by Robbie Krieger in the Doors getting the pretty jazzy neck pickup tones on the first two albums that are drenched in plate reverb and echo chamber and room reverb. They are totally unique and beautiful sounding and are Strat-like in ways but with warmth and character from the mahogany without the maple cap that a Les Paul has. To me an ultimate combination is a an SG and Fender Twin Reverb with lots of reverb. Plus they were perfect for psychedelic music in the 1960’s with those sort of weird “spooky” tones heard on Doors songs like “People Are Strange” and “The End” and others especially from the first two albums that had lush reverb. I can see why they’re misunderstood. Different ones I have made in the 1960’s have proved to be excellent for contemporary worship in the churches I attended from the 80’s to about 2010. I’ve never had a problem with neck dive if my hand is on the neck anyway.
I love the SG!!! It’s light weight body makes it so comfortable to play for extended periods of time (unlike the the Les Paul) and the double cut design makes it super easy to access the super high frets! My ideal guitar would be some kind of offset SG with coil spits, phase switching, and a series parallel switch!
My biggest issue with SGs are the neck dive and the placement of the volume and tone knobs. Otherwise, I've always loved SGs, but just enough to buy one. I have owned a great Yamaha SG knockoff called an SBG 200 which I loved, but not a Gibson SG. It's the sort of guitar I'd only buy if I was rich, not so much because of the price (I've owned more expensive axes) but rather that It's hard for me to look past the imperfections, especially considering I can get much more affordable guitars that don't have the same issues. Tuning stability is an issue as well, but I've played some SGs that stayed in tune fine. I've never had an issue with Yamahas. When I first played an SG I admit to thinking it was just for rock and metal, as Tony Iommi and Angus Young were its most prominent champions. But I also realized John McLaughlin played a double neck and he's jazz fusion, and I've seen other jazz players since using SGs as well.
I've got a 76 LP with a tapered neck, it's nice but heavy. I played a vintage SG many years ago it had a tapered neck and I liked it alot. Angus has said that the LP is too heavy for him.
I have similar SG ‘61 reissue with this ‘64 style Vibrola unit, made in 2019 and have to say, mine is not so red that yours, more brownish, that is something they worked on as I see, would love mine to be more red as yours. But rest, great guitar, love it.
The person I most associate the 61 SG w/Vibrola is George Harrison. He played one from about 1966, until some time in 1970 when he gave the guitar to Pete Ham of Badfinger. There's a photo of him playing it at the Beatles 1966 NME Award Winner's Concert. Unfortunately due to legal issues the cameras were turned off during the performance.
When i think of sg players, immediately my brain goes to heavy metal legend Tony Iommi, & Daniel Lioneye. As far as what guitars did i over look & now have an eye for, id have to say it's fender Telecaster for me. I wasnt appealed at 1st with the tele since its usually linked to country singers (no shade to country since im ok with the genre) until i was well almost 2 decades into my guitar journey. I realized that single humbucker pick up gives it a distinct tone that can work well for a variety of genres. I could be playing Stevie Ray Vaughan 1 moment, then switch it up to Amon Amarth, then switch again to Social Distortion, or even Pantera next. A Telecaster seems more likely in my future now.
i think why everyone gravitates towards SG's is the slick clean look the guitar tends to have and the colourway contrasts great with each other. i was looking into one some point when i started guitar but just couldnt pull the trigger, ended up with a jazzmaster instead i couldnt get with the sg scale
The only thing (for me) about an SG is how it hangs. Because the neck doesn't extend into the body and because the strap button is approx. where the 24th fret would be, it always feels like one is reaching waaaay out there to play down by the nut or to grab the tuners. Just awkward for me. The sound and versatility (of a good one) is fine. An original '61 or 2 SG/Les Paul Custom that I was lucky enough to try was amazing.
I’m a massive Gibson fan and have spent 27 years of playing building up a great Gibson collection. I have 2 x 335’s, 2 x LP’s a J45 and a SG standard 61. I gig regularly and lately the SG is becoming my go too. They are so versatile, weigh nothing and look incredible.
I was a strat guy through and through, I really only saw the telecaster as a country guitar until I borrowed one from a friend, it changed my world and now I own three tele's, it's such a simple machine, a real workhorse ready to anything you want.
I can't play a Strat to save my life. I've owned a 74cSG Standard since 1991, my sophomore year in college. Townshend at Woodstock, Clapton in Cream and Ian MacKaye in Fugazi made me want one. Definitely a versatile instrument.
I started to pick up the guitar in late 1985 after I saw my heroes on Live Aid that summer. I had a nasty beat up nylon string that I put steel strings on! What a mistake! Neck was like a banana, fingers bled! By 1986 a few buddies already had electric guitars and I knew I had to have one. These were budget guitars and not terribly expensive but there was an American kid in my town who had a black Gibson Les Paul Custom with the original case! He moved here as his dad had a job in a big pharmaceutical firm! I remember being afraid to hold it when I was at his house for a jam. It was the real deal, and I had only ever seen one on TV! The weight, the excellent build quality and overall sound was outstanding. It was a “big boys toy” for sure. Soon I started visiting music shops in the nearby city and it was Gibson and Fender that seemed to be the No.1 choice for professionals. By 1987 I had a Strat copy and I loved it. Over the years I bought lots of guitars and over the last decade I became a Fender fan boy settle squarely on the Telecaster with Strat close second. However, I’ve never owned a Gibson but now at 55 that’s about to chsnge as I’ve a Les Paul Junior in my sights!
