Thanks for this review. This is what a real guitar review should be like. Instead of showing how fast you shred and how excited you are about plugging it into a distorted amplifier, you showed all the nuances and tones you can get from this guitar. I love this video. Congratulations. Rock and roll!
Thanks a lot Rodolfo, I'm happy you found this video useful and entertaining. And I agree with you... usually I'm very frustrated when watching videos about guitars I'm interested in, for those exact reasons! So I make videos I would also want to watch myself, and it's great that some others (like you!) also want to watch this kind of stuff. Cheers, and rock on :)
You're the only man I know on TH-cam who clearly shows instrument's diversity of tones. Each one is so sweet, makes me struggle to choose! :^) Although I do prefer the warm tones.
Thank you sir, I do try my best! Actually I make the vids like this because no one else seems to, so it's kind oif like making the video I'd want to see! And I'm happy you enjoy that. Cheers!
Thanks a lot, and I hope Epiphone are reading this 😉 I'm glad you enjoyed the video though and I hope you love the guitar as well... I still have this one and rock it all the time!
I bought one for my dad, and he is simply chuffed! Loves it dearly. He applied some of that Dunlop 02 Fretboard Deep Conditioning stuff to the entirety of the body, and it looks so amazing and feels very nice!
Wow, what an awesome gift! Your dad is a lucky man. Would be very interested to see how that conditioning turned out, are there any pics I can see anywhere? I'll definitely be doing the fingerboard of mine, but hadn't put any thought to the body...
@@RichWordsMusic Yes, you must condition the fretboard... the chemical seeps into the fretboard, smoothening it out and almost giving it an "ebony" or dark "rosewood" look! Defintely worth a try. However, be mindful of the substace, and make sure you're careful in the application or it can cause posioning/mild headaches/itch.
@@lobomgmt4956 Thanks for the advice. Normally I use lemon oil and I'm always careful to not ingest any, wear gloves, etc. What are your thoughts on what Jedrek has done - putting oil on the guitar body?
This. THIS. Thank you. I've been searching for a thorough review of this guitar and all I could find was 5 minute shredders. As a primarily rhythm guitar player that does Americana/Rock, I needed to see the full range of what this can do. You've done a superior job. Really fantastic.
Great review Rich, you see a 27 minute video and thing I'll skip through the bits I want to see. But you make it a treat to watch the whole thing and to really see how versatile the p90 SG is. Awesome playing too. And I'm extatic with how long you spent on the clean sounds. Keep it up my friend.
Thanks so much Jeff, it genuinely makes my day to get a comment like that! I'm really happy you enjoyed the video, and that I was able to make it interesting and useful for you all the way through. Cheers, and rock on!
Ah, I just saw your other comment! AC/DC first got me into guitar too, many years ago. And my first guitar was an Epiphone Bully SG in Black. So, to just add a bit to my other comment, the SG guitar shape is right for Angus - the one difference is the pickups (and the color, but that's down to taste!). This guitar has P90 pickups. Angus uses humbuckers. I actually think you can still get Angus tones with this guitar though - as you can hear. But Epiphone do make a Cherry Red SG with humbuckers too: www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIJ1X839/SG-Standard/Heritage-Cherry So it's down to whichever one you prefer! My choice would actually be this one, as I find the P90 pickups actually offer a better tonal clarity for me. My advice to you would be to try both if you can, and pick the one that sounds best for you :) Hope that helps a bit!
+1 ;-) A friend got me to listen to Highway to Hell, High Voltage and Dirty Deeds on pre-recorded cassette at the time and I was so eager to see them live as soon as I could but I had just missed their 1979 headlining tour (Judas Priest as support act - wow). Then desaster struck and Bon passed away so I was really scared to see the end of what I already knew would be the band of my life only days after I discovered them. Luckily though, they went on to hire Brian, make Back in Black, and I went to see them on their first tour with him in 1980 (aged 14). It quite literally blew my mind and I have to poke myself sometimes to recognize that that little guitar derwish that turned my musical world upside down within those 100 Minutes in December 1980 is still rocking it out at the age of 66 today. I still love them today but it still is the Bon Scott era and the sound of the Vanda & Young productions (up to the Powerage album) which is just so raw and unadultered and epic that touches me to the bone. It never fails to shake up each and every atom in my body and gets me going. It's a bit of a shame that somehow "Mr and Mrs Everyone" like AC/DC these days but the band's huge success is just SO well earned. To me they were, are and will probably always be the best hardrock band ever. (Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters coming in as a little distant 2nd due to their overwhelming live energy, their respectful attitude towards basically any other band (shown in their countless cover versions played live) and their fans and - above anything - for their truly exceptional songwriting skills.)
@@ralfhenke8148 Wow, seeing them in 1980 would've been incredible I'm sure! This was a little bit before my time, and I'm sad I never got to see that band in their prime. Now with Malcolm gone it's not the same. He was such a driving force, and I can totally imagine how that gig changed your life as a teenager! Seeing them with Bon would've been even more special I think. He was unique. I love Brian too, but Bon for me was a little more special... I prefer his voice and his lyrics are just some of the cleverest and wittiest around. It's amazing that AC/DC have retained their success over so many decades, especially (or maybe because!) they never really radically altered their sound. They're always immediately identifiable, even on their new stuff. It's great that new generations can discover them, but it does sometimes feel strange when you see young kids wearing Back In Black shirts (or Metallica and Led Zeppelin shirts, etc.!). I don't think anyone can top them. The closest modern band to me is Airbourne, who are wonderful live. Foo Fighters also have that relentless energy and with Dave Grohl, one of the legends of hard rock. You could already see with his drumming in Nirvana that he was destined for even greater things!
@@ralfhenke8148 I guess Airbourne are kind of carrying the flag for AC/DC lovers in 2021! They are a great band indeed... and what a lineup that was, wish I'd seen that show :)
Thanks man, glad you like it! I guess my channel is still pretty new, but hopefully it's going to grow a bit in 2021. Cheers and a happy new year to you!
Thank you for your time in this review. It was by far the best Ive seen for this particular guitar. I really look forward to more of your reviews in the future. Thanks again!!🤘🤘
No worries, I'm glad you found it useful! This guitar is loads of fun. I've still got and still play and enjoy it often! Plenty more videos like this on my channel too, enjoy :)
I've never really been a fan of SGs or green guitars but I saw this on Sweetwater a week or two ago and it blew my mind. I love the look of it so much, can't wait to get it
I've gone back and forth on this one for a while now. Decided after watching this I'd give it a shot. Truly a very unique looking guitar. I've had a few of the new epiphones now and I think the finger blackness thing is dirty frets. I polished all of mine and I didn't have that problem again. Thanks for the quality review!
Thanks a lot, glad you found my video useful, and I'm really happy you're enjoying your new SG! My fingers don't get dirty on mine any more, but it's currently with a tech for a full setup anyway... can't wait to get it back, as it is a very unique and fun guitar indeed. Cheers, and rock on!
Iv been a bass player since I was 12, recently built a little home studio and needed a guitar for songs, I ordered this yesterday bc I know gonna get more then what I paid for and I love the green. I also picked up a orange Crush 35rt combo amp. Not a metal guy, but very versatile in my writting, excited to learn more about guitar on this.
Two great choices! This guitar is very easy to play and super versatile too, and I love the Crush series... top amps. So you're set for a very inspiring journey into songwriting on guitar, enjoy :)
Great review, I've been thinking about an sg for awhile now and this ticks all the boxes for features and price for me. And I never thought I'd dig a green guitar but oh man it's absolutely gorgeous!
Ha ha, it was exactly the same thing for me... it's the first green guitar I've owned in a long while, but in person it's stunning! I think it being satin is the key. But yeah, it performs fantastically as well, and those P90s snarl in just the right way. For the money, it's about as much fun as you can have with a guitar I think ;) Try one out if you can. And glad you enjoyed the video, cheers :)
Thanks Henry, glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I’ve had this guitar a couple of years now and it’s loads of fun… and you never know, you might spot a used one for a bargain price like I did! Cheers and rock on 😊
No problem, glad you found it useful! If your son doesn't find the guitar physically too big this will be an amazing first instrument and he should have loads of fun taking his first steps in his guitar journey with it! I wish I'd had a first guitar anything like this one :)
@@RichWordsMusic Thank you. It is slightly bigger but I think he will grow into it. I got the Cherry Red worn P90 version as Inverness green was readily not available here. Have a great day
@@drashkum He will for sure. Cherry Red is THE classic SG color, so that's awesome! I noticed the Inverness Green is also out of stock here in Germany right now. Hope your son loves the guitar!
There are some good shorter scale guitars out there , unless your son is a giant 6 y.o. i have 3 22.75" scale guitars that i bought for fun , 1 being for my son and they are great to play even for an adult. They all need a bit of set-up but so would this anyway.
I'm a beginner on acoustic guitar and am considering my first electric. Absolutely love the Who so I'm very tempted by the cherry version of this. The fact that it's the cheapest SG epiphone is currently offering is obviously a huge plus.
If you're a Pete Townshend fan then the Cherry Red one would be ideal! This guitar certainly has that kind of mojo. It's also light, resonant and very easy to play with the satin neck, which sounds like it'd suit you really well as you're at the beginning of your guitar journey. Coming from playing acoustic, I'd say it's a top choice for a first step into the electric guitar world. If you do go for one, I hope you enjoy it!
It's also a perfect guitar for someone coming from acoustic, as it has the basic dot inlays instead of the trapezoid. More wood means less rough edges to catch on!
Lovely Review! Straight to the point, Played many different genres and even pointing out extra things like to see if the neck dives or not! This helped so much! Subscribed!
Thanks, I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I do try and cover as much ground with these vids as I can... my goal is to answer all of my own questions I would have about the piece of gear I'm looking at. Sometimes leads to long videos, but we all get answers! Thanks for the subscription too, and hope to see you round these parts more in the future :)
Really is a sweet sounding guitar , I purchased the Les Paul standard Pro which I love . I’m going to test drive this one . The green is beautiful. Thank you for the review 👍🎸
Oh yes, I'm still really enjoying it! If you dig the Les Paul Standard Pro you will probably really appreciate the light weight of the SG too, and the biting P90s... and that finish is something to behold too! Thanks for watching :)
First! Here's the links to the various playing samples and info bits for you folks on mobiles: 00:00 Hello! 00:29 Intro and does it balance on a strap? 00:49 All the info and specs on this guitar and Epiphone 2020 03:32 Clean sounds 11:44 Volume control test 12:42 Clean amp with Greer Lightspeed Overdrive test 13:26 Crunch sounds - classic rock 15:26 Crunch sounds - indie 17:41 Tone control test 18:26 Lead sounds - southern rock 19:12 Heavy rock sounds 21:05 Alternative rock sounds 23:07 Heavy sounds (Drop D tuning) 24:30 Conclusion and my thoughts
By the way, forgot to comment here, lovely P90s and beautiful guitar, I discovered them late by mistake this year, as I ordered a Harley Benton CST 24T humbucker B-stock and by mistake they sent the P90 version. I was upset at the beggining, until I played the guitar, a new world opened. Blessed mistake from Thomann and I even got a discount. I don't like humbuckers any longer hahaha, even removed the ones in my Gibson les paul in favor of P90s humbucker size. Still have to check your newest video on the GT p90. By the way, then it was faster going over 100 followers than what you expected. Nice videos, it was to be expected pal! Congrats
That was a blessed mistake indeed! And a cool story (and nice service from Thomann in the end). So that's why you mentioned humbucker-sized P90s as a comparison idea to me before :) I go through phases with pickups... at the moment it's these P90s and my Epiphone Les Paul but with the humbuckers in coil split mode! And the past couople ofweeks I really haven't enjoyed my Tele's single coils so much. I guess next week it will be different again! Thanks for watching all of these, and yes, I made 100 this year - very happy about that :) Cheers!
@@RichWordsMusic hahaha funny, yes we all go through those changes I guess, but man, I am stuck with the P90s, and even between them is a very interesting range, so yes, that's where the idea came from ;) Honestly I still don't get Teles, I don't know why. The shape yes, but the traditional pickups not. For the P90s, tThose on the HB CST 24T have something unique, they are supposed to be cheap, but haven't find another guitar to reproduce that high gainy sweet bity sound, while the affordable Iron Gear alnico II P90 humbucker size I put on the LP are a different thing, but still P90ish, crisp and well defined. Lovely sound. Looking forward to your next videos, couple more to go. Cheers man! keep rocking :)
@@marcomostroso It seems from all the comments here that people really love the P90s! It's funny, as they often seem to be in the second category of pickups to consider, after Fender single coils and humbuckers. Kind of weird! I do love Teles, but it's also a case of playing one for years and knowing what it does really well! The bridge pickup is so good for so many styles though. I'm going to try some of your recommendations soon when I can, but I also have to say that the Harley Benton SC-450 gold top I've used has amazinf pickups too... hmm. Cheers!
