Which SG??

[sierra trekker]

Which one to get...............
Custom Shop Historic VOS
61' Reissue
Standard

Don't gig so it is only for my own pleasure.

Am also thinking switching out the electronics with RS Vintage and some goodwoods. Opinions?????

Thanks.

[Tim Plains]

Have you played them? That's what you should do, go out and play them - not ask a bunch of strangers which one you should get. All three of those guitars would benefit from an RS kit.

[thesjkexperienc]

I am interested too. Why is a VOS $1000 more than a '61 reissue?

[Tim Plains]

It's Custom Shop.

[MichelleTele]

61 reissue + vibrola is one of THE classiest guitars, Dweezil Zappa plays one.

The Standard is also damn awesome too.

[winkofaneye]

+1 on 61 reissue.Great guitar,great price.

[sierra trekker]

I thought that it was a silly question too (in hindsight) but if they aren't all available to play in your area...............opinions do matter. In respect to the VOS.............what do you get for the additional $1,000?? Are Nine mentions that all could use the WR electronics but if you're paying $3,000 for a body that might not be that much different that a $1,300 standard, what are you getting? Better electronics?? Is if because the neck is pleked..............I'm assuming the Custom is? I know there is a neck shape difference between the reissue and the standard but how about the VOS? As I said, facts and opinions do matter if you can't do the research yourself.

[SG John]

They are all excellent guitars. If you do play them standing up, you should definitely try a few. The Standard will be most natural due to the type of neck joint and strap pin location. The '61 versions will have the neck out further away from you due to the small neck joint, and pin being further into the body. It will almost be like a Firebird, and you'll have to reach for the lower frets. SG's are great guitars, hope you find one you like.

[Tim Plains]

I thought that it was a silly question too (in hindsight) but if they aren't all available to play in your area...............opinions do matter.
Good point. Read my post here, #8.
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=628260

A few things I'll add...

Yes, Custom Shop guitars are plekd.
The SG I own is the best sounding SG I've ever played. That's why I forked out the extra $1,000 for it. Although, I have played 61RIs that I thought were better than a few other '62RIs. If you check eBay, you'll see that a few used '62RIs are selling for $1,500. That's dirt cheap for what it is.

[sierra trekker]

Thanks Are Nine.........really cleared up a lot of details. Looks like I'll be looking to pick up a 62RI.

[BarkingTree]

My 09 61 is pretty sweet and I got it for a nice deal on the ebay.
Gibson is pleking the standard reissue line as well as the Les paul standards. My guitar weighs 6.5 lbs and is a screamer.
The setups are sensitive on these. The string heights change and actions
change with humidity and temp more than some guitars. Thin necks etc.
If you can do setups its not an issue or if you dont live in a cold climate
things will be more stable for you. The 61 has the 57 classics vs the custom having burstbuckers. Some prefer one over the other.
I like the 61 with the more mellow pups. The necks wide out towards the bottom, I might like to find a custom standard to compare the necks on the two.
Probably a marginal difference if any at all.

[big jilm]

For me, the SG standard fits me best. My '99 standard feels, plays and sounds better than my friends SG '61 reissue. Different strokes, as they say. SG's are fine guitars! Have fun getting one!

[hippiebob]

I have an 07 61 Reissue, and it's my number one guitar. I can get so many sounds out of it by manipulating the volume and tone controls.

I think a lot of it depends on what you want. The SG Standards have the Gibson 498 pickups which IMO sound like garbage, but other people like them. My 61 Reissue has '57 Classics, which I love.

Also, the VOS SG comes with the Maestro Vibrola which definitely looks cool. I'd put on on my 61 if it weren't for the holes the tailpiece would leave.

If you want the Maestro, try and find a used 61 Reissue with one...Gibson made a limited run a while back with them before they made the VOS line. I'm not sure of the pricing, but I'm sure they are close to $2000.

[thesjkexperienc]

I noticed that several of the '61 ri in my area are around 6.8 pounds, but one is at 7.35. Will the heavier SG balance better or have better sustain? I had a PRS SE Soapbar II that I thought suffered from being too light weight.

My local store has a '61 RI, and a Historic VOS that I will try out. They have a lot of Korina SGs, but they are very expensive! FWIW Wildwood is my local store, so the Gibson selection is pretty good for a Mom & Pop.