I played professionally with some std and 61 SGs for over 10 years. I had a 57 and 500t as pickups. The cleans were stellar and I had a very aggressive high gain tone. Std had a traditional chunky neck and 61 was 60 slim. Light and resonant guitars thought. My only issue was that I had to go down with tuning and the Gibson scale is terrible when you are heading from 1 step down or more.
For me I thought the Telecaster could only do country. But now that I’ve owned one for a while I’ve realized it can do many genres of music. It’s very versatile.
Same here it wasn't until i actually owned one that i realised this guitar can actually do it all.
And do it all with style.
I forgot about quite of the guitars I have after getting a yamah revstar. all about giving something an honest chance and seeing if you really like it or not.
Yup thats what I thought about telecasters also. But country music is also looked at as one thing so maybe that's why I tightcast the guitar. Country guitarists don't often get enough credit for their playing for example most of your greatest guitar players lists always skip over country players in favor of the shreddy rock n rollers
Knowing some of the most iconic parts in the early Led Zeppelin discography were recorded on a Telecaster really changed my perception of it
A few years ago I had 70 deluxe tele I traded in to get Martin. The Martin is amazing and I love it but there isn’t a day that goes by I don’t regret it. I would of rather just bought the Martin than trade the tele in 😢😢😢
I’ve never actually thought “this guitar is only good for one genre”.
I reckon you can play anything on any guitar as long as you set yourself to it.
I agree to an extent but there is a reason you don't see metal bands using stratocasters for example lol. Any guitar could play anything but of course certain tools will be better fit for certain jobs
@@stephensarmento3529 Well yeah you are right, like you say there is a reason metal bands don’t play strats, but if they wanted to they could y’know. I mean even then what defines a strat as a strat, is it the pickups or is it the body shape, because most of the metal players out there that I’ve met use super strats, which are basically just a strat with humbuckers and without the contour body.
Sorry if I’m rambling
@@stephensarmento3529 Dave Murray from iron maiden plays a strat.
@@A.C.Lawrence loaded with humbuckers
@@splitzerx570its 99% about pointy and mean looks. You can jazz it up on a jackson king v, but it looks out of place haha
I never had any SG desire until one basically fell in my lap and I ended up loving it. The neck goes on forever!!
Literally exactly my scenario as well!
A guitar player I was in a band with knew another guitar player selling a left handed Epiphone SG with an old Kramer hard case for $200. I happen to play left and jumped on it. I was surprised how much I ended up liking it.
Same, same, man. I always hated them bc they’re ugly as sin. Then I picked one up at a studio a couple months ago and it felt like I’d been playing it my whole life.
@@jamesonowens4562 Yeah, definitely one you have to try to fully appreciate. It didn't feel "familiar" like I had been playing it my whole life, but I liked how it did feel. The neck seemed so forward, where the 12th fret was like right under your eyeballs. I was used to my tele where the 12th fret seemed way back on my gut. It's kinda hard to explain.
Fun story, my son wanted to learn guitar, he was a big AC/DC fan, so I bought him a cheap Epiphone SG. I think the whole thing with the case was like $125. But holy crap, that is a fun guitar to play. As an old guy myself, I remember when I was younger and learning guitar you couldn’t buy anything for under $500 that was playable. I can’t believe how good this thing plays and sounds for $125.
Right? I'm 49 and I remember scraping to put together $500 for an Epiphone Les Paul (which thankfully I still have). And of course, $500 in 1992 dollars is a LOT more than $500 now. Cheap guitars are SO much better now. Makes me happy for all the young players (and parents trying to make ends meet) that the barrier to entry on a decent guitar is so much lower today.
Ha! I hear you, cause I'm and old dude too, and in the old days, you really DID have to buy either a Gibson or a Fender (okay, there were some others, such as Hagstrom, Rickenbacher etc), but the rock gods all played Fenders or Gibsons. But then the mid '70's came along and Ibanez started producing excellent electric guitars and the Fender/Gibson dominance started cracking. It was still not 'cool' to play an Ibanez, but I bought a 1977 Ibanez Explorer back then, and it was every bit as good as a Gibson, and anyone who played one knew the Gibson/Fender jig was up, and frankly I always thought that was a good thing. Nowadays there are PILES of very good, cheap guitars around like the Epiphone SG you picked up, and that's great. It levels the playing field. No more guitar snobbery. It's like just get out there and play the damned things.
I always felt like you can play any kind of music on any guitar. Pickups matter more.
For high-gain music, or on a heavy-EQ-able gear, pickups matter the least. Certainly far less than the speaker you play it through and, if recording, the microphone you use for capture. That aside, I agree, most guitars are versatile enough to play pretty much any genre on them.
@@zwerko That ain't true at all lol. There's a reason most rock/metal players use higher output pickups that are either Alnico 5 or ceramics. You can play on anything, but in order for high gain playing, its amp>pickup>speaker. Reason the speaker is last is because people back in the 70s/80s when high gain were first coming out started using higher output pickups like he Super Distortion or JB and it was enough to drive lower output amps with the variety of speakers they had back then. Amp matters most, but even with a super high gain amp, stuff like pinch harmonics, clarity, or clarity during drop tunings sound way better with higher output pickups.
@@zwerko I just meant pickups as in single coil vs humbuckers but if you understood that and your reply still stands then I trust you.