@@RichWordsMusic Yes, it seems like suddenly P90s have been revived. I never wanted them, but never played them, never even tried. And yes, the SC-450 seems to be great, although you mention low gain, CST 24T p90 seems to be higher output. I had a marathon with your newest videos hahaha
@@marcomostroso Ha ha, thanks for being patient, I know my videos are quite long ;) Maybe I should make shorter ones as well. But yes, P90s are suddenly back in and I think it's a great thing as they're such a cool alternative to the other pickup types! I need to try some more hot P90s soon too :) And then the humbucker sized ones!
Very well done - thank you! I have an arsenal of SGs - Gibson and Epiphone (including the Prophecy SG) - and this one as well. It's a wonderful instrument! I found it particularly impressive with the two pickups engaged. Lots of sass in this guitar - so glad to have it. I obtained a Gibson '61 SG with Maestro Vibrola recently and must say that's a delightful piece as well. What's cool is the two pickup types (P90s and humbuckers) together offer very useful sound palettes - with enough sonic options to fill a drawer. Glad you found the SG Classic impressive.
Beautiful guitar, man. I always loved British Racing Green sports cars here in the states. You'll have to forgive me (being a starving musician living on a meager S.S. income), but for under $1000 I purchased 3 knockoffs: of a green quilted LP custom; a creme '58 SG (Les Paul) custom w/3 pu, and a sunburst ES-5 w/Bigsby. All three have gold hardware. The pictures didn't show the headstock, which had me wondering just what I was in for. But when they showed up just before all this virus entanglement, all three had traditional "Gibson" headstocks. They have excellent craftsmanship, brother that would rival Gibson. With Fender .10's, TC Electronic G-Major and a lovely white Marshall half-stack. I'm sit 'in pretty, bro, this Christmas. Hope you are too, man. And your family too.
Thanks man! Yeah, this one had me at the looks alone when I saw it at the start of 2020. When a guitar inspires you in that way, it always makes you play more, which can only be a good thing. I've never actually played a so-called Chibson but I've heard some are amazing, and of course some aren't. Sounds like you've got a rig to be proud of there, so I'm happy for you! I'm still working on it! But happy new year to you, and wishing you and yours all the best for a happy and healthy 2021!
Yeah, after I saw the photos I did wonder if it'd be totally over the top in person too! Thankfully, it isn't. Also, I wear a lot of black, and black and green is good mix ;)
I was considering getting P90s and converting one of my humbucker guitars, but this looks like a much better solution and at the price, it's a no-brainer to pick. For just a little more you can upgrade to a gloss finish, pelham blue, or sparkling burgundy, both really nice colors. I keep finding reasons to buy new guitars, but I swear I am not addicted ;)
Yes, I would agree - no need to do a conversion project when these are also out there. They can found pretty cheap on the used market too, if you're happy to go that route. And yes, I am getting quite weak at the prospect of a Pelham Blue one... I'm not addicted either though, obviously ;)
The benefit of this one over the Special is that the TOM bridge is easier to intonate, but I prefer the satin finish anyway so went for one of these. Either way, they're both fantastic guitars.
The only thing that annoys me about this guitar (except for the alleged hit-or-miss QC) is the matte headstock, for some reason makes it look plastic. Might still get one some day though
Yeah, I didn't see that until you pointed it out, and now I can't unsee it! Especially with the super shiny truss rod cover. Although I do have to say that I had my lights shining directly there and it might have accentuated the effect somewhat. But anyway, I can only recommend this guitar... just budget in for a setup too. Mine does need one after playing it a few months! The Epi 2020 QC has apparently been a real mixed bag.
Ha ha, I'd never heard of them but I checked it out and there is a similarity! I can play my riff over the song and it doesn't sound too out of place. They seem like a decent band, so I'll have to check out more of their stuff. Thanks for the tip and glad you enjoyed the video too!
It is indeed! I have an HB Junior FAT and love it. The Epi is more versatile overall, and mine is much lighter, if that's something of interest. It also has a significantly slimmer neck profile. But both are great guitars ultimately! I simply love the way the Epi looks too, so that's the one I pick up much more often...
Excellent presentation! Love this type of sound run-through! So thanks for this! I am hoping to get the Special version in worn Pelham blue soooooon... not too shure about this one's green colour, though. It's quite generally a somewhat awkward colour, I think. Not too impressed with the cherry (yaaaawn) alternative either... However, I do love those batwing pickguards however on an SG. Unfortunately none of my other SGs (old Korean Epi, Gibson ('61 Reissue and SGJ) and Gherson (1980s Italian copycat - and my first ever guitar) has it. Why I will have another? Well, its those P90s I guess. Need a little bit of wild and wonderful old Pete Townshend vibe aound the house for some "Maximum R&B". The old Epi is more of a Zappa'esque ground for experiment, the '61 Reissue is the closest (affordable) I could get to those AC/DC sounds (both lead and rhythm) - and it's also an excellent blues axe -, the SGJ is well ... just nice and naked ... and the old Italian stallion is just pure Punk with its harsh and screeeeaming open-coil Shadow branded humbuckers. That thing can literally kill any drummer even through the tiniest of amps (may kill the amp too, though) :-D So this and some other video made Epiphone sell another guitar for sure.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, I realize that this green color is very much a love/hate one... for me it was love, but others have seen it and really don't like it ;) My second choice would be Pelham Blue though... most of my other guitars are blue. The batwing guards set off an SG perfectly! I wish more models had them. Sounds like you have an amazing collection of SG guitars, and I think you're right - the Special would be an excellent addition to your lineup :) It will give you a different sound and vibe to all the humbuckers, that's for sure. I find these Epi P90s to be very good value, as they're so versatile. If I ever have the money, a '61 Reissue is what I'd try next. Those seem to have a great reputation, and I share your love of AC/DC :) Enjoy your Special when you get it!
I like the Batwing pickguard as long as the guitar doesn't have a "swimming pool" rout. I hate having all that give under the pickguard in that case. When the guitar has proper individual routs, the batwing is cool, though I do tend to prefer the smaller '61 pickguard, just because a lot of my favorite SG players played that version.
Wonderful video Rich! My previous experience with Epiphone has been great as well. For the price they are producing a remarkable good instruments. One would wonder what makes the big G worth it. Seems to me price is too steep for a little nudge in build quality. And the big G pickups are not that expensive. Whoops i got side tracked.. Great video mate! And can we get this guy to 100 subs already?!
Thanks guys! Yeah, is a Gibson SG really two or three times as good as this? Maybe. And the price difference is even bigger with the Les Paul and ES models... makes you think, doesn't it :) I'm getting 100 subs this year, I can feel it!
I chose one of their 2020 "Inspired by Gibson" Les Pauls for my return to playing electric after a 15 year hiatus. I have bought a couple of guitars since then (addictive!), and just scored this model being reviewed on a classified site for a *ludicrously* cheap price. It's wonderful. And yes, even if you bought the Epiphone model, and the Gibson pickups for that model, and had them installed, you are still coming it at well under half the price of the Gibson model, if not a quarter, and you have a wonderful instrument either way!
I know this is a 3 year old video but Laurel Fingerboards do the same to me as well (get your fingers dirty) until you play them for about a year and then I find it stops doing that.
Well funnily enough the SG doesn't make my fingers dirty any more (which is nice) ;) Maybe it's a dye they put on them or something and it wears off as you play... I'm still yet to find a definitive answer on that! Thanks for watching and the nice comment!
That sounds great man, love the colour. I bought one of the Worn series Les Pauls and it’s decent but there was a lot wrong with it. The frets are a bit iffy, the binding is sharp and the setup from the factory was horrendous. Very disappointing because I am an Epi enthusiast too! I love Epiphones. My all time favourite and most sentimental guitar is an Epi LP I got in 2003. I’ve never played a Les Paul that’s spoken to me as much as that guitar. I own a bunch of Epis that I’ve collected over the years and the worn purple LP from this year was the first one I’ve ever not loved. I’m hoping I just got a bad one and that it’s not a reflection on them as a whole in 2020.
Cheers man, glad you liked it! Oh no, I'm sorry you had that with yours... the Purple LP would've been my second choice in the 2020 range behind the SG and I still might get one if I see one. I'm a sucker for unusual finishes like that. Actually if you look online though, there's certainly mixed feedback at best for the recent Epi QC. What a shame! (Guess I got lucky.) Did you repair it or replace it, or just send it back from whence it came? My first 'proper' guitar was an Epi Bully SG from (I think) 2001. It's still in my old room at my parents' place - that one will never get sold :) I also have the 2014 LP Traditional Pro which is an awesome guitar. There are some great guitars in the Epiphone stable though from down the years... there's 339s and Explorers and all sorts I wouldn't mind getting if I ever see the right ones!
Thanks for this video. You did right picking the SG w the P90s. I got an Epi blueshawk awhile back w these same exact pickups and all I can say is they are very impressive. I like them WAY better than PAFs. Hit a power chord on the bridge P90 and it simply sounds perfect. It's the exact classic power chord sound, which I wasn't expecting.. it still suprises me lol. I was wondering- since P90s are really a type of single coil, do yours give any 60 cycle hum/buzz? The ones in my Blueshawk are silent, but that is because there is actually a hidden 3rd "dummy coil" mounted in the back to cancel out any noise. So on that particular model, the P90s are as silent as humbuckers. Wondering how they sound w/o that dummy coil in the mix...
Yes, exactly - P90s have this kind of magic about them. They're perfect for rock 'n' roll and I love playing AC/DC stuff on mine. They have a massive, powerful tone, but a lot more clarity than a PAF-style. I didn't know the Blueshawk had a dummy coil in there - that's a guitar I'd love to try one day but have never seen in person. The P90s in the SG don't have a dummy coil and it does show a bit, especially as you wind up the gain. They have that P90 hum alright :) For me though, I tend to keep the drive fairly low so it's not an issue. Hope you get to try one of these SGs one day!
those Epiphone P90 Pros are fantastic. I got turned on to those with the Epiphone Century hollowbody, and then the TV Yellow Les Paul Special, and the Worn Casino. The P90 Pros have all kinds of bite, and really push a tube amp nicely. They also change in character a lot with use of the volume and tone control. P90's are making a comeback!
@@Anjohl Agreed 100%! More people need to know about P90s too - they're such a pure, rock and roll pickup. I would LOVE to try one of the Worn Casinos too - I bet they're fantastic.
Brilliant demo. I wish more of these guitar run throughs showed how the pickups change with the pots although I think the video labelling might be the wrong way round as it appeared you were changing tone on the volume section and volume on the tone section?
Thanks Henry, glad you enjoyed it! And yes, good spot - I did mix them up. I will change that now, so thanks for the tip :) By the way, that's the kind of thing I always wished I'd see in other guitar reviews on here, and that's why I included it in mine! I find it really helpful, and I hope you and others do too!
@@RichWordsMusic Very useful to have the different play styles and have them all labelled for reference. Really think you are onto a winner with this demoing method.
I'm not partial to Chinese made guitars, but this one sounds very good. Excellent tonal demonstration. I can get one for less than 400 USD here in the states. Might be a good investment.
Yes, this one does sound very good indeed, and it's really versatile too, as you heard. I think for under $400 it's a no-brainer (although you'll most likely need to budget in a setup, too). And sure, you'd probably get a higher quality guitar made in the USA, but the current Gibson SG Classic is $1,500, and I don't think it's three times as good.
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks for your response. I do my own set-ups, so that wouldn't be a problem. I look forward to watching more of your demonstrations. I hope your channel continues to grow. Peace.
@@potwms99 You'd be fine then. Hope you manage to find one near you for a decent price! Thanks for the nice words a out my channel too, it's staerting to grow a bit now. Rock on!
Yeah, if you love Sabbath, one day you need an SG! P90s are different to humbuckers - they have much more clarity and bite, and they are noisier with distortion for sure. But I wouldn't say they're weaker, and the pickups in this specific guitar are great for so many different styles of music. They can cover Sabbath tones too. Humbuckers have a thicker sound, with more low end, but P90s are surprisingly versatile... I recommend you try some if you can, just to see if they work for you personally!
