As an owner of both, I can say that my cherry SG standard is probably my favourite of the two as it’s very lightweight, super fast to play with wonderful high fret access.
I have a strat at the moment though I've never played an sg, im currently planning on purchasing one, how is the sg when compared to a strat? My playstyle mostly revolves around eric clapton's cream/bluesbreakers era and others similar to that. Does the sg play better than a strat in he high frets?
@@syd3610 i have both, an sg and strat, they are i think the most different guitar sounds u can get, the sg is the most playable guitar ive ever played, the strat is very playable too! But at the higher frets its a bit more difficult! I recommend to try them both yourself and you will know what im talking about
@@rolandwagner7966 yes very different for sure. Add a hollowbody the mix and you'll have 3 very distinct, different guitars. I am going to get a strat next, as I curerntly have the SG and a Casino. I always felt THEY sound like opposites :p
Those were my thoughts exactly, perhaps they didn’t have one in stock…it would be a much better tone comparison though. Thought I was the only one who was bummed he didn’t do so.
@@danielleelizabeth9417 interesting, the 61 is hand wired, the standard is a circuit board from my understanding.. are you telling me the Les Paul standards have the pickups plugged into a circuit board too these days??
the SG is so nice to play and to me the sound of an SG is synonymous for me with the sound of rock music. Everything from black sabbath to the best period of the who and ACDC. All the most impressive riffs are played on SG's originally.
It is truly. Its such an immediate and punchy guitar, but not quite as much as a les paul (which I actually prefer). This means it makes the front of a note very strong, but you can still use it with clean amps and not feel as exposed as a clean les paul is. With spongy, high gain amps, its heaven.
I kinda have to disagree, now granted I might have not played as many as you guys, but whenever I pickup a les paul or a stratocaster it feels like a strong sturdy instrument, but the SG feels like if I bend the strings too much it will snap in 3 different spots, and I realize thats why Pete Townsend loved them but when I feel it I feel nothing but buyers remorse. I suppose I wont get it until I find the perfect one
@@paulcrosby7419 ??? It's a sturdy instrument. The only design flaw is that it tends to neck dive, which is preventable with a good strap/strap position.
The biggest difference between these models seems to be constantly missed. The location of the neck pickup is almost a 3/4" inch different between the models. That makes a huge difference.
Can you elaborate? I don't have a Les Paul to measure/compare and I can't eyeball it in the video, even while he's holding them up next to each other.... I'm guessing the neck pick being located closer to the tail piece and bridge is going to make sound more like a bridge Pickup (or middle if they had 3PUs) compared to the one that is spaced farther away. Which guitar has the larger distance between the pick-ups and which spacing do you think is ideal?..... Are you simply referring to the fact that the LP neck pick up has more wood from the body surrounding it than the SG? if so what do you think that does to the sound?
@@Joe_whatuknow The SG has 24 frets and the LP 22 frets. SG also has a neck tenon space in there too. So the SG neck pickup is closer to the bridge. Find any old Strat and switch between the neck and middle pickups noting how the tone shifts due to pickup placement, same thing happens on triple humbucker guitars but those are harder to find than Strats. So the SG is almost like having a middle pickup for its neck option. The bridge pickups are practically in the same location and most rock songs are played with bridge only. But if played with either of the other two switch positions then they will be different.
Actually this SG has 22 frets but spacing for the Neck pickup is the same as on a 24 fret guitar. In that regard, the tonal differences between a 24 vs a 22 fret neck position pickup is well documented. As far as the wood is concerned, well technically it should have no effect however if it did the differences would pale to the tonal differences in relation to the position of the pickup. Personally I really like the tone of the SG neck pup, not better or worse just different and a bit tighter.
@@damo690 I feel the same way with the sg. The neck pickup on the sg sounds unlike any guitar even other 24 fret types. Tighter brighter than a Les paul but with an odd growl that is unmistakable.
For me, the Les Paul's thicker tones take more space and are more useful when there are fewer instruments in a song or when the guitar has more beginning to end focus. The SG serves busier mixes better. It finds its spots and hits them.
yeah it's like you can almost make a band with a Les Paul and a drummer...but not with an SG. I tried it, I was a SG player, then the bassist left, and now I realise how the sg sounds not enough fuller.
100% Agree. I have to play an LP when there's no bass player,. It fills the room with more low end. End up playing rhythm with some bass lines. The SG is a better suited if there's a second guitar in the mix. I want an SG again eventually
Yep I was happy with my laminated acoustic guitar for 4 years. Now ive got a new acoustic j200 and les paul style guitar and I cant believe the diffrent types of tones and styles that are out there. Now I WANT IT ALLLLL!!!!!! 🥲🥲
I have been playing Les Pauls off and on for 20 years. Love the way they look, sound, and feel. That all changed when I got a '61 SG Standard. Something just clicked and the snappy tone , attack, and clarity that the SG gave me felt like home. I did throw a little bit hotter Gibson pickup in the bridge. Now if I play I grab my SG over my Les Paul 10 to 1.
I've always prefered the SG because it just has this powerful snap to it, along with great sustain and power. And they are very light and play like butter.
Agree... The brightness can be tamed but the LP doesn't have it like the SG to begin with.... This makes the SG the far better guitar in my view with much more versatility. The LP is great for thick drop tuning heavy rock though... It beats the SG in that regard. Because I gotta have my brights and larger scale length I don't play either but rather a Fender LE mahogany set neck Tele with Duncan '59 and Pearly Gates+ pickups - it's a fantastic guitar for getting the Gibson humbucker tone with the Fender perks thrown in. Highly, highly recommend as an option especially if your going for Gibson tone with a Fender scale length.
I’d be thrilled with either Gibson LP or SG. As of now, I own a Mexican custom shop strat and a 2020 Epiphone SG standard that aren’t too bad. Would eventually like to add a jr of some sort with a p90. Life is good!
You will get there one day. Most of us start out on the cheaper side. Years of work and dedication to playing guitar will always pay off. Good luck to you! Always make sure you play it before you buy it. On paper something might seem lile it was made for you, but then you get it in your hands and it just feels wrong.
@@sid5156 I agree 100%. I have seen many guitars over the years, many that my guitar heroes play and of course I wanted those guitars for that reason alone, but when I picked one up it just did not feel or sound the way I thought it should. I wanted a Les Paul for many years, but I couldn't find one that I truly liked. I found an SG that I loved instantly because it felt perfect in my hands and sounded amazing. Many years later I did the same with my Les Paul, then it hit me, I just had not found "the" one. It's always best to play different guitars, till you find "the" one. Another scenario. I wanted a Fender Strat. I played some that were nice and some that were not. Then one year for my birthday my wife bought me a Mexican Fender Stratocaster HSS and that thing feels and plays like butter, its my favorite guitar out of all of them and I use it the most. It's like you said, on paper it might seem like the way to go, but what counts is how it feels in your hands, if it feels right in your hands, you will be able to make it sound great! I've seen many players play cheap guitars and do wonders with it, then i've seen many players with 3000 dollar guitars that can barely control it.
The bridge pickup on the SG almost always requires rolling the tone off to around 6 or 7 to take out some of the harsh high end. That way you can retain the more articulate neck pickup tone without peeling the paint off the walls when you switch to the bridge.
Its why I love the two tone controls on Gibson guitars as like you, I generally set a neck tone with some clarity and then lower the tone on the bridge till it doesn't sound too harsh.