@@JJDon5150I agree. For rock or metal I think the amp matters more than the pickups. You can slap a guitar like a tele/strat into a high gain amp and that thing will still chug.
get low out put and high put PUPS, put them in a high gain mix and you wont be able to tell one from the other. @@JJDon5150
For me as a metal player, when I started I thought the classic guitars were boomer guitars and I needed something ultra modern to play metal. Now i play doom on a 50's les paul with p90's.
I now play neoclassical on a fender mustang. 😂 Fun to see the reactions
to be fair. if i was told i was to play a metal gig using a guitar design from before 1970 and it could only have single coil pups; it would be a Les Paul or SG with P90s. try doing that with a jangly-ass SSS American strat (the Mexis are warmer sounding and kinda doable but not really).
@@fistovuzi it's not great for death metal but it's awesome for doom, not too surprising there though. Orange and P90 was the og sound of Black Sabbath.
But yea for a long time I felt that Les Pauls were for blues lawyers only but there's a magic to a well made Les Paul Standard. And the gold top is a beauty.
@@djencode i got a few guitars over the years and pretty much got all the sounds i was after, more or less. this very day i put a deposit on a Gretsch of all things, their mid-range Electromatic range are great value and i needed that bell-like chime of the semi-hollow clean tones. the last guitar i need is my dream guitar, never managed to get my hands on one. Les Paul gold top with cream P90s to match the trim. unless i win the lottery, it'll be an Epiphone tho, lol.
If you take an SG with PAF style pickups, and a Marshall half stack, you can find almost every sound you ever heard from an electric guitar by playing with the knobs.
It needs 500k volume pots. Gibson puts 300k in a lot of SGs.
That's my exact rig!
As a kid I loved the SG - Santana, Clapton, Zappa, Marino, Young - so many players with distinctive styles and sounds.
Well, being a lot older than you Mike. I'm a Brotha from Detroit. I started highschool in 1981 and went to a school in the suburbs of Detroit. There was sort of a revolution going on it seemed to me where I took guitar lessons. You had the old guard who was trying to keep what I called "Bell bottom" rock alive. (70's rock) and us new younger guys who were into the original Alternative/under ground/new wave/Punk music that was happening at that time. Gibsons seemed to represent the 70's rock and the new stuff was played on various Fenders. If you were into newer hard stuff like Van Halen the thing to do was take your strat and put in a Duncan Humbucker, swap out the tremolo for a Floyd Rose and order a Charvelle neck. So I stayed away from Gibsons until about 1996. I picked up this 1968 Gibson SG Jr and I couldn't believe how fast I could work the fretboard. So I bought it for $600. It's only got the bridge pick up but it does have the tremolo and I have the original tremolo bar with it.
The same way that you use to feel about the Gibson SG was the same way that I used to feel about the Fender Telecaster. When I was younger, I always associated the Telecaster as a guitar for country music and punk rock. It wasn't until I got a little older did I start to appreciate the Telecaster.
I’ve used a 2005 Epiphone version of the 61 with maestro vibrola in a worship setting for over 15 years, and it’s beyond versatile- and I get lots of comments about how good it sounds from other guitarists.
The 'devil horns' complement worship music quite well 👿
I got my Epiphone SG in gold... Angel horns!
Good review of the SG. I have bought and sold several Gibson solid bodies over the years, the SG is the only one I liked enough to keep. They can be as sweetly expressive or as harsh and driving as you want. Add the fact that they are comfortable to play, and you have a winner.
Had my SG Stnd for about 12 years...sold it last month....could be 'the one that got away'. Rawked like no other...played GREAT in the hands...but I seldom played it. Had frets dressed and parted ways. Fetched a nice price for a lefty 2005. Oh, as you already know....the Tele is another guitar riddled with misconceptions. I"m into Tele's now...full circle for me....from early 20's to now in my early 60's...Tele's are my fav.
@@stvo2009 me too...have way too many and have been selling a few lately.
You sold it for a reason.. Fenders are superior
Funnily enough, my very first guitar was an Epiphone SG Special, but I thought it was only good for the AC/DC kind of thing. At the time though, that didn't matter to me. It wasn't until various points throughout the years that I realized how much an SG can actually do. I learned not only about Tony Iommi, but Eric Clapton in Cream, Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, and even George Harrison. Because of that, I have gained an even higher appreciation for the instrument than I already had to begin with. In fact, a couple years ago I finally let myself buy one of my dream guitars, which was a Gibson SG Standard from 2007 - the year I started playing. One of the best purchases I've ever made. It has made guitar even more fun for me.
I just gotta say, the SG and les Paul are are some of THE MOST versatile guitars out there right now. Great for everything and still have a timeless look and feel!
Whats the difference in sound compared to a les Paul ?
@@waynesilverman3048 Two differences imo. 1) I find the SG to be better for lead parts because of the higher range sounds. 2) The Les Paul I find had more bass and mids, maybe because of the thiccness of it. Also, the les Paul feels for natural for playing rhythm. The SG is better for leads because of the unmatched fret access.
@typicalkyle3085 I actually feel the SG has more mid than the les Paul. I used to hate the sound of the SG but now I own an 86 62 reissue and it's my favorite guitar because it has more mids than my LP standard.
Seeing Angus in 2017 at Magnetic Hill, NB. I loved the SG shape! I've never played one, but I think the double cut look is amazing.
The thing that surprized me most wasn"t a specific guitar, it was actually the P90 pickup!
I really love it and have it on the guitar I play the most, it"s a Sire L7v...
