# SG or LP ?



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Some time in the future, I'd like to get a solid body with HBs. So today, I walked into L&M in T.O. I noodled acoustically on a number of Les Pauls (Gibbies, not Epis) and a few SGs, There were a couple of standards that called to me a little bit, and a studio which sounded better and felt better than the standards. But the SGs ! There was this SG faded, walnut colour, that called the loudest. Not loud enough to say "Buy Me On Credit" though. But still good.

There are two things, not sound related, that first draw me to a guitar:

1. The NECK. It was the easiest to play of all the axes and just felt good. I loved the easy access to the high frets. I found the heel of the LP getting in the way, somewhat.

2. The Feel of the Whole Guitar. The SG felt more comfortable. It felt like it fit. (That's what I liked about my Hamer P90 Special)

Now, with the exception of the heel, somewhat, I liked the LP, but the SG, like I said before, fit.

But the SG doesn't have a much wood, I assume you can get the right sound with the right hardware and electronics. Hey, Early Carlos Santana. Frank Marino, Angus Young, Derek Trucks. That's just off the top of my head.

Big feature, is the price. The SG is cheaper to make and doesn't have the snob appeal which also, I speculate, increases the LP price too.

How does everyone else feel about this?


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Never owned an SG but have had the chance to play a couple. I like them but I liked the feel of the LP over it. I like the access to the upper neck the SG has. Just my opinion and maybe I haven't played the right one. As you have listed there are many who have made them sound great. Thats what Capton used to develope his "woman tone". 
They do have a vibe to them... You'll figure it out... :food-smiley-004:


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Sounds like you want the sound of a LP but prefer the feel of the SG. Is that right? I'd say play a few more of both models and see if the LP's have something you can't live without soundwise. If not, it seems you would be happy with an SG. You'll probably find most LP's will have a heavier bottom/mid which adds to the "doubletone" sound of a humbuckered LP. With modern amps and pedals, sustain is a non issue.


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## Lemmy Hangslong (May 11, 2006)

I've owned an SG for 20 years now. I've allway loved the look and feel and sound of the SG. I still need to take the leap for a LP... when? I'm not sure but it will be in the next 5 years I figure.

Khing


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## nine (Apr 23, 2006)

As you know, I'm an SG guy. I've liked the way they looked from the day I started playing guitar. On a practical level, I really like how light they can be and the access to the upper frets. In terms of how they sound, you just have to play a bunch of them. I've played lots that were kind of muddy sounding, but with the right pickups, they can really shine. I love the classic '57s in mine. Also, I really like the neck as well.

In terms of Les Pauls, I just find them a little too heavy and they don't sit right on my hip. Maybe it's the way I strum or whatever, but they just don't feel right. And I'm sure this is shallow and a huge generalization, but the majority of people that rock the Les Pauls are Slash-worshipping chumps that play in boring bands that sound like Nickelback. Of course, nobody on these boards fits that generalization.

Unfortunately, SGs are popular with the eyeliner wearing "emos" now, so I'm really not sure if I'm in particularly great company either. Haha.


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## nine (Apr 23, 2006)

Oh yeah- and my purple SG is still for sale. Buy it!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

nine said:


> Oh yeah- and my purple SG is still for sale. Buy it!


Yeah. I've seen it. Right now I planning/dreaming. But,... Clutch, Brakes, Drive Clean, remember? :frown:


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

nine said:


> And I'm sure this is shallow and a huge generalization, but the majority of people that rock the Les Pauls are Slash-worshipping chumps that play in boring bands that sound like Nickelback.


Yeah, that's a GARGANTUAN generalization. I was playing an LP when Slash was in diapers.


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## nine (Apr 23, 2006)

I'm not really referring to the older dudes that play them. I'm referring to the young rock dudes that play in terrible bands. If you've seen one of these bands at a bar, you know what I'm talking about. And if you've seen one- you've seen them all.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

nine said:


> I'm not really referring to the older dudes that play them. I'm referring to the young rock dudes that play in terrible bands. If you've seen one of these bands at a bar, you know what I'm talking about. And if you've seen one- you've seen them all.


Understood. They probably have Slash Shrines in their bedrooms.


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

I find SGs to be quite neck heavy and kind of uncomfortable but it seems you already like the feel of it so maybe it's for you..


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

did somebody say....










