Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: JJretroTONEGOD on September 05, 2007, 09:28:59 PM
-
HI
I am looking for the best Gibson SG I can possibly find, I really like the older classic ones aka USA from the 60's and 70's. I love the custom ones even more than the normal ones, what would you recommend???
I am saving up and I'm willing to spend £1000-£2000 on one, my favourite tones are from Angus Young and Frank Zappa, who both used SGs a lot, and unsurprisingly John Mchlaughlin (early stuff) mahavishnu. How the hell can somebody like me get a tone that good? If you know what model of SG guitars they use/used then please let me know!
As you've guessed I know nothing on the subject of relevante' accord in order to help doth make a 'suitable' decisione'
thanks me mateys,
Ben.
-
one with P-90's!!
If you are going down the SG route it needs to have P-90's
-
If you are going down the SG route it needs to have P-90's
Hmmm... not necessarily. I thought you weren't a fan of SGs, Wez?
Angus's main SG is, I believe, a '68 with a batwing pickguard (Twinfan'll know better than me). Zappa's best known SG wasn't a Gibson at all, but a custom job with a 23rd fret and all sorts of weird electronics fitted by Rex Bogue - the man who built John McLaughlin's doubleneck.
But I don't think there's any point trying to copy anyone's gear too closely. You won't sound like them, you'll sound like you!
More importantly, how do you like a guitar to feel? e.g. thin neck, fat neck? Ebony or rosewood?
-
I like FAT necks, as that's what I'm used to, it has to have to chunk to it. I like Rosewood fretboards, with Pearl inlays, and I like mahogony bodies, because of the sustain and tone, also I like through necks, not bolt on.
I refuse to copy anyone else's tone, so that's not an issue. I have my own sound, I 'm just looking for something of a 'similar' nature to my favourtie tones, aka a 'vibe'
I'm thinking of putting very high output pickups something like Abraxas or a high output Mule w/an Alnico V magnet, not Alnico IV, somthing that really emphases the natural sustain, and makes it go into controllable feedback. I want this guitar to be capable of getting very heavy, thick and sustained.
I like P90's but I'm looking for an SG with 2 Humbuckers.
-
If you want thick necks, then don't go for a late 60s or early seventies SG. They are famous for having narrow necks that people either love or hate - I'm guessing hate in your case. Angus has very small hands which is why his '68 batwing guard Standard (well done Phil ;)) is perfect for him.
Your best vintage SG would be a mid-sixties version which has a thick neck, but they are well over your budget. Try £4000+. The late seventies/early eighties SGs had strange specs so I'd avoid them. Who wants a bridge that looks like a harmonica or a side mounted jack???
In the newer SG line, the good old Standard has a nice full neck. The '61 reissue has the slim-taper neck which will be too thin for you, but I love mine. If you want to splash out, I believe the Custom Shop SGs have quite chunky necks so they may suit you well.
For what you say you like, I reckon a good old Standard from any time over the last 15 years would be great.
-
cheers, that's great, what I'll do is try some of the thinner neck SGs first and then, I'll look out for a modernish standard, the 61 reissue sounds nice though! I do have big hands which is why I prefer big necks, I can cope with thin necks if it feels and sounds right, but basically until I try a guitar and actually 'feel' what it's like to play I won't be able to tell.
p.s I saw YCDC a few months back, w/J Peel, you ROCKED!
-
If you are going down the SG route it needs to have P-90's
Hmmm... not necessarily. I thought you weren't a fan of SGs, Wez?
thats well documented and doesnt need repeating - but since you metnioned they are a very bad design, structurally at least...
I used to love them till i played one and it felt wrong. Then when i started making guitars and became very aware of all the issues with the design that made me not want to do a copy.
They do look cool but i have always said i wouldnt make one unless i could at least do it as a through-neck, or at least a very deep set tenon like the explorer i am making now. I also wouldnt like to use a single piece of wood for the neck and i would use carbon fibre reinforcment bars for extra insurance... with all of that i might actually quite like an SG
-
p.s I saw YCDC a few months back, w/J Peel, you ROCKED!
You sure you saw us? Who is J/Peel?????
By the way, if you want to try any of my SGs out you're only round the corner. Drop me a PM and you're welcome to bob round and see what you think. I have:
* Gibson '61 reissue with vibrola and stock Classic '57s
* Epiphone '65 reissue with vibrola and Riff Raffs
* Tokai Special with wrapover bridge and stock P90s
* Gordon Smith Junior with tune-o-matic and a Mississippi Queen
-
I'm a fan of big necks too, regardless of hand size! I've tried a couple of late-60s SGs, and the skinny, narrow-at-the-nut neck feels quite weird. The '61 reissue has a pretty slim neck, but a least it has the "normal" nut width. The current SG Standard is just fine, but you might have to shop around a bit to find a good one.
This is a really good reference book, but it looks like you might have trouble getting a reasonably-priced copy:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guitar-History-Gibson-Sg-2/dp/0933224206/ref=sr_1_6/203-6467591-8079959?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189028306&sr=1-6
-
They do look cool but i have always said i wouldnt make one unless i could at least do it as a through-neck, or at least a very deep set tenon like the explorer i am making now. I also wouldnt like to use a single piece of wood for the neck and i would use carbon fibre reinforcment bars for extra insurance... with all of that i might actually quite like an SG
I guess you could make all those changes without changing the basic shape, feel or balance of the SG. Sounds good!
-
See if you can find a John Birch SG - they are exactly what you are looking for! Neck through and wide flatish neck. Narrow HB's with a great almost P-90 sound. Of course they are like rocking horse shite, I have been looking for one for years.
-
There was a guy who advertised in the "Wanted" column of just about every issue of Guitarist for years looking for John Birch SGs. That wasn't you was it Phil?
-
There was a guy who advertised in the "Wanted" column of just about every issue of Guitarist for years looking for John Birch SGs. That wasn't you was it Phil?
No - it's this guy:
http://johnbirchsg.com/
I think he has all of the ones that were ever for sale!!!
-
Similar to the John Birch models these where built to Mr Iommis specs and turn up quite often http://www.patrickeggleguitars.com/artist.html usually at very reasonable prices. The only one I can find ATM is a P90 equipped Jr model though.
Jay Dee also did a version http://www.jaydeeguitars.com/html/sg-tony-iommi.asp which apart from the headstock are nice looking SG like guitars.
Rob...
BTW can anybody gimme a hint how to do nice looking embedded urls ?
-
No - it's this guy:
http://johnbirchsg.com/
I think he has all of the ones that were ever for sale!!!
After establishing a world monopoly on John Birch SGs, he could at least have a proper website with pictures the rest of us can look at! :lol:
-
BTW can anybody gimme a hint how to do nice looking embedded urls ?
You mean like below, so you don't see the actual web address in the post?
"Jay Dee (http://www.jaydeeguitars.com/html/sg-tony-iommi.asp) also did a version which apart from the headstock are nice looking SG like guitars."
-
BTW can anybody gimme a hint how to do nice looking embedded urls ?
Here is the format:
insert url here[/color]]link text (http://[color=yellow)[/b]
Insert url here is where you put the whole url including the http://
Link text is where you put the words that you want people to click on
Seems to only work if there are no gaps either
So for example :
This guitar (http://felineguitars.com/spec_sheets/Gibson%20Painkiller%20SG.htm) is the best SG I have ever played
-
I think i would be a bit sad if one person owned most of my guitars like that John Birch collector :cry: - probably dont even get played often