Yes! I remember finding and falling in love with P90s too! ... On the look out for a P90 equiped SG 😉
For me it really was the SG. Was led to believe for the longest time it was just a rock machine. Ended up buying one because at the time it felt the comfiest and the ergonomics were amazing for me; and learned it sounded amazing playing just about anything I wanted on it.
I actually learned on an SG. Not a real one. A lawsuit era Japanese one.
Even though I’ve acquired several other types but my heart will always be with the SG.
The one I should never have dismissed is the BC Rich Warlock. Surprisingly comfortable and felt very similar to the SG with it access to the upper frets.
I built one for my family’s Stranger Things Halloween costume and it quickly become one of my favourites.
I'm 49 and and my first guitar, I saved up all summer working for at 17 was a 1991 Gibson SG Standard. Bought it new in 1991 and still own it, and will until the day I die. I have a a couple Les Pauls, but SGs will always be my go to Gibson shape! They are not one trick ponies by any stretch!
I’m same age and did the exact same thing when I was 17… sadly got rid of it in my 20’s. I will get another though in the near future though
I got my first SG a few months ago, and i love it. I was more surprised at how comfortable it is to play more than how it sounded tbh
Don’t forget Gary Clark Jr!!!
He does some great stuff with the SG!
Sweet. Really felt like your playing was improved in this video. Love my SG standard, though I would prefer the 61 with vibrola. Sounds nice.
You do not need a Vibrola. You don't get tuning stability problems because you only use it twice before you learn to leave the stinkin' thing alone. Most of them that you see these days lost the handle about three days after the original owner bought it but sometimes you get the "Derek Trucks" type of signature reissue with the big lump of pointless chrome but...................no handle. In fact, usually the whole thing has been replaced by a stoptail. You do not need a Vibrola. Nobody needs that on their lovely S.G.
That white 3-pickup sg custom with gold hardware Terry Kath used in the late sixties is one of the most beautiful guitars ever built
Jimi too!!
Mike, you're aging like a fine wine! Thanks for the comedy, the great playing, and most of all sharing your experiences as you go through the stages. Us old folks know those stages, but it refreshing and fun to watch your videos. You really get it!! All the very best to you!
is that blues riff you played in this video from Pearl's Jam's 'Yellow Ledbetter'? Sure reminds me of it.
i got a epiphone sg special for $25, no cord jack, not sure what was wrong with pickups/wiring,etc but couldn't get to work, put in new jack, no solder wiring and seymore duncan phat cats. sounds great now.
I played my first show with my uncle’s ‘62 Les Paul (SG) and it was magic.
I play a Telecaster as a #1 now, but that Valentine’s Night in 1986, I was playing that vintage-instrument with reckless abandon.
It was a “battle of the bands” and we won. I was 16 & I’ll never forget the sound of that guitar through my Dad’s Fender-Twin … cranked.
I have an old SG that I got from my mom. It has one of the original pickups, someone put a Seymour Duncan SH-4 in it that I replaced with a Dimarzio Steve's Special, and I rewired it to '50s wiring. I challenged myself to only play it for a week and I was basically able to make it sound like any of my other guitars. The SG is a great guitar if you get a sense for how to use those knobs
Personally my favourite guitar. Sits nicely in my lap and fits my hand well. I’ve heard, and read a lot of complaints about the SG but I don’t have any of the issues commonly identified.
I believe it’s Gibsons best selling guitar style, but I’ve never seen their records or talked to a rep who could confirm that.
Good review Mike. I hope you do another one when you have had some time to get used to it.
The biggest one person whine about is "MuH nEcK dIvE" even though it's really simple to deal with by HOLDING THE GUITAR BY THE NECK or getting a nice strap
@@johnstackhouse1706 I haven't yet found a Gibson SG I can afford, so I play copies, some suffer with dive a bit, some sit rock solid horizontal, depends on the make - I remember testing my SGs, wearing a t-shirt and using a cheep nylon strap, plesently surprised by how many hung well (without dive). I play horizontal neck, but for folks pointing their nect up a bit, even more of these should balance well. The standard cure for neck heavy instruments, as you say, is a wide strap; if you rest your strumming arm on the body that also helps. I have heard the SG was designed to have the vibrolla trem, instruments with this fitted balance well, it's the ones without that have more problems - I've never played an SG with trem though so can't comment how right this is?
I felt the same way for a while about the SG until I played one. I had a huge misconception of SGs and Les Pauls. For long time I always wanted a Les Paul until I played one and then played an SG. I love the feel of the SG and the feel of a Les Paul just doesn’t click with me. Ever since I played an SG I hope to own one one day.
SG has become synonymous with Angus and metal to a point that it's kind of hurt the guitar and people's preconceptions about what it's built for. It was originally a Les Paul model... Les Paul was a jazz player. He played with his wife Mary Ford who was a country/western musician... this guitar was built for all of those things. It's so versatile that I'd buy another one in a heartbeat if Gibson would just figure out a way to fix the neck dive issue...
SG neckdive is exaggerated, it is not a near problem at all, and when people "Show it", the have no hands or arms resting on it, whereas if you just have an arm slightly resting on it like you normally would, it'll stay.
@@JeansBootsGuitars I think it depends greatly on the SG... I've payed some with absolutely none, and I've played some where it is noticeable and annoying... likewise the degree of annoyance depends greatly on the player.
Yeah, it was meant to be the "new" version of the LP. Les Paul himself absolutely hated it, and demanded that they take his name off of it. I only recently learned, after loving SGs for decades, that "SG" stands for "Solid Guitar".
