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MAXIFUNK
March 29th, 2010, 12:01 PM
OK, you Gibby connoisseurs other than the shape is there really major tone/sound difference between the two SG & LP.

NWBasser
April 1st, 2010, 09:05 AM
Yes, there is.

I used to own an SG a long time ago and still play a friend's one.

The SG weighs a lot less than the LP and doesn't have near the sustain. The tone of the SG is quite a bit brighter and more open on top.

The LP has a very thick mid-range and is much fuller on the bottom than the SG.

Think chunk (LP) versus scream (SG).

marnold
April 1st, 2010, 10:00 AM
I've heard people complain about SGs being neck-heavy too, an accusation that I don't think a Les Paul has ever had to face.

ZMAN
April 1st, 2010, 10:27 AM
One of the things that is most overlooked when it comes to SG vs LP is the playing position. The neck on an SG is higher on the body than an LP due to the double cut. Similar to an ES335 style guitar. When you are playing, the higher frets are much more accesible, and it changes your playing position.
I have a Gibson SG, and Several LPs. I do find the SG more neck heavy, but I have an original 68 with the baseball bat dot neck. Even with the same pickups the SG will sound brighter, and sometimes almost Strat Like. They are no where near as heavy as a Solid unchambered LP. Mine has probably the lowest action of any guitar I own, but it has the Vibrolo, with the top wrapped compensated bridge. I have owned it since 69, and I love the guitar.
I have played a friend of mine's faded SG in the worn brown with the open coil pickups. It is a really nice playing, and sounding guitar. The neck is substantial and very much like my SG>

bcdon
April 1st, 2010, 11:06 AM
I have an Epi LP and this Gibson SG and my SG has a lot more sustain than my Epi (maybe it's just this particular SG owing to its construction). Also, my Epi is chambered and is much lighter than my SG.

When I first got the SG it felt like the frets closer to the nut were much farther away but now I'm so used to it that when I pick up my LP my fretting hand feels crunched in. Thanks ZMAN for explaining the difference in playing position because this is what I felt but wasn't quite sure why.

My SG is also 24 fret and with the cut-away it just feels so much different than my Epi. Honestly, I never thought much about SGs and never imagined I would ever buy one, but when I picked this one up and just couldn't put it down.

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/105654ba51814a2fa7.jpg

sumitomo
April 1st, 2010, 11:33 AM
Wow bcdon that is a nice SG,I never saw that ZOOT before,only the rainbow one.Yours is awesome! Question is the 24 fret a custom only? Sumi:D

Kazz
April 1st, 2010, 11:38 AM
That Zoot SG is cool....I like that one...the rainbow one looked like clown poop.

bcdon
April 1st, 2010, 12:04 PM
Wow bcdon that is a nice SG,I never saw that ZOOT before,only the rainbow one.Yours is awesome! Question is the 24 fret a custom only? Sumi:D
Thanks! Nope, this is just a stock ZOOT and they are all 24 fret. Mine is the Black on Orange and I think it looks killer with the clear pups. :dude

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/SG/Gibson-USA/SG-Zoot-Suit.aspx

bcdon
April 1st, 2010, 12:06 PM
That Zoot SG is cool....I like that one...the rainbow one looked like clown poop.
Haha.. I agree but too each his own, I suppose. I wasn't quite sure about the colour of mine when it was first handed to me but now I really dig it.

MAXIFUNK
April 1st, 2010, 01:48 PM
Well that settles it an SG is added to much have list for 2011! LOL

Thanks for everyone's insight I honestly could not think of anyone other than Angus Young which played one as his main axe. I also never really played with anyone you used them either so when ever we played AC/DC stuff they always used their LP so I just thought the tone must be the same or similar.

I really like the Zoot but most likely be looking for a good used one or one of those faded ones. The SG has now reach the top of my GAS list for 2011.
2010 is done other than a low wattage tube amp for my birthday if all goes well.
I have bought since Dec. an LP, strat, CV thinline on order, Fender Deville, and a great pedal. So for now its just time to woodshed a little and hopefully get better. LOL

But I always wonder what was the deal with the SG and I now know thanks guys.