Thank you Rick, and congrats on owning it too... these are excellent guitars! By the way, anyone reading this comment should go check out Rick's awesome video on the guitar here - he makes it sound great: th-cam.com/video/FTJ2y0kX_N4/w-d-xo.html
Does this one have the Indian laurel fretboard? I can't seem to jive with Epi's new porous fretboards and would prefer them to use pau ferro instead if they can't source Indian rosewood. Even American walnut would've been a smoother option. HLK uses walnut and their fretboards are super tight grained and silky smooth. Edit: obviously anecdotal but this is based on the 2 modern Epis I own.
Yep, it has the laurel board. I'm with you there as well - I can live with this one, but it'd certainly be an improvement for me to have real rosewood, and I'd be happy to pay extra for the privilege! I have the same thing with modern Mexican Fenders too.
Im in this big delima, i have very small hands for a man. So I got a short scale, squire bullet mustang HH. For what it is its decent however im still suffering bad wrist pain. I think that the Epiphone SG was more versatile tonally from all the reviews I've seen and heard. Its neck I feel is slimmer. The nut diameter is slightly narrow. Its not short scale but I could manage. I can still return the bullet. Its neck is for sure thicker. Hummmm what to do?
Hmm, that's a predicament for sure! I'd recommend you try a few other guitars if you can... for example, certain Ibanez guitars have an extremely thin 'wizard' neck profile that could work for you. But another thing is: are you sure you're holding the guitar in the right way to avoid hand/wrist pain? This could also be something to look at (just in case! There should be plenty of online guides for that.). I really hope you manage to find a solution that works for you ASAP!
@@RichWordsMusic I appreciate the thoughtful response! Never any issues with bass. My jazz bass is narrow at the nut and I'm not using barred chords often. I'll sort it. Yes, I've heard they are thinner necks but some people dont like the tone so much, I've heard. Anyhow I do think the Epiphone classic SG tonal range is nicer to my ear but the Bullets humbuckers can sound great clean, about nasal like with metal but not terrible. Anyhow, great review, thank you!
@@scourneene That's really interesting - I actually play a Jazz bass over a Precision bass for the same reason: the narrower nut makes it much comfier for me to play. And yes, overall I think the Epi will give you that wider tonal range (and it's probably a 'better' sound to my ears overall) but the Bullet Mustang humbuckers do also sound good! They're pretty high output and that can give you great clean tones too. If you end up trying the Epi, do let me know how you get on with the neck!
@@RichWordsMusic I will let you know! I noticed last night actually what you're saying about those humbuckers on the Bullet sounding reasonably well. Which is making my decision processes tricky. I haven't got the action set properly, yet.
@@rpgtips3802 This is really good advice. Next time I'm doing a bit of guitar TLC I'll get some linseed oil on this beast I think! And thank you, I'm glad you find the vids useful and entertaining. Hitting the big time is not really my thing, but if it does somehow get to that stage I shan't forget folks like you who were here from the start :)
Iommi's Monkey SG had P90's. And as such lots of Iommi inspired doom players use P90's for the heaviest music possible. So, I think that the idea humbuckers are required for metal is false. I think it came from Fender vs Gibson in the old days. Necropost, but wanted to chime in. Great video and review.
Thanks John! The pickups are actually surprisingly different. In my experience, the Epiphones are much hotter and more aggressive, with a more rounded tone. The HB (Roswell) pickups seem more classically voiced and have a lovely sparkly top end. So I actually prefer the HBs for some clean tones, but the Epis are my choice for an all-round guitar and for anything a bit heavier sounding. I actually did a video quite recently directly comparing this Epi SG with my new HB DC-60 Junior guitar, and that should really let you hear what I mean: th-cam.com/video/yZa_tnsJLWM/w-d-xo.html Hope that helps!
my epiphone es-339 with rosewood board did dirty my fingers as well. could be some sort of compound they use when shaping/conditioning the boards or a dye. I don't think it's the wood. thanks for the review.
Oh really? First time I've heard of that with rosewood. My guess would be a dye though too - pretty sure all boards on cheaper guitars these days are darkened to look more expensive or just 'right' in the eyes of players.
The guy I bought it off said he bought and sold a lot of gear. And when I showed up to pick up the guitar, there were actually few others there that were also being sold that day! So I guess he's someone who has the money to just buy things to try them, and sells the ones he doesn't instantly click with. I got very lucky in this case I think!
Great question! The Casino Worn (in Worn Blue Denim) has been on my shopping list ever since it came out... I'm waiting to snag a used one at a bargain price ;) But they don't come up often - which is also a sign they're decent. People don't want to sell them! I've played a couple of the Casino Worn models in stores and loved them. Obviously a Casino plays, feels and sounds significatnly different to an SG, but in terms of build quality, they're on a similar footing. In fact, the Casino Worn may actually be slightly better in the build stakes! Hope that helps a bit :)
@@RichWordsMusic so funny that I walked into the Guitar Center and lo and behold an Olive dab worn used Casino was hanging on the wall. The local GC gives the opportunity for the local customers to buy it before listing online and it sounded from after speaking with the manager that they had just gotten that guitar. I lucked out and a great price!! I don’t have possession of it yet as local rules prescribe to wait certain number of days before they can resell a used guitar. I can’t wait to get my hands on it on May 7th. It’s funny that I just asked you this question and this guitar showed up. Thanks for answering!!
I record via my amp's Red Box AE out, and that goes into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, which goes into Final Cut Pro on my Mac :) I don't do any post production on the sounds at all.
Good demo,. Mine came today. Looks great. Hope it lives up to the old yamaha pacifica it's replaced. One thing I have noticed is that it's more difficult to bend with the neck being a rougher wood, I'm wondering if some oiling may help
Happy new guitar day! These are very beautiful guitars indeed - I love just looking at mine, and it always inspires me to play more. Yes, give it some oil, and that should help! Pacificas are great guitars, but this one certainly has more of a wow factor to it. If you're anything like me it'll inspire you more! Enjoy.
I was brought up in the UK but I have lived abroad for many years... and yes, I still have the guitar :) And it's still great! Well worth a try if you're looking for something like this.
I'm looking at the SG Special w P90s. How do you think that compares to the one you are showing here? It has wrap around bridge. I like the SG Special because it is available in faded Pelham blue! But I do like the stop tail piece on your green guitar for intonation etc. Do you think the wrap around bridge is a deal breaker? As I prefer that color over the green myself. Cheers for the great video
Good question! I think the two guitars will be very similar in terms of performance. (I've played an SG Special as well, albeit briefly, and it was really nice.) For me, what makes the difference is the fact that my model has a satin neck - I just find them easier to play over time than gloss necks. It's not a huge problem, though, and if you dig gloss necks then go for it (I have had plenty of guitars with both, and still do). I would've gone for Faded Pelham Blue if they'd had the SG Classic in that finish, though - I am an absolute sucker for blue guitars. When it comes to the bridge, I also like the stoptail, but I dig a wraparound bridge too, and neither influences my playing technique that much. My advice would be to try both if you can, but if you've already tried the Special and love it, go for it! If a guitar clicks with you, it's the right one :)
Not sure why they're easier to find, but they're probably cheaper because they are cheaper to produce - satin finish, dot inlays, etc., will be cheaper than their gloss and trapeze counterparts. And I guess P90s are cheaper than humbuckers too, and it all adds up. They're great guitars either way!
@@RichWordsMusic I’m started. to think it’s a you tube epiphone review conspiracy. All these new SGs but the pro which they stopped making is still the best and cheaper, what am I missing, lol
@@DNYS8N Ha ha, you never know! Actually, come to think of it Epiphone don't really work officially with TH-camrs - I wish they would. I reckon they make limited runs (like this satin Classic) which they only sell for a year or so, whereas the Standard ones are constantly in their catalogue. Could just be thatv in the past couple of years they've had issues with supply, like so many other brands. I wish there were more Epi SGs around as I love them, but they hardly ever come up new or used anywhere near me! I was extremely lucky to find this one, actually... Good luck searching for the one you want!
I've not tried the 2020 Special! But I played some older versions and loved them. The one difference is the Special has a 50s neck, so it's probably a good deal chunkier than the SG's... try them both if you can before you pull the trigger!
Thanks, it's a really good guitar and it was easy to get these sounds. I experienced no neck dive at all :) It balances on a strap perfectly for me. Thanks for watching, and if you're thinking about one of these guitars, I can only recommend it :)
@@RichWordsMusic oh! Ciro Pertussi was the singer and rithm guitarrist. Attaque 77 Is one of the most popular punk rock band here in Argentina. He left that band some years ago AND joined to a new one calles Jauría performing idénticas role and playing similar music style.
@@claudiodiegocagnin2994 Yeah, for some reason they never seemed to make it on to my radar. Thanks for the extra info... I will check Jauría out too :)
Thanks John! The pickups are actually surprisingly different. In my experience, the Epiphones are much hotter and more aggressive, with a more rounded tone. The HB (Roswell) pickups seem more classically voiced and have a lovely sparkly top end. So I actually prefer the HBs for some clean tones, but the Epis are my choice for an all-round guitar and for anything a bit heavier sounding. I actually did a video quite recently directly comparing this Epi SG with my new HB DC-60 Junior guitar, and that should really let you hear what I mean: th-cam.com/video/yZa_tnsJLWM/w-d-xo.html Hope that helps!
Hi Mark, they are both beautiful guitars for sure! They will sound the same of course, but the one significant difference I notice (besides the color!) is the finish on the back of the neck - on the satin models like mine you have a satin neck. On the Sparkling Burgundy, it's a gloss poly-finished neck. Personally, if I have the choice, I prefer a satin neck as I just find it a bit easier and slicker to play. I also find gloss necks can get sticky. So if that's a factor for you, it might help. If not, my advice would be try and find a store that has both in stock, try them both out and take home the one that sings to you more :) Hope that helps!
I'm testing the guitar on another amp and it seems to me that the sound is already approaching what I am looking for. The amp I was using was a bass one, a Fender Rumble 100w. I tried a 60w voice amplifier yesterday and got closer. and next week I will be able to test a 10w id core Blackstar. I think there will sound like it should sound. they are few watts but I am saving for the id core 150w.
Interesting, and yes, that would make a big difference! A bass amp and a vocal amp will have very different frequency responses. You could also try a keyboard amp too (they can be great for clean sounds on guitar). But the Blackstar ID Cores are really good and that will give you a lot of options too. The stereo versions are wonderful and side very 'big'.
I will do tests and we will see the result, because this guitar is really beautiful, it maintains the tuning perfectly. Another question I would like to know what strings epiphone puts on this guitar. I know the 0.10 gauge but I don't know what it marks. Also changing the strings later on could vary the pitch quite a bit. Thanks a big greeting.
@@nubaduby2 Hmm, I'm not sure about the make of the strings either. I believe Epiphone use generic, unbranded strings to keep the costs lower. I searched around online and couldn't find any better information, except to confirm that they use .10s. I normally use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings and these work great on my Epiphone Les Paul too. Maybe buy a few different brands and see which works best for you? And tell me if you find the perfect set please :) Many greetings to you!
I think a good daddario strings can work very well. I used them on my telecaster. I don't know on my epiphone les paul because I haven't changed them yet. I have done tests with the bass amp and am finding my sound. removing all the bass from the equipment. We will keep in touch and keep talking. THANK YOU
@@nubaduby2 Yes, let's keep in touch about this! It will help us both, I'm sure. With a bass amp, sure, take out the unnecessary low-end or it could be way too boomy for the reggae stuff you want to play. I also dig D'Addario! I need to try their XL strings that everyone tells me are so good...
hey man great video and review as always, can you help me decide between this and the squier affinity tele deluxe, i pretty much like all genres and sounds from metal to rock to clean stuff and i want a versatile guitar so what do you think is the best between these two ?.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Hmm, that's a tough question. These are both cool guitars, but they are quite different. Do you have a chance to play them in person before deciding? Is so I would 100% recommend that. Then pick the one you prefer, simple as that. The other good thing about trying in person is you can feel the weight, and I mention the weight because in my experience this can be a problem with Squiers sometimes (as they can be really heavy! Not all, but some.). I don't like guitars which are too heavy. With this model of SG, the weight won't be an issue. In terms of quality, the Epiphone might be slightly higher (you would expect this for the extra money I guess). But the pickups are actually one huge difference: P90s vs humbuckers. The Epi P90s will do all the classic sounds and also rock/metal, but P90s have their own sound. Some people love it, and some don't. I haven't the new pickups in the Squier, but I'm sure they're also very versatile. The P90s will have more clarity and bite, I guess. The Squier humbuckers will be great for rock, and they will do good clean sounds too, but they're not going to give you a classic Telecaster country twang sound. (You'd need single coils for that.) The Tele Deluxe is actually a bit more like a Les Paul than a traditional Tele! If I was in your position, I'd get... the Squier. Consider that you will need a bit more money for a good setup (as with any new guitar) but I think overall the Squier might be a little more overall versatile for you. And for the extra money you'd save compared to the Epiphone, you could even upgrade the pickups/hardware later on if you wanted to. Hope that helps and happy to answer any more questions you have :)
@@RichWordsMusic thanks for the help man I really appreciate it, just gonna ask about the hardware and pickup stuff cause i have 0 experience about that stuff, can i put high quality les paul humbuckers on the tele?
