Gibson SG Special vs Standard | Are P-90's Better?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- After one of our most popular videos discussed humbuckers vs. P-90's on Les Pauls, its now time to run down the same question on SGs! Take a listen to the Gibson SG Special (with P-90s) vs. the classic humbucker'd SG Standard. Let us know which one you like more!
0:00 Intro
6:11 Clean P-90s
7:38 Clean Humbuckers
9:08 Dirty P-90s
10:33 Dirty Humbuckers
11:58 Final Thoughts
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Well, that settles it once and for all. I want both!
I agree - if you already have a Les Paul - it's most likely got humbuckers in. Unless you absolutely have to have an SG with humbuckers too, maybe get the SG with the P-90s. That way you have different pickups, different body shape and weight covered over two guitars.
I have the Gibson Standard Tribute Sg with the 490's humbuckers love them ...and Pro buckers in my 2021 Epiphone modern figured Sg love these even more
I love my epi sg modern. The probuckers fit my style perfectly, and that asymmetrical neck, so comfortable
I currently own four Gibson SGs that range from a Custom shop to the Sparkling Burgundy version of the P-90 Special in the video. I have 3 with P-90s and the 4th with humbuckers. To me, it all comes down to what kind of music I'll be playing and my mood when I pick up a guitar to play. I can get a much greater tonal variety out of the P-90s than I can with the humbuckers, but the humbuckers definitely have their place, especially when I want to go high gain. The P-90s, for me, sit in the tonal pallet right between my Les Paul and single coils like a Fender Strat. Either way, I love all my SGs. Chris, based on what music I see you playing, I think you couldn't go wrong if you went with the p-90 SG. For everyone else trying to decide, I would suggest playing them yourself, with a variety of amps/pedals that fit your style to make your decision. I hope this helps someone trying to make a decision.
Great video that addresses a common question for would-be SG buyers. I went with the SG Special with P-90s for several reasons noted here. I have a Gibson LP Standard that covers my humbucker needs. Once I heard these P-90s.. oh man... the cleans are sparkling, and there is a lot of variance by adjusting the volume and tone. Distorted, the P-90s clean up nicely at a lower volume. I found there to be more tonal possibilities with the P-90s vs. humbuckers. Mine is Pelham blue, a striking color that appears to be no longer available on the Gibson site. And, yes, the case is awesome. Thx again for a great video!
I've mostly played Teles my whole life but always wanted an SG. Love a Special but also like fretboard inlays and wanted a vibrato. I got a 2020 Standard 61 Maestro. Tried to live with the humbuckers but I grew not to like them so I switched the pickups out for a humbucker sized Bare Knuckle Blue Note low-wind p90. I know, not a REAL p90 but a true single coil pickup. Tons of clarity and definition, they bark when you want them to but clean up so beautifully and offer a hint of sparkle that a humbucker just doesn't provide. I tried a set of Lollartrons which had more high end but zero definition on the low strings. I wanted it to be a more versatile guitar and the Bare Knuckles did it ten times over. They're staying.
The secret only known to fans, P-90s are actually an upgrade from humbuckers.
The only downside is that they are noisy as hell. But also have the added benefit being able to switch to mini humbucks with little modification.
@@squidge7436 there is no downside when you're playing simple. Amp, Guitar and maybe an Overdrive. It's when you start getting into a shitload pedals and Marshall amps and high-gain sounds where P90s can be a b****.
@@BITESIZEJONES Not going to argue, just saying it is the nature of a single coil and if the buzz really bothers you thant much it is an easy switch. And besides Iommi used P90s on the early Sabbath records, and Hendrix, Blackmore, and Malmsteen all used single coils with high gain.
@@squidge7436 Noise gate or hum debugger.
Yeah, if you like noise
Love my SG standard in cherry, but love the p90 tone , ordered the special in ebony…best of both worlds!
SG’s have always been my favourite guitars…had a 72 special back in the day that was stolen…still dream about that guitar…looking forward to having a special again.
Love your videos and amazing playing ! Go “ala mode” lol 😂
I’ve owned a 2009 Gibson SG standard and also a 2017 Gibson SG Standard. I just purchased the Gibson SG Special in Vintage cherry and it is by far my favorite SG I have owned or played so far. Amazing sounds and quality coming from the special. Things get real nasty with a Marshall real quick!