Tig
April 1st, 2010, 02:53 PM
The top of my affordable SG list...

http://www.rockhardguitars.com/guitars_for_sale/epiphone_sg_prophecy_red/IMG_6787.jpg

http://bavasmusic.com.au/store/images/images_big/LP_ProphecyGX.jpg

Zip
April 1st, 2010, 07:40 PM
"...could not think of anyone other than Angus Young which played one as his main axe."

Well,...remember Eric Clapton's 'Fool' guitar? He recorded tons of Cream stuff with it...Derek Trucks still uses SG as his main axe...so does Robbie Krieger (the Doors)...George Harrison did the whole Revolver album with one....Tony Iommi invented heavy metal with one...Jerry Garcia's main guitar for years...remember Pete Townsend? The list goes on.... :)

FrankenFretter
April 1st, 2010, 08:07 PM
I like SGs too, due in large part to Tony Iommi. The SGs I've played don't quite feel as nice as my LP to me, but that may be because I'm guitarded. I do like the sound of my friend Tom's SG. It actually sounds similar to an LP, but as NW Basser said, it's brighter and more open sounding. His has a fairly thin neck, and plays like butter.

A decent SG is on my list, but it's not at the top. My next purchase will likely be a CV 60s Strat, or possibly a Vintage Vibe Strat. And then a Tele. I need to fill out the single-coil sector of my growing family.

marnold
April 1st, 2010, 08:11 PM
I like SGs too, due in large part to Tony Iommi. The SGs I've played don't quite feel as nice as my LP to me, but that may be because I'm guitarded.
I was going to mention my fellow fingertip-challenged guitarist Iommi too. Re: the second comment above, the first step is admitting you have a problem, FF :)

MAXIFUNK
April 1st, 2010, 08:16 PM
Well,...remember Eric Clapton's 'Fool' guitar? He recorded tons of Cream stuff with it...Derek Trucks still uses SG as his main axe...so does Robbie Krieger (the Doors)...George Harrison did the whole Revolver album with one....Tony Iommi invented heavy metal with one...Jerry Garcia's main guitar for years...remember Pete Townshend? The list goes on.... :)


Cream was long before I was rocking. LOL
I know some of their music for sure but I was never clear when it Clapton or Beck playing on what songs.
Derek Trucks just discovered him in 2010.
Did not like the doors.
GH he was cool but not real big Beatles fan.
Toni Iommi I just had to Google his name to know who he was. Sabbath was cool but I never listen to them all that much honestly.
Forgot about Jerry & Pete considering I worked enough of their shows over the years I should have been able to remember that. LOL

But I get you point plenty of major player used SG's as their main axe thanks for the info. Angus & Clapton would be one cool jam session.

MAXIFUNK
April 1st, 2010, 08:18 PM
The top of my affordable SG list...

http://www.rockhardguitars.com/guitars_for_sale/epiphone_sg_prophecy_red/IMG_6787.jpg

http://bavasmusic.com.au/store/images/images_big/LP_ProphecyGX.jpg


Sheer EYE CANDY..............:drool

FrankenFretter
April 1st, 2010, 08:37 PM
I was going to mention my fellow fingertip-challenged guitarist Iommi too. Re: the second comment above, the first step is admitting you have a problem, FF :)

I believe I have said it before, but for the record, once again:

My name is Sean. I'm a guitar addict.

bcdon
April 1st, 2010, 09:04 PM
I believe I have said it before, but for the record, once again:

My name is Sean. I'm a guitar addict.
And a total enabler too! It's cool, the poison is sweet. :dude

deeaa
April 1st, 2010, 10:48 PM
I like SG's but as mentioned, many of them are neck heavy. Not all, but especially the cheaper copies tend to be. My friend has one from the 60's and it's got a SUPER thin neck and isn't neck heavy at all for instance.

SG's don't, IMO, have any less sustain than LP's but they have a much more biting attack and tone, and, again as mentioned, the playing position is different. Having played an LP for 13 years I've always kinda wanted an SG, but if I do get one, it's gotta be white, or in a pinch transparent red, basic Angus style one.