I used to play a LP standard , but I sold it after I got my hands on this ebony SG standard .. The SG sounds brighter and more articulated compared to the muddy tones coming from the LP.. I like that odd growl on the SG’s neck pickup , with the tone squeezed , or combined with the bridge pickup to get EC’s lady sound. And then with that endless vibrating, almost stuttering sustain, provided by that thin body.....goosebumps! That is the true soul of an SG. I don’t like using the bridge pickup too much, only just for that heavy stuff, or some solo’s..
having had both guitars, would you say that with some treble rolled off the SG is capible of sounding more like the LP? asking because i play lots of cleans and like the lescpaul but, I dont like how they feel
@@BigBobbyBoLo Yes , you can approach a more creamy sound by rolling down the tone knob , but the reason why SG’s have a more biting (or bright) tone, is due to the fact that both pickups are positioned closer to the bridge than they are on a LP . Hope that answers your question.
I much prefer SGs over LPs. The look, feel, playability and sound are much more to my liking. My personal favorite SG is a Standard in black with full face black pick guard.
Love 'em both! I have an Epi sg400 pro, and an Epi gold top reissue with p90s. Maybe someday I'll get a Gibson, but for now I'll keep playing my Epi's. Great playing, man. Good tones......UPDATE...I got a Gibson Les Paul studio 10, 2020....love this guitar 🎸!!!
Just got an Epi SG special. Had a Tusq nut installed. Ain't too shabby. Nice clean tone. Good review here. Thorough and nice that you give a lot of attention to clean tone. Really appreciate that a lot. Both of you explain things very well.
I had a 2011 sg special. Easily the best neck on a guitar Ive ever played. Beautiful tone as well. Had to sell it due to financial needs but it's been a huge regret. Not as deep or fat sounding as a les Paul, but pierces through a mix far better. A lot more bite than an LP. If you want a deep, dark, full-bodied sound, LP Is better. Sg is brighter and imo more versatile.
I got both so here's my input: SG Pros: Comfortable to play, easy access to higher frets, more affordable than Les Paul, lightweight if you prefer lighter guitars. Cons: They hate staying in tune, lightweight if you prefer heavier guitars. Les Paul Pros: They generally stay in tune, heavier body (assuming non weight relieved), more sustain than SG. Cons: Heavier body is not as comfortable to gig with, difficult to play higher frets, usually way overpriced. They both sound awesome and you cant go wrong with either. Its a matter of which one fits you better. I'm considering trading my SG for a second Les Paul since I love them so much
I am firm believer in the saying, "Tone is in the fingers". Love Derek Trucks with his SG--I might be wrong, but think he plays mostly on the neck P/up, at least that's what I think I hear. Your tone on the LP sounded better to my ears, than that on the SG -- a bit too brittle for my taste, especially on the bridge P/up. I don't think I myself could get the SG to sound even as good as you. FWIW, I am more comfortable with a thin-line telecaster (clone). For my fingers/touch, single coils work better in the bridge, and humbuckers belong in the neck. For certain genres I do like P90s all around. I have an Epi '56 Gold Top LP that kills the electric blues. Humbuckers can be too much all the time, where as the P90s can be super smooth when dialed back. The thin-line is very smooth in the middle position, again dialed back a bit. YMMV!
S G All Day-It's versatility can't be understated-You can really pull off all Genre's-It's a rockin' beast-that tranforms for jazz,blurs metal, fusion.But it's the Sounds.It is Blisstering Midrange & Punchy-Also it's the perfect Dagger-Lightweight but Menacing.Much more comfortable w/ body carve & the Double cutaway Allows you to easily access the Higher register.And Those Horns-It Always reminded of a StingRay Corvette-Perfect...
SG’s in general cover more tonal range. Mids are punch high end is not stifled. Pretty open. Les Pauls are tighter in the mids. More focused because of the maple on mahogany top. Neck joint matters a lot. Even if you swapped out the pickups those attributes really don’t change that much. Owned both. Still have an SG. Light!
Well, the reason it doesn’t matter when you switch the pickups is because SG’s and Les Pauls have different bridge and neck pickup positions. It has nothing to do with the maple cap or neck joint.
Well the neck is a different place, 26th fret vs 24th fret harmonic on a Paul. Still my point is valid as any guitars construction affects it’s tone. Neck joint does matter as a Les Paul’s neck is shorter. Neck is a tuning fork. A 12th fret acoustic sounds different than a 14 fret even if all else is equal. The first Martin D28 compared to a 1939 let’s say. Put a Tele pickup in a Strat even hardtail and it will sound different. Body shape, dimensions, cavity route. Another; Explorer and Flying V. Same pickup position, bridge, neck angle. The body,even solid affects tone. A solid mahogany Les Paul sounds nothing like one with a maple cap.
true, but in a mix, the SG tone really cuts through, I had an LP before and I found it a bit muddier in mixes overall, but maybe better sounding on its own or a light mix.
Dean Spence the neck positioning on the SG is the main reason why I prefer it. It feels so open and natural to me, whereas a Les Paul feels very cramped. And it’s funny because so many of the players I love are Les Paul players.
Once again, a good video. I have both and though the Les Paul is my favorite the SG has a sharpness that when I scream the guitar ears start to blow, which is the intent. The Les Paul you can hear more of the acoustic tones due to the top being hollowed, great for playing those thumping power chords. Les pauls are great for playing good old blues and rock , where the SG is a shredder great for Dirty Blues and metal
Man it was a difficult decision for me when I had to choose between the two. Before picking up an sg I wasn’t really the biggest fan and absolutely loved the LP standard, the way it felt and played felt unmatched but then I actually played an SG and let go of my bias and was blown away. It was weird it felt like a click. I never liked the way the sg looked but then I always creamed my pants everytime I saw one
The 3 way switch below the strings on the SG isn't a drawback to me , having said that i will say i found reaching for the neck tone knob next to the input jack takes a bit of finesse due to the straight horizontal input jack , but plan to remedy that by switching to a 90 elbow jack which leaves more room to access the neck tone knob. Loved the reaction and the beautiful tones and playing from you Cooper.
Les Paul’s are awesome but compared to an SG they are not as easy to play. The SG is a result of feedback and poor sales of the les Paul. The SG is lighter you can wear it all evening, it’s got much better neck access and due to different pickup location gives it a bit more bite to it’s tone. If it was just down to sales the SG would win hands down.
Have actively played both. Sometimes I miss my SG but come to videos like this that reassure me that I enjoy the LP sound more. Nothing wrong with SG as it has its purposes but for me it cuts too much and I prefer the burly weighted tone of the LP
Quackery S. I do too but what I really like is the Paul Reed Smith comparisons to the Les Paul . In those competitions the Les Paul usually wins but it is a photo finish . The Les Paul has a slight edge in warmth . Anyway I think that is why Carlos Santana hooked up with the PRS . The PRS gave him more punch than the SG but wasn’t as heavy as the Les Paul.
The SG neck pickup is closer to the bridge than the Les Paul neck pickup. That makes the SG pickup to catch the wave at a lower point of the amplitude. That makes it sound sharper on the neck pickup. It is not necessarily the thickness of the body.
I love the SG, mine has a P-90. I don’t own a humbucker LP. I do have a 2015 LPJr that I modded with a Charlie Christian pick up in the neck and a Rick Beato Special. Not a humbucker in sight. Growing up in the 1960s I played bass (EB-0) and our guitarists both had SGs. One a special and one a standard. I’ve loved the SG ever since.