@@khalid6762 No worries! And yes, you can absolutely put other humbuckers in there. The one thing is the Fender Wide Range humbuckers might be a little larger than regular humbuckers, so measure them first - depending on size differences you might also need a new pickguard. But that's no problem at all for a tech to do for you. Same comes with hardware like tuners - just research and make sure you're buying replacements that would fit the Tele, and you're good!
It stays in tune well, yes. It's currently with my guitar tech friend for a setup though, and I'm sure that'll make it even more stable than it was. Hmm, it depends exactly on what you mean by raunchy, but the P90s definitely have more bite and clarity than the average humbucker. They're a much more pure and wild pickup for me... so in that sense, I'd say yes, they're more raunchy! They're just perfect for classic rock stuff.
Nevertheless I have subscribed to your channel, despite going on 40 years as a musician well 38 to be exact and it doesn't mean that your a great guitarist just because you've been at it for almost 40 years. I have the feeling that one reaches a ceiling and then it becomes almost impossible to go higher.
Thanks for the sub too! Yeah, I think there are some (very lucky!) people who have a natural affinity for guitar where it's kind of effortless, and some people practice for 8 hours a day. I never did that, and I am where I am... rock and indie rhythm guitar. And I've grown to be happy with that too! That's the music I love and listen to every day as well. Sometimes I wish I could sweep pick or whatever, but then that's not for everyone :) In fact, probably 99% of players are like that. I say if you love playing guitar, and have fun playing it, it doesn't matter how good you are! Making music and enjoying it i the most important thing.
Hi Rich, please could you confirm the size of the bridge posts? I’m currently saving up to purchase this exact model. My aim is to add a few modifications (replacing existing bridge with a roller bridge and swapping out the tailpiece to install a Duesenberg Les trem2). Many thanks.
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks for your reply and kind words. The measurement is the post diameter that the bridge directly sits on. I believe it will either be 4mm or 6mm. Many thanks again.
Great review! Never owned an SG do just wondering how the guitar sits with the front strap button at the neck heel. Does it feel like it's falling forward when standing? Would it be possible to relocate the button to the top horn ala Tony Iommi?
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! All I can say is that this one sits perfectly as it is. You can kind of see it at 00:40 when I do the quick test, and it just stays like that - there's no neck dive, and it sits very stably against my torso. No issues of it falling in any direction, including forward. And when playing it's all good. The other Epi SG I've owned was also fine, but I played a friend's Gibson SG Standard once that had terrible neck dive... not sure why! (Over the years I've kind of thought the height you have an SG at on the strap can make a difference... as you'll see from the video mine's quite high for rock 'n' roll standards, but I always set my strap length so the guitar plays the same stood up or sat down.) And it would certainly be possible to relocate the strap button, yes. The horn is fairly pointed but I'm sure if you're steady-handed you could get the screw in there just fine.
P.S. by the way, there's an Epi Iommi SG just down the road from me for sale at €300 at the moment... is that a good deal, assuming it's all in good shape? Oh, and noticing the pics on that ad it's clear that the top horn button is not just screwed into the guitar's body, but it sits in a kind of plastic washer/hub/thingy that must offer more strength and durability. Could be worth investigating if you're thinking of doing similar...
Unfortunately the not-medium-not-jumbo frets are a pass for me... those are the lowest height of the common fret sizes and in my opinion the most difficult and slowest to play. They also wear out quickly if it's the same soft wire as I saw on my ES-339. I don't know why Epiphone keeps doing this, but I'm not paying for it again.
I get what you mean. Not a problem for me, as I don't play fast ;) The only current Epi SGs with jumbo frets are those new Prophecy ones, but they're a different thing altogether, not to mention double the price! I reckon you'd be more at home with some of the newer brands like Chapman or Harley Benton who offer jumbo stainless steel frets and faster neck profiles at lower price points.
Tutte le chitarre costruite in Cina e Indonesia, montano come primo equipaggiamento corde "economiche" che, indipendentemente dal legno della tastiera, sporcano le dita. Acquistai una Squier telecaster con manico in acero, quindi verniciato, sporcava le dita, erano le corde, un set nuovo di Ernie Ball (6€) e passò la paura. Paul.
I would 100% recommend this guitar for a beginner if you have the money for it. It's easy and fun to play, looks great and you can great loads of different sounds with it. So in my book, sure! There are cheaper beginner guitars out there, of course, but if this one inspires you, it's the one to get!
@@IBazza_ Thanks a lot, very happy to have you here! If you have any more questions on your guitar journey just let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!
That might be the SG for me. I used to hate the SG because of the shape. The horns remind me of the devil. This one It doesn't seem diabolical. Prob because it's not red. I like the sound of the SG and I like P-90s. And I like classic rock from the 1960s and I love green.
@@jeromemurphy2572 It sounds like this could be the one for you then! It ticks all those boxes for you, and I'm sure you'd find some solution for the horns if you need to. This guitar is a lot of fun for sure!
i bought the sg a week ago. It seems to me that it has a very special sound. I play reggae root. But for my les paul epiphone 60 from 2020 he took the sound out easily for my sckank, the sg at the moment I'm testing, and it's as if it demands me to play better. what do you think ? I hace the same guitar.
I think I know what you mean! I actually have been finding this SG a bit of a 'challenge' to play sometimes... it's like it requires me to play my best, or the results will not be so good. My Telecaster is just super easy for everything, but the SG needs more effort! So I agree with you. But still I think it's a great guitar and it offers some really great tones... plus every day I am inspired to play because of the beautiful looks. So I'm happy, and the guitar is also making me a better player, which is great! I hope you agree and you're enjoying yours, even though it's demanding?
The guitar have AMAZING tone , for blues ,rock, jazz etc.. I need equualizer my amp, and i sure the reggae made good. I have a telecaster player and is ver easy for me too. I think 3 guitars favorites for me : Telecaster, Les Paul, and Sg . THANKS FOR ALL ..
Me too, but I'm still not sure! There's so many theories about this floating around online, and no 100% clear answers... Either way, I can live with it with this guitar!
@@lobomgmt4956 True, they'd certainly cost more if there was another step at the factory to clean them up. And I'd clean it anyway when I got it, so you might as well save where you can and put the money into true quality parts and builders!
@@RichWordsMusic Absolutely! And I don't think it takes much in terms of $$ to get Epiphones to shine like their Gibson counterparts. I think the next step they should take is stop using Poly finishes on their guitars, and opt in for Nitro finishes... Then they could easily shine!
@@lobomgmt4956 I agree, the gap between the better Epi guitars and Gibsons is getting closer and closer. I imagine they will have to make some cutoff points on the high-end Epis soon to stop them being better in terms of specs than the affordable Gibsons. That could mean poly is here to stay. Have you seen the new Epi 1959 Les Paul? www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIM55301/1959-Les-Paul-Standard/Aged-Dark-Burst That's very close to being a Gibson... get a rosewood board on it, and a nitro finish, and it's basically there, and for less than half the price of a Gibson Les Paul Standard.
This is the only guitar I'm sure I'd never purchase. The Gibson/Epiphone SG is in my estimation the ugliest guitar on the planet. I've never been a fan of Gibson/Epiphone. I paid 2000 bucks for a PRS but I would never pay 2000 bucks for a Gibson Les Paul. I have an Epiphone Les Paul which is the Epiphone Les Paul 1959 Standard Outfit which is a guitar of immeasurable quality. I also like the 335 but not enough to buy one. I prefer Epiphone to Gibson by far, I think you get far more for your money with Epiphone than Gibson. I just hate the SG especially in red but everybody has one guitar they would never buy I'm sure.
I prefer Epiphone to Gibson too, and as my first guitar was an Epiphone SG (a couple of my childhood heroes played them!), I've always just loved the shape. I know it's divisive though. The satin green even more so! I would love to try one of the Epi 1959 LPs - they look great, and as you say, so much better value for money than the Gibsons they are modeled after... That's actually a good question too! One guitar I wouldn't buy, ever? I'm not sure! Maybe something really pointy. I need some time to think about this ;)
![[UNCUT] “บอสณวัฒน์” ลากไส้!! ใครหนุนหลัง "แม่ตั๊ก ป๋าเบียร์" I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 30 ก.ย. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QlD7mU2KKRk/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for this review. This is what a real guitar review should be like. Instead of showing how fast you shred and how excited you are about plugging it into a distorted amplifier, you showed all the nuances and tones you can get from this guitar. I love this video.
Congratulations.
Rock and roll!
Thanks a lot Rodolfo, I'm happy you found this video useful and entertaining. And I agree with you... usually I'm very frustrated when watching videos about guitars I'm interested in, for those exact reasons! So I make videos I would also want to watch myself, and it's great that some others (like you!) also want to watch this kind of stuff. Cheers, and rock on :)
You're the only man I know on TH-cam who clearly shows instrument's diversity of tones. Each one is so sweet, makes me struggle to choose! :^) Although I do prefer the warm tones.
Thank you sir, I do try my best! Actually I make the vids like this because no one else seems to, so it's kind oif like making the video I'd want to see! And I'm happy you enjoy that. Cheers!
THE best review of this guitar’s sound I’ve seen. Epiphone owes you a commission because you just sold it to me!
Thanks a lot, and I hope Epiphone are reading this 😉 I'm glad you enjoyed the video though and I hope you love the guitar as well... I still have this one and rock it all the time!
I bought one for my dad, and he is simply chuffed! Loves it dearly. He applied some of that Dunlop 02 Fretboard Deep Conditioning stuff to the entirety of the body, and it looks so amazing and feels very nice!
Wow, what an awesome gift! Your dad is a lucky man. Would be very interested to see how that conditioning turned out, are there any pics I can see anywhere? I'll definitely be doing the fingerboard of mine, but hadn't put any thought to the body...
@@RichWordsMusic Yes, you must condition the fretboard... the chemical seeps into the fretboard, smoothening it out and almost giving it an "ebony" or dark "rosewood" look! Defintely worth a try. However, be mindful of the substace, and make sure you're careful in the application or it can cause posioning/mild headaches/itch.
@@lobomgmt4956 Thanks for the advice. Normally I use lemon oil and I'm always careful to not ingest any, wear gloves, etc. What are your thoughts on what Jedrek has done - putting oil on the guitar body?
@@RichWordsMusic I don't think I'm there yet XD
@@lobomgmt4956 Yeah, I thought you'd say that! Me neither but I'm wondering if Jedrek has any feedback about how it went for him...
Just got mine yesterday thanks inpart to your review. Love it! Played it for 5hrs straight, who needs sleep.
Who needs sleep indeed?! Very happy to hear that - enjoy your new SG! I am still loving this one and playing it often :)
This. THIS. Thank you. I've been searching for a thorough review of this guitar and all I could find was 5 minute shredders. As a primarily rhythm guitar player that does Americana/Rock, I needed to see the full range of what this can do. You've done a superior job. Really fantastic.
Great review Rich, you see a 27 minute video and thing I'll skip through the bits I want to see. But you make it a treat to watch the whole thing and to really see how versatile the p90 SG is. Awesome playing too. And I'm extatic with how long you spent on the clean sounds. Keep it up my friend.
Thanks so much Jeff, it genuinely makes my day to get a comment like that! I'm really happy you enjoyed the video, and that I was able to make it interesting and useful for you all the way through. Cheers, and rock on!
Angus Young is my biggest inspiration to getting into playing a electric guitar.
Ah, I just saw your other comment! AC/DC first got me into guitar too, many years ago. And my first guitar was an Epiphone Bully SG in Black.
So, to just add a bit to my other comment, the SG guitar shape is right for Angus - the one difference is the pickups (and the color, but that's down to taste!). This guitar has P90 pickups. Angus uses humbuckers. I actually think you can still get Angus tones with this guitar though - as you can hear. But Epiphone do make a Cherry Red SG with humbuckers too: www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIJ1X839/SG-Standard/Heritage-Cherry
So it's down to whichever one you prefer! My choice would actually be this one, as I find the P90 pickups actually offer a better tonal clarity for me. My advice to you would be to try both if you can, and pick the one that sounds best for you :) Hope that helps a bit!