One thing that's a big issue for some is that an SG is really very small a guitar. Suits me just fine, but on my friend who's quite sizeable a fellow, it looks just plain ridiculous, like a violin or something. Conversely I sold him my Explorer for the reason the Explo looks like a canoe or something on me, but suits his size quite nicely. I'm not exactly a small guy, 5.10+ but sort of light and slender, and bigger guitars just look dumb on me.

But to sum it all up...yeah an SG is entirely different a beast from an LP, although you _can_ make them sound pretty much alike. Harder to make an LP sound like an SG but the other way round it's just some tweaks on pedals.

Duffy
April 2nd, 2010, 07:55 AM
I have an Epi SG, a copy of a 66 Gibson Standard.

I played about seven SGs the day I bought it, one a Gibson, and this one sounded about five times as good as the others, including special edition ones like the metalflake blue one.

Mine is high gloss trans cherry with block inlays and is one of my favorite guitars, far from as expensive as my more expensive guitars, but awesome nonetheless. This is a great guitar, completely stock and it has withstood the test of time, as I've owned it a few years and it just gets better.

It is not a small guitar when placed next to my other guitars, except of course my lawsuit Ibanez Explorer/Destroyer. But it dwarfs all my guitars.

Tone wise there is a major difference between any of my LPs and LP type guitars. It is sort of like a combination of the tone of a strat clean and a LP deep tone, quite versitile.

Aside from the obvious tonal differences, it has a way different feel.

I have been playing my SG almost exclusively over the last few days and it is a beautiful full tone. I would like to get another one like the Zoot Suit or a P90 one.

Dude, that natural and black Zoot Suit pictured here is awesomely beautiful. Thought about getting one. Those are multipiece laminated bodies, with the different laminate layers stained its unique color, right?

Anyway, the SG tone is not the same as the LP tone and the feel is way different.

Many, many guitarists, both famous and otherwise have used and still use SG guitars.

I had the Gibson faded SG, bought new last Fourth of July at the GC sale and it was stolen by a relative, not to be seen again - along with the old relative I immediately kicked out; F**k that. He also got my Fender Hwy One fat strat amongst other things. 43 year old a** hole I helped salvage out of dire straits a couple months earlier. F***er.

That Gibson SG was great and spent the next nine days after I bought it in the hospital bed with me along with my Vox Amp-plug. That guitar had some mojo; had some mojo. With all the discounts that only cost me about five hundred, new. Never a/b'd it to the Epiphone. I guess the Epi stands on its own. It sounds super good.

Although brighter than the average LP it does not come close to real strat or telecaster territory. The SG has a place of its own.

Tig
April 2nd, 2010, 08:29 AM
I played about seven SGs the day I bought it, one a Gibson, and this one sounded about five times as good as the others...


I remember Jimi75 doing about the same thing last year, testing LP's until he found one that felt and sounded better than the others. I've heard the same thing before for several brands, and the elimination process worked even for my CV 50's Strat. I guess it can really pay to grab several until you find the great one in a sea of mediocre ones.

duhvoodooman
April 2nd, 2010, 08:59 AM
When I bought a used Epi SG G-400 a while back, that shift in playing position due to the double cutaway & neck joining the body so far down was the first thing I noticed about playing it. Takes a bit of getting used to.

Clapton while in Cream is the first SG player I can remember, but one that hasn't been mentioned yet is this guy, in perhaps the most memorable SG performance I can recall. And he doesn't get enough credit for inventing the "guitar face" at 5:35....

dLDalZ4-53g

deeaa
April 2nd, 2010, 09:09 AM
I remember Jimi75 doing about the same thing last year, testing LP's until he found one that felt and sounded better than the others. I've heard the same thing before for several brands, and the elimination process worked even for my CV 50's Strat. I guess it can really pay to grab several until you find the great one in a sea of mediocre ones.

Sure. Though I do believe 90% of that is simply due to settings; slightly better intonation and/or neck relief etc. can do wonders, or newer strings, different kind of strings...I do believe you can test a really great guitar and its seemingly much lesser sibling, but if you were to adjust both properly the differences might vanish...

Intonation in particular is something I usually get 'down' on a given guitar only after I've done it like 20 times on it. You get it like 80% right the first time, and every time you do it (by ear of course, using tuners as guide only) it gets slightly better. Sometimes you manage to get it slightly worse too. But at some point you start to notice you've gotten it intonated so that it really sings.

