Gibson SG Special Faded - Which Colour?

[nfe]

nfe - curious as to why you think it is a terrible guitar? What's wrong with it?

I maybe was a little less clear than I could have been  :lol:

Really what I mean is their quality control on lower end models seems to be abysmal, but these in particular.

I've had maybe 15-20 SG special faded's come through the shop I work in, probably no less than 10 have come back, with problems ranging from things simply falling to bits, the fretboard rising from the neck...all sorts.

Several came in with frets horrendously installed, terrible finishes, extremely dry fretboards etc etc

To be honest I find a lot of Gibsons are below the standard they should be, but my experience with these guitars really has been bad, it's a shame, i think they look fantastic.

[mikeluke]

I've looked at the reviews on Harmony Central and picked up quite a few comments regarding poor set up/fretwork 'out of the box' but not THAT bad.

Now you have me rethinking my cunning plan....

Would not surprise me though, as one of my old colleague worked for Gibson for 3 weeks (left as he could take no more and before he got me 'mates' rates') - he said that it was a very bizarre company!

[Philly Q]

Really what I mean is their quality control on lower end models seems to be abysmal, but these in particular.

I've had maybe 15-20 SG special faded's come through the shop I work in, probably no less than 10 have come back, with problems ranging from things simply falling to bits, the fretboard rising from the neck...all sorts.

Several came in with frets horrendously installed, terrible finishes, extremely dry fretboards etc etc

To be honest I find a lot of Gibsons are below the standard they should be, but my experience with these guitars really has been bad, it's a shame, i think they look fantastic.

Interesting.  I've been wondering why the Faded SGs and Vs are so much cheaper than the standard models.  Of course the matt finish must save them some money, but it sounds like they've skimped on materials and labour as well.

It's a pity - a few years ago it seemed like the QC was improving.  I suppose they had to get rid of all that horrible dry rosewood they were using throughout the range in the mid-90s!  :(

[nfe]

I was dismally disappointed when we first got them in, cause I had intended to buy one, I still would if I came across a good one, but so far I haven't.

The new melody makers are the same. Again, a damn shame.

[mikeluke]

NFE - now you are REALLY ruining my 'Plan B' !!!  A Melody Maker was next on my list....

I guess that I'll have to take a close look at each guitar in the shop before I decide whether to part with the cash or not - I had even considered buying 2 and then flogging one at a small profit to part cover the cost of the one that I'll keep - now  thissounds like a risky strategy.

Thanks for the advice though - very helpful.

Where is the shop where you work?

Regards

Mike

[Twinfan]

I played a nice faded V recently (even though it had a knot in the body wood...), but in the same shop they had a faded cherry SG.  Really REALLY clubby neck, dry fingerboard and generally felt awkward to play.  An SG should be slick and lithe - this was the exact opposite.

Get a guitar while you're in the US if you can, but play a good variety of all makes before handing over your hard earned.

[nfe]

NFE - now you are REALLY ruining my 'Plan B' !!!  A Melody Maker was next on my list....

I guess that I'll have to take a close look at each guitar in the shop before I decide whether to part with the cash or not - I had even considered buying 2 and then flogging one at a small profit to part cover the cost of the one that I'll keep - now  thissounds like a risky strategy.

Thanks for the advice though - very helpful.

Where is the shop where you work?

Regards

Mike

Haha, sorry man, it's just my opinion at the end of the day, get a shot of both of them anyway!

I work in Kirkcaldy up in fife, but for a national chain...I'll leave it at that  :lol:

[mikeluke]

Not somewhere like Sound Control, surely??  :P

[Philly Q]

...in the same shop they had a faded cherry SG.  Really REALLY clubby neck, dry fingerboard and generally felt awkward to play.  An SG should be slick and lithe - this was the exact opposite.

It's all personal preference of course, but all 3 of my SGs (and the others I've owned in the past) have big fat necks and I wouldn't want them any other way.

Damn shame about the dry fingerboard though, they really should have sorted that out after all the criticism they've had in the past.

[nfe]

Not somewhere like Sound Control, surely??  :P

surely not... :P

[Ratrod]

One more vote for faded brown. It looks more natural, more evil and more Iommi.

[gwEm]

well... i'm chuffed with my faded V - worth every penny of the US price in my opinion. the fretboard is a little dry - but lets face it this guitar was 300quid! it easily shites on a similar priced new epiphone, and is as good as my gordon smith V. maybe some fretboard oil will help.

time will tell if it stays in one piece - i just had it a few weeks - fingers crossed on that one.

From seeing them "in the flesh" i think:

The SG does look better in brown
The V looks equally good in brown or red
The various faded Les Pauls look much better in red, in fact the faded studio looks dead posh i reckon.

Gareth

[Joe Dorcia]

I would say brown, but like others, I have played them and was not anywahere near impressed. Infact, one of the only gibsons that has wowed me was a USA SG with 2 P-90s, very nice guitar but for £900, hmmm...

I would go for a tokai as they said about, they make great guitars really. Pickups aint bad too (ie i just got my Tokai Goldstar Sound strat and i havent thought about BKPing it yet!)

Joe