I have been mostly a strat and tele guy but I bought a 2005 '61 reissue SG a few months ago and absolutely love it. The neck dive gets annoying but a thick levys leather strap helped get it 75 percent better. I love the access to all of the frets as well as the thin neck
Lorenzo Ciliberto well that’s cuz u have a holy grail of guitars Hendrix played a 68 custom they were made perfectly in the 60s I’ve got a 2020 sg and it’s pretty well balanced and it sounds great not plugged in and plugged in.
I think I liked the Les Paul a bit more. The SG sounds great too. I'm glad I have both, even though they're Epiphones. Some Seymour Duncans or DiMarzios will make them just as good as a Gibson more or less.
No, the Pick Ups are important too, but the sound maks your Guitar. Wood, bridge, saddle, strings and your playing of course. Good elecronics brings the sound to live, not more. When the Guitar don't sounds good, the Pick Ups can't help.
Have SG and LP standards and I grab my SG far more than my LP. Sustain and tone is better on the LP but the SG inspires me more and just feels right. Very enjoyable to play.
Well, The Paul sounds a bit fatter, but the SG is a more modern Les Paul. More comfortable to play, lighter, less expensive and in my opinion better looking. I purchased 10 years ago a 68 SG junior, and it is the best Guitar i ever played.
I like hearing that I picked up 66 that needs a little work Can't wait to get it together Does yours have the copper shielding in the control cavity ? I'm missing that so was going to get some shielding tape or paint I'm thinking
@@paulcowart3174 yes it's copper shielded. I have replaced the tuners with new Klusons and the Bridge with a locking Bridge from Faber with brass intonation bars. Man, what an improovement. Now the maestro Tremolo is usable. I highly recommend this part. www.faberguitar.com/TBWC-59NG-BR-Faber-Vintage-Spec-ALU-Compensated-Wraparound-Tailpiece-Nickel-gloss-Intonationsleiste-Messing
I have owned both a 1979 standard LP and a 61 VOS SG reissue. Both great guitars. I ended up parting with the SG however as it was a pain having to constantly unjust the tuning particularly at live gigs. I never had the same issue with my LP? The VOS SG was the most expensive guitar I have ever bought and lost money on it when I sold it
@@BROOKS39 Hey man I've let some good ones get away myself Part of the game I've always traded stuff and wish I had several back 67 V 68 Goldtop 58 Strat just to show how I feel
I"m not a guitar player but like you Angus young's playing on the SG has always had me gravitating toward the sound of the SG. There is a distinctive differnce. Hard to describe but I would say the SG has more "Jump" or getty up than the Les PAul
Great demo! I was looking for this. Saw your SG standard vs '61 reissue comparison, and never considered getting a standard after that lol. The '61 sounds great. So does this LP though.
Really smart objective comparison. Nice job. You’re a picker my friend. I’d have liked hearing them through a British Amp. I have an SG now but considering a LP. $$ and neck access always held me back plus there is a sparkle I like in SG’s. Keep the good comps coming
Les Paul. That neck pickup is further away from the bridge. Nodes and antinodes, right? So the Les Paul is picking up more of the warmth from the antinode with the longest wavelength. It's a slight difference, but it sounds a lot more buttery and far less aggressive. Les Paul.
Everytime i was forced to sell it it was like parmesan in my pasta...i lacked of somethin...now an sg special s comin my way. This time for good. That guitar s devilish. Having my Lp and Sg back togetjer s like a blessing.
I have a lp and a sg. I find myself playing the sg. But I've also added a coil tap on my pickups on my sg. But... My lp has the p90's and that has killer sound.
Always have been a Strat / fender fan. I am still there. But I actually do like the SG. As a strat man the weight is obviously a point. But an SG seems a more versatile weapon too compared to a LP which oozes low mid and (too much) power. A guy like Page had his LP quite bright on records. Pickups? Steel hardware? A standard SG usually comes closer on classic driven gear towards that tone than a standard LP. On the other hand, Clapton had the LP, SG and 335 all in a 2 years period.
Great video, Cooper is a great presenter and awesome player, content is what most people looking for one of these guitars must know. I had a LP in the old days but few days ago I tried a SG for the first time, I was surprised with the ergonomics, lightness and amazing sound, now it is in my wish list.
I have an sg and after watching this video....i want another sg! I love that they are not heavy at all and you can play every fret without turning your hand into as pretzel trying to play high notes. I don't always play the high notes but I play the notes high....as fuck!
Both wonderful but hard to beat the weight and upper fret access of an SG. Neck dive isn’t really a problem if you have a good strap. Vintage style tuners help too. I’d take a SG and 335
thank u jesus..excellent video..praise be also in summary what i have learned in this video is the SG is 'kinda' like a middle ground between an LP and strat...? the reason i'm asking is i own an LP and strat and wondering if I should buy SG or a Hollow body next? Cheers for any help
The Sg is the rain, and the Les Paul is sunshine. When he plays the exact same part on each guitar, the Sg sounds more sad, and the sun comes out with the les Paul. Me and my brother both agree.
Les Paul. I play solo & clean, and the LP has more depth and character to the sound. If I played with high gain and needed to, "cut through the mix," I might feel differently.
SG is one of the most versatile guitars around, and right now possibly the best version is the cheapest with the maple neck. No worry of headstock snapping and a super smooth satin finish. I had an 08 std that I swapped for an LP studio signature, that was a mistake and regretted it ever since. Both guitars, the LP and the SG are great instruments, it's just down to personal choice. Oh, and I also own a mid priced gretsch twin jet, hello Malcolm on a budget that frankly shows every manufacturer a lesson in value for money!
SG is far more playable With the SG being half the weight, double-cut away (letting you play higher on the register) and having a thinner neck it's much easier to do lead work on
Is that a "weight relieved" LP? Nothing matches the tone of the full body wood LP but they're SO DAMN HEAVY. The SG on the other hand is light as a feather. I get the best of both worlds (plus convincing Strat & Tele tones) with a 2010 PRS DGT ;) Nice playing btw!
No, the new Standards are not weight relieved. I have a '19 Wildwood 50s Standard and it is about 9.5 lbs, my '18 Traditional (which also has no weight relief) is right at 10 lbs.
Although more expensive, the Gibson custom shop non-weight relieved Les Pauls are lighter than the Gibson USA Standard 50s and 60s due to the higher quality wood samples used.