Currently only my main axe is 'perfectly' intonated for me and I haven't touched it any more for a year now, the 2nd axe has some slight issues with certain open chords vs. full barres but is damn near already, and the 3rd one I've intonated maybe three times since I built it, but at a year old the neck also needs some adjustments still as it's not completely settled yet...anyway, it's got a good basic intonation but clearly not as good as its older buddies.

That said, sure I always find the best one of the bunch. When I bought my insofar most expensive guitar, LP standard, I picked one out of a bunch of five. It just spoke to me the best.

Blaze
April 2nd, 2010, 09:15 AM
How about SG master FZ


kf8TM4CIk5g&feature

Eric
April 2nd, 2010, 09:26 AM
How about SG master FZ
+1. He's the first person who comes to mind for me when I think of the SG.

marnold
April 2nd, 2010, 09:31 AM
Sure. Though I do believe 90% of that is simply due to settings; slightly better intonation and/or neck relief etc. can do wonders, or newer strings, different kind of strings...I do believe you can test a really great guitar and its seemingly much lesser sibling, but if you were to adjust both properly the differences might vanish...
I agree and I find that to be especially true with Floyd-equipped guitars. Rarely does anyone bother to set them up properly in the first place, then the idiots come in and try to set it into Drop-D.

ZMAN
April 2nd, 2010, 09:41 AM
IF you notice in the Santana clip from Woodstock that guitar is a Special. Dot neck, P90 pickups. I have the same guitar but a 68. The same one that Pete Townsend used.
Carlos said he was so stoned the guitar neck felt like a snake in his hands.
I have owned it for over 40 years!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/1968GibsonSG-1.jpg

Plank_Spanker
April 2nd, 2010, 10:05 AM
The SG weighs a lot less than the LP and doesn't have near the sustain.


Hmmmmm..........................

Two SG's and two LP's in the house. My SG's have every bit of sustain that my Lesters have. Sustain is a quality that's different between every individual guitar.

Blaze
April 2nd, 2010, 11:08 AM
Another SG master in a middle east style tune ,talkin about sustain here..

Love this tune...

Zman , how much for your SG ??? Need one to play slide ..:)




N65cP52NC8s&feature

mainestratman
April 2nd, 2010, 11:33 AM
SG player: Frank Hannon. He also does LPs and the occasional pink paisley Tele.. :-)

sumitomo
April 2nd, 2010, 11:34 AM
Hey Blaze,give Zman a couple hits of Purple Ozzly and then you can take that snake from his hands!!! Sumi:D

ZMAN
April 2nd, 2010, 03:19 PM
Another SG master in a middle east style tune ,talkin about sustain here..

Love this tune...

Zman , how much for your SG ??? Need one to play slide ..:)




N65cP52NC8s&feature
Sorry Blaze, untouchable. Funny though I was going to mention Derek.
Sumi: Been there done that. And just about every other one as well.
and Hell I was a Corporate Accountant. LOL.

sumitomo
April 2nd, 2010, 03:32 PM
Sumi: Been there done that. And just about every other one as well.
and Hell I was a Corporate Accountant. LOL.[/QUOTE]

Yep you were seeing profit ok! :AOK Sumi:D

marnold
April 2nd, 2010, 04:07 PM
SG player: Frank Hannon. He also does LPs and the occasional pink paisley Tele.. :-)
Excellent call. Saw him (with Tesla) open up for Def Leppard in '87, I think. Was watching closely when he was playing the solo on "Modern Day Cowboy." He was using a double-neck SG. Blew his high "E" string right at the beginning. Played the rest of the solo on the 12 string neck.

MAXIFUNK
April 3rd, 2010, 01:26 AM
Zappa & Santana as well very very cool.

@Duffy that really sucks about the guitars Brother. Karma will nail that dude for sure some day. Sounds like a straight Junkie move I hope in time you can replace what you lost.

So this is what I think in 1 year and 5 months of playing guitar as I know today.

A few Strats, Teles, LP's, SG's, and Semi-hollows and I am good. Well maybe also a few Charvel, Ibanez, Hagstrom, Duesenberg, MK, Taylor, and Carvin. LOL OH YEAH and Collings, Heritage and JLSGUITARS!!!!!