+1 ;-)
A friend got me to listen to Highway to Hell, High Voltage and Dirty Deeds on pre-recorded cassette at the time and I was so eager to see them live as soon as I could but I had just missed their 1979 headlining tour (Judas Priest as support act - wow). Then desaster struck and Bon passed away so I was really scared to see the end of what I already knew would be the band of my life only days after I discovered them. Luckily though, they went on to hire Brian, make Back in Black, and I went to see them on their first tour with him in 1980 (aged 14). It quite literally blew my mind and I have to poke myself sometimes to recognize that that little guitar derwish that turned my musical world upside down within those 100 Minutes in December 1980 is still rocking it out at the age of 66 today.
I still love them today but it still is the Bon Scott era and the sound of the Vanda & Young productions (up to the Powerage album) which is just so raw and unadultered and epic that touches me to the bone. It never fails to shake up each and every atom in my body and gets me going. It's a bit of a shame that somehow "Mr and Mrs Everyone" like AC/DC these days but the band's huge success is just SO well earned. To me they were, are and will probably always be the best hardrock band ever. (Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters coming in as a little distant 2nd due to their overwhelming live energy, their respectful attitude towards basically any other band (shown in their countless cover versions played live) and their fans and - above anything - for their truly exceptional songwriting skills.)
@@ralfhenke8148 Wow, seeing them in 1980 would've been incredible I'm sure! This was a little bit before my time, and I'm sad I never got to see that band in their prime. Now with Malcolm gone it's not the same. He was such a driving force, and I can totally imagine how that gig changed your life as a teenager! Seeing them with Bon would've been even more special I think. He was unique. I love Brian too, but Bon for me was a little more special... I prefer his voice and his lyrics are just some of the cleverest and wittiest around.
It's amazing that AC/DC have retained their success over so many decades, especially (or maybe because!) they never really radically altered their sound. They're always immediately identifiable, even on their new stuff. It's great that new generations can discover them, but it does sometimes feel strange when you see young kids wearing Back In Black shirts (or Metallica and Led Zeppelin shirts, etc.!). I don't think anyone can top them. The closest modern band to me is Airbourne, who are wonderful live. Foo Fighters also have that relentless energy and with Dave Grohl, one of the legends of hard rock. You could already see with his drumming in Nirvana that he was destined for even greater things!
@@RichWordsMusic Fully agreed! Fun fact: I discovered Airborne when they were support act to AC/DC on their Rock or Bust tour. :-D
@@ralfhenke8148 I guess Airbourne are kind of carrying the flag for AC/DC lovers in 2021! They are a great band indeed... and what a lineup that was, wish I'd seen that show :)
how the fuck do you only have 200 subs?? most professional review video, super nice recording quality.
Thanks man, glad you like it! I guess my channel is still pretty new, but hopefully it's going to grow a bit in 2021. Cheers and a happy new year to you!
Thank you for your time in this review. It was by far the best Ive seen for this particular guitar. I really look forward to more of your reviews in the future. Thanks again!!🤘🤘
No worries, I'm glad you found it useful! This guitar is loads of fun. I've still got and still play and enjoy it often! Plenty more videos like this on my channel too, enjoy :)
I've never really been a fan of SGs or green guitars but I saw this on Sweetwater a week or two ago and it blew my mind. I love the look of it so much, can't wait to get it
I've gone back and forth on this one for a while now. Decided after watching this I'd give it a shot. Truly a very unique looking guitar. I've had a few of the new epiphones now and I think the finger blackness thing is dirty frets. I polished all of mine and I didn't have that problem again. Thanks for the quality review!
Thanks a lot, glad you found my video useful, and I'm really happy you're enjoying your new SG! My fingers don't get dirty on mine any more, but it's currently with a tech for a full setup anyway... can't wait to get it back, as it is a very unique and fun guitar indeed. Cheers, and rock on!
Iv been a bass player since I was 12, recently built a little home studio and needed a guitar for songs, I ordered this yesterday bc I know gonna get more then what I paid for and I love the green. I also picked up a orange Crush 35rt combo amp. Not a metal guy, but very versatile in my writting, excited to learn more about guitar on this.
Two great choices! This guitar is very easy to play and super versatile too, and I love the Crush series... top amps. So you're set for a very inspiring journey into songwriting on guitar, enjoy :)
Great review, I've been thinking about an sg for awhile now and this ticks all the boxes for features and price for me. And I never thought I'd dig a green guitar but oh man it's absolutely gorgeous!
Ha ha, it was exactly the same thing for me... it's the first green guitar I've owned in a long while, but in person it's stunning! I think it being satin is the key. But yeah, it performs fantastically as well, and those P90s snarl in just the right way. For the money, it's about as much fun as you can have with a guitar I think ;) Try one out if you can. And glad you enjoyed the video, cheers :)
Great playing!! Really enjoyed your review style. This guitar will be on my radar for sure.
Thanks Henry, glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, I’ve had this guitar a couple of years now and it’s loads of fun… and you never know, you might spot a used one for a bargain price like I did! Cheers and rock on 😊
I have been zeroing on this guitar for my 6 year old son. Thank you for such a nice review
No problem, glad you found it useful! If your son doesn't find the guitar physically too big this will be an amazing first instrument and he should have loads of fun taking his first steps in his guitar journey with it! I wish I'd had a first guitar anything like this one :)
@@RichWordsMusic Thank you. It is slightly bigger but I think he will grow into it. I got the Cherry Red worn P90 version as Inverness green was readily not available here. Have a great day
@@drashkum He will for sure. Cherry Red is THE classic SG color, so that's awesome! I noticed the Inverness Green is also out of stock here in Germany right now. Hope your son loves the guitar!
There are some good shorter scale guitars out there , unless your son is a giant 6 y.o. i have 3 22.75" scale guitars that i bought for fun , 1 being for my son and they are great to play even for an adult. They all need a bit of set-up but so would this anyway.
I'm a beginner on acoustic guitar and am considering my first electric. Absolutely love the Who so I'm very tempted by the cherry version of this. The fact that it's the cheapest SG epiphone is currently offering is obviously a huge plus.
If you're a Pete Townshend fan then the Cherry Red one would be ideal! This guitar certainly has that kind of mojo. It's also light, resonant and very easy to play with the satin neck, which sounds like it'd suit you really well as you're at the beginning of your guitar journey. Coming from playing acoustic, I'd say it's a top choice for a first step into the electric guitar world. If you do go for one, I hope you enjoy it!
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks for the advice. Keep up the great work!
@@neyshil2895 No problem, and thanks a lot! :)
It's also a perfect guitar for someone coming from acoustic, as it has the basic dot inlays instead of the trapezoid. More wood means less rough edges to catch on!
Lovely Review! Straight to the point, Played many different genres and even pointing out extra things like to see if the neck dives or not! This helped so much! Subscribed!
Thanks, I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I do try and cover as much ground with these vids as I can... my goal is to answer all of my own questions I would have about the piece of gear I'm looking at. Sometimes leads to long videos, but we all get answers! Thanks for the subscription too, and hope to see you round these parts more in the future :)
Really is a sweet sounding guitar , I purchased the Les Paul standard Pro which I love . I’m going to test drive this one . The green is beautiful.
Thank you for the review 👍🎸
Oh yes, I'm still really enjoying it! If you dig the Les Paul Standard Pro you will probably really appreciate the light weight of the SG too, and the biting P90s... and that finish is something to behold too! Thanks for watching :)
Good review, keep up the great work!
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed the video! Plenty more to come in future too, so no worries there :)
First! Here's the links to the various playing samples and info bits for you folks on mobiles:
00:00 Hello!
00:29 Intro and does it balance on a strap?
00:49 All the info and specs on this guitar and Epiphone 2020
03:32 Clean sounds
11:44 Volume control test
12:42 Clean amp with Greer Lightspeed Overdrive test
13:26 Crunch sounds - classic rock
15:26 Crunch sounds - indie
17:41 Tone control test
18:26 Lead sounds - southern rock
19:12 Heavy rock sounds
21:05 Alternative rock sounds
23:07 Heavy sounds (Drop D tuning)
24:30 Conclusion and my thoughts
You have to say first if you made the first comment...
@@StudioChimiel Happy now? ;)
@@RichWordsMusic very, but mainly due to a Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla stash :)
@@StudioChimiel Yeah, that'll do it!
By the way, forgot to comment here, lovely P90s and beautiful guitar, I discovered them late by mistake this year, as I ordered a Harley Benton CST 24T humbucker B-stock and by mistake they sent the P90 version. I was upset at the beggining, until I played the guitar, a new world opened. Blessed mistake from Thomann and I even got a discount. I don't like humbuckers any longer hahaha, even removed the ones in my Gibson les paul in favor of P90s humbucker size. Still have to check your newest video on the GT p90. By the way, then it was faster going over 100 followers than what you expected. Nice videos, it was to be expected pal! Congrats
That was a blessed mistake indeed! And a cool story (and nice service from Thomann in the end). So that's why you mentioned humbucker-sized P90s as a comparison idea to me before :) I go through phases with pickups... at the moment it's these P90s and my Epiphone Les Paul but with the humbuckers in coil split mode! And the past couople ofweeks I really haven't enjoyed my Tele's single coils so much. I guess next week it will be different again! Thanks for watching all of these, and yes, I made 100 this year - very happy about that :) Cheers!
@@RichWordsMusic hahaha funny, yes we all go through those changes I guess, but man, I am stuck with the P90s, and even between them is a very interesting range, so yes, that's where the idea came from ;) Honestly I still don't get Teles, I don't know why. The shape yes, but the traditional pickups not. For the P90s, tThose on the HB CST 24T have something unique, they are supposed to be cheap, but haven't find another guitar to reproduce that high gainy sweet bity sound, while the affordable Iron Gear alnico II P90 humbucker size I put on the LP are a different thing, but still P90ish, crisp and well defined. Lovely sound. Looking forward to your next videos, couple more to go. Cheers man! keep rocking :)
@@marcomostroso It seems from all the comments here that people really love the P90s! It's funny, as they often seem to be in the second category of pickups to consider, after Fender single coils and humbuckers. Kind of weird! I do love Teles, but it's also a case of playing one for years and knowing what it does really well! The bridge pickup is so good for so many styles though. I'm going to try some of your recommendations soon when I can, but I also have to say that the Harley Benton SC-450 gold top I've used has amazinf pickups too... hmm. Cheers!
@@RichWordsMusic Yes, it seems like suddenly P90s have been revived. I never wanted them, but never played them, never even tried. And yes, the SC-450 seems to be great, although you mention low gain, CST 24T p90 seems to be higher output. I had a marathon with your newest videos hahaha
@@marcomostroso Ha ha, thanks for being patient, I know my videos are quite long ;) Maybe I should make shorter ones as well. But yes, P90s are suddenly back in and I think it's a great thing as they're such a cool alternative to the other pickup types! I need to try some more hot P90s soon too :) And then the humbucker sized ones!
This demo makes me want the Epi SG but also makes me want a Hughes and Kettner black spirit!
Ha ha, yep, the Black Spirit 200 is a great amp too! It does so many different sounds well. And it works great with the SG too ;)
Very well done - thank you! I have an arsenal of SGs - Gibson and Epiphone (including the Prophecy SG) - and this one as well. It's a wonderful instrument! I found it particularly impressive with the two pickups engaged. Lots of sass in this guitar - so glad to have it. I obtained a Gibson '61 SG with Maestro Vibrola recently and must say that's a delightful piece as well. What's cool is the two pickup types (P90s and humbuckers) together offer very useful sound palettes - with enough sonic options to fill a drawer. Glad you found the SG Classic impressive.
Its an almost $400 dollar epiphone guitar. Buy it, love it, rock it, and have fun my people! haha solid video!
That's the spirit, and it's all about the fun with this one! Glad you enjoyed the vid :)
950$ in australia
thanks for a variety of sounds
Thanks for watching, glad you found it useful!
I just got this guitar and love everything about it
Awesome, happy new guitar day! I am still really enjoying mine too...
Beautiful guitar, man. I always loved British Racing Green sports cars here in the states. You'll have to forgive me (being a starving musician living on a meager S.S. income), but for under $1000 I purchased 3 knockoffs: of a green quilted LP custom; a creme '58 SG (Les Paul) custom w/3 pu, and a sunburst ES-5 w/Bigsby. All three have gold hardware. The pictures didn't show the headstock, which had me wondering just what I was in for. But when they showed up just before all this virus entanglement, all three had traditional "Gibson" headstocks. They have excellent craftsmanship, brother that would rival Gibson. With Fender .10's, TC Electronic G-Major and a lovely white Marshall half-stack. I'm sit 'in pretty, bro, this Christmas. Hope you are too, man. And your family too.
