"If you like an SG, have you tried..."

[Boudoir Guitar]

I got this Epiphone SG standard about 2 years ago and grown to love it more and more each passing day. To the point that I want to do the dumb guitarist thing and "find a better one" because I . . . love this one so much? At least I've gotten smart enough to NOT sell a thing I love for this kind of stupidity.

Things I really like about this thing: (1) low-output hum buckers (these measure, in-circuit, at 7.5k for me.). (2). pickup location -- the neck pickup is closer to a 24 fret guitar placement and I really love that. The bridge pickup is also about 1 cm closer to the bridge than on my 335-knock-off and I thing that also helps give it a vibe. (3). weight.

I like the thin-ness of the body but still kinda prefer a Fender and/or PRS feel when seated a little (SG is still >>>> than LP for me).

So what should I be looking at?

Obviously, USA Gibson SG '61. PRS S2 standard 24? Anything else? I'm not really interested in spending Custom Shop bucks here, but would like to step up to something that feels less plastic-coated-garden-weed compared to the little Epi in a dual low-output-humbucker, not-thick-like-a-les-paul solid body guitar.

 

[sleewell]

reverend sensei ra

 

[la szum]

The Gibson '61 Reissue SG I sold last year was legit. Out of the lot of Gibby's I parted with
that is the one I would miss the most if I missed one of them. (Telling myself).

I see them in the $1500-$1800 range used. I'd grab another if I ever fall into some stupid money.

Maybe something like a PRS Mira. Or an SE DGT. ESP also makes some really sweet SG-style guitars.
I like the Reverend shout, too.

 

[spawnofthesith]

PRS S2 Thinline Mccarty 594 should tick all the boxes. I see them used for 1200-1500 all the time. The new ones have the core pickups but are a bit more expensive. Honestly though I am a fan of the "s" version pickups in my single cut 594. Both the new ones and the old ones have the same USA bridge as the core model too

 

[JiveTurkey]

ESP/LTD Vipers are cool! Definitely BEEFY though. Can't imagine playing one for a 3-4hr gig. You would need to swap pickups as well given your tastes.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

PRS S2 Thinline Mccarty 594 should tick all the boxes. I see them used for 1200-1500 all the time. The new ones have the core pickups but are a bit more expensive. Honestly though I am a fan of the "s" version pickups in my single cut 594. Both the new ones and the old ones have the same USA bridge as the core model too

If this were a 24 fretter, It'd probably be what I'd jump on. And still MAY be worth bringing in from a place I haven't returned a big ticket item to in a while . The neck pickup placement is a biiiiig part of what I'm loving about this SG.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

reverend sensei ra

That's a good shout, actually. Cool!

 

[spawnofthesith]

If this were a 24 fretter, It'd probably be what I'd jump on. And still MAY be worth bringing in from a place I haven't returned a big ticket item to in a while . The neck pickup placement is a biiiiig part of what I'm loving about this SG.

Ahh yeah missed that part

If you like PRS shape theres the CE24s... I love mine, but people say the older 90s-early 2000s "core" ones are even better and you can find those under 1500 all day. That said, those models don't give me much in the way of SG vibes, and certainly not as thin

I feel like the vela is like a tele meets sg meets gretsch thing going on, but still doesnt meet your pickup requirements

 

[Stone]

Love my Revstar II not really a SG but its a double cut

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Love my Revstar II not really a SG but its a double cut

View attachment 22377

Also not the right neck pickup placement

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Ahh yeah missed that part

If you like PRS shape theres the CE24s... I love mine, but people say the older 90s-early 2000s "core" ones are even better and you can find those under 1500 all day. That said, those models don't give me much in the way of SG vibes, and certainly not as thin

I feel like the vela is like a tele meets sg meets gretsch thing going on, but still doesnt meet your pickup requirements

Vela is super intriguing, though I wish they'd kept the D-style pickup in the neck. But that's another story/day/slot-in-the-rack

I had a '94 or '95 CE (back when they were all 24) for a good long while back in the day. It definitely has less Gibson-y vibes than other PRSs.

 

[duzie]

I got this Epiphone SG standard about 2 years ago and grown to love it more and more each passing day. To the point that I want to do the dumb guitarist thing and "find a better one" because I . . . love this one so much? At least I've gotten smart enough to NOT sell a thing I love for this kind of stupidity.