Now all I need is the funds AND GOOD FORTUNE and blessings to pull this off!
OR I BETTER START AA GROUP FOR GAS. LOL

Seriously and honestly speaking the idea of a LP sort of sounding guitar with a brighter & more biting tone in the collection sounds just great to me.
Anyone have a talent pedal for sale for cheap?

mainestratman
April 3rd, 2010, 07:11 AM
Excellent call. Saw him (with Tesla) open up for Def Leppard in '87, I think. Was watching closely when he was playing the solo on "Modern Day Cowboy." He was using a double-neck SG. Blew his high "E" string right at the beginning. Played the rest of the solo on the 12 string neck.

Frank is amazing.. ask Kazz.. he'll tell ya.

I've seen Tesla once and Frank and his band once. Not only is the dude an incredible guitarist, but a phenomenal showman as well.. and completely down to earth.

Before the gig with his band, he and the guys sat with my g/f at the time and I and we all drank beer and talked about everything from music to gear to beer for a couple hours... just a bunch of normal guys. Frank remembered reading on his web forum that I was trying like hell to get together an 80's tribute project (MDC was on the list), so we chatted about that.. he even invited me onstage to jam, but I chickened out, like the big idiot I am.

A couple years later at the Tesla show, he stopped and chatted with me, asked how the band was coming.. amazing. Two years on the road and he remembered me. If I wasn't a fan for life anyway, I would have been. Very gracious performer who is appreciative of his fans.

BTW.. did I mention he's an incredible guitar player? LOL

Thanks for having my back on this one, Rev. :beer:


Edited to add: My next guitar will be an SG.

Duffy
April 3rd, 2010, 07:49 AM
I have been looking at those P90 SGs like Zman's and the one Santana plays on the Youtube.

That is a beautiful guitar Zman.

I replaced my Fender Hwy one with a new blizzard pearl American Strat as an upgrade and also got one of those Fender Telecaster Special Issue FMT HH with the SD pearly gates and rev. wound 59 in the neck, made out of mahogany w set mahogany neck and black cherry burst, nice.

Miss that Gibson faded SG though. Might have to get another Gibson SG in some configuration. I'd even consider picking up a used one if they weren't so expensive on Ebay. You can get a faded for the price these dudes want and have a good new guitar, replace the pups if you want. I liked the faded's neck and the satin finish was really good looking. It "felt" and played like a good guitar. My Epi 66 copy also feels and sounds like a really good guitar, however and its high gloss trans cherry with block inlays and great stock pickups believe it or not.

Blaze
April 3rd, 2010, 08:02 AM
How could i forget our own Montreal native , Mahogany Rush_Frank Marino a legendary SG master he was and still is..



5TuYyFArhwA

mainestratman
April 3rd, 2010, 09:16 AM
I really love the looks on this one, even with the 490's on it (I like the 57's on my LP):

http://images.gibson.com/Files/bc78cfe8-2909-4aae-a892-b22b01c9959b.jpg

The 61 Reissues are really nice too.. and come with the 57's.

Blaze
April 3rd, 2010, 09:36 AM
I am tempted to make an offer on this one but I'd rather have the 60 s slim neck..




http://cgi.ebay.ca/GIBSON-FADED-SG-SPECIAL-ELECTRIC-GTR-W-ALNICO-PICKUPS_W0QQitemZ280449343498QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGu itar?hash=item414c15600a

ZMAN
April 3rd, 2010, 10:33 AM
As I said before, the necks on the faded series are not that bad. They are between the early baseball bat, and the slim tapers 60 style. I found my friends a very comfortable guitar to play. Those open coils 490s do sound quite nice as well.
His is a faded brown. I have seen some guys use Virtuoso polish on them and they really look amazing.
This is a faded Studio done with the Virtuoso Polish (brand name), but you can get the idea.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/virtuosopolish.jpg

Tig
April 3rd, 2010, 12:16 PM
His is a faded brown. I have seen some guys use Virtuoso polish on them and they really look amazing.
This is a faded Studio done with the Virtuoso Polish (brand name), but you can get the idea.

