Any Experience w/ the Gib$on SG faded?

[ChrisK]

Given that I LIKE the neck, and the finish, and the light weight, What thinkest thou?

[mlrpa]

Hoo kay. Um, I'm going to try to be fair. New Gibson is not really good Gibson. $600 or so Gibson, isn't exactly worth it. I'm a reformed Gibsonhead, who used to play and own nothing but. "Modern" Gibson, from the 90's on, are living on past reputation. Copies of copies, of a copy of the original, made for the young market, who just wants to be able to say "Hey! Look at me, I own a Gibson!" (And this is me being fair? yesh!)
The faded series aren't bad guitars, but I think thet're over priced. True, a decent neck, but the thin finish doesn't wear well, and the pickups and electronics arent the best. As for the weight, that's subjective. Me, I like a heavy guitar. Just feels sturdy and "real" to me.
Overall, if you can find one under $400, I'd say go for it. But the $600 or so street price? Hunt for a good used SG on ebay, or a good Jap copy.

[RJB]

I don't have any experience with the faded SG, but on a recent buying spree which was documented here, I spent a while with the faded Les Paul. This was a decent guitar, was setup well, and had a great growl to it, but I felt that it was a one trick pony. I might pick one up used, but not for the new price. Just my 2 pesos.

[RandomHero]

I work at a guitar store, where we have plenty of Gib$on SG faded guitars. Lemme wank around on a few and give you my professional opinion. Will post again t'morrow.

[ChrisK]

Thanks.

Well, I tried about 20 SG's over the last week.

Most of the faded's had decent acoustic tone, but were unrecoverable in neck fabrication.

Most of the "proper" ones were fairly dead acoustically.

I've come to the conclusion that Strat's go "boing", and most SG's go "doink".


However, I did find a brown faded that had excellent workmanship on the neck. It was pretty good acoustically, but real dark brown and lacking any grain detail.

And then, at the GC in Boardman Ohio, I found a gem. It's a cherry faded w/ most excellent tone acoustically, a pretty darn good neck, and a demented cherry finish to kill for. Most cherry faded's are, well, faded and dull. This one is faded, but still bright red.

And it goes doingggggggg.....


This is the first Gibson that I've bot/kept. I've tried many LP's, but the best LP that I've ever heard is my 70's Electra LP copy. Buying a label means nothing to me. One of my cars went really fast, had twin turbo's, AWD, all wheel steering, and I drove it to work every day 'cuz it was just a car. When I wore it out, I got rid of it. The cost of toys is not an issue.

But I'm not impressed w/ most Gibsons. For the price of a "decent" one, I can buy a Suhr or any of many custom ones. I believe that the SG style (which is so far from an LP that Les passed on the second renewal of his relationship w/ Gibson - the SG was the new LP until then) is best in a faded, thin, weak finish on this thin body/thick neck guitar. I put thick/wide necks on the ones that I build (1 3/4" by 1" fatback) and find that the body delivers much more acoustic tone when the neck is stiff and stout.


And it goes doingggggggg.....

[wolf]

Well I've owned an SG Standard since 1980. Among other things I believe it is the guitar with the best action. (Tony Iommi played an SG because of an injury to his hand and wanted something that would be easy on the fingers).

RJB said the faded Les Paul was a "one trick pony" and an SG (which is really a thin Les Paul) falls into the same category. Yes those humbuckers are just great for that fat, warm, overdriven sound but played "clean" I think they suck. One point in your favor is that the faded SG's come with open humbuckers. You can rewire an open humbucker to get at all four wires and this makes a HUGE difference in terms of sound versatility.

Okay, so I don't own a faded SG but I think all SG's have 2 major characteristics (fantastic action but limited sound versatility). Luckily, since you are a Guitar Nut, rewire those humbuckers and you'll have one Hell of a guitar.

(One more plus for the SG - it is a well-made guitar. I had it set up in 1980 and except for the occassional bridge adjustment to suit my own playing style it has never needed another setup. As I've said many times, I think it could survive an atomic blast.)

[mlrpa]

Wolf, while I'll agree that the SG's in general are a well made guitar, they do have a MAJOR design flaw. Yep, that's right, the neck joint.
I've lost count of just how many I've had to repair. SG's, Les Paul Juniors (the double cut-a-way models) Melody Maker SG, Epiphone Olympics... all of them have that problem where the first time they fall from a guitar stand, CRACK!
I currenty have an 87 SG Elite that the previous owner babied, it fell down, went boom, and now it's a basket case. He took it to a carpenter to have repaired. Body filler galore and a couple of dowels, and she plays wonderfully. Ugly as sin, but a great player. She's going to be my jazz box from heck!