LONG-WINDED COMMENT ALERT! :-) So, I own a Gibby LP (2008 Studio Vintage Mahogany - meaning a Mahogany cap instead of Maple, and a chambered, and therefore, lighter body). I've never owned an SG, and would love to. Now OF COURSE I'd prefer Gibby over Epi, but for a whole host of reasons, I would be more likely to settle for an Epi first, and move up to a Gibby later if the Epi really rocked my world. Besides the "inspired by Gibson" big headstock CTS pots Epis are being lauded with all sorts of accolades, and so they actually would probably make for at the very least, a decent stand-in to see if the bug bites hard enough to move up to a Gibby later. It's been years since I've actually played an SG, so I'd better stay away from the question of "which do I prefer the feel of" until I can make a more informed decision. But knowing some of the pros and cons of both, I could really see it going either way. As for the question of looks, I've probably changed my mind on this question 20 times over the last 10yrs, but as it stands today, I think I favor the look of the SG, albeit I prefer the "big Batwing" look to the "small Batwing" that appeared in this video, even if that puts me in the minority. As for the sound, people characterize the SG as brighter and the LP as warmer, but I see it as something similar, but slightly perpendicular to this: to describe the sound difference between the two as I hear it, the best metaphor that I can think of is those old 10-band graphic EQs that we all used to have on our stereos in the 90's and earlier. To my ears, the Les sounds like a "shallow V" on the EQ, with not only a little bit of bass boost, but treble boost too. Like, the extreme highs sound brighter to me on the Les, resulting in a smoother, warmer, richer, more "sing songy", "soaring" character, whereas the SG sounds more like the EQ set at perfect flat - nothing boosted or cut. As a result, it's got a more simplistic, more "straight ahead" sound; and a "gnarlier" sound as well - but also a more articulate, defined sound. So, in terms of applications and overall preference: in the case of driving, dirty power chords, a gnarly lead solo, or a clean riff where each note's articulation is more important than the complexity and nuance or warmth of tone, in all these ways, I'd MUCH prefer the SG. But in terms of soaring, sing-songy solos and just about every other application that I didn't mention above, I think I'd mostly prefer the Les Paul. As for overall preference, let's get me an SG and ask again in a year or two, but for now, the only reason I'd say Les is because it seems to me that even if I am right in all the dynamics I laid out above, I feel like the Les makes a slightly better stand-in for the SG than the SG does as a stand-in for the Les. Though, of course, having both would be the best option of all. :-) Anyway, that's my take! This is an excellent comparison video, BTW: both from a playing perspective, a production perspective, and above all, a comparison value perspective. The only way this could've been better was if both guitars used the exact same pickups. Then all the variables would be perfect! But, and maybe someone will quibble with me here, I kinda think any Burstbucker variant will be close enough to any other Burstbucker variant that the comparison will still work. :-) Thanks for taking the time to make this! :-) Cheers!
The real difference between the two that actually matter is the fact that both the pickups on the SG are in different locations than the Les Paul. That’s what we’re hearing, not the maple cap or the weight.
@@luapnoguob9828 Johan Segeborn has a fantastic video showing this concept of moving the pickups. You can not attribute the sound difference to wood when the pickups are in different places to begin with.
Nice demo! I regret having sold my Gibson CS LP two years ago. LP tone is better to my ears and I don't like SG appearance. But LP is a little bit heavy for me.
Hey man, glad you dig it- it’s a song of mine called Cactus Flower, you can find it on Spotify and all other streaming stuff. It’s based around Cmaj7-Am7-Dm7-G7. Fun to jam! Thanks
I love an SG with an innotatable wrap around bridge with saddles like a schaller 455 = this God like! (Melody Maker 2014 also sounds like an SG because of the thickness of the body)
Demonstrating guitars solo exposes many of their small nuances, but gives no information regarding how they sound in a band mix. The LP's low mids may sound nice solo, but they often get in the way in a mix and have to be attenuated. SGs are generally a bit brighter, more resonant and airy sounding, and produce less low mids. The slightly more rearward neck pickup on an SG improves the sound, in my opinion. The SG's unlimited upper fret access is the game changer for me. Once you've experienced it, you will not likely want to go back to the awkward upper fret restriction of a Les Paul. The SG's lightness compared to a Les Paul is also a game changer for me. Both of these are great, classic guitars, but in my opinion, the SG is just a bit better.
I have a 1999 61 Reissue 57 Classics 2005 Special with Bare Knucle Black Dogs 2006 Standard 2019 Jaydee Iommi Custom Also have an R8 but never gets played. Just love the necks and easiness to play Sabbath way way up there. Have a McCarty PRS although a beautiful guitar it remains locked away. Nothing comes close to the SGs but that’s just me!
I am 14 and and working my ass of to by a sg. I love the sound of them and it would be nice to by a nice guitar before I have to pay taxes and be an adult
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
As an owner of both, I can say that my cherry SG standard is probably my favourite of the two as it’s very lightweight, super fast to play with wonderful high fret access.
Tone is one thing, but the playability of a SG is phenomenal in the high frets area !
Yes!!
I have a strat at the moment though I've never played an sg, im currently planning on purchasing one, how is the sg when compared to a strat? My playstyle mostly revolves around eric clapton's cream/bluesbreakers era and others similar to that. Does the sg play better than a strat in he high frets?
@@syd3610 i have both, an sg and strat, they are i think the most different guitar sounds u can get, the sg is the most playable guitar ive ever played, the strat is very playable too! But at the higher frets its a bit more difficult! I recommend to try them both yourself and you will know what im talking about
@@rolandwagner7966 yes very different for sure. Add a hollowbody the mix and you'll have 3 very distinct, different guitars. I am going to get a strat next, as I curerntly have the SG and a Casino. I always felt THEY sound like opposites :p
@@syd3610 at first, the SG feels a bit weird because of ergonomics; but once you get used to, it's the easiest to play
Probably the most HELPFUL comparison video ive seen on these two guitars.
I think it was better to compare the SG with Les Paul Standard 60's, cause they have the same pickups
Those were my thoughts exactly, perhaps they didn’t have one in stock…it would be a much better tone comparison though. Thought I was the only one who was bummed he didn’t do so.
@@danielleelizabeth9417 interesting, the 61 is hand wired, the standard is a circuit board from my understanding.. are you telling me the Les Paul standards have the pickups plugged into a circuit board too these days??
@@Ledzepfan88 the les paul standards have been hand wired again for the last few years
SG is an underrated guitar. You have to play one to understand
the SG is so nice to play and to me the sound of an SG is synonymous for me with the sound of rock music. Everything from black sabbath to the best period of the who and ACDC. All the most impressive riffs are played on SG's originally.
It is truly. Its such an immediate and punchy guitar, but not quite as much as a les paul (which I actually prefer). This means it makes the front of a note very strong, but you can still use it with clean amps and not feel as exposed as a clean les paul is. With spongy, high gain amps, its heaven.
I kinda have to disagree, now granted I might have not played as many as you guys, but whenever I pickup a les paul or a stratocaster it feels like a strong sturdy instrument, but the SG feels like if I bend the strings too much it will snap in 3 different spots, and I realize thats why Pete Townsend loved them but when I feel it I feel nothing but buyers remorse. I suppose I wont get it until I find the perfect one
@@paulcrosby7419 ??? It's a sturdy instrument. The only design flaw is that it tends to neck dive, which is preventable with a good strap/strap position.
Mr tunabeat you are so right. I didn’t understand until I picked my boyfriends up and now I’m hooked. 😅😅
Too many by guitars.
The biggest difference between these models seems to be constantly missed. The location of the neck pickup is almost a 3/4" inch different between the models. That makes a huge difference.
Can you elaborate? I don't have a Les Paul to measure/compare and I can't eyeball it in the video, even while he's holding them up next to each other.... I'm guessing the neck pick being located closer to the tail piece and bridge is going to make sound more like a bridge Pickup (or middle if they had 3PUs) compared to the one that is spaced farther away. Which guitar has the larger distance between the pick-ups and which spacing do you think is ideal?..... Are you simply referring to the fact that the LP neck pick up has more wood from the body surrounding it than the SG? if so what do you think that does to the sound?