Wow, that looks great with the polish! :drool

MAXIFUNK
April 3rd, 2010, 05:54 PM
BCdon

Does the Zoot has a 50's or 60's profile neck?
I am more partial to the 60's profile neck.

ZMAN
April 4th, 2010, 06:39 AM
Wow, that looks great with the polish! :drool
I have seen some really sweet looking faded series guitars done with the polish. The treatment is pretty easy and and no stipping or painting required.
I have seen a couple of Standard Fadeds done as well. They look like a different guitar. It seems the grain in the wood just pops out. Before the polish it just looked like an ordinary piece of mahogany.

mrmudcat
April 4th, 2010, 01:53 PM
DUANE ON SLIDE FOR THE WIN.....................


http://yfrog.com/18imgp0096j

mine



http://yfrog.com/4zwhiskeystgrightj

bcdon
April 5th, 2010, 10:04 PM
BCdon

Does the Zoot has a 50's or 60's profile neck?
I am more partial to the 60's profile neck.
I wish I could tell you but I'm not sure. How do you tell them apart? It's more of a C-shape than D-shape if that's any help.

syo
April 8th, 2010, 11:23 PM
That Zoot SG is cool....I like that one...the rainbow one looked like clown poop.

Now, THAT was funny... :rollover

bek
April 9th, 2010, 10:52 AM
Cream was long before I was rocking. LOL
I know some of their music for sure but I was never clear when it Clapton or Beck playing on what songs.


Beck was never part of Cream, so maybe I'm missing something. Are you thinking Yardbirds?

duhvoodooman
April 9th, 2010, 11:41 AM
Beck was never part of Cream, so maybe I'm missing something. Are you thinking Yardbirds?
AFAIK, Beck & Clapton never played together in the Yardbirds, either. But Beck and Jimmy Page did for a few months in 1966.

gtrjoe
April 13th, 2010, 07:31 PM
Sorry...this thread is to SG heavy...I have to try and level the field...I have to vote for a Les Paul; the tone and sustain of the Historic reissues is to die for.....and believe me my wife has killed me many times....
'09-59 RI, '08-58 RI, '06-56 RI (Goldtop), '06-56 RI (Bulliontop)[pasted in pic],'96 Standard
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/gtrjoe/Pastedsm.jpg

'09-59 RI (DaPra Burst)
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/gtrjoe/59%20Les%20Paul%20Number%202/Image16.jpg

gtrjoe :cool:

bcdon
April 13th, 2010, 08:38 PM
Sorry...this thread is to SG heavy...I have to try and level the field...I have to vote for a Les Paul; the tone and sustain of the Historic reissues is to die for.....and believe me my wife has killed me many times....
'09-59 RI, '08-58 RI, '06-56 RI (Goldtop), '06-56 RI (Bulliontop)[pasted in pic],'96 Standard
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/gtrjoe/Pastedsm.jpg

'09-59 RI (DaPra Burst)
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h168/gtrjoe/59%20Les%20Paul%20Number%202/Image16.jpg

gtrjoe :cool:

There's no LP bashing going on here, I love LPs too. And man, what a collection of great guitars you have there! :dude

mrmudcat
April 13th, 2010, 09:36 PM
Yea I bet im drooling more than zman:drool:

gtrjoe
April 14th, 2010, 03:38 AM
There's no LP bashing going on here,

....Oh, I know - just having a little fun with my "addiction" :socool


gtrjoe :cool:

ZMAN
April 14th, 2010, 05:12 PM
Yea I bet im drooling more than zman:drool:

Not much!

DeanEVO_Dude
April 14th, 2010, 11:29 PM
Well,...remember Eric Clapton's 'Fool' guitar? He recorded tons of Cream stuff with it...Derek Trucks still uses SG as his main axe...so does Robbie Krieger (the Doors)...George Harrison did the whole Revolver album with one....Tony Iommi invented heavy metal with one...Jerry Garcia's main guitar for years...remember Pete Townsend? The list goes on.... :)

Lest we forget Angus... most of those other guys have been seen playing other guitar (possible exception of Tony Iommi)... But, I can't recall ever having seen a picture of Mr. Young with another guitar other than an SG!