SG?


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

GONE


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## Cross (Jan 8, 2007)

Love me my SGs...I'm a sucker for them and the new ones coming out are sidetracking me from affording a PRS...maybe it just wasn't meant to be? :tongue: 










With regard to the guitar being neck-heavy..get yourself a nice 2" strap and it should fix the problem. I use Levy's Tear Wear 2" Heavy Cotton straps - problem solved.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

after playing the SG...the `54 feels heavy.


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## J S Moore (Feb 18, 2006)

If it's too heavy for you, send it to me.:tongue:


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

I've always loved the look of SG's but I've never owned one. When I was a kid they were so closely identified with Angus Young that if you happened to have one you had an "Angus guitar". :smile:

I'm not a big fan of the neck heel on the current standards but I do like the '61 neck joint (save for it's potential floppiness). On the other hand I don't like the super skinny feeling neck on the '61's and prefer the chunkier feel of the current Standards and Specials. I haven't tried a Historic SG but I bet that would be right up my alley.

That said I prefer a double cutaway Les Paul Junior when in comes to neck shape, neck joint and upper fret access.

Jim


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i'm definitely an sg guy, and would love to have one built for me one day: three p90s, single volume control (close to the strings), wraparound bridge and locking tuners. all black or all white.

can't play a les paul - just can't navigate that enormous neck.

-dh


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## Emohawk (Feb 3, 2006)

I'm another SG guy. I agree with the neck heavy comment - they all are. But I don't like the bulkiness of the LP, but I do love the tone.

The LP is naturally a bit thicker sounding than the SG, but with the right pickups that's not an issue. I like the Duncan JB/59 combo in that guitar (well, any mahagony fixed bridge axe really).

That said, my SG Special with 490's kills. I have another one with a JB that I love too. The 490's are more raw/vintage. The JB/59 sounds a bit smoother & drives a little harder.

Just my experience.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Jim Jones said:


> That said I prefer a double cutaway Les Paul Junior when in comes to neck shape, neck joint and upper fret access.
> 
> Jim


That's what I like about my Hamer P90 Special - Hamer's take on the LP DC Special.


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## elindso (Aug 29, 2006)

I_cant_play said:


> I find SGs to be quite neck heavy and kind of uncomfortable but it seems you already like the feel of it so maybe it's for you..


I was playing an SG when slash was in diapers. I sold it for the above reasons. Puls muddy sound and to narrow at the nut. It was a 1963 SG Special. Got $350 for it in 69.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. It sounds like you should.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

*Tried another SG*

Tried a '65 SG Jr. at Capsule. It had been refinished white. (there goes any collector value - good). I always tried a guitar unplugged the first couple of times. Wrap-around bridge. This thing rang like a bell. Better acoustic ring than the new LPs and SGs I'd tried the day before. Neck was wonderful. Guitar felt really comfortable. $1500. 

I managed to resist any G.A.S. attack. I had a cherry SG Jr. from 70-75. Sold it when I quit playing. I think that one had a P100 because I don't remember any standout hum. 

Now I could go on a tangent about double cuts that seem like a cross between the two, like the Japanese axes - Ibanez Artists or Yamaha SG1000 etc., but I won't


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## nine (Apr 23, 2006)

Yeah, that one at Capsule is nice, but it's way too expensive considering it's been refinished and I don't think there's one original part left on it. Maybe the pickguard or something. But that's Capsule. They shoot REALLY high. It's already been lowered by 100 bucks.


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## Jim Jones (Sep 18, 2006)

$1500 CDN for a player condition SG Jr.? Probably a good deal in this day and age I'm afraid...

Jim


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Another thing about SGs. The used prices seem low enough that you get a little mod crazy with them around hardware and electronics. Have one set up for slide, one with PAF like HBs and one with snarly P90s just to start. And you won't have to break the bank,... much.

Have you seen this:

http://www.gibson.com/Products/Gibs...tar of the Week/SG Standard w_3 Single Coils/


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> Have you seen this:
> http://www.gibson.com/Products/Gibs...tar of the Week/SG Standard w_3 Single Coils/[/SIZE][/FONT]



...they are slowly getting there with the sg design. i'm still waiting for them to:

1. ditch the second volume control, and move the first one to within reach
2. move the jack to the side, or use an angled jack like a strat
3. adopt a one-piece, wraparound bridge

some SGs have some of these features, none have them all.

i have an eastwood corona that may get these mods, should it prove stageworthy and reliable.