Get a wide leather strap and you should have no problem. Another thing you could do is get the regular SG Standard instead of the 61 Standard. I know that many people prefer the 61‘s pickguard shape and smaller heel, me included, but the plain old Standard has a long tenon neck and bigger heel so the weight is more concentrated in the body and there is less neck dive. A bonus is that the neck joint is sturdier because there is more mass there and it makes it less likely to have heel cracks that sometimes show up on the 61 Standards.
Guitars with humbuckers sound so similar to one another that pretty much all of them can do any kind of tones. It's about the other gear, the settings and the speakers.
I keep looking at SGs more and more. I have a Gretsch 2627 with triple broad'trons. Each pickup has it's own volume in addition to a master volume. With a little tweaking, it can sound like anything. Something about engaging the middle pickup with either or both other pickups, creates an incredible jazz tone.
Angus actually uses a 1970/1971 Gibson SG Standard. The actual date of the guitar is unknown, but it was his first SG. It was rebuilt from heavy use but it remains his number 1. It's hard to miss because its the dark wine SG with bolt inlays and cream toggle switch cover. The late 60's-1970 SG Standards will BLOW you away, they sound incredible.
I fell in love not only the SG but the flying V as well because of the movie School Of Rock. As a kid, that got me interested in playing guitar.
Yes, SGs are actually very versatile "work horse" guitars and can be used in almost any genre of music. They are light weight, easy to play and a brilliant design which has stood the test of time. Both the humbucker and the P90 versions are great. They are incredibly misunderstood and have been stereotyped due to their association with AC/DC. What people don't realize is they produce wonderful clean tones as well. You can even play jazz or country on them. In fact, there is almost no style of music they can't handle.
335/ semi hollows. I have a nice Ibanez As73 that's my favorite guitar I've played. I use it for everything, including metal chugging.
I got an epiphone sg at the start of my playing career, again after getting into AC/DC just thinking it was the coolest guitar ever. Two years ago I got my first Sg standard and I love it to bits . Always been an sg player .
If my telecaster can play metal then your SG can play country. The L5 can do both, Ted Nugent plays a Gibson Byrdland…(Look it up) but NOBODY wants to take a $10,000+ L-5 to a ruckus gig and risk hurting it. I wouldn’t even bend a damn string on an L-5. But I do love your videos. Good job!
When I moved back to The States, LP was selling for ~$3000. I’ve never spent that much on a guitar and never plan to. I found two SG Standards in excellent shape in hard cases for $700 each (pre covid numbers obvs). Even though I didn’t like SGs I wasn’t;t gonna pay thousands for a LP. So, I gave the SGs a try. Who knew I’d LOVE THEM?? They produce the kinda tone that gets me compliments after my shows and they always handle well.
Very nice vid. As a 90s kid, I spent a lot of time looking at Musician's Friend mail-in catalogs. I always loved the SG, but didn't care much for Strats. Now, I love them all, much more into them all, jamming all the time.
Also, love how much your playing at 6:35 sounded like Yellow Ledbetter, very nice job
The secret sauce to all Gibson guitars is their pickups. They are all great. I put the 61s in an Epiphone 335, wow, that thing rocks now. As for the guitar, where a Les Paul puts up a fight, the SG is soo easy to play. Lighter, lower action. I have two, the SG Special w/P90s and SG Futura with P90 Sidewinder in neck and burstbucker 3 in bridge - and it has become my favorite. Easy to play, love the sounds, it has a boost built in too. So easy to play. I still love my les paul but definitely a different playing experience. I would love a '61 with the vibrola, if I didn't have the two that I do, I might chase one...
I bought an SG Standard in the late 60s when I was playing in a cover band. All the other guitar players in town were using Les Pauls. I played them both and I chose the SG because it weighed half as much! I never regretted my decision. It sounded great through a Vox or Marshall and it could do just about any type of music like you say. I wish I still had it.
I've owned both and the SG was ergonomically WAY better to play. The Les Paul is weird -- narrow and heavy, but hey, Jimmy Page played one so...
Hearing you improve after all this time is really satisfying
My teacher has an X-shaped small Jackson with active humbuckers and a floyd. looks metal af but he teaches all kinds of things on it to me, from blues to thrash metal
I bought an Gibson SG at my local store. It was only $999.00. The manager had retrofitted it, removing the dreaded auto-tuners. I knew how much a SG costs, and at this price it was a bargain. Another salesman told me it will never sell. After I commented on the excellent price, he agreed with me.
had this exact experience today. suddenly it dawned on me that that middle ground between a strat and a les paul might already exist, the SG. I played a 61 standard and it blew me away immediately. never had such an instant reaction to a guitar. love at first sight...sound
It’s the SG for me too. I went to the store for a PRS Vela, and when I said I wanted a lightweight guitar, was shown a used sparkling burgundy SG Special. It’s been by my side since. I love it.
Great examples. 06:15 it sounds like a fender guitar. So cool all the music you can do with this guitar. 07:24 what tunning is this? It sounds awesome! beautiful notes.
I have tried to play an SG a few times. I can never get those to work right. The neck is too wide, the front pickup is too muddy, the body is too thin. It’s a mess. Some people can use em really well. Derek Trucks. Angus Young. I think one of the original Allman Brothers had one. Clapton. I think Eric Johnson uses one sometimes. Not me.
