All user reviews of 4/5 for the Gibson SG Special Faded

About three years ago, I was searching for a great guitar at a reasonable price, (which is nearly impossible nowadays) and I heard of a guitar store in downtown portland oregon called apple music row. I went inside and looked around for about two hours or so. I repeated this pattern about five or six times and eventually I had had about 650 dollars saved up and had a list of guitars I really liked. One of these was a gibson SG in a really cool brown color, I wasn't sure of it's model or anything like that because I was not as keen on the world of guitars as I am now. But i eventually bought it for a fairly reasonable amount of 600 dollars, and with some bickering, i got some strap locks as well.

I really like this guitar because of the look and feel when you play it. You look and feel like a tough dude with a tough guitar. The body shape is really cool looking and adds a lot of character to live performance especially if you play harder music like rock, metal, or punk. I purchased the faded brown finish (but you can also get the faded cherry). It sounds kind of hokey because brown isn't color normally used to project beauty or greatness, but it REALLY works well for this guitar. As a matter of fact, it has kind of a redish tint to it that adds more of a "high price finish" look.The really great thing that I like about the finish on this guitar is the fact that it DOES NOT get fingerprint smudges. The sound has a nice vintage sound to it that is perfect for the player that is into classic rock,(you can get away with blues and jazz) or rock that isn't super heavy because of the output levels of the pick-ups.

As hard as it is to believe. This guitar is the absolute cheapest solidbody with the gibson name on it. With this cheap price, there are things that don't quite live up to it's more expensive brothers and sisters. I really wasn't a fan of the gibson deluxe tuners, they were like a greyish green and put off a nice vintage look, but thats not what I was after. The finish doesn't protect the wood on the guitar very well either, it is VERY easy to scratch it because the finish isn't very protective. The pick ups do not put out enough power for my tastes (which is metal output levels). I think my biggest problem with it was probably the fact that the pickups were screwed to the pickgaurd, when I pulled off the pickguard, i was stunned, All i wanted to do was clean it and i ended up doing all of the work to take the pickups out and put them back in.

this is a very high quality guitar, especially for the tiny price.it feels very solid. My particular guitar has been tested. One night I played a show at a park and i went to swing my guitar around my hsoulder when my strap broke at the button and sent the guitar flying into a street and tumbling all over the place. the result: only two broken tuners and a "scab" on the body. no intonation problems, no funky sounding pickups, nothing wrong with it.with this level of quality construction, it is a great choice for the working musician. There weren't any real flaws about this guitar when i walked out of the store with it.
mahogany body
rounded mahogany neck
rosewood fretboard
dot inlay (pearloid)
chrome hardware
tune-o-matic bridge
stopbar tailpiece
black knobs (2 volume, 2 tone. 3 way switch)
green key gibson deluxe tuners
490R alnico pickup(neck)
490T alnico pickup(bridge)
came with gigbag




very much a great guitar. If you don't want to spend a great deal of cash on a standard or custom SG, i recommend buying this one and upgrading it over time. thats what I am doing, (for less money you can make it contour to your style, and have better quality than the expensive ones). Lets be honest though don't buy this guitar expecting it to be the most incredible thing you have ever played, it is NOT a 100,000 dollar '57 les paul. it's a big bang for your buck deal, buy it if you don't like anything else better..

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought the guitar new at Grandma's music and sound Albuquerque, New Mexico.
ca: $550.

This guitar is the product of over fifty years of Gibson's experience crafting quality musical instruments.

As a working recording artist and session player, this guitar is an investment.

The aesthetics are remarkable.
It has a beuatiful "faded" brown finish. It also has standard crescent moon pearl inlays!

The body is select mahogany. The fretboard is rosewood and the neck is made of rounded mahogany. The frets are medium-jumbo.

The pickups deviate from the vintage look and feel of the instrument. They emphasize upper midrange frequencies.
The fretboard is flat. It's great for "shredding," and soulful "bluesy rock" stlye wailing.

The drawbacks of this guitar are the limited scope of the instrument.
I would not use this guitar for anything other than rock or metal.
The sound of the instrument should appeal to the Gibson enthusiast.
Those who prefer the mellow tones of a Fender Stratocaster or the
bright sound of a Telecaster might be disappointed with the Faded SG.

The construction of this guitar is flawless.
It has a soild feel and look.
One note: the neck- through construction makes this guitar fragile.
I recommend buying a hardshell case and
monitiring the humidity wherever it's
stored.

I have been playing guitar for over fifteen years.
In that time I have come to know exactly what I like and don't like about electric guitars.
I have always wanted to own a SG.
This guitar delivers exactly what I want.
A modern guitar with soul of a classic vintage instrument!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Gibson SG guitars a fantastic sounding instrument that has a ton of versatility and dare I say more versatility in the iconic Gibson Les Paul guitar. These guitars are extremely iconic looking into themselves. They have very familiar double cut away body shape that resembles devil horns away. Their body shape is a little bit thinner than the Gibson Les Paul is certainly their neck scale length is a little longer and it's you can reach the higher frets much easier because of the cut away in the body. These guitars have a really dynamic sound and very focused sound but still fall in line with the voicing of the Gibson guitars in general. I find that there are frequency range is a little bit more in the mid range and they really excel in life recording applications much better in my opinion and give Les Paul instruments. Overall they're a dynamic guitar and they sound fantastic and pretty much any setting an application that you put the men.