Duffy
April 15th, 2010, 02:08 AM
I had a beloved faded Gibson SG I bought at GC's last Fourth of July sale for a little over five bills, discounts and coupon included in Rockville, Maryland. Had it in my hospital bed on the sixth for nine days at the National Cancer Institute for my third kidney cancer surgery and recovery; plugged up to a Vox AmpPlug Lead running into headphones. I had the blues, expressed my emotions with that axe and played a lot of blues straight from my soul.

Worthless nephew I took in when no one else would, fourty three year old bum, stole it from me about four months later along with my Fender Hwy One super strat, immediately placing him in my personal history - where he shall stay.

Got a beautiful American Std Strat and a MK Patriot Custom with the insurance money but not yet a Gibby. Losing that SG hurt. I would definitely have done the Virtuoso treatment. That is a cool looking finish.

I have a great Epi 66 gibson copy SG in gloss trans cherry, stock, that sounds incredible; as well as a super great sounding, believe it or not, ESP LTD bottom of the line Viper 50 with hot open coil humbuckers and a black cherry finish. I'm playing it right now. Great tone, heavy, hot, and smooth. Liked it better than the Viper 400 with the EMG's. Also cost me less than one fifty mint plastic still on used.

I do play a white ESP LTD Viper 1000 Deluxe at a local store that has gold plated Seymour Duncan pups - a Custom five in the bridge and 59 in the neck, and it sounds way better than you might think and feels super great to me. I usually play it thru a SuperSonic Fender. Sounds way better than the EMG version to me, personally; way less digital, smooth and heavy sounding with lots of heat.

Just as great is the new gold top EC 1000 Deluxe with the alnico II pro Seymour Duncan nickel plated pups and twenty four frets, de-blinged. This is a great guitar.

Summing up my observations though, I can see where I would be VERY happy with either the Gibson Faded SG or LP with the Virtuoso treatment. I think the Burstbucker Pro pups on the LP, plus the LP vibe might capture my heart though, along with the classy looking inlays on the LP's board compared to the simplistic dots on the SG.

My Epi Tribute is, however, loaded up with a lot of prime Gibson USA components, plus a lot of other high quality parts; that come together to do a great job of honoring the life of Les Paul in a really quality way. And I'll tell you what, it captures the vibe of the shade in certain lighting, like in the early morning, that has more than once caught my eye and had me standing there looking at it and saying to myself, "this is something special, you can see and feel its spirit". I think they wound up with more than they bargained for when they produced that tribute. I think they wound up going beyond what they thought they were doing and I bet they know it.

Anyway, at this point in time I think I would go with the Gibson Faded LP and apply the Virtuoso treatment to it, and be real happy with the burstbucker pros.

Note: The American Std Strat with the anaconda pickguard mod is shown in my avatar. Looks way better up close. Great guitar.

gordy_sg_no1
October 5th, 2010, 06:15 PM
imo sg is better as it bailed gibson out so we can all appreciate all the great creations now.

but more on topic. weight issues are on both sides of the fence. sgs can be neck heavy but les pauls are just imo ...heavy

les pauls sustain longer than the sg but not by much and im not going to time that lol sooner watch paint dry than sit with a stop watch

the sg is a bit easier to play as you can reach everything unlike the les paul which is a stretch and a half

i find the les paul richer and thicker than the sg which is bright and snappier

you are clutching straws if there is much else different. and the sg used to be called a les paul so this must be post '63 models realy or there would be absolutely no difference as the sg was the les paul.

NWBasser
October 6th, 2010, 11:54 AM
As I said before, the necks on the faded series are not that bad. They are between the early baseball bat, and the slim tapers 60 style. I found my friends a very comfortable guitar to play. Those open coils 490s do sound quite nice as well.
His is a faded brown. I have seen some guys use Virtuoso polish on them and they really look amazing.
This is a faded Studio done with the Virtuoso Polish (brand name), but you can get the idea.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a392/Stewz/virtuosopolish.jpg

That's pretty much the one that I tried out. The neck profile and finish on it fit me nearly perfectly and it had super-low action. The BBpros sounded quite nice as well. Ah, it was just a joy to play, buy maybe a one-off guitar?

Kazz
October 6th, 2010, 04:22 PM
That is the Les Paul I was GASSING for before I got my Limited Colors Edition Studio.