I am also a very long time Strat player and do worry a bit about ergonomics. I am also looking at a Telecaster, but for some reason I think I should have at least one guitar with humbuckers.

[coolhand78]

interesting thread, i too will be on the hunt for an sg in the new year... being a strat player forever all this info is of great value to me... i'm thinking at the moment that i want a 61 RI with vibrola... but having a hard time trying to find one here in australia....

[jcs]

Oh man, i am so blessed to find my 65 sg special years ago!

The good news is there are many great modern sgs, you just have to get out and play some to find the right one !

In the early 70s really nice sgs were not as abundant as today imo.

[sierra trekker]

Well, I saw what I thought was a deal on EBAY, bid on it and won. It's the only thing I have ever won on EBAY...........go figure. So here it is.............
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150391168412
The seller has a really good rating and there is a return policy and it still looks like a really good deal..........even after the fact.

[thesjkexperienc]

Well, I saw what I thought was a deal on EBAY, bid on it and won. It's the only thing I have ever won on EBAY...........go figure. So here it is.............
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150391168412
The seller has a really good rating and there is a return policy and it still looks like a really good deal..........even after the fact.

Looks great! It will be fun to try out some SG's, but it is so hard to stomach new guitar prices. I have only bought one guitar on ebay and really lucked out at how good it is.

[coolhand78]

What is a tenon?

[Julia343]

The necks on these are slightly different. Get the one that feels the best in your hand. Change the pickups to the ones you like the best (if necessary)

[lesterchopper]

not one of your choices but I have a CS SG special with two P90s. The meanist guitar I own.

[hippiebob]

What is a tenon?


If I understand it correctly, the tenon is the part of the neck that joins the body. A long tenon goes through the neck pickup cavity.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[coolhand78]

If I understand it correctly, the tenon is the part of the neck that joins the body. A long tenon goes through the neck pickup cavity.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

is a long tenon "better" than a short one? tonally? did original early 60's sg's have long or short tenons?

cheers

[sierra trekker]

A longer tenon is supposed to give you more sustain................the neck becomes more a part of the body.

[nosacter]

I was having the same debate with myself until last week. I also prefer the 57 Classic pups, but I really wanted the Maestro tailpiece, and that sort of locks you into the VOS model with Burstbuckers. Here's the one I ended up with: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140359193596&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_706wt_1167.
It needed major setup work, neck adjustment and some other tweqking still in progress, but I'm overall pretty pleased with it. Some day I may redo the electronics, but not yet. I'm enjoying it.

[sierra trekker]

Hey nosacter...............looks like you got a nice one, at a really good price. I'll have to look at the setup as well when mine arrives.

[thesjkexperienc]

I got to try a couple and talk to the Gibson Rep at Wildwood Saturday. I really liked the '62 VOS better than the '61ri because the neck seemed a bit thicker and the pickups had more character. The finish wasn't as heavy looking which is just cosmetic. He did say the tenon was longer on the VOS which looking at the shape of the SG must be a good thing. Coming from a Fender it just looks like an SG is going to wiggle and snap!

I know Gibson isnt known for the best setups, but the VOS needed a truss rod adjustment REALLY bad! I am going to have to buy used to afford the VOS. Are there known quality issues with VOS SGs?

I am coming from a position of only playing Strats for at least a year. (Sold my 335 a year ago) Do SGs have a tendency to be muddy or is it just that I am used to single coils?

I have noticed that some SGs have a Maestro Vibrola on them. Is this good or bad, and how does it affect tone?

[jcs]

You need to experiment with pu height and use the volume controls on the guitar, that way you can get closer to single coil sounds.

You might prefer an SG with p90s,just make sure they are not overwound (if anything i prefer underwound p90s on SGs).

I prefer no tremolo on any SG myself, but they can often be fine with various tremolos too.

I have a Badass wraparound on my 65 SG Special,its intonatable and no issues with tuning,though i will eventually get a Pigtail wraparound.

[andrewface]

love my 61

[thesjkexperienc]

I really like P-90s, but it seems the ones that come with those are smaller. I am 6'3" and dwarf Les Pauls and other small guitars lol. I wish I could borrow an SG for a week to see if it is going to work in the long run.