Thanks man! Yeah, this one had me at the looks alone when I saw it at the start of 2020. When a guitar inspires you in that way, it always makes you play more, which can only be a good thing. I've never actually played a so-called Chibson but I've heard some are amazing, and of course some aren't. Sounds like you've got a rig to be proud of there, so I'm happy for you! I'm still working on it! But happy new year to you, and wishing you and yours all the best for a happy and healthy 2021!
I’ve been hoping to see this guitar up against a person in order to see if the color was too loud. It looks awesome, actually.
Yeah, after I saw the photos I did wonder if it'd be totally over the top in person too! Thankfully, it isn't. Also, I wear a lot of black, and black and green is good mix ;)
I was considering getting P90s and converting one of my humbucker guitars, but this looks like a much better solution and at the price, it's a no-brainer to pick. For just a little more you can upgrade to a gloss finish, pelham blue, or sparkling burgundy, both really nice colors. I keep finding reasons to buy new guitars, but I swear I am not addicted ;)
Yes, I would agree - no need to do a conversion project when these are also out there. They can found pretty cheap on the used market too, if you're happy to go that route. And yes, I am getting quite weak at the prospect of a Pelham Blue one... I'm not addicted either though, obviously ;)
The benefit of this one over the Special is that the TOM bridge is easier to intonate, but I prefer the satin finish anyway so went for one of these. Either way, they're both fantastic guitars.
The only thing that annoys me about this guitar (except for the alleged hit-or-miss QC) is the matte headstock, for some reason makes it look plastic.
Might still get one some day though
Yeah, I didn't see that until you pointed it out, and now I can't unsee it! Especially with the super shiny truss rod cover. Although I do have to say that I had my lights shining directly there and it might have accentuated the effect somewhat.
But anyway, I can only recommend this guitar... just budget in for a setup too. Mine does need one after playing it a few months! The Epi 2020 QC has apparently been a real mixed bag.
@@RichWordsMusic I think you're right, a different truss rod cover could help and blend in. Thank you for advice and informative video!
@@ImLeuff Maybe I'll try experimenting with that and see if it makes much of a difference. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed the video!
I think the matte headstock goes great with the satin finished body. I love it.
Ironically that's what I like
That intro reminded me of the church of the cosmic skull sorcerers and Saratoge lol.Honestly check it out lol lovely demo Rich
Ha ha, I'd never heard of them but I checked it out and there is a similarity! I can play my riff over the song and it doesn't sound too out of place. They seem like a decent band, so I'll have to check out more of their stuff. Thanks for the tip and glad you enjoyed the video too!
Torn between this guitar and a Harley Benton Junior FAT... both rock p90's and have high access frets... its a tough choice..
It is indeed! I have an HB Junior FAT and love it. The Epi is more versatile overall, and mine is much lighter, if that's something of interest. It also has a significantly slimmer neck profile. But both are great guitars ultimately! I simply love the way the Epi looks too, so that's the one I pick up much more often...
It all sounds great, but the clean tones really caught my attention. Besides your technique, do you attribute the great tone to the guitar, amp, both?
The pickups get along amazing with fuzz for me.
That is something I need to try for sure... I'm just getting into fuzz and haven't paired the SG with one yet! Thanks for the tip :)
Thats it. I'm getting one.
Good decision! They're awesome guitars.
Excellent presentation! Love this type of sound run-through! So thanks for this!
I am hoping to get the Special version in worn Pelham blue soooooon... not too shure about this one's green colour, though. It's quite generally a somewhat awkward colour, I think. Not too impressed with the cherry (yaaaawn) alternative either... However, I do love those batwing pickguards however on an SG. Unfortunately none of my other SGs (old Korean Epi, Gibson ('61 Reissue and SGJ) and Gherson (1980s Italian copycat - and my first ever guitar) has it.
Why I will have another? Well, its those P90s I guess. Need a little bit of wild and wonderful old Pete Townshend vibe aound the house for some "Maximum R&B". The old Epi is more of a Zappa'esque ground for experiment, the '61 Reissue is the closest (affordable) I could get to those AC/DC sounds (both lead and rhythm) - and it's also an excellent blues axe -, the SGJ is well ... just nice and naked ... and the old Italian stallion is just pure Punk with its harsh and screeeeaming open-coil Shadow branded humbuckers. That thing can literally kill any drummer even through the tiniest of amps (may kill the amp too, though) :-D
So this and some other video made Epiphone sell another guitar for sure.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, I realize that this green color is very much a love/hate one... for me it was love, but others have seen it and really don't like it ;) My second choice would be Pelham Blue though... most of my other guitars are blue. The batwing guards set off an SG perfectly! I wish more models had them.
Sounds like you have an amazing collection of SG guitars, and I think you're right - the Special would be an excellent addition to your lineup :) It will give you a different sound and vibe to all the humbuckers, that's for sure. I find these Epi P90s to be very good value, as they're so versatile. If I ever have the money, a '61 Reissue is what I'd try next. Those seem to have a great reputation, and I share your love of AC/DC :) Enjoy your Special when you get it!
I like the Batwing pickguard as long as the guitar doesn't have a "swimming pool" rout. I hate having all that give under the pickguard in that case. When the guitar has proper individual routs, the batwing is cool, though I do tend to prefer the smaller '61 pickguard, just because a lot of my favorite SG players played that version.
👍🏼👍🏼 I seem to have missed this one, better late than never though.
Yeah, this one's quietly become my most viewed video too! So good to come back to it for me as well :)
Wonderful video Rich! My previous experience with Epiphone has been great as well. For the price they are producing a remarkable good instruments. One would wonder what makes the big G worth it. Seems to me price is too steep for a little nudge in build quality. And the big G pickups are not that expensive. Whoops i got side tracked.. Great video mate!
And can we get this guy to 100 subs already?!
Thanks guys! Yeah, is a Gibson SG really two or three times as good as this? Maybe. And the price difference is even bigger with the Les Paul and ES models... makes you think, doesn't it :) I'm getting 100 subs this year, I can feel it!
I chose one of their 2020 "Inspired by Gibson" Les Pauls for my return to playing electric after a 15 year hiatus. I have bought a couple of guitars since then (addictive!), and just scored this model being reviewed on a classified site for a *ludicrously* cheap price. It's wonderful. And yes, even if you bought the Epiphone model, and the Gibson pickups for that model, and had them installed, you are still coming it at well under half the price of the Gibson model, if not a quarter, and you have a wonderful instrument either way!
Nice tone!
Cheers!
I know this is a 3 year old video but Laurel Fingerboards do the same to me as well (get your fingers dirty) until you play them for about a year and then I find it stops doing that.
Well funnily enough the SG doesn't make my fingers dirty any more (which is nice) ;) Maybe it's a dye they put on them or something and it wears off as you play... I'm still yet to find a definitive answer on that! Thanks for watching and the nice comment!
That sounds great man, love the colour. I bought one of the Worn series Les Pauls and it’s decent but there was a lot wrong with it. The frets are a bit iffy, the binding is sharp and the setup from the factory was horrendous.
Very disappointing because I am an Epi enthusiast too! I love Epiphones. My all time favourite and most sentimental guitar is an Epi LP I got in 2003. I’ve never played a Les Paul that’s spoken to me as much as that guitar. I own a bunch of Epis that I’ve collected over the years and the worn purple LP from this year was the first one I’ve ever not loved. I’m hoping I just got a bad one and that it’s not a reflection on them as a whole in 2020.
Cheers man, glad you liked it! Oh no, I'm sorry you had that with yours... the Purple LP would've been my second choice in the 2020 range behind the SG and I still might get one if I see one. I'm a sucker for unusual finishes like that. Actually if you look online though, there's certainly mixed feedback at best for the recent Epi QC. What a shame! (Guess I got lucky.) Did you repair it or replace it, or just send it back from whence it came?
My first 'proper' guitar was an Epi Bully SG from (I think) 2001. It's still in my old room at my parents' place - that one will never get sold :) I also have the 2014 LP Traditional Pro which is an awesome guitar. There are some great guitars in the Epiphone stable though from down the years... there's 339s and Explorers and all sorts I wouldn't mind getting if I ever see the right ones!
I got the gold finnish worn lp and it's very nice only complaint was the setup was pretty bad
Thanks for this video. You did right picking the SG w the P90s. I got an Epi blueshawk awhile back w these same exact pickups and all I can say is they are very impressive. I like them WAY better than PAFs. Hit a power chord on the bridge P90 and it simply sounds perfect. It's the exact classic power chord sound, which I wasn't expecting.. it still suprises me lol. I was wondering- since P90s are really a type of single coil, do yours give any 60 cycle hum/buzz? The ones in my Blueshawk are silent, but that is because there is actually a hidden 3rd "dummy coil" mounted in the back to cancel out any noise. So on that particular model, the P90s are as silent as humbuckers. Wondering how they sound w/o that dummy coil in the mix...
Yes, exactly - P90s have this kind of magic about them. They're perfect for rock 'n' roll and I love playing AC/DC stuff on mine. They have a massive, powerful tone, but a lot more clarity than a PAF-style. I didn't know the Blueshawk had a dummy coil in there - that's a guitar I'd love to try one day but have never seen in person. The P90s in the SG don't have a dummy coil and it does show a bit, especially as you wind up the gain. They have that P90 hum alright :) For me though, I tend to keep the drive fairly low so it's not an issue. Hope you get to try one of these SGs one day!
those Epiphone P90 Pros are fantastic. I got turned on to those with the Epiphone Century hollowbody, and then the TV Yellow Les Paul Special, and the Worn Casino. The P90 Pros have all kinds of bite, and really push a tube amp nicely. They also change in character a lot with use of the volume and tone control. P90's are making a comeback!
@@Anjohl Agreed 100%! More people need to know about P90s too - they're such a pure, rock and roll pickup. I would LOVE to try one of the Worn Casinos too - I bet they're fantastic.
Just ordered it!
Awesome, hope you like it man! I'm still really enjoying this one... the P90s are a lot of fun. Let me know how yours is after you've got it :)
Brilliant demo. I wish more of these guitar run throughs showed how the pickups change with the pots although I think the video labelling might be the wrong way round as it appeared you were changing tone on the volume section and volume on the tone section?
Thanks Henry, glad you enjoyed it! And yes, good spot - I did mix them up. I will change that now, so thanks for the tip :) By the way, that's the kind of thing I always wished I'd see in other guitar reviews on here, and that's why I included it in mine! I find it really helpful, and I hope you and others do too!
@@RichWordsMusic Very useful to have the different play styles and have them all labelled for reference. Really think you are onto a winner with this demoing method.
@@henrykelly1183 Thanks again! And I hope you're right :)
I'm not partial to Chinese made guitars, but this one sounds very good. Excellent tonal demonstration. I can get one for less than 400 USD here in the states. Might be a good investment.
Yes, this one does sound very good indeed, and it's really versatile too, as you heard. I think for under $400 it's a no-brainer (although you'll most likely need to budget in a setup, too). And sure, you'd probably get a higher quality guitar made in the USA, but the current Gibson SG Classic is $1,500, and I don't think it's three times as good.
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks for your response. I do my own set-ups, so that wouldn't be a problem. I look forward to watching more of your demonstrations. I hope your channel continues to grow. Peace.
@@potwms99 You'd be fine then. Hope you manage to find one near you for a decent price! Thanks for the nice words a out my channel too, it's staerting to grow a bit now. Rock on!
As a big Sabbath fan, I want an SG, and I really like this one, but I always played guitars with humbuckers. The P90s are weaker in sound?
Yeah, if you love Sabbath, one day you need an SG! P90s are different to humbuckers - they have much more clarity and bite, and they are noisier with distortion for sure. But I wouldn't say they're weaker, and the pickups in this specific guitar are great for so many different styles of music. They can cover Sabbath tones too. Humbuckers have a thicker sound, with more low end, but P90s are surprisingly versatile... I recommend you try some if you can, just to see if they work for you personally!
I want that guitar give a type o negative vibe to it (Beautiful)
Yeah, it's a beautiful guitar alright! Get one if you can!
Oh man, you just made me want this guitar even more. I love Type O and you're right, it definitely has a Type O vibe.