I remember when I first was getting into guitar, I saw Angus playing his SG and thought it was a custom built guitar since it had the horns. Then I find out that Gibson is the one making SGs and I fell in love. Own 2 SGs and a third one sometime soon. SGs and Telecasters are my about favorite guitars, though I have an awesome Kauer as well.
And yes, my SG can cover a lot of ground as well.
Humbuckers and Gibson neck on three shapes: les Paul, SG and a 335. All can cover any genre imo. Also SG - Frank Zappa 🙏
I've got 2 SGs, one with a Seymour Duncan JB pickup in the bridge and an SG Junior with a single P90 pickup. Both are great! I would prefer the P90 one for more low gain crunch/clean stuff.
I have a 2017 SG. I wanted to learn electric guitar. The guitar tech at the shop ran it through a peddle similar to yours. Since I was interested in variety of music, I chose it as my electric guitar.
when you were doing that blues lick/I half expected Eddie Vedder to Start singing Yellow Ledbetter..oh yeah i have an Epiphone SG from a pawn shop for 40 bucks..it had a busted ground wire and cracks in the horns BUT she does sound amazing
Well Mike, I actually owned a 61 Les Paul/SG with the vibrola. When I purchased the guitar in 1972, from a person in South Bend, Indiana, it had a broken headstock. Wasn't snapped off but almost. I bought the guitar for $100.00 hoping it could be repaired. I got it fixed by Roxy Music in LaPorte, Indiana. It was a great guitar, but at the time, they weren't seen as a collector's guitar and I eventually sold it. (You.may kick me now) Oh well, such is life!! Love your channel!! Keep up the great work!! Oh and I have lots of guitars and amps I should have kept stories, but I think we all do.
The SG as well. Never was really into it until seeing Clapton demonstrating it with the wah, so when my strat got stolen, that's the one I had most fun at the store.
Then I got my strat back, and now I'm only getting another guitar if it's with a p90.
HUGE ACDC fan but i didnt want to be an Angus clone so avoided SGs. Fast forward 30 guitars later and I got one. Well I was wrong. Light. Thinnish body. Access to all the frets. Mine has no neck dive so they exist. Easy to play. Sounds awesome. Amazing guitar.
I'm curious about that blues lick you played. It sounded like Yellow Ledbetter, and I'm wondering if that was a play on that song, or if it was another song altogether. I know the song is basically just Hendrix riffing, but I really enjoy it.
Probably the Godin 5th Avenue with the single p90. I never owned a p90 guitar before and I found that it is WAY more versatile than I ever gave any Jazz box guitar credit for.
The SG WAS IT until I got one about 4 months ago. Yes, it does everything and I absolutely love it. No turning back and no more preconceptions.
I have several with vibrolas. Only problem, the vibrola keeps the guitar detuned. Can't even get through a bar without having to stop and retune. Other than that it's a beautiful and wonderful sounding/playing guitar.🙂
Im an offset Fender/Squier kinda person, but I pulled the trigger on an Ibanez RG470 MSP w/Floyd Rose. I dunno, my Korn/Vai appreciation finally got the best of me. I can't tell you how happy I am with it! I thinks it's worthy to sit with my Jazzmasters & Jaguars.
I really had issues with my first "real" SG, epiphone g-400, that my brother bought overseas, that slim taper neck, and the left shifting, used to pisses me off, and felt weird on my big fat, long fingers hands, but I had to play it, if I wanted to play, Now the arctic white almost cream, gotoh bridge and aluminium tailpiece, plus some SD pearly Gates, a proper nut and now, I love it, not only because of my brother's effort, because it's such a relief to play, slim and light, and sounds and plays amazing.
Sg is such a versatile piece. I had one with p90s walnut finish, beautiful guitat both look and sound. Sold it because i needed money and i was tired or bashing the headstock due to it being heavier than the body. Regret it everyday such a unique sound.
My son bought a Epiphone SG Pro and i was blown away at how diverse the sound is. The only challenge I have is everytime I play it, the 5th fret isn't where I'm used to having it. But I do like its sound and it only takes a second for me to adjust.
I think the Telecaster is often labeled as the “Do All” guitar. But, I generally think the opposite. People think of Hollowbody guitars as being very small in scope. But, put the right pickups in one & you have a much more versatile guitar, than any Tele’, SG or any other guitar.
A great example of this statement is Gibson ES 295!
I rec'd a broken (like body & head) 1992 SG some months ago. Took it too my local shop & they fixed up the wood, the wiring, etc, new keys, about $400. I never thought of me & an SG. BUT IT"S GREAT! It can be heavy or it can be spanky, I can do rock or country w it. It's my new fave guitar, why did I wait so long to get an SG????
I bought my SG deluxe with the Bixby tailpiece back when it was brand new in the early 70s. I always had trouble keeping it in tune and finally decided it was because of a problem between the Bixby and the bridge. I had a guy take the Bixby off And it seem to solve the problem. Of course this makes it not original, but I have kept it that way ever since. The same guy that took off the Bixby did some wiring changes and added some switches so that I can put the front pick up in and out of phase. This has been a great thing and allowed for much diversity of timber. The only other thing I don’t like about my SG is that the neck on this version is very narrow and my hands are big. This causes me some finger clutter when playing D and E in the first position. Other than that, I have done lots of recording with it; played live for years and like it pretty much. It is significantly lighter than the Les Paul. Les Paul guys think that makes for a better sound. I think it makes for a sore back…
I used to hate strats because it was the guitar everybody played, but now I realized it has a unique and great tone
Jaguar Special HH, with small frets, Fender fingerboard, vintage tuners... but it is a great guitar to play rock and heavy.
