Current crop of Gibson SGs... Worth it?

[lionaudio]

I'm not sure if everyone posting on here already knows this, but as a heads up Gibson is being investigated because they are buying foreign knock offs and selling them as American guitars. Just be careful when buying anything new from Them

[Vogon]

I think you should maybe include link to a reputable source when making that allegation...
I couldn't find annything except the "Illegal wood" story.

[standup]

A few years ago I was looking for a gibson-esque humbucker-bearing guitar. Played lots of epiphones and a few cheap Gibsons, and in the end the best I found was a Westbury Standard. Plays good, sounds good, made in Japan in the 80s. The pickups are DiMarzios, hardware is decent. It's a well-built guitar. The body is kinda SG like, but it's clearly not an SG, if the look is critical.

[Recycled_Brains]

If you are really used to laying your right arm
on the upper bout of the guitar you may never
be able to keep an SG in tune.

This is so true but then again you won't need a whammy bar.
I had a double cut junior copy that you could divebomb with if you pushed the neck too much. The epi coronets are kind of the same way.

Oh man.... that's one of the things I love about mine. I do the occassional "neck bend/dive bomb".

My tech wants to punch me when I tell him about it!

[Recycled_Brains]

Have you considered building your own? The last neck I had made at Warmoth was nothing short of amazing. The attention to detail and the fretwork was fantastic. Not to mention you have choice over type of wood, fret size, fretboard, neck profile, etc. They do great work. Choose your own hardware from somebody like tonepros or babicz, some kluson keys, then your favorite pups and have a monster you'll never want to get rid of. Something you'll cherish as much as the '82 you already have.

I have, and am. I've been working on a design, and a budget for all the parts and everything. I'm just nervous about assembling something like that myself. I have very little experience in such things.

Regardless, I'm thinking this might be the way to go, considering the opinions on the Gibson made SGs.

My goal is an all black (hardware, finish, nut, etc.) SG with a cream trim around the pick guard being the only thing not black.

Also want a bariton Explorer, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

[KennyLusk]

Have you considered building your own?

I have, and am. I've been working on a design, and a budget for all the parts and everything. I'm just nervous about assembling something like that myself. I have very little experience in such things.

To be honest with you Ryan, the only part of assembling a guitar yourself that's a little difficult is installing the tuners to the back of the headstock. And even that really just requires a little patience and care. Those tiny little screws are delicate (all of them, LOL) and the trick to that is to oil the screw holes and make sure they're deep enough. Slow, deliberate, step by step.

[Recycled_Brains]

Have you considered building your own?

I have, and am. I've been working on a design, and a budget for all the parts and everything. I'm just nervous about assembling something like that myself. I have very little experience in such things.

To be honest with you Ryan, the only part of assembling a guitar yourself that's a little difficult is installing the tuners to the back of the headstock. And even that really just requires a little patience and care. Those tiny little screws are delicate (all of them, LOL) and the trick to that is to oil the screw holes and make sure they're deep enough. Slow, deliberate, step by step.

Good to know.

[Jim Williams]

If you use oil on a wood screw, you will cause the oil to leak into the wood. If you do that on maple neck you will stain the wood underneath the finish.

I always use dry soap to lube wood screws.

[slowcentury]

Honestly in the last 10 years I have found that gibson's quality has slipped a fair bit. I have played my fair share of vintage sg's and I am really not all that impressed with the current models. There is some pretty sloppy craftsmanship coming out of that factory. My suggestion would be to find a nice Japanese built Tokai SG. I have one and I wouldn't trade it for the world. As far as fit and finish this guitar destroys the current Gibson models, for sound I really have no complaints nice PAF style pick ups and often for a fair bit less. Make sure you get one made in Japan (preferably from the early 80s), the ones made in Korea are far from the same quality.

[DJ_LBP]

I second slowcentury with the Tokai suggestion. There are other great Japanese copies from the 70s to today that are extremely high-quality. I have played 80s Grecos and Tokais that are amazing and rule. Mostly LP copies, though a friend has an SG copy that I think is Ibanez, but it may have just been a company from the same factory. I'll have to get in touch with him, because that thing was very nice and I think he got it for like 300 bucks or something.

I do think that a lot of new Gibsons are lacking in the QC area. Things that would have made them seconds/defects in the past are making it through to the stores as new instruments. There are some good ones, they just seem inconsistent.

FWIW, the absolute BEST SG I ever played was an Epiphone Elitist model. Maybe from 2005 or 2006?

[suppositron]

What are you guys seeing wrong with the new SGs? Mine seems pretty damn mint.

[David_Kessler]

Anyone seen the Vintage guitars by Wilkinson? Pretty nice SG copies with great workmanship and feel on the cheap. Scroll down about mid page...

http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintageelectric.html

[krabdagger]

I have a 99 SG Standard and I love it. I've owned a decent number of different guitars (including a 79 les paul custom i wish i'd never sold) and it's the only one that's stuck around, I'll probably keep it forever.

i've also played a lot of the other faded sg/ sg specials, etc.... and have found them not nearly as good in terms of playability and especially tone!

Not sure about the new ones, but unless the quality has severely diminished in the last ten years, you'll probably be fine as long as you get a standard or nicer. I wouldn't go near the lower end SG's.

The people going on about vintage are probably being a little fetishist about it, especially if you already have a vintage SG and want something different.

[these_go211]

i have a 4 yr old sg classic that is one of the nicest guitars i've ever played. the 61 re-issues are smooth as butter as well.

[DJ_LBP]

What are you guys seeing wrong with the new SGs? Mine seems pretty damn mint.

I have seen a couple with very poor logo/inlay work, and a couple others with finish issues (orange peel, overspray, drips, etc.) and still a few others that just didn't "feel" right. I know that's a very personal thing, and there are plenty of great new SGs out there, I just feel like you really have to play a few to find the right one.