Beautiful guitar! I must own it!! Oh wait... I already do haha. Nice review man! :D
Thank you Rick, and congrats on owning it too... these are excellent guitars! By the way, anyone reading this comment should go check out Rick's awesome video on the guitar here - he makes it sound great: th-cam.com/video/FTJ2y0kX_N4/w-d-xo.html
Does this one have the Indian laurel fretboard? I can't seem to jive with Epi's new porous fretboards and would prefer them to use pau ferro instead if they can't source Indian rosewood. Even American walnut would've been a smoother option. HLK uses walnut and their fretboards are super tight grained and silky smooth.
Edit: obviously anecdotal but this is based on the 2 modern Epis I own.
Yep, it has the laurel board. I'm with you there as well - I can live with this one, but it'd certainly be an improvement for me to have real rosewood, and I'd be happy to pay extra for the privilege! I have the same thing with modern Mexican Fenders too.
Im in this big delima, i have very small hands for a man. So I got a short scale, squire bullet mustang HH. For what it is its decent however im still suffering bad wrist pain. I think that the Epiphone SG was more versatile tonally from all the reviews I've seen and heard. Its neck I feel is slimmer. The nut diameter is slightly narrow. Its not short scale but I could manage. I can still return the bullet. Its neck is for sure thicker. Hummmm what to do?
Hmm, that's a predicament for sure! I'd recommend you try a few other guitars if you can... for example, certain Ibanez guitars have an extremely thin 'wizard' neck profile that could work for you. But another thing is: are you sure you're holding the guitar in the right way to avoid hand/wrist pain? This could also be something to look at (just in case! There should be plenty of online guides for that.). I really hope you manage to find a solution that works for you ASAP!
@@RichWordsMusic I appreciate the thoughtful response! Never any issues with bass. My jazz bass is narrow at the nut and I'm not using barred chords often. I'll sort it. Yes, I've heard they are thinner necks but some people dont like the tone so much, I've heard. Anyhow I do think the Epiphone classic SG tonal range is nicer to my ear but the Bullets humbuckers can sound great clean, about nasal like with metal but not terrible. Anyhow, great review, thank you!
@@scourneene That's really interesting - I actually play a Jazz bass over a Precision bass for the same reason: the narrower nut makes it much comfier for me to play. And yes, overall I think the Epi will give you that wider tonal range (and it's probably a 'better' sound to my ears overall) but the Bullet Mustang humbuckers do also sound good! They're pretty high output and that can give you great clean tones too. If you end up trying the Epi, do let me know how you get on with the neck!
@@RichWordsMusic I will let you know! I noticed last night actually what you're saying about those humbuckers on the Bullet sounding reasonably well. Which is making my decision processes tricky. I haven't got the action set properly, yet.
Put linseed oil on the fingerboard it will stop your finger from getting dark from the Indian laural wood. Works on Paulo-ferro also.
I did not know about that, I'll check it out! Cheers for the tip and thanks for watching :)
@@RichWordsMusic I did it on my fender player tele, 2 coats worked like a champ. I used steel wool to prep it.
@@thomaslthomas1506 Good to know - I'll investigate getting this done!
@@rpgtips3802 This is really good advice. Next time I'm doing a bit of guitar TLC I'll get some linseed oil on this beast I think! And thank you, I'm glad you find the vids useful and entertaining. Hitting the big time is not really my thing, but if it does somehow get to that stage I shan't forget folks like you who were here from the start :)
Iommi's Monkey SG had P90's. And as such lots of Iommi inspired doom players use P90's for the heaviest music possible. So, I think that the idea humbuckers are required for metal is false. I think it came from Fender vs Gibson in the old days. Necropost, but wanted to chime in. Great video and review.
Great video
Do the Epiphone P90s sound a lot better than the base Harley Benton P90 pick ups?
Thanks John! The pickups are actually surprisingly different. In my experience, the Epiphones are much hotter and more aggressive, with a more rounded tone. The HB (Roswell) pickups seem more classically voiced and have a lovely sparkly top end. So I actually prefer the HBs for some clean tones, but the Epis are my choice for an all-round guitar and for anything a bit heavier sounding.
I actually did a video quite recently directly comparing this Epi SG with my new HB DC-60 Junior guitar, and that should really let you hear what I mean: th-cam.com/video/yZa_tnsJLWM/w-d-xo.html
Hope that helps!
@@RichWordsMusic That helps a lot. Thanks
@@johncecilia4517 No problem!
my epiphone es-339 with rosewood board did dirty my fingers as well. could be some sort of compound they use when shaping/conditioning the boards or a dye. I don't think it's the wood. thanks for the review.
Oh really? First time I've heard of that with rosewood. My guess would be a dye though too - pretty sure all boards on cheaper guitars these days are darkened to look more expensive or just 'right' in the eyes of players.
Why was it on Ebay so soon?
The guy I bought it off said he bought and sold a lot of gear. And when I showed up to pick up the guitar, there were actually few others there that were also being sold that day! So I guess he's someone who has the money to just buy things to try them, and sells the ones he doesn't instantly click with. I got very lucky in this case I think!
Just wondering how this guitar compares to Epiphone casino worn. Both are around the same price point.
Great question! The Casino Worn (in Worn Blue Denim) has been on my shopping list ever since it came out... I'm waiting to snag a used one at a bargain price ;) But they don't come up often - which is also a sign they're decent. People don't want to sell them! I've played a couple of the Casino Worn models in stores and loved them. Obviously a Casino plays, feels and sounds significatnly different to an SG, but in terms of build quality, they're on a similar footing. In fact, the Casino Worn may actually be slightly better in the build stakes! Hope that helps a bit :)
@@RichWordsMusic so funny that I walked into the Guitar Center and lo and behold an Olive dab worn used Casino was hanging on the wall. The local GC gives the opportunity for the local customers to buy it before listing online and it sounded from after speaking with the manager that they had just gotten that guitar. I lucked out and a great price!! I don’t have possession of it yet as local rules prescribe to wait certain number of days before they can resell a used guitar. I can’t wait to get my hands on it on May 7th. It’s funny that I just asked you this question and this guitar showed up. Thanks for answering!!
What software do you use for recording?
I record via my amp's Red Box AE out, and that goes into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, which goes into Final Cut Pro on my Mac :) I don't do any post production on the sounds at all.
Good demo,. Mine came today. Looks great. Hope it lives up to the old yamaha pacifica it's replaced. One thing I have noticed is that it's more difficult to bend with the neck being a rougher wood, I'm wondering if some oiling may help
Happy new guitar day! These are very beautiful guitars indeed - I love just looking at mine, and it always inspires me to play more. Yes, give it some oil, and that should help! Pacificas are great guitars, but this one certainly has more of a wow factor to it. If you're anything like me it'll inspire you more! Enjoy.
I recommend Dunlop 02 Fretboard Deep Conditioner on the entire body. My dad did that and it’s incredible!
@@JedrekVRoscoe I'm looking into that for sure!
Are you from the uk or where are you from and do you still have that guitar
I was brought up in the UK but I have lived abroad for many years... and yes, I still have the guitar :) And it's still great! Well worth a try if you're looking for something like this.
I'm looking at the SG Special w P90s. How do you think that compares to the one you are showing here? It has wrap around bridge. I like the SG Special because it is available in faded Pelham blue! But I do like the stop tail piece on your green guitar for intonation etc. Do you think the wrap around bridge is a deal breaker? As I prefer that color over the green myself. Cheers for the great video
Good question! I think the two guitars will be very similar in terms of performance. (I've played an SG Special as well, albeit briefly, and it was really nice.) For me, what makes the difference is the fact that my model has a satin neck - I just find them easier to play over time than gloss necks. It's not a huge problem, though, and if you dig gloss necks then go for it (I have had plenty of guitars with both, and still do). I would've gone for Faded Pelham Blue if they'd had the SG Classic in that finish, though - I am an absolute sucker for blue guitars.
When it comes to the bridge, I also like the stoptail, but I dig a wraparound bridge too, and neither influences my playing technique that much. My advice would be to try both if you can, but if you've already tried the Special and love it, go for it! If a guitar clicks with you, it's the right one :)
@@RichWordsMusic What a great reply! Thanks mate 😊
@@Tone-Oz No problem - enjoy whichever you go for!
Why are these easier to find and cheaper in cost than the epiphone SG standard
Not sure why they're easier to find, but they're probably cheaper because they are cheaper to produce - satin finish, dot inlays, etc., will be cheaper than their gloss and trapeze counterparts. And I guess P90s are cheaper than humbuckers too, and it all adds up. They're great guitars either way!
@@RichWordsMusic I’m started. to think it’s a you tube epiphone review conspiracy. All these new SGs but the pro which they stopped making is still the best and cheaper, what am I missing, lol
@@DNYS8N Ha ha, you never know! Actually, come to think of it Epiphone don't really work officially with TH-camrs - I wish they would. I reckon they make limited runs (like this satin Classic) which they only sell for a year or so, whereas the Standard ones are constantly in their catalogue. Could just be thatv in the past couple of years they've had issues with supply, like so many other brands. I wish there were more Epi SGs around as I love them, but they hardly ever come up new or used anywhere near me! I was extremely lucky to find this one, actually... Good luck searching for the one you want!
This or the tv yellow Epiphone Special? Both p90s
I've not tried the 2020 Special! But I played some older versions and loved them. The one difference is the Special has a 50s neck, so it's probably a good deal chunkier than the SG's... try them both if you can before you pull the trigger!
What does it look like with the pickguard off?
Ooh, I haven't tried that, but probably awesome!
Hi, great sounds you got! Does it neck dive?
Thanks, it's a really good guitar and it was easy to get these sounds. I experienced no neck dive at all :) It balances on a strap perfectly for me. Thanks for watching, and if you're thinking about one of these guitars, I can only recommend it :)
Similar to Ciro Pertusi's guitar, from Attaque 77 🤘🏽😎🎸
Ooh, I'd never heard of them before! They sound pretty good though... and yep, he's playing something similar for sure!
@@RichWordsMusic oh! Ciro Pertussi was the singer and rithm guitarrist. Attaque 77 Is one of the most popular punk rock band here in Argentina. He left that band some years ago AND joined to a new one calles Jauría performing idénticas role and playing similar music style.
@@claudiodiegocagnin2994 Yeah, for some reason they never seemed to make it on to my radar. Thanks for the extra info... I will check Jauría out too :)
Great video
Do the Epiphone P90s sound a lot better than the base Harley Benton P90 pick ups?
Thanks John! The pickups are actually surprisingly different. In my experience, the Epiphones are much hotter and more aggressive, with a more rounded tone. The HB (Roswell) pickups seem more classically voiced and have a lovely sparkly top end. So I actually prefer the HBs for some clean tones, but the Epis are my choice for an all-round guitar and for anything a bit heavier sounding.
I actually did a video quite recently directly comparing this Epi SG with my new HB DC-60 Junior guitar, and that should really let you hear what I mean: th-cam.com/video/yZa_tnsJLWM/w-d-xo.html
Hope that helps!
im trying to decide on either this one of their Sparkling Burgundy - any thoughts
Hi Mark, they are both beautiful guitars for sure! They will sound the same of course, but the one significant difference I notice (besides the color!) is the finish on the back of the neck - on the satin models like mine you have a satin neck. On the Sparkling Burgundy, it's a gloss poly-finished neck. Personally, if I have the choice, I prefer a satin neck as I just find it a bit easier and slicker to play. I also find gloss necks can get sticky. So if that's a factor for you, it might help. If not, my advice would be try and find a store that has both in stock, try them both out and take home the one that sings to you more :) Hope that helps!
I'm testing the guitar on another amp and it seems to me that the sound is already approaching what I am looking for. The amp I was using was a bass one, a Fender Rumble 100w. I tried a 60w voice amplifier yesterday and got closer. and next week I will be able to test a 10w id core Blackstar. I think there will sound like it should sound. they are few watts but I am saving for the id core 150w.
Interesting, and yes, that would make a big difference! A bass amp and a vocal amp will have very different frequency responses. You could also try a keyboard amp too (they can be great for clean sounds on guitar). But the Blackstar ID Cores are really good and that will give you a lot of options too. The stereo versions are wonderful and side very 'big'.
I will do tests and we will see the result, because this guitar is really beautiful, it maintains the tuning perfectly. Another question I would like to know what strings epiphone puts on this guitar. I know the 0.10 gauge but I don't know what it marks. Also changing the strings later on could vary the pitch quite a bit. Thanks a big greeting.
@@nubaduby2 Hmm, I'm not sure about the make of the strings either. I believe Epiphone use generic, unbranded strings to keep the costs lower. I searched around online and couldn't find any better information, except to confirm that they use .10s. I normally use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings and these work great on my Epiphone Les Paul too. Maybe buy a few different brands and see which works best for you? And tell me if you find the perfect set please :) Many greetings to you!