Things I really like about this thing: (1) low-output hum buckers (these measure, in-circuit, at 7.5k for me.). (2). pickup location -- the neck pickup is closer to a 24 fret guitar placement and I really love that. The bridge pickup is also about 1 cm closer to the bridge than on my 335-knock-off and I thing that also helps give it a vibe. (3). weight.

I like the thin-ness of the body but still kinda prefer a Fender and/or PRS feel when seated a little (SG is still >>>> than LP for me).

So what should I be looking at?

Obviously, USA Gibson SG '61. PRS S2 standard 24? Anything else? I'm not really interested in spending Custom Shop bucks here, but would like to step up to something that feels less plastic-coated-garden-weed compared to the little Epi in a dual low-output-humbucker, not-thick-like-a-les-paul solid body guitar.

Little Epi
I’m offended by that remark
Signed Epi fanboi

 

[Los-D]

PRS Core Mira perhaps?

https://reverb.com/item/81759200-prs-mira-2008-cherry?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=81759200

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

PRS Core Mira perhaps?

https://reverb.com/item/81759200-prs-mira-2008-cherry?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=81759200

I likey!!!! The Mira came out in my "&%^! PRS!!!!" phase so I always forget about it.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Had a little bit of a guitar safari yesterday and relevant to this thread, managed to get my hands on an Gibson SG Special pulled straight out of the box. Tuned it up and honestly, it played and sounded great. I wouldn't have changed a thing in terms of action, neck relief, etc. In terms of fit/finish/materials it was very similar to the Gibson Les Paul Special I had two years ago -- which is to say, really great, and easily justifying the price tag.

Tonally was also GREAT. For those that recall I was on a bit of an annoying "all of these P90 guitars sound like shit?" bender last summer (they did), but this thing REALLY nailed what I was hoping to find.

They had a current-model '61 also, but honestly at that point I had played enough of their guitars and didn't have them pull it down.

Will be going back by this shop again in a few weeks and may take my K-Line tele, Epiphone SG, and my FM3 to do some serious A/B-ing and taste testing. I presume the '61 would have similar fit/finish/materials/build/setup quality as the SG Special I played -- in which case, if the '61 sounded as good or better than my Epi, I'd gladly pay $2k for the upgrade in quality/feel. The Epiphone plays fine, but the Gibson is definitely $1500 better for me.

Not sure I have the budget to bring home both the Special and '61, nor do I think I would want to bring in two such similar guitars home on the same day, so might come down to a shoot out between whether I want an upgrade to the Epi now, or a compliment.

My PRS intrigue has definitely been piqued, but I'm just not sure there is much merit in pursuing a PRS for what I really want to be an SG?

 

[Los-D]

As good as PRS are, sometimes

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

For some context, my SG use more resembles this than Angus:

 

[FuzzyAce]

Strat

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Strat

Got that base covered in MIJ style:

G-STUDIO ASH/FS | Bacchus Guitars

bacchus-guitar.com

 

[la szum]

Had a little bit of a guitar safari yesterday and relevant to this thread, managed to get my hands on an Gibson SG Special pulled straight out of the box. Tuned it up and honestly, it played and sounded great. I wouldn't have changed a thing in terms of action, neck relief, etc. In terms of fit/finish/materials it was very similar to the Gibson Les Paul Special I had two years ago -- which is to say, really great, and easily justifying the price tag.

Tonally was also GREAT. For those that recall I was on a bit of an annoying "all of these P90 guitars sound like shit?" bender last summer (they did), but this thing REALLY nailed what I was hoping to find.

They had a current-model '61 also, but honestly at that point I had played enough of their guitars and didn't have them pull it down.

Will be going back by this shop again in a few weeks and may take my K-Line tele, Epiphone SG, and my FM3 to do some serious A/B-ing and taste testing. I presume the '61 would have similar fit/finish/materials/build/setup quality as the SG Special I played -- in which case, if the '61 sounded as good or better than my Epi, I'd gladly pay $2k for the upgrade in quality/feel. The Epiphone plays fine, but the Gibson is definitely $1500 better for me.

Not sure I have the budget to bring home both the Special and '61, nor do I think I would want to bring in two such similar guitars home on the same day, so might come down to a shoot out between whether I want an upgrade to the Epi now, or a compliment.

My PRS intrigue has definitely been piqued, but I'm just not sure there is much merit in pursuing a PRS for what I really want to be an SG?