I like the P90s all the way around. And Chris, the inlays are trapezoids, not parallelograms. ; )
Great review, many thanks
Special is stunning on both clean and drive.Nice playing ,great demo.
IMHO the brighter P-90s just make more sense with a dark sounding solid mahogany guitar.
Dark sounding wood for electric guitar...you must be a clever cookie.
I loved the Sparkling Burgundy finish Gibson offered on the Specials more than the Pelham Blue, but I think the ebony just takes the cake. Timeless look. Absolutely beautiful and a tone monster!)
I just got a sparkling burgundy a couple months ago and I love it! Definitely better suited to me than the Pelham blue would be
I took the budget route and got the Epiphone SG Special w/ p90's, and it's great. The p90 sound is so raw. Nice demo.
Such a cool playing!
I have a Heritage Cherry 2005 SG Standard with the 490R and 498T pickups I love this guitar but I'm also a fan of the P90s which I once had on an old 58 Gold Top Les Paul and I really miss that guitar which had been stolen from me and I miss those P90 tonal qualities.
Hello Alamo, ...good job !
Going on looks I prefer the larger "Batwing" pickguard it makes the body look more in proportion. Love the P-90s!
It’s always a treat listening to Cooper, he always stands out in a sea of great TH-cam players. I own three SG’s: batwing Standard from 2010 w/ burstbuckers and ebony board, a 2020 ‘61 Standard, and a new Iommi Monkey SG w/ P90’s. All great guitars and all very different sounding. If push came to shove for tone alone and versatility, I think I’d have to go with the ‘61 Standard. The 2010 is the easiest playing and looks the best IMO (classic white!). The Iommi has a very big neck and great snarl, and noisier than the other two. I’m fortunate to own all three, SG’s are some of the coolest guitars! :)
Hi, What do you think about Iommi Money. Is it really better than the other SG Special? Thx
Other SG variants include the Custom with 3 Humbuckers, and also the discontinued 2 Mini-Humbuckers Special. Many guitar companies are now offering guitars with a P90 at the Neck, and a Humbucker at the Bridge - would be interesting to hear a similarly spec’d SG.
I have a classic.p90s with a regular bridge and a 50s thick neck
Dang, I’m with Cooper on the wrap-around compensated tailpiece. I had a bad experience with the intonation being way off on an expensive guitar with one of these vintage correct, “good enough” bridges, but I’d rather have saddles to adjust and get it as close to perfect as possible for everything you might play (it’s got high fret access too so why wouldn’t that be a priority on this guitar?). I think a guitar that is intonated well always sounds great!
I have a Les Paul with Classic 57 HBs and a Les Paul special with p90s.
I trade off every other day on purpose. Which ever one I'm playing at the
time becomes my favorite. Life is good and I am blessed.
great demo guys! My solution is: get both this is the the way I went. I really like them both...
Loved the sound of both. Do you recall what amp you were using?
I just picked up the SG special he’s playing right there. I’ve been playing a Les Paul with humbuckers for a long time, and although I adore it, I’ve been craving something with a little more gnarly growl and punch for a long time now. I couldn’t be happier with the SG Special. I love the weight. I love the long neck. I love the p90s. It’s hands down the perfect guitar for me and my way of playing. I’m a very animated player (especially on stage, I jump around) and the light weight is perfect for this. I’m also a very aggressive lead guitarist, which the p90s and long neck are perfect for. The SG Special makes me feel like I’m Freddy Krueger or something (sonically speaking) and it totally kicks ass. I love it.
Easy choice. You need both !
Seriously, though, if I had to pick only one it would be very hard for me too.
Leaning slightly towards the Special, because I already have 2 guitars with dual humbuckers.
yup i ended up with both
@@cajunqueen5125 w00t ! Congrats ! \m/
Great review, guys. Chris hit the nail on the head at the end. I was sure I wanted a cherry red Standard. Went into a store to try both and ended up with a black Special - I just couldn't put it down. For blues and classic rock, it just spoke to me more.
Same here! Special Ebony just won my heart.