I think a good daddario strings can work very well. I used them on my telecaster. I don't know on my epiphone les paul because I haven't changed them yet. I have done tests with the bass amp and am finding my sound. removing all the bass from the equipment. We will keep in touch and keep talking. THANK YOU
@@nubaduby2 Yes, let's keep in touch about this! It will help us both, I'm sure. With a bass amp, sure, take out the unnecessary low-end or it could be way too boomy for the reggae stuff you want to play. I also dig D'Addario! I need to try their XL strings that everyone tells me are so good...
hey man great video and review as always, can you help me decide between this and the squier affinity tele deluxe, i pretty much like all genres and sounds from metal to rock to clean stuff and i want a versatile guitar so what do you think is the best between these two ?.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Hmm, that's a tough question. These are both cool guitars, but they are quite different. Do you have a chance to play them in person before deciding? Is so I would 100% recommend that. Then pick the one you prefer, simple as that. The other good thing about trying in person is you can feel the weight, and I mention the weight because in my experience this can be a problem with Squiers sometimes (as they can be really heavy! Not all, but some.). I don't like guitars which are too heavy. With this model of SG, the weight won't be an issue.
In terms of quality, the Epiphone might be slightly higher (you would expect this for the extra money I guess). But the pickups are actually one huge difference: P90s vs humbuckers. The Epi P90s will do all the classic sounds and also rock/metal, but P90s have their own sound. Some people love it, and some don't. I haven't the new pickups in the Squier, but I'm sure they're also very versatile. The P90s will have more clarity and bite, I guess. The Squier humbuckers will be great for rock, and they will do good clean sounds too, but they're not going to give you a classic Telecaster country twang sound. (You'd need single coils for that.) The Tele Deluxe is actually a bit more like a Les Paul than a traditional Tele!
If I was in your position, I'd get... the Squier. Consider that you will need a bit more money for a good setup (as with any new guitar) but I think overall the Squier might be a little more overall versatile for you. And for the extra money you'd save compared to the Epiphone, you could even upgrade the pickups/hardware later on if you wanted to. Hope that helps and happy to answer any more questions you have :)
@@RichWordsMusic thanks for the help man I really appreciate it, just gonna ask about the hardware and pickup stuff cause i have 0 experience about that stuff, can i put high quality les paul humbuckers on the tele?
@@khalid6762 No worries! And yes, you can absolutely put other humbuckers in there. The one thing is the Fender Wide Range humbuckers might be a little larger than regular humbuckers, so measure them first - depending on size differences you might also need a new pickguard. But that's no problem at all for a tech to do for you. Same comes with hardware like tuners - just research and make sure you're buying replacements that would fit the Tele, and you're good!
Does the guitar stay in tune well? Would this guitar, with the P-90s, be even raunchier than if it had humbuckers?
It stays in tune well, yes. It's currently with my guitar tech friend for a setup though, and I'm sure that'll make it even more stable than it was.
Hmm, it depends exactly on what you mean by raunchy, but the P90s definitely have more bite and clarity than the average humbucker. They're a much more pure and wild pickup for me... so in that sense, I'd say yes, they're more raunchy! They're just perfect for classic rock stuff.
Nevertheless I have subscribed to your channel, despite going on 40 years as a musician well 38 to be exact and it doesn't mean that your a great guitarist just because you've been at it for almost 40 years. I have the feeling that one reaches a ceiling and then it becomes almost impossible to go higher.
Thanks for the sub too! Yeah, I think there are some (very lucky!) people who have a natural affinity for guitar where it's kind of effortless, and some people practice for 8 hours a day. I never did that, and I am where I am... rock and indie rhythm guitar. And I've grown to be happy with that too! That's the music I love and listen to every day as well. Sometimes I wish I could sweep pick or whatever, but then that's not for everyone :) In fact, probably 99% of players are like that. I say if you love playing guitar, and have fun playing it, it doesn't matter how good you are! Making music and enjoying it i the most important thing.
Hi Rich, please could you confirm the size of the bridge posts? I’m currently saving up to purchase this exact model. My aim is to add a few modifications (replacing existing bridge with a roller bridge and swapping out the tailpiece to install a Duesenberg Les trem2). Many thanks.
Hi Franco, sure! What measurement exactly do you need? Let me know and I'll get it for you. Sounds like a great idea, what you have planned :)
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks for your reply and kind words. The measurement is the post diameter that the bridge directly sits on. I believe it will either be 4mm or 6mm. Many thanks again.
@@FrankieSousa No worries :) Just measured it for you - 7mm!
@@RichWordsMusic Cheers👍
@@FrankieSousa No worries, good luck with your idea!
Great review! Never owned an SG do just wondering how the guitar sits with the front strap button at the neck heel. Does it feel like it's falling forward when standing? Would it be possible to relocate the button to the top horn ala Tony Iommi?
Thanks a lot, glad you enjoyed it! All I can say is that this one sits perfectly as it is. You can kind of see it at 00:40 when I do the quick test, and it just stays like that - there's no neck dive, and it sits very stably against my torso. No issues of it falling in any direction, including forward. And when playing it's all good. The other Epi SG I've owned was also fine, but I played a friend's Gibson SG Standard once that had terrible neck dive... not sure why! (Over the years I've kind of thought the height you have an SG at on the strap can make a difference... as you'll see from the video mine's quite high for rock 'n' roll standards, but I always set my strap length so the guitar plays the same stood up or sat down.)
And it would certainly be possible to relocate the strap button, yes. The horn is fairly pointed but I'm sure if you're steady-handed you could get the screw in there just fine.
P.S. by the way, there's an Epi Iommi SG just down the road from me for sale at €300 at the moment... is that a good deal, assuming it's all in good shape? Oh, and noticing the pics on that ad it's clear that the top horn button is not just screwed into the guitar's body, but it sits in a kind of plastic washer/hub/thingy that must offer more strength and durability. Could be worth investigating if you're thinking of doing similar...
@@RichWordsMusic Thanks!
@@sixstrings4568 No worries!
Is it as thin as original Gibson SG body?
When I had epiphone G400 SG shaped guitar, its body was a lot thicker compare to Gibson SG.
Yes! I just measured and it is 35 mm - which is exactly the same as what a Gibson SG should be.
Thanks a lot, mate!
@@hirokiochiai7687 No worries!
26:00 most of the time the strings or the frets are the reason for this.
I don't think it's the strings this time (as they're new) but I've heard from others that it could be the frets. Any idea how to stop it happening?
@@RichWordsMusic polishing helps.
@@void0094 Shall try that next then!
Unfortunately the not-medium-not-jumbo frets are a pass for me... those are the lowest height of the common fret sizes and in my opinion the most difficult and slowest to play. They also wear out quickly if it's the same soft wire as I saw on my ES-339. I don't know why Epiphone keeps doing this, but I'm not paying for it again.
I get what you mean. Not a problem for me, as I don't play fast ;) The only current Epi SGs with jumbo frets are those new Prophecy ones, but they're a different thing altogether, not to mention double the price! I reckon you'd be more at home with some of the newer brands like Chapman or Harley Benton who offer jumbo stainless steel frets and faster neck profiles at lower price points.
Tutte le chitarre costruite in Cina e Indonesia, montano come primo equipaggiamento corde "economiche" che, indipendentemente dal legno della tastiera, sporcano le dita. Acquistai una Squier telecaster con manico in acero, quindi verniciato, sporcava le dita, erano le corde, un set nuovo di Ernie Ball (6€) e passò la paura. Paul.
Looks like green goblin s guitar... I dig it... nice video
Yep, would be perfect for him! Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed it :)
Would you recommend this for a beginner?
I would 100% recommend this guitar for a beginner if you have the money for it. It's easy and fun to play, looks great and you can great loads of different sounds with it. So in my book, sure! There are cheaper beginner guitars out there, of course, but if this one inspires you, it's the one to get!
@@RichWordsMusic cheers mate this helps a ton! You've earned my subscription 🤝👌🏼🤘🏻
@@IBazza_ Thanks a lot, very happy to have you here! If you have any more questions on your guitar journey just let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!
That might be the SG for me. I used to hate the SG because of the shape. The horns remind me of the devil. This one It doesn't seem diabolical. Prob because it's not red. I like the sound of the SG and I like P-90s. And I like classic rock from the 1960s and I love green.
I could always file those damn horns off.
@@jeromemurphy2572 It sounds like this could be the one for you then! It ticks all those boxes for you, and I'm sure you'd find some solution for the horns if you need to. This guitar is a lot of fun for sure!
i bought the sg a week ago. It seems to me that it has a very special sound. I play reggae root. But for my les paul epiphone 60 from 2020 he took the sound out easily for my sckank, the sg at the moment I'm testing, and it's as if it demands me to play better. what do you think ?
I hace the same guitar.
I think I know what you mean! I actually have been finding this SG a bit of a 'challenge' to play sometimes... it's like it requires me to play my best, or the results will not be so good. My Telecaster is just super easy for everything, but the SG needs more effort! So I agree with you. But still I think it's a great guitar and it offers some really great tones... plus every day I am inspired to play because of the beautiful looks. So I'm happy, and the guitar is also making me a better player, which is great! I hope you agree and you're enjoying yours, even though it's demanding?
The guitar have AMAZING tone , for blues ,rock, jazz etc.. I need equualizer my amp, and i sure the reggae made good. I have a telecaster player and is ver easy for me too. I think 3 guitars favorites for me : Telecaster, Les Paul, and Sg . THANKS FOR ALL ..
@@nubaduby2 Yes, I agree! We have the 3 same favorite guitars too - we must have good taste ;) Enjoy yours and keep on playing!
I've heard it's the frets that cause dirty fingers 🤌👍🏻
Me too, but I'm still not sure! There's so many theories about this floating around online, and no 100% clear answers... Either way, I can live with it with this guitar!
Epiphones come pretty dirty from the factory, so it's important to clean and condition the fretboard once you've received it.
Yep, seems to be that that's the case these days. Kind of sad, when you think about it - but at least we know what needs doing.
@@RichWordsMusic Absolutely! But in my humble opinion, it's such a great trade off for such a value guitar!
@@lobomgmt4956 True, they'd certainly cost more if there was another step at the factory to clean them up. And I'd clean it anyway when I got it, so you might as well save where you can and put the money into true quality parts and builders!
@@RichWordsMusic Absolutely! And I don't think it takes much in terms of $$ to get Epiphones to shine like their Gibson counterparts. I think the next step they should take is stop using Poly finishes on their guitars, and opt in for Nitro finishes... Then they could easily shine!
@@lobomgmt4956 I agree, the gap between the better Epi guitars and Gibsons is getting closer and closer. I imagine they will have to make some cutoff points on the high-end Epis soon to stop them being better in terms of specs than the affordable Gibsons. That could mean poly is here to stay. Have you seen the new Epi 1959 Les Paul? www.epiphone.com/Guitar/EPIM55301/1959-Les-Paul-Standard/Aged-Dark-Burst
That's very close to being a Gibson... get a rosewood board on it, and a nitro finish, and it's basically there, and for less than half the price of a Gibson Les Paul Standard.
Should be playing doom metal on a guitar like this guitar.
Ha, you're probably right! I would if I could...
Angus Despacito
Sounds like the world's greatest crossover!
you look like the lovechild of 'tony iommi' and 'paddy mcguiness' .......no litey...no likey
Ha ha ha, I had to google Paddy McGuinness... but I'll take that! I've been called far worse before ;)
This is the only guitar I'm sure I'd never purchase. The Gibson/Epiphone SG is in my estimation the ugliest guitar on the planet. I've never been a fan of Gibson/Epiphone. I paid 2000 bucks for a PRS but I would never pay 2000 bucks for a Gibson Les Paul. I have an Epiphone Les Paul which is the Epiphone Les Paul 1959 Standard Outfit which is a guitar of immeasurable quality. I also like the 335 but not enough to buy one. I prefer Epiphone to Gibson by far, I think you get far more for your money with Epiphone than Gibson. I just hate the SG especially in red but everybody has one guitar they would never buy I'm sure.
I prefer Epiphone to Gibson too, and as my first guitar was an Epiphone SG (a couple of my childhood heroes played them!), I've always just loved the shape. I know it's divisive though. The satin green even more so! I would love to try one of the Epi 1959 LPs - they look great, and as you say, so much better value for money than the Gibsons they are modeled after...
That's actually a good question too! One guitar I wouldn't buy, ever? I'm not sure! Maybe something really pointy. I need some time to think about this ;)