@@Joe_whatuknow The SG has 24 frets and the LP 22 frets. SG also has a neck tenon space in there too. So the SG neck pickup is closer to the bridge. Find any old Strat and switch between the neck and middle pickups noting how the tone shifts due to pickup placement, same thing happens on triple humbucker guitars but those are harder to find than Strats. So the SG is almost like having a middle pickup for its neck option. The bridge pickups are practically in the same location and most rock songs are played with bridge only. But if played with either of the other two switch positions then they will be different.
Actually this SG has 22 frets but spacing for the Neck pickup is the same as on a 24 fret guitar. In that regard, the tonal differences between a 24 vs a 22 fret neck position pickup is well documented. As far as the wood is concerned, well technically it should have no effect however if it did the differences would pale to the tonal differences in relation to the position of the pickup. Personally I really like the tone of the SG neck pup, not better or worse just different and a bit tighter.
The Les Paul just has something extra that the sg does not but I can't pin it down. Both very similar though
@@damo690 I feel the same way with the sg. The neck pickup on the sg sounds unlike any guitar even other 24 fret types. Tighter brighter than a Les paul but with an odd growl that is unmistakable.
For me, the Les Paul's thicker tones take more space and are more useful when there are fewer instruments in a song or when the guitar has more beginning to end focus. The SG serves busier mixes better. It finds its spots and hits them.
yeah it's like you can almost make a band with a Les Paul and a drummer...but not with an SG. I tried it, I was a SG player, then the bassist left, and now I realise how the sg sounds not enough fuller.
100% Agree. I have to play an LP when there's no bass player,. It fills the room with more low end. End up playing rhythm with some bass lines. The SG is a better suited if there's a second guitar in the mix. I want an SG again eventually
Clear and well presented video. I have an SG but now I want a 50's Les Paul. It never ends...
It really doesn't stop once you get that first one!
Yep I was happy with my laminated acoustic guitar for 4 years. Now ive got a new acoustic j200 and les paul style guitar and I cant believe the diffrent types of tones and styles that are out there. Now I WANT IT ALLLLL!!!!!! 🥲🥲
Hah! I have a 50s standard in heritage Cherryburst and now i want an SG.
I'd rather have the SG.
You are right it never ends. I always want a new Guitar
I have been playing Les Pauls off and on for 20 years. Love the way they look, sound, and feel. That all changed when I got a '61 SG Standard. Something just clicked and the snappy tone , attack, and clarity that the SG gave me felt like home. I did throw a little bit hotter Gibson pickup in the bridge. Now if I play I grab my SG over my Les Paul 10 to 1.
Dang man..why aren't you in a famous band? You're an incredible player!!
because he works in a music store...hes music store famous
Probably doesn't want to sell his soul to the "chief commander".
Here's a pen...
I've always prefered the SG because it just has this powerful snap to it, along with great sustain and power. And they are very light and play like butter.
Like a Strat and a Les Paul mated and had a baby.
I'm not a Gibson kind of guy but I've always loved that bright defined kind of sound of the SGs.
Agree... The brightness can be tamed but the LP doesn't have it like the SG to begin with.... This makes the SG the far better guitar in my view with much more versatility.
The LP is great for thick drop tuning heavy rock though... It beats the SG in that regard.
Because I gotta have my brights and larger scale length I don't play either but rather a Fender LE mahogany set neck Tele with Duncan '59 and Pearly Gates+ pickups - it's a fantastic guitar for getting the Gibson humbucker tone with the Fender perks thrown in. Highly, highly recommend as an option especially if your going for Gibson tone with a Fender scale length.
I’d be thrilled with either Gibson LP or SG. As of now, I own a Mexican custom shop strat and a 2020 Epiphone SG standard that aren’t too bad. Would eventually like to add a jr of some sort with a p90. Life is good!
You will get there one day. Most of us start out on the cheaper side. Years of work and dedication to playing guitar will always pay off. Good luck to you! Always make sure you play it before you buy it. On paper something might seem lile it was made for you, but then you get it in your hands and it just feels wrong.
@@sid5156 I agree 100%. I have seen many guitars over the years, many that my guitar heroes play and of course I wanted those guitars for that reason alone, but when I picked one up it just did not feel or sound the way I thought it should. I wanted a Les Paul for many years, but I couldn't find one that I truly liked. I found an SG that I loved instantly because it felt perfect in my hands and sounded amazing. Many years later I did the same with my Les Paul, then it hit me, I just had not found "the" one. It's always best to play different guitars, till you find "the" one.
Another scenario. I wanted a Fender Strat. I played some that were nice and some that were not. Then one year for my birthday my wife bought me a Mexican Fender Stratocaster HSS and that thing feels and plays like butter, its my favorite guitar out of all of them and I use it the most. It's like you said, on paper it might seem like the way to go, but what counts is how it feels in your hands, if it feels right in your hands, you will be able to make it sound great! I've seen many players play cheap guitars and do wonders with it, then i've seen many players with 3000 dollar guitars that can barely control it.
The bridge pickup on the SG almost always requires rolling the tone off to around 6 or 7 to take out some of the harsh high end. That way you can retain the more articulate neck pickup tone without peeling the paint off the walls when you switch to the bridge.
Thanks for sharing!
Its why I love the two tone controls on Gibson guitars as like you, I generally set a neck tone with some clarity and then lower the tone on the bridge till it doesn't sound too harsh.
What's nice for that too is those Diaz clones Pedal Pawn makes of the TX Ranger It has the low -mid - hi clipping option that works so well
I used to play a LP standard , but I sold it after I got my hands on this ebony SG standard ..
The SG sounds brighter and more articulated compared to the muddy tones coming from the LP..
I like that odd growl on the SG’s neck pickup , with the tone squeezed , or combined with the bridge pickup to get EC’s lady sound.
And then with that endless vibrating, almost stuttering sustain, provided by that thin body.....goosebumps!
That is the true soul of an SG.
I don’t like using the bridge pickup too much, only just for that heavy stuff, or some solo’s..
having had both guitars, would you say that with some treble rolled off the SG is capible of sounding more like the LP?
asking because i play lots of cleans and like the lescpaul but, I dont like how they feel
@@BigBobbyBoLo
Yes , you can approach a more creamy sound by rolling down the tone knob , but the reason why SG’s have a more biting (or bright) tone, is due to the fact that both pickups are positioned closer to the bridge than they are on a LP .
Hope that answers your question.
I much prefer SGs over LPs. The look, feel, playability and sound are much more to my liking. My personal favorite SG is a Standard in black with full face black pick guard.
I have the Epiphone version and love it.
Tee Makarov I had a Epiphone LP and an Epiphone SG. The SG sounds so much better. The LP was a bit too dark and lifeless.
Coopers riff-age is on point, what a tone, great guitarist
Love 'em both! I have an Epi sg400 pro, and an Epi gold top reissue with p90s. Maybe someday I'll get a Gibson, but for now I'll keep playing my Epi's. Great playing, man. Good tones......UPDATE...I got a Gibson Les Paul studio 10, 2020....love this guitar 🎸!!!
Thank you!
Just got an Epi SG special. Had a Tusq nut installed. Ain't too shabby. Nice clean tone. Good review here. Thorough and nice that you give a lot of attention to clean tone. Really appreciate that a lot. Both of you explain things very well.
I had a 2011 sg special. Easily the best neck on a guitar Ive ever played. Beautiful tone as well. Had to sell it due to financial needs but it's been a huge regret. Not as deep or fat sounding as a les Paul, but pierces through a mix far better. A lot more bite than an LP. If you want a deep, dark, full-bodied sound, LP Is better. Sg is brighter and imo more versatile.