Don't fret - you can add a Gibson P-94 (humbucker sized P-90) if you have a standard with humbuckers and don't want to modify the cavity or guard.
I think the problem with the Pelham blue is that it's not the classic color.Townsend,Iommi,Young etc etc all used cherry,or ebony of course.
Love my Pelham Blue SG Special. Just ordered a White SG Les Paul Standard Epiphone.
It's not an easy decision between the P90 or the humbucker, trying both is the only way to decide. I've got an Agile AL3000 with P90's & it's great. I tried an AL2000 with humbuckers and liked it also, il think Il get that one too. Can't go wrong either way! Sg is next, probably with humbuckers.
The 61 Standard has 61 Burst-buckers for pick-ups.
The Bobbons are wound unbalanced, meaning one bobbin from each pick up has more wraps of wire.
These pick ups have more wraps on the bobbin with the adjustable pole pieces.
Phil X approves this video, lol. In the past couple years I was introduced to P90s and I am now obsessed with them. I was always a humbucker fan, growing up... I would love this SG.
Weird no one goes for pelham blue. My fav finish/colour for the sg. Loved it on the les paul as well. Would love to see more colour options on SG’s. Ive seen come gold ones in past years that looked gorgeous.
I'm a lefty and the Special is only available in that color. I'd rather have ebony or cherry myself. Just not into the light blue.
These were so much closer to each other than I thought they were going to be 😂
I'd like a Gelato Burst with two scoops of P90 and the waffle cone tuners. That's one Special Gourmet edition. I enjoy the rich clean tones of those P90s from Cooper, and any playing from Cooper for that matter. He can pull off the "serious face" better than Chris, probably because Chris has learned (esp. as a parent) that "as soon as you have a plan, life happens." Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, it all goes out the window, and we just go with the flow, that's how we roll... (There might be a song in there.) Mahalo!
Bro is absolutely fucking shredding that guitar to pieces. You are awesome sir.
The special is hand wired with orange drop capacitors. The standard has the board if that makes a difference to anyone. I love the special. Townsend!!!!
Good point!
I'll just say that I have an SG Jr. Money where my mouth is on that. The mid-range push on P-90s is unbeatable, especially if you pair it up with something scoopy like a Strat.
Great demo. What are you using for overdrive?
Hard to believe Pelham blue wasn't popular. It reminds me of a cool, vintage sports car, which is a perfect fit for this guitar.
I have way too many guitars all Gibson aside from my acoustic, two SG’s one a 2016 Standard and a 2021 SG 61 with Maestro, a Studio Deluxe LP, and a Memphis ES-330 Standard.
I hate to say it but just watching this makes me miss having a p90 SG. It’s just so different from my other stuff yet similar.
Nice playing
Iommi played an Epiphone Custom with P90s on those first Sabbath records. Enough said. Im going for the Gibson just so I can tell myself I owned one. The p90s are much grittier.
ah yes, TONY IOMMI (best SG guitarist therr will ever be)
my buddy got an 83 or 84 special SG brand new and it was great even with the wonky bridge. it had black humbuckers , it was a cool silverish color, intonation was perfect even with lame bridge, it was great, I have never seen another one. It came with a giant case that seemed indestructible...
if i remember correctly it was only like $400 brand new back then
i found a bunch of yellow ones online, no silver ones...
looks like the 84 model had the real bridge and tailpiece so my buddies must have been an 83
great guitars, great amp, great playing. love it
I have the Pellum Blue Special and the Neck feels WIDER than the STD SG. But I still Love it!
Hi Cooper, what pick do you use? Nice video!
Sounds great Cooper
I am in for Rumbucker Icecream!
So I'm still waiting for a valid answer on where the Gibson standard tribute Sg $1,300 and Gibson standard Sg $1,700 so tell me where the $400 difference is..
There is no real significant difference between them practically the same everything. The standard tribute actually has a bonus with the Maple neck with Rosewood fretboard I personally prefer the standard tribute Sg over the standard Sg
P90 for me thanks.🇬🇧
My 1999 SG Special came with humbuckers. I can’t quite get it to snarl as much as P-90s would. I still love it, though.
