SG humility

[mad dog]

So many of my musical knee jerk gear reactions tend to be wrong. I don't like humbuckers. (A '66 ES-335 cured that one.) I hate Les Pauls, unwieldy, heavy, I'll never play a Les Paul! (A wonderful MIJ Epiphone LQ Les Paul ended that foolishness.)

And so on. My longest running guitar assumption was that SGs suck. This I knew from experience, having owned two vintage SGs - an SG junior, an SG special - that didn't do much for me. The junior especially. After that, no more SGs. Yet the body type has an appeal which persists. I found myself wanting to go that way for slide and open tunings. Three Guilds later - two S-90s and an S-100 - I'd found the sounds I wanted but somehow not the right feel and playability.

Finally threw in the towel on the SG thing. Went to look at a 2005 red SG Standard, local Craigslist sale. Beautiful, right out of the case this one was speaking to me. Old, too light strings and a strange little amp at the guy's place, so I couldn't really hear it. Got it home, restrung, action and pickup heights adjusted, tuned up to open E and gave it the once over. Verdict: KILLER slide guitar. I've done my share of SG bashing, Gibson bashing in general, so it's time for to admit just how wrong I was. Really nice instrument! It wakes up bigtime in open tuning. An ideal tonal balance for slide, with fat, singing tones everywhere. Mea culpa.
MD

 

[fronobulax]

By the powers vested in me by LTG Moderation, I forgive you Brother Maddog. Go and sin no more.

I don't really understand the folks here who are always on the lookout for something better or different. I suppose my playing ability is so low that there are a lot of factors that make a difference but I am just insensitive to. So the S-100 had the sound and but not the feel and playability. Can you elaborate on those factors comparing the S-100 and the SG. It would interest me and might expand my horizons. Thanks.

 

[twocorgis]

SGs are fine MD, just watch those headstocks around the crash cymbal! My luthier says he fixes at least half a dozen a year, and says he's never fixed a broken Fender headstock. I too used to bash Gibsons (mostly their acoustics), but I don't anymore since I got my WM45. I do still think most LPs are boat anchors, but I'm not really a 'leccie guy.

 

[mad dog]

Oh yes, I'll be careful on the neck. Gibsons are so fragile. Can't treat them like teles!

Frono: I'd always assumed S-100s and the like were much like SGs. Somehow, in the hands, not so much. The S-100 and S-90 (talking the vintage ones) feel more compact, lighter, more stripped down somehow. (And none of these are fancy at all.) Which has a lot of appeal generally. Certainly the Guild pickups are wonderful. I fully expected these to be ideal slide guitars. At least for me, not really. Part of it is that bridge design. It lets down otherwise wonderful instruments. Doesn't have the best feel for slide under my right hand.

Not easy to explain. The best guitars for slide I've found (up until this SG) have been teles. This SG is a little like a firebird. All neck. Like playing a surfboard. Not the ideal ergonomics for regular playing, but somehow perfect for slide. It's all fretboard. Unimpeded access.

The more I try to figure it out, the less good it does. Comes down to feel. I was fighting the Guilds on slide. On this SG, I'm engaged and inspired from the second I pick it up. All the little reasons add up to a big difference. It could be just pure luck, that I found a superior SG. Maybe only some feel this good??

It's a very personal thing. Many players consider strats to be the best for slide playing. I like mine that way, but certain teles and now an SG seem even better.
MD

 

[shihan]

Well, Duane Allman used and Derek Trucks uses SG's for slide, so there's that; to me, the SG's ergonomics and tonal range are perfect for slide.
I've never understood bashing different guitars if you don't like them. I really don't play well on strats, but I love to hear others (Clapton, SRV, Jimmie Vaughn, etc.) play them.
To each his (or her) own when it comes to most things, guitars included.
Congrats on the new SG; red is perfect!

 

[fronobulax]

That was helpful. You like a wide neck and perhaps a shallow profile for slide. They type of bridge makes a difference and the location has a different impact for slide than it does for other playing. I get it. Thanks.

 

[Jeff Haddad]

I'm not really a humbucker guy, but I bought a 2011 SG Standard at Christmas that year (2011). I used to have one in the 70's - a '68 which I stupidly sold cause I always broke strings (it couldn't have been the .09's I was using).

The new one has a good feel, and sounded pretty good stock although I put some Voodoo humbuckers in it. I also rewired it since the controls were on a PCB (?!).

Congrats on the new guitar.