I know this whole video was to show the difference in tonality between these two guitars but damn I love the playing done in this video
SG sounded great with those jazz licks but man that Les just had it..
I got both so here's my input:
SG
Pros: Comfortable to play, easy access to higher frets, more affordable than Les Paul, lightweight if you prefer lighter guitars.
Cons: They hate staying in tune, lightweight if you prefer heavier guitars.
Les Paul
Pros: They generally stay in tune, heavier body (assuming non weight relieved), more sustain than SG.
Cons: Heavier body is not as comfortable to gig with, difficult to play higher frets, usually way overpriced.
They both sound awesome and you cant go wrong with either. Its a matter of which one fits you better. I'm considering trading my SG for a second Les Paul since I love them so much
Excellent Comparison, Excellent Playing and Tones as usual!
Glad you liked it!
I am firm believer in the saying, "Tone is in the fingers". Love Derek Trucks with his SG--I might be wrong, but think he plays mostly on the neck P/up, at least that's what I think I hear.
Your tone on the LP sounded better to my ears, than that on the SG -- a bit too brittle for my taste, especially on the bridge P/up. I don't think I myself could get the SG to sound even as good as you.
FWIW, I am more comfortable with a thin-line telecaster (clone). For my fingers/touch, single coils work better in the bridge, and humbuckers belong in the neck. For certain genres I do like P90s all around. I have an Epi '56 Gold Top LP that kills the electric blues.
Humbuckers can be too much all the time, where as the P90s can be super smooth when dialed back. The thin-line is very smooth in the middle position, again dialed back a bit. YMMV!
S G All Day-It's versatility can't be understated-You can really pull off all Genre's-It's a rockin' beast-that tranforms for jazz,blurs metal, fusion.But it's the Sounds.It is Blisstering Midrange & Punchy-Also it's the perfect Dagger-Lightweight but Menacing.Much more comfortable w/ body carve & the Double cutaway Allows you to easily access the Higher register.And Those Horns-It Always reminded of a StingRay Corvette-Perfect...
SG’s in general cover more tonal range. Mids are punch high end is not stifled. Pretty open. Les Pauls are tighter in the mids. More focused because of the maple on mahogany top. Neck joint matters a lot. Even if you swapped out the pickups those attributes really don’t change that much. Owned both. Still have an SG. Light!
Well, the reason it doesn’t matter when you switch the pickups is because SG’s and Les Pauls have different bridge and neck pickup positions. It has nothing to do with the maple cap or neck joint.
Well the neck is a different place, 26th fret vs 24th fret harmonic on a Paul. Still my point is valid as any guitars construction affects it’s tone. Neck joint does matter as a Les Paul’s neck is shorter. Neck is a tuning fork. A 12th fret acoustic sounds different than a 14 fret even if all else is equal. The first Martin D28 compared to a 1939 let’s say. Put a Tele pickup in a Strat even hardtail and it will sound different. Body shape, dimensions, cavity route. Another; Explorer and Flying V. Same pickup position, bridge, neck angle. The body,even solid affects tone. A solid mahogany Les Paul sounds nothing like one with a maple cap.
this is the first time I've seen cooper greenberg alone in an alamo music video. great job cooper!
In a world where its great to be alone.
Check out Cooper’s other stone profile videos where he also flies solo. There is also a great Cooper breakdown of pedal boards coming soon. -Chris
Coop is awesome
i bought a gibson today
@Allidois Goofoff Even if they did, if it's going to bring em joy for the rest of their lives, it's totally worth it, is it not?
Good for you! Hope you got a good one. A good Gibson will last a lifetime.
No with my money i have saved up
@@abigailneely4085 Congrats to you!
Just got an old Gibson myself Had to sell a great 97 R9 in 08 so banging on a Jr soon
Have both and prefer the SG. The new SGJr is even better in my view.
Glad to hear that I just picked up a 66 Jr project
On overdrive the LesPaul just has more punch ,sustain , and lyricism but both are excellent blues and rocknroll guitars
true, but in a mix, the SG tone really cuts through, I had an LP before and I found it a bit muddier in mixes overall, but maybe better sounding on its own or a light mix.
thiccer
Except for Derek Trucks and Duane Allman, I never paid to much attention to SG's. This video was an eye opener. I'm gassing for one now.
The neck also sits higher up on an SG when you sit with it, something to keep in mind
Dean Spence the neck positioning on the SG is the main reason why I prefer it. It feels so open and natural to me, whereas a Les Paul feels very cramped. And it’s funny because so many of the players I love are Les Paul players.
Once again, a good video. I have both and though the Les Paul is my favorite the SG has a sharpness that when I scream the guitar ears start to blow, which is the intent. The Les Paul you can hear more of the acoustic tones due to the top being hollowed, great for playing those thumping power chords. Les pauls are great for playing good old blues and rock , where the SG is a shredder great for Dirty Blues and metal
Man it was a difficult decision for me when I had to choose between the two. Before picking up an sg I wasn’t really the biggest fan and absolutely loved the LP standard, the way it felt and played felt unmatched but then I actually played an SG and let go of my bias and was blown away. It was weird it felt like a click. I never liked the way the sg looked but then I always creamed my pants everytime I saw one
The 3 way switch below the strings on the SG isn't a drawback to me , having said that i will say i found reaching for the neck tone knob next to the input jack takes a bit of finesse due to the straight horizontal input jack , but plan to remedy that by switching to a 90 elbow jack which leaves more room to access the neck tone knob. Loved the reaction and the beautiful tones and playing from you Cooper.
Les Paul’s are awesome but compared to an SG they are not as easy to play. The SG is a result of feedback and poor sales of the les Paul. The SG is lighter you can wear it all evening, it’s got much better neck access and due to different pickup location gives it a bit more bite to it’s tone.
If it was just down to sales the SG would win hands down.
Even a nice 8.5 lb LP is too heavy these days
People are so weak complaining about 8.5 pounds being heavy
@@luapnoguob9828 lol
@@luapnoguob9828 Not saying that some LPCs weight 11 pounds. Even 12. However, never heard of 13.
Just people who cant handle a heavy girl😈
The Lester tones at the very end was an example of what I like about a Les Paul.
Nice series! I'd love to see more of this.
On it!
Awesome a/b, Cooper you’re just a pleasure to listen to!
And that's why I gravitated to the SG Standard back in the '60s and finally bought one in '91.
Have actively played both. Sometimes I miss my SG but come to videos like this that reassure me that I enjoy the LP sound more.
Nothing wrong with SG as it has its purposes but for me it cuts too much and I prefer the burly weighted tone of the LP
Quackery S. I do too but what I really like is the Paul Reed Smith comparisons to the Les Paul . In those competitions the Les Paul usually wins but it is a photo finish . The Les Paul has a slight edge in warmth . Anyway I think that is why Carlos Santana hooked up with the PRS . The PRS gave him more punch than the SG but wasn’t as heavy as the Les Paul.
The SG neck pickup is closer to the bridge than the Les Paul neck pickup. That makes the SG pickup to catch the wave at a lower point of the amplitude. That makes it sound sharper on the neck pickup. It is not necessarily the thickness of the body.
LP sounds great here... But I've always loved my SG for cutting through a mix with leads.
I have a LP and SG, they both are worth owning.
What about the Strat and the Tele, nothing to sneeze at. Get all four!