*sorry for my English
Nice demo! Gibson SG with those P-90s : heavy R & B/power pop vibe (Graham Coxon-early Robbie Krieger-Pete T); Gibson SG with humbuckers/P.A.F. : hard rock or hotter/more modern rock vibe (Weezer-AC/DC) than the SG Special P-90. Both really wonderful solid body guitars. Maybe it's quite interesting if the Standard SG have low output AlNiCo P.A.F.s like Gibson Custombuckers or Seymour D Seth Lover. thanks!
What do you think a p90 in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge?
I have the '61 SG Reissue and I love it! I am debating whether to get the guitar with P90s, but after watching this, the tones sound better clean and dirty with the Humbuckers. Although I like the P90s, the Humbuckers sound better. Just my opinion!!
I have a Gibson SG Special like the one on this video and love its tones, neck, coolness factor and mojo! It also stays in tune, rock solid! All that said there is a huge problem with SGs - they are uncomfortable to play standing up. Neck dive, neck joint placed strap button, etc. makes the guitar lean forward and down. You have to fight it all gig long and ruins the experience. Also as you play you are unconsciously pulling the strings out of tune as you fight the neck dive. YMMV but these are not the best guitars to gig with.
I’m surprised to hear that the Pelham blue ones didn’t sell, I thought they were rad, personally can’t stand gibsons over use of cherry and sunburst, and if you wanna get REALLY crazy, black.
Sounds great though, but again there is a market for fun colours, I would do crazy things to get a non reverse firebird in poly heather, if Gibson USA ever made one.
I want to see more Cobalt Blue. Pelham looks dry and dead but that's just my opinion.
I think I’m the only one who likes they switched to cherry lol I’m OCD and trying to put the sg set together and didn’t want to go vintage or custom shop to get a cherry one
i was lucky enough to find one in pelham blue. stunning
For me it was all about my heroes.Townsend didn't play a Pelham blue sg,nor did Iommi,A Young,Clark jr etc etc
Oh I absolutely LOVE Pelham Blue!!!
I just ordered my first Gibson, first SG and first P90 guitar! It’ll be here tomorrow! So excited only concern is the wrap around tail piece!
How did it go?
Agreed that clean, the P90s sounded better. But, on the other hand, I have an Epiphone Casino P90 that I love for that kind of tone. But, only other guitar I have that's humbuckers is a 335. So, I'd probably go with the humbuckers. I think I liked the full-range psychedlic hard rock tone, with gain. But, I'm shopping for an SG for high-gain. Don't have a Les Paul, interested in this instead. Though, the Deluxe reissue of the Guild Polara has my attention at the moment.
Well, there we go, I need both! And also a '61.
I like the sound of the SG with the humbuckers. Roly Large.
I don’t mind the bridge on the Specials. They’re like Juniors, which I like.
Can’t go wrong with any SG
Well I did! My Gibson 2017 HP STD. in Heritage Cherry has such severe neck dive that it's unplayable. I ended up gluing on a few weight's about 1/2 pound to the plastic cover on the back (over the pots) to balance the guitar better. This helped with the neck dive somewhat but did not eliminate it and now my 6.6 lb. guitar weighs 7.1 lbs.
Please please do a comparison between that SG special vs the 61 standard. That the real competition get that modern day standard outa here!
The SG Special is the same as the SG Classic except pickguard shape? Am I wrong?
The first clip that showed the clean P90 neck tone made me wanna get this SG so freaking bad! Ive been looking into P90 guitars but there is something about an SG that has always caught my interest. Ive owned Les Pauls before, but never an SG. I guess I will go and try one myself and decide whether or not it suits my style. I am a bit worried about the neck diving situation. Is it as bad as people say?
I'm so drawn in by the "excessive" blackness of the Special Ebony! Simple and smart. It's again the exquisite P90s fault, as these come in black for all colors of both models.
Love my Les Paul Special!
I have a '92 Gibson SG Special in black and a '01 Standard in cherry. Both have a fat neck. I do not like the 490 & 498 on the Standard and I will probably get some P90 style pickups for it.
I'm a P90 fan, but damn... Cooper, your playing is amazing!