My 1999 SG Special is my favorite guitar. She’s coming up on her 25th birthday, and still going strong. I’m the original owner, and can’t imagine having any other electric guitar. I play hymns, blues, and 60s & 70s tunes with it. It always Sounds Great. I’d say the SG is a Super Guitar.
My most versatile guitar is my EBMM Majesty 6; my main guitar is EBMM Kaizen 6, I have a few and plan to get more.
Up until 2023, I never looked at EBMM guitars or considered them. My main hardtail guitar is Ibanez PS (I have a few, including a PS 10), and my fav trem guitar prior to discovering EBMM is Jackson Rhoads, with Duncan Blackouts and FR.
The Majesty is not only versatile, it's the easiest and most comfortable guitar I've ever played.
Still prefer the Kaizen 6, which quickly became my favorite guitar for everything,
Cheers!
I picked up a hollow-body Gretsch while I was in a bit of a rockabilly kick, and it quickly became my #1. Does a great job with blues, rock, punk, jazz, and just about anything else I throw at it. The SG is still my #2 though.
People always knock on the SG until they actually try it for awhile, while it does have neck deck it really isnt as big as an issue as people make it out to be, once you're used too it you really dont notice it, its an incredibly comfortable guitar, be it standing or sitting, and highly versatile. there's a reason that the SG has never been discontinued. the good thing is people eventually give the SG a shot and end up liking it, i just wish that the neck dive wasnt put on such a large pedestal?(no idea if thats the correct wording) when it comes to the cons, as to me its a very small con. compared to everything else the SG offers.
The Gibson Vibrola is a favorite of mine. It should be set up right , with the felt pad directly on the body. If it's not pressing down on the body with some pressure, you lose some sensitivity on the action of the arm. I had the lower tier Gibson models - a 65 Firebird III and a 69 SG special. They don't have the Tune-O-Matic bridge but use the Lightning Bolt bridge. It's awesome because you can either use either the vibrola or just the lighting bridge alone. I used to go back and forth with each string change. It's the best of both worlds.
I have an SX SG with custom made vintage PAFs and almost every one that plays on it loses their mind, it's kinda my studio secret weapon
Sister Rosetta Tharpe played one. She wasn't exactly ripping it up at high gain. I love how SGs feel to play, you can sling them around all over the place. I like the neck dive, I like wrestling with it and shoving it around, it forces movement to add to the performance.
I got a ‘61 SG Standard recently, and I had a heck of a time trying to dial in my favorite tones. This is my first guitar that I can’t just have all the volume and tone knobs set to 10. I have to roll back the volume to get a clean tone that I’m happy with. I have to roll back the tone knobs to get a lead tone that I’m happy with. And of course all the knobs all the way up gives me a crunch tone that I’m happy with. None of my other guitars need this much adjusting to get where I want to go, I usually just switch pickups. But for my SG, I need to do a lot more adjusting than I’m used to. At first, I found it annoying, but now I know the sweet spots, and this guitar gets me tones that I can’t get on my other guitars
I own an Epiphone Pro SG and I love it on the cleaner side with minimal distortion. I think in the video you always had some overdrive but not enough clean tones. Great content either way, thanks
I've had the opposite experience. Growing up in the 80's, Stratocasters and Super-Strat guitars were foremost in my mind. Picking one up disappointed me, and I fought this hard until recently. I can get what I want out of an S-type, but I have a lot to learn about amps while we're at it.
Telecasters were a struggle until I found one I could bond with. It's cheap. It's old. It's made in Japan, and it has Dimarzio pickups. It makes no sense. But it does the Telecaster thing all the others fight me to deliver.
So I wanted to like the SG. Has all the hardware of a Les Paul, so why doesn't it work for me? Like the Telecaster, it took a lateral step to find what I was looking for. Pick up a Guild Polara, and everything I can't stand about an SG falls away. Specifically 90's Polaras. I haven't had the chance to try the new ones, but the '98 Polara I tried was divine. The neck, frets, tone, and balance were all better by just what I wanted.
Love the SG style. My first two electric guitars were SG knockoffs, and I'm itching to get another (though not a Gibson - out of my price range!) One of the unique things about the SG is that the lower curve, where you rest it on your thigh when seated, is below the bridge pickup. Almost every other body style, including the Les Paul and Strat-style guitars, have that curve under the neck pickup. That makes it sit a little differently; to me it's more comfortable. It shifts the guitar a bit to the left, compared to a LP.
Also, check out the old-school SG player, Sister Rosetta Tharpe!
I knew somebody would mention Sister Rosetta with her white SG.
I live in PA, too. Most people either love SG’s or hate them. I’ve always liked them having first seen them used by Robbie Krieger in the Doors getting the pretty jazzy neck pickup tones on the first two albums that are drenched in plate reverb and echo chamber and room reverb. They are totally unique and beautiful sounding and are Strat-like in ways but with warmth and character from the mahogany without the maple cap that a Les Paul has. To me an ultimate combination is a an SG and Fender Twin Reverb with lots of reverb. Plus they were perfect for psychedelic music in the 1960’s with those sort of weird “spooky” tones heard on Doors songs like “People Are Strange” and “The End” and others especially from the first two albums that had lush reverb. I can see why they’re misunderstood. Different ones I have made in the 1960’s have proved to be excellent for contemporary worship in the churches I attended from the 80’s to about 2010. I’ve never had a problem with neck dive if my hand is on the neck anyway.