Totally agree.
That'a always the best option. Don't limit yourself.
I love the neck, weight, and all neck access of the SG
I love the SG, mine has a P-90. I don’t own a humbucker LP. I do have a 2015 LPJr that I modded with a Charlie Christian pick up in the neck and a Rick Beato Special. Not a humbucker in sight. Growing up in the 1960s I played bass (EB-0) and our guitarists both had SGs. One a special and one a standard. I’ve loved the SG ever since.
I have been mostly a strat and tele guy but I bought a 2005 '61 reissue SG a few months ago and absolutely love it. The neck dive gets annoying but a thick levys leather strap helped get it 75 percent better. I love the access to all of the frets as well as the thin neck
it's interesting. mine it is not neck-heavy. It's totally balanced. I have a 1968 SG.
Lorenzo Ciliberto well that’s cuz u have a holy grail of guitars Hendrix played a 68 custom they were made perfectly in the 60s I’ve got a 2020 sg and it’s pretty well balanced and it sounds great not plugged in and plugged in.
I replaced the metal tuners with lightweight vintage spec Grover tuners on my SG and it made all the difference in balance.
The SG is définitely a great choice for strat players to come to
I think I liked the Les Paul a bit more. The SG sounds great too. I'm glad I have both, even though they're Epiphones. Some Seymour Duncans or DiMarzios will make them just as good as a Gibson more or less.
No, the Pick Ups are important too, but the sound maks your Guitar. Wood, bridge, saddle, strings and your playing of course. Good elecronics brings the sound to live, not more. When the Guitar don't sounds good, the Pick Ups can't help.
Sorry but tonally, that SG sounds glorious, extremely articulate, melodically much better and not nearly as muddy.
Have SG and LP standards and I grab my SG far more than my LP. Sustain and tone is better on the LP but the SG inspires me more and just feels right. Very enjoyable to play.
Well, The Paul sounds a bit fatter, but the SG is a more modern Les Paul. More comfortable to play, lighter, less expensive and in my opinion better looking. I purchased 10 years ago a 68 SG junior, and it is the best Guitar i ever played.
I like hearing that I picked up 66 that needs a little work Can't wait to get it together Does yours have the copper shielding in the control cavity ? I'm missing that so was going to get some shielding tape or paint I'm thinking
@@paulcowart3174 yes it's copper shielded. I have replaced the tuners with new Klusons and the Bridge with a locking Bridge from Faber with brass intonation bars. Man, what an improovement. Now the maestro Tremolo is usable. I highly recommend this part. www.faberguitar.com/TBWC-59NG-BR-Faber-Vintage-Spec-ALU-Compensated-Wraparound-Tailpiece-Nickel-gloss-Intonationsleiste-Messing
Buy a Custom Shop SG you'll hear the magical difference
I have owned both a 1979 standard LP and a 61 VOS SG reissue. Both great guitars. I ended up parting with the SG however as it was a pain having to constantly unjust the tuning particularly at live gigs. I never had the same issue with my LP? The VOS SG was the most expensive guitar I have ever bought and lost money on it when I sold it
Surprised you didn't just upgrade the tuners like so many did on the vintage SGs and LPs
Paul Cowart Yes in hindsight I probably should have looked at doing that.
@@BROOKS39 Hey man I've let some good ones get away myself Part of the game I've always traded stuff and wish I had several back 67 V 68 Goldtop 58 Strat just to show how I feel
I"m not a guitar player but like you Angus young's playing on the SG has always had me gravitating toward the sound of the SG. There is a distinctive differnce. Hard to describe but I would say the SG has more "Jump" or getty up than the Les PAul
SG plus AC 30 is divine, Les plus Marshall is equaly in a diff way
i have 2 sg standards..and 1 les paul standard..i ve always prefered my sg s over les pauls...the feel the sound everything
Sweet demo - thank you very much !
I have both and I love both of them.
Great demo! I was looking for this. Saw your SG standard vs '61 reissue comparison, and never considered getting a standard after that lol. The '61 sounds great. So does this LP though.
Maaaan, Cooper just oozes cool. Such a great player. And playing my dream guitar too. (the SG) Great video.
Great objective demo, solid playing as well…sweet choice chords and riffs.
Dude, great playing
Really smart objective comparison. Nice job. You’re a picker my friend. I’d have liked hearing them through a British Amp. I have an SG now but considering a LP. $$ and neck access always held me back plus there is a sparkle I like in SG’s. Keep the good comps coming
That was some sweet playing on the Les Paul at the end I’m a Les Paul fan love that sweet mellow lead sound
Les Paul. That neck pickup is further away from the bridge. Nodes and antinodes, right? So the Les Paul is picking up more of the warmth from the antinode with the longest wavelength. It's a slight difference, but it sounds a lot more buttery and far less aggressive. Les Paul.
Everytime i was forced to sell it it was like parmesan in my pasta...i lacked of somethin...now an sg special s comin my way. This time for good. That guitar s devilish. Having my Lp and Sg back togetjer s like a blessing.
I have a lp and a sg. I find myself playing the sg. But I've also added a coil tap on my pickups on my sg. But... My lp has the p90's and that has killer sound.
Bet it does!
An SG with P90s isn't to shabby either.
Playability: SG
Neck Pickup: Les Paul
Middle: Les Paul
Bridge: SG
Aesthetics: Les Paul (for me)
Weight: SG
Overall: Tie! That's why I have both haha
Always have been a Strat / fender fan. I am still there.
But I actually do like the SG. As a strat man the weight is obviously a point. But an SG seems a more versatile weapon too compared to a LP which oozes low mid and (too much) power. A guy like Page had his LP quite bright on records. Pickups? Steel hardware? A standard SG usually comes closer on classic driven gear towards that tone than a standard LP. On the other hand, Clapton had the LP, SG and 335 all in a 2 years period.
Don’t forget Clapton’s Firebird too. Guy was looking like a walking Gibson advertisement
Excellent comparison demo !
Thank you so much!
Great video, Cooper is a great presenter and awesome player, content is what most people looking for one of these guitars must know. I had a LP in the old days but few days ago I tried a SG for the first time, I was surprised with the ergonomics, lightness and amazing sound, now it is in my wish list.
Great playing, thanks for the reviews
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have an sg and after watching this video....i want another sg! I love that they are not heavy at all and you can play every fret without turning your hand into as pretzel trying to play high notes. I don't always play the high notes but I play the notes high....as fuck!
Both wonderful but hard to beat the weight and upper fret access of an SG. Neck dive isn’t really a problem if you have a good strap. Vintage style tuners help too. I’d take a SG and 335
Great playing Cooper!
Can we just talk about wtf happened at 8:43 for a full minute? Holy hell man.
Thanks for this!.
I’m just building up to getting a Gibson Heritage SG, but need to see the alternatives first.
thank u jesus..excellent video..praise be
also in summary what i have learned in this video is the SG is 'kinda' like a middle ground between an LP and strat...?
the reason i'm asking is i own an LP and strat and wondering if I should buy SG or a Hollow body next?
Cheers for any help
The Sg is the rain, and the Les Paul is sunshine. When he plays the exact same part on each guitar, the Sg sounds more sad, and the sun comes out with the les Paul. Me and my brother both agree.
you hit 2 of my 3 favs, angus derek, and of course iommi, aside fomr that for the Les neal shone and mick ronson
SG sound impressed me
OMG, very nice playing.