I love SG’s however I can’t stand the circuit board pots they are using on the SG Standards and Tributes and probably the Specials too although I haven’t cracked one of those open yet. So what I did was I bought a brand new husk via Stratosphere and I installed a set of Saturday Night Specials and nice pots with bumblebee caps and it’s an awesome SG now, I also did something similar with an SG Tribute as well with other pups. For me that was the way to go.
how does a circuit board sound compared against handwired? and what percievable difference does bumblefuck caps make a difference.
@@chickenlickin3820 , none…. Go play with your circuit board, thanks.
@@chickenlickin3820 , I like all the pretty colors on the caps. It makes the control cavity look psychedelic.
the special is handwired orange drop caps
@@sutton9571 , Aye... you're right. I actually just purchased a new LP Special w/ P90's and I was happy to see it was hand wired.
Very similar sounding. I have a sg special fwiw 😃
I will take the Special over the Standard SG every day, the secret is the amp, Marshall’s and SG’s are a match made in Heaven
Bob Marley used a Les Paul Special P90's he wouldn't have traded it for the world, and he was Rhythm! Thanks for a great demo..and buy both for the price of one les paul!
Dude on the left is clearly thinking his own thoughts while nodding his head up and down as if to agree, but only because he's a genuinely good dude.
I like the standard
I'll listen to Cooper "Noodle" all night long.
Man I am glad my special is the mini humbucker model with a real bridge not that wonky bridge that the p90 ones do. Mine also has block inlays and ebony fretboard. I just could not pay for a guitar with such a wonky bridge...
Al la mode ice cream! Yay! I vote for Rocky Rhoads in memory of Randy Rhoads.
Neck is the same?
I liked the p90's way better with dirt. Clean I thought the humbuckers sounded a bit better. Since I tend to allways play with at least little dirt, I'd prefer the p90's one and am curious about the Tony Iommi one. Too bad about the old fashioned cherry red and black being the only finishes. Gets a bit boring. Gibson should bring back all the custom colours.
lol, i solved the "which one to get?" problem by getting both of them. :)
Just watched the beginning so far, as I’ve got to go out, but doesn’t the batwing humbuckered SG have pickguard mounted pups, the humbuckers in a ‘61 being mounted, via pup rings, to the body… ? Must make a difference, tonally.
Just saying. 😬
Love my P90s SG.......
Oh no: I loved the P90s in the neck and middle, esp clean, but I loved the humbucker in the bridge, esp dirty. Did not care for the reverse (P90 bridge, HB neck). How to split this baby?!?
In europe the std and special p90 cost exactly the same. The only issue for me on the special is the early 60's neckjoint.
P-90s are the sound of Rock’n’Roll! ❤️🎶🤘
Bridge dirty P90s 9:52
Bridge dirty humbuckers 11:21
Call me insane but i love the P90 pickups more , why ? because they seem to be more versatile than humbuckers , you can get more tones from them and on clean settings you can literally get those beautiful 60s Fender clean tones but on a Gibson and if you want to Rock out they have enough bottom end to do it.
Super Guitars…Sg standard my new Guitar
I find it funny that you guys really try to sell us on tonewood for electric guitars. We all know it’s BS but I do appreciate the info on the pickups and general info on the history.
p90 + solid mahogany = warm, clean, silky, and poking thru the middle of the mix.
Do you know what a parallelogram is? 🤔
Frank Marino gets some amazing jazz tones out of his SGs🤘
Beastly player
Ask a real pro what they prefer. I did. Played with Steve Miller band in 1972 at the paramount in Portland Oregon.steve preferred humbucks. At bullfrog two played with gratefull dead. Jerry Garcia said same. Paramount again with Fleetwood Mac bob welch talked at length about humbuckers.Do they know something we dont? It is subjective. I like both. I am interested but only out of curiosity. I dont care at all what you think even if you are a rock star.next time you have to fly to a gig, the gig bag will be at the mercy of the loading crew.
I prefer P90’s. My two Gibson reissues are Specials. 57’ Les Paul & 63’ SG.
Derek Trucks model is best ever made
If you have Humbuckers you can always switch to P90's if you want to?
Guess all new guitar stores across North America don't really learn as much as vintage small stores that get it
This boy cooper can play