[ChrisK]

I know that the PU's are two wire when delivered in-body, but four wire when aftermarket. I've converted several PU's to four wire (and a DiMarzio Multibucker to 8 wire).

I'll try the originals awhile, but I forgot to mention that one purchase premise was that I had these pickups on-hand, and wanted a "delivery vehicle" for them. The bridge will be replaced w/ a PRS McCarty Treble, and the neck w/ a SD Jazz (both N/S covered).

And then, can I fit PP pots and a rotary switch (after the return period expires)........


After all, I suffer from C(re)WD (Compulsive (re)Wiring Dementia.

[wolf]

mlrpa
Yes, I've heard that "weak neck joint" problem about Les Pauls too. But let's face it, the situation in which that would occur is pretty rare. I mean that happens to guitars falling out of their straps and being knocked over. But geez, to me that takes only the slightest bit of caution to prevent those accidents. I've also heard the neck might snap if it gets run over by a truck or a bus. Wow, I sure hope I could prevent that from happening.
Seriously though, the finish on an SG or Les Paul is really tough. Plus the bodies and necks are made of some very tough wood too.
Well, before it sounds as if I'm a "shill" for Gibson I think they have one big disadvantage - they're overpriced.

[wolf]

ChrisK
Geez you replied while I was typing my previous posting.
What bothers me about Gibson's chrome-covered epoxy-filled bricks (aka pickups) is that you can't convert them to 4 wire. At least with open coil humbuckers you can.

Let's face it, Gibson guitars have the reputation of being one of the finest guitars made. I think it is ridiculous that if you want to change their sound, you have to buy new pickups. What's up with that??? You spend a huge amount of money for one and then you have to spend more money if you want any kind of sound versatility???
Well, that's what made me a GuitarNut rewiring fanatic way back in 1980. (I'll NEVER buy a guitar with those sealed-for-eternity humbuckers ever again).

[Runewalker]

The SG is certainly a venerable guitar, a 'radical' esthetic (for Gibby) at's it introduction, but staid compare to the V and Explorer sisters.

Piggybacking on Mirpa's comment on the neck angle, I find Gibson with the thin bods vulnerable not necessarily separation or cracking (albeit I deferr to M on that point) but definitly with a tendency to neck angle creep that eventualy can't be adjusted out at the bridge. I have seen a few older ones good only for slide guitar.

The other thing that surprised me when I finally put together an SG clone is how poorly balanced they are. The horn is a weak link for a strap, risking breaking it, it is to far towards the waist to achieve balance. Most put the neck post at the heel, so the guitar is always trying to fall forward. Disappointing.

Angus, however, seems to have overcome it. I am kinda big and the SG feels sort of small against me. However, against Angus, at 5'2" and all of 120lbs, it looks like an EBO Bass. But he wrenches the sound out of that SG, stock, out of the box.

[ChrisK]

It's alive!







It glows in the light.

[wolf]

Nice looking guitar. Nice wood grain.

(Soon, you'll get tired of its one sound and you'll crack into those open coil humbuckers and expand its sound potential a couple of hundred per cent).

Still, nice guitar.

[UnklMickey]

mlrpa said:

......I've lost count of just how many I've had to repair. SG's, Les Paul Juniors (the double cut-a-way models) Melody Maker SG, Epiphone Olympics......

even the non-SG Melody Makers have a history of neck failures, but hey, thats the risk you take when you own such a fine instrument.

i hear the L6S, even though it is a SC, is also highly prone to neck failures.



unk

[Runewalker]

L6S and neck strains. I think that was for me Unk.

Sad but true. I now have a great slide guitar. When in Memphis the Gibson guy bragged on their lifetime gaurentee. May put that to the test.

I know, Unk, it's ugly.

[UnklMickey]

yup, it was for you RW.

i WAS going to say that the biggest strain on the L6S was on the viewers eyes, not on the guitar's neck joint.

but due to your preemptive closing statement, i won't say that. .:lol:.


unk

[Runewalker]

Always nice to be thought of Unk, I think.

More squaty than ugly, but if you have to use the word squaty, good enough.

However, it does meet your primary directive of symetry. I see a marridge made in heaven. Have I got a deal for your esthetic sensitivities and your future romantic life.

[blackout]

I want a brown one. I almost got so dazed over them that I was going to trade in my 81 gibson exporer with emg's for one. almost.

I pesonly feel the faded sg's are the best buy right now. I have played a vintage small neck sg, I dont just through the word vintage around this f***er was old. and the neck on that thing was the most amazing neck I have ever played. the faded's neck (atleast the one I played) was the closest I have came since. the worn paint doesnt sick to my clamy hands much like the vintages worn paint didnt and the action was real low. the feel was great alot better then my EX and I love that gutair.