I love the SG!!! It’s light weight body makes it so comfortable to play for extended periods of time (unlike the the Les Paul) and the double cut design makes it super easy to access the super high frets!
My ideal guitar would be some kind of offset SG with coil spits, phase switching, and a series parallel switch!
My biggest issue with SGs are the neck dive and the placement of the volume and tone knobs. Otherwise, I've always loved SGs, but just enough to buy one. I have owned a great Yamaha SG knockoff called an SBG 200 which I loved, but not a Gibson SG. It's the sort of guitar I'd only buy if I was rich, not so much because of the price (I've owned more expensive axes) but rather that It's hard for me to look past the imperfections, especially considering I can get much more affordable guitars that don't have the same issues. Tuning stability is an issue as well, but I've played some SGs that stayed in tune fine. I've never had an issue with Yamahas. When I first played an SG I admit to thinking it was just for rock and metal, as Tony Iommi and Angus Young were its most prominent champions. But I also realized John McLaughlin played a double neck and he's jazz fusion, and I've seen other jazz players since using SGs as well.
I've got a 76 LP with a tapered neck, it's nice but heavy. I played a vintage SG many years ago it had a tapered neck and I liked it alot. Angus has said that the LP is too heavy for him.
I have similar SG ‘61 reissue with this ‘64 style Vibrola unit, made in 2019 and have to say, mine is not so red that yours, more brownish, that is something they worked on as I see, would love mine to be more red as yours. But rest, great guitar, love it.
The person I most associate the 61 SG w/Vibrola is George Harrison. He played one from about 1966, until some time in 1970 when he gave the guitar to Pete Ham of Badfinger. There's a photo of him playing it at the Beatles 1966 NME Award Winner's Concert. Unfortunately due to legal issues the cameras were turned off during the performance.
When i think of sg players, immediately my brain goes to heavy metal legend Tony Iommi, & Daniel Lioneye. As far as what guitars did i over look & now have an eye for, id have to say it's fender Telecaster for me. I wasnt appealed at 1st with the tele since its usually linked to country singers (no shade to country since im ok with the genre) until i was well almost 2 decades into my guitar journey. I realized that single humbucker pick up gives it a distinct tone that can work well for a variety of genres. I could be playing Stevie Ray Vaughan 1 moment, then switch it up to Amon Amarth, then switch again to Social Distortion, or even Pantera next. A Telecaster seems more likely in my future now.
Thom Yorke play 1964 SG, Jimi Hendrix and Derek Trucks..that cover most genre already
i think why everyone gravitates towards SG's is the slick clean look the guitar tends to have and the colourway contrasts great with each other. i was looking into one some point when i started guitar but just couldnt pull the trigger, ended up with a jazzmaster instead i couldnt get with the sg scale
The only thing (for me) about an SG is how it hangs. Because the neck doesn't extend into the body and because the strap button is approx. where the 24th fret would be, it always feels like one is reaching waaaay out there to play down by the nut or to grab the tuners. Just awkward for me. The sound and versatility (of a good one) is fine. An original '61 or 2 SG/Les Paul Custom that I was lucky enough to try was amazing.
I’m a massive Gibson fan and have spent 27 years of playing building up a great Gibson collection. I have 2 x 335’s, 2 x LP’s a J45 and a SG standard 61. I gig regularly and lately the SG is becoming my go too. They are so versatile, weigh nothing and look incredible.
I was a strat guy through and through, I really only saw the telecaster as a country guitar until I borrowed one from a friend, it changed my world and now I own three tele's, it's such a simple machine, a real workhorse ready to anything you want.
I like my SG but the only issue is that the Vol knobs are not so accessible during playing
I can't play a Strat to save my life.
I've owned a 74cSG Standard since 1991, my sophomore year in college. Townshend at Woodstock, Clapton in Cream and Ian MacKaye in Fugazi made me want one.
Definitely a versatile instrument.
Man, so rad. Much Gratitude and respect.
👊🏽🔥🎸
I started to pick up the guitar in late 1985 after I saw my heroes on Live Aid that summer.
I had a nasty beat up nylon string that I put steel strings on! What a mistake! Neck was like a banana, fingers bled!
By 1986 a few buddies already had electric guitars and I knew I had to have one. These were budget guitars and not terribly expensive but there was an American kid in my town who had a black Gibson Les Paul Custom with the original case! He moved here as his dad had a job in a big pharmaceutical firm! I remember being afraid to hold it when I was at his house for a jam. It was the real deal, and I had only ever seen one on TV! The weight, the excellent build quality and overall sound was outstanding. It was a “big boys toy” for sure. Soon I started visiting music shops in the nearby city and it was Gibson and Fender that seemed to be the No.1 choice for professionals.
By 1987 I had a Strat copy and I loved it. Over the years I bought lots of guitars and over the last decade I became a Fender fan boy settle squarely on the Telecaster with Strat close second. However, I’ve never owned a Gibson but now at 55 that’s about to chsnge as I’ve a Les Paul Junior in my sights!
I played professionally with some std and 61 SGs for over 10 years. I had a 57 and 500t as pickups. The cleans were stellar and I had a very aggressive high gain tone. Std had a traditional chunky neck and 61 was 60 slim. Light and resonant guitars thought. My only issue was that I had to go down with tuning and the Gibson scale is terrible when you are heading from 1 step down or more.