-dh


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## Cross (Jan 8, 2007)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an SG Supreme Guitar of the Month


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

elindso said:


> I was playing an SG when slash was in diapers. I sold it for the above reasons. Puls muddy sound and to narrow at the nut. It was a 1963 SG Special. Got $350 for it in 69.
> 
> That doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. It sounds like you should.


OH yeah....I was slashing SGs before......before .....SHUT UP!


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## offkey_ (Jan 29, 2007)

*tone*

Les Paul = TONE = BLISS


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

offkey_ said:


> Les Paul = TONE = BLISS


A bliss that can be totally disrupted when that heel on the LP gets in the way of your small hand trying to play the upper frets.


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## Kestral (Apr 19, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> Tried a '65 SG Jr. at Capsule. It had been refinished white. (there goes any collector value - good). I always tried a guitar unplugged the first couple of times. Wrap-around bridge. This thing rang like a bell. Better acoustic ring than the new LPs and SGs I'd tried the day before. Neck was wonderful. Guitar felt really comfortable. $1500.


I tried that very same guitar. I agree with you about the guitar ringing like a bell. Very light and highly resonant guitar. I found the neck a little too narrow and I was in the market for a humbucker guitar but that was a really nice light little guitar, whomever purchased it is surely enjoying it evilGuitar:

nine is right, there were very few original parts on the guitar. The pickup was non-original (though it was a 50's P90 so even better), the pick guard was not original, the bridge was not original, the tuners were not original, the paint was not original. imo $1500 was too much, imagine if you put that guitar up on eBay as a no reserve auction, would it sell for $1500 CDN + 15%? I personally don't think so.


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## acdc51502112 (Mar 20, 2007)

dont cheap out and get a cruddy faded sg, first decide what neck you like best if you like a fatter neck get the standard and if you like a thin neck get a 61 reissue.


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## Cross (Jan 8, 2007)

acdc51502112 said:


> dont cheap out and get a cruddy faded sg, first decide what neck you like best if you like a fatter neck get the standard and if you like a thin neck get a 61 reissue.


I'm just curious about what makes you think that the Faded SG specials are any more cruddy than a Standard? From what I understand on on the Gibson website, the neck profile on the Faded Special is the same as the Standard. The only differences between the two models are purely cosmetic - even the pickups are the same. 

If someone doesn't feel like spending $1295 on a Standard and decides to save a couple of hundred bucks by spending $900-something on a Special...I don't see a reason why they shouldn't get one :confused-smiley-010


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Cross said:


> If someone doesn't feel like spending $1295 on a Standard and decides to save a couple of hundred bucks by spending $900-something on a Special...I don't see a reason why they shouldn't get one :confused-smiley-010


From what I've been told, it's cosmetics. The finish, the binding, the pup covers, the additional labour. Pups are 498T/490R on both, unless they've changed that recently. Today in Steve's $1449 vs. $854,... I think.


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## acdc51502112 (Mar 20, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> From what I've been told, it's cosmetics. The finish, the binding, the pup covers, the additional labour. Pups are 498T/490R on both, unless they've changed that recently. Today in Steve's $1449 vs. $854,... I think.


plus the quality of the make, if you pay that little bit more it will last longer (if you take care of it at all) also if you get a new guitar you should get new pickups cause stock ones blow **** 99% of the time. and yes the paint job and binding are a big part. But hey, do what you want.


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## guitarzan (Feb 22, 2006)

i don't know , i just aquired a Faded brown SG and it is very nice. the fretwork and overall construction is great.
and the tone is there.
the fretboard is smooth and fast. no sharp fret ends either.
i do recall playing a less desirable one two years ago but mine is a keeper.
all it needs is sperzel locking tuners and covers for the pickups.
but that isn't stopping me from eventually grabbing an sg standard in the cherry. i have seen a few that are almost a light reddish orange. sweet color.


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## Fragile Man (Apr 23, 2007)

> And I'm sure this is shallow and a huge generalization, but the majority of people that rock the Les Pauls are Slash-worshipping chumps that play in boring bands that sound like Nickelback


I'm sure you've taken a bit of heat for this comment, but I just have two words for you...Jimmy Page!


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