Les Paul. I play solo & clean, and the LP has more depth and character to the sound. If I played with high gain and needed to, "cut through the mix," I might feel differently.
SG is one of the most versatile guitars around, and right now possibly the best version is the cheapest with the maple neck. No worry of headstock snapping and a super smooth satin finish. I had an 08 std that I swapped for an LP studio signature, that was a mistake and regretted it ever since. Both guitars, the LP and the SG are great instruments, it's just down to personal choice. Oh, and I also own a mid priced gretsch twin jet, hello Malcolm on a budget that frankly shows every manufacturer a lesson in value for money!
Maple neck good
Maples necks are good for what they are but nothing sounds like a mahogany neck
I can’t really tell the difference between the sound of the 2. What is the difference in sound? Is it worth getting both of them?
SG is far more playable
With the SG being half the weight, double-cut away (letting you play higher on the register) and having a thinner neck it's much easier to do lead work on
True. But SG has annoying neck dive. That's the reason I sold mine.
HI, I find the SG has a better tone to be a bit more brighter. I have a SG and I'm suprised of the difference there is between the 2
To me, the Les Paul has that deeper, rounded out tone that sounds more rich..... The SG is still nice and bright though.
Is that a "weight relieved" LP? Nothing matches the tone of the full body wood LP but they're SO DAMN HEAVY. The SG on the other hand is light as a feather. I get the best of both worlds (plus convincing Strat & Tele tones) with a 2010 PRS DGT ;) Nice playing btw!
No, the new Standards are not weight relieved. I have a '19 Wildwood 50s Standard and it is about 9.5 lbs, my '18 Traditional (which also has no weight relief) is right at 10 lbs.
Although more expensive, the Gibson custom shop non-weight relieved Les Pauls are lighter than the Gibson USA Standard 50s and 60s due to the higher quality wood samples used.
sold my Les Pauls,still have my SG's, same as i got rid of Strats, still have the Tele's, just better sounding
I'm in the same boat, but I can't say I won't get another Les Paul though.
I agree totally I own em all, but only really play tele's and sg's , it has to be a tone thing ?
LONG-WINDED COMMENT ALERT! :-)
So, I own a Gibby LP (2008 Studio Vintage Mahogany - meaning a Mahogany cap instead of Maple, and a chambered, and therefore, lighter body). I've never owned an SG, and would love to. Now OF COURSE I'd prefer Gibby over Epi, but for a whole host of reasons, I would be more likely to settle for an Epi first, and move up to a Gibby later if the Epi really rocked my world. Besides the "inspired by Gibson" big headstock CTS pots Epis are being lauded with all sorts of accolades, and so they actually would probably make for at the very least, a decent stand-in to see if the bug bites hard enough to move up to a Gibby later.
It's been years since I've actually played an SG, so I'd better stay away from the question of "which do I prefer the feel of" until I can make a more informed decision. But knowing some of the pros and cons of both, I could really see it going either way. As for the question of looks, I've probably changed my mind on this question 20 times over the last 10yrs, but as it stands today, I think I favor the look of the SG, albeit I prefer the "big Batwing" look to the "small Batwing" that appeared in this video, even if that puts me in the minority.
As for the sound, people characterize the SG as brighter and the LP as warmer, but I see it as something similar, but slightly perpendicular to this: to describe the sound difference between the two as I hear it, the best metaphor that I can think of is those old 10-band graphic EQs that we all used to have on our stereos in the 90's and earlier. To my ears, the Les sounds like a "shallow V" on the EQ, with not only a little bit of bass boost, but treble boost too. Like, the extreme highs sound brighter to me on the Les, resulting in a smoother, warmer, richer, more "sing songy", "soaring" character, whereas the SG sounds more like the EQ set at perfect flat - nothing boosted or cut. As a result, it's got a more simplistic, more "straight ahead" sound; and a "gnarlier" sound as well - but also a more articulate, defined sound.
So, in terms of applications and overall preference: in the case of driving, dirty power chords, a gnarly lead solo, or a clean riff where each note's articulation is more important than the complexity and nuance or warmth of tone, in all these ways, I'd MUCH prefer the SG. But in terms of soaring, sing-songy solos and just about every other application that I didn't mention above, I think I'd mostly prefer the Les Paul. As for overall preference, let's get me an SG and ask again in a year or two, but for now, the only reason I'd say Les is because it seems to me that even if I am right in all the dynamics I laid out above, I feel like the Les makes a slightly better stand-in for the SG than the SG does as a stand-in for the Les.
Though, of course, having both would be the best option of all. :-)
Anyway, that's my take! This is an excellent comparison video, BTW: both from a playing perspective, a production perspective, and above all, a comparison value perspective. The only way this could've been better was if both guitars used the exact same pickups. Then all the variables would be perfect! But, and maybe someone will quibble with me here, I kinda think any Burstbucker variant will be close enough to any other Burstbucker variant that the comparison will still work. :-)
Thanks for taking the time to make this! :-)
Cheers!
Would still have to sand the neck gloss off both for me to be able to play them
The real difference between the two that actually matter is the fact that both the pickups on the SG are in different locations than the Les Paul. That’s what we’re hearing, not the maple cap or the weight.
You are hearing the wood also cmon
@@luapnoguob9828 Johan Segeborn has a fantastic video showing this concept of moving the pickups. You can not attribute the sound difference to wood when the pickups are in different places to begin with.
Nice demo! I regret having sold my Gibson CS LP two years ago. LP tone is better to my ears and I don't like SG appearance. But LP is a little bit heavy for me.
I love the range of tones from my les Paul but the cut of the sg
I prefer the SG over the LP feels better sounds better and is just a mean ass guitar
That was really great. What is he playing when he starts at 3:05? Is it just noodling or an actual part of a song? I wanna learn it!
Hey man, glad you dig it- it’s a song of mine called Cactus Flower, you can find it on Spotify and all other streaming stuff. It’s based around Cmaj7-Am7-Dm7-G7. Fun to jam! Thanks
I love an SG with an innotatable wrap around bridge with saddles like a schaller 455 = this God like!
(Melody Maker 2014 also sounds like an SG because of the thickness of the body)
Demonstrating guitars solo exposes many of their small nuances, but gives no information regarding how they sound in a band mix. The LP's low mids may sound nice solo, but they often get in the way in a mix and have to be attenuated.
SGs are generally a bit brighter, more resonant and airy sounding, and produce less low mids. The slightly more rearward neck pickup on an SG improves the sound, in my opinion. The SG's unlimited upper fret access is the game changer for me. Once you've experienced it, you will not likely want to go back to the awkward upper fret restriction of a Les Paul. The SG's lightness compared to a Les Paul is also a game changer for me.
Both of these are great, classic guitars, but in my opinion, the SG is just a bit better.
I have a 1999 61 Reissue 57 Classics
2005 Special with Bare Knucle Black Dogs
2006 Standard
2019 Jaydee Iommi Custom
Also have an R8 but never gets played.
Just love the necks and easiness to play Sabbath way way up there.
Have a McCarty PRS although a beautiful guitar it remains locked away.
Nothing comes close to the SGs but that’s just me!
That is quite a collection!
I am 14 and and working my ass of to by a sg. I love the sound of them and it would be nice to by a nice guitar before I have to pay taxes and be an adult
I’m the same age and the same situation.
Prodipe /JM forest sg 300. A gibson for the price of a cheap epiphone u wont regret (300€ for a set neck)