UTILIZATION

Gibson SG Special Faded features:
Color: Worn Cherry
Body: Solid mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood with pearloid dot inlays
Number of frets: 22
Pickups: Two coverless humbuckers - 490R (neck) and 490T (bridge)
Controls: Two each tone and volume with three-way pickup selector switch
Machine heads: Green Key
Hardware: Chrome plated
Case: Black padded gigbag

SOUNDS

These guitars really do well any high gain type amplifier settings. So these guitars mixed with a Marshall or Mesa boogie amplifier than you're really to find that perfect sweet spot with these guitars. Since they have two hum buckers installed you find that giving them a load of saturation and distortion really excel what they're capable of doing. These guitars don't really sound that great in a clean settings such as a Fender clean or a Vox clean, but when you put them in a position to drive to get tube saturation than you will find out how capable of hard rock tones these guitars are able to handle. They sound great in pretty much any setting but they really have their sweet spot and what they're built for any high gain application.

OVERALL OPINION

You can find guitars pretty much anywhere Gibson guitars are sold. They're not quite as readily available as a Gibson Les Paul guitar but they're still very popular and pretty easy to find. You can also find these on most eBay and auction websites but I suggest combing through the classifieds in your local city or your favorite online forum to find one of these instruments. You can find great deals right now because of the gear market prices are so low and there's a lot of deals to be found on these particular guitars. I highly recommend these guitars anyone looking for a great Gibson sound and needs a great guitar for recording or live use. These are players guitars and they sound great on stage as well as any recording session.

I purchased the Gibson Faded Series Guitar for my son when he had his 16th birthday. He really loved the guitar and so did I! I love the split coil pick ups! its awesome to be able to get the sound that i want! i really like the slick back on the neck also! it makes sliding up and down the neck alot easier! if you are a serious musician and are in the market for a nice guitar you can't go wrong with the Gibson Faded Series, not to mention that its affordable. We all know how good it is to have a nice guitar on a tight budget. Also, this doesn’t have to be for a beginner, I am not a beginner and feel that this is a great guitar and its well built.


UTILIZATION

The pick ups are phenomenal and the switching is incredible. The Faded Series Gibson can get thick full jazz sounds or thin telecaster sounds and lots in between. The action is great! I wanted a solid body and got one. Nothing chambered or weight relieved here.

SOUNDS


This gives a very full sound, I do not like the bumps in the media microphones as Seymour Duncan SH4, so I'm happy to have a micro balance! In terms of parasites, it is nothing compared to other guitars home I could try! Microphones terrible!
I love all the sounds of this guitar!

OVERALL OPINION

It's comfortable and it just fits me. I can play it for hours. When my son plays he plays it through a Bose L1 with 2 base bins and Digitech GNX4. The Faded Series guitar is flawless. The plec neck is great and the action is smooth as silk. My associates are always looking to use it. The guitar is making him a better player. Lots of people enjoy only the look of it, but I love the sound it produces.

It is the classic Gibson SG is a pure and simple ... Mine is "color" Worn Brown and I found a beautiful ... Bne is the key, I think it's not so common and current The models have rosewood fingerboard.

UTILIZATION

The handle is a highway, very enjoyable and not tiring at all. It is very lgre, more than my SG Standard. Finally on the famous dsquilibre heads of SG and spice nose that I was never so bah derrang but ...

Sound: it's plug and play.

Me my only regret is the lack of cover on the pickups: Installed guitar wins Aesthetics ... The mcaniques are catastrophic and I regret that the head is not a little better finished (including logos).

SOUNDS

The sound is magical ... but has hardly much to do with that my standard is less fat and more mellow ... Finally I am very pleased with the two (as Sg addict) but you need to head that faded sg is a party model with its Entire CHARACTERISTICS, its sounds and above all its charm

Personal love sounds as clear as crunch Fuzz or very saturated, so ... I find it very flexible and versatile trs. I go from funk to rock to jazz or rock ind carefree.

OVERALL OPINION

Great guitar, very nice and cute as hell. It would be my back up and finally I lug around everywhere.

One must admit one thing: price 1100 euros for this guitar nine Pigalle is an abuse. I got 600 euros OCCAZ 'so no worries of ct for me ... But for 400 euros plus the standard provides a clear finish suprieure + a tui. A MDIT ... But as I said a small mouth, and the characters for 800 euros or less, it will go for it

Made in the USA
22frettes, humbuckers without cover (490T in the bridge, 490R in the neck)
Fixed bridge in two parts (tune-o-matic tailpiece +)
a volume knob and one tone by micro switch 3WAY
Mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard markers with just "point" white.
Mahogany body (available in red or brown, natural finish), very fine polish, black plate, guitar sober.

UTILIZATION

It took me a while to get used to the handle big enough, the hour of cramps behind me when I paid an American Stratocaster, I struggled to play a round as thin and with so little taken ... So he surprised by its size but you get used to playing regularly and developing a suitable technique!
Access to acute perfect, you can go up to the last fret without concern (the advantage of facing the SG Les Paul ...)
The weight really is not excessive, the form is terrible (always remember Angus Young ...)
The sound ... It just comes! Really good pickups fitted as original equipment!

SOUNDS

The advantage of typing in the "low end" home Gibson is at the cost of a good Epiphone was really good microphones, while in Epiphone, we look great, but ultimately not very good microphones and electronics not always on top ...
At least with Gibson, I am alone! I changed pickups twice: first a Gibson 500T, but it did not suit me, I preferred to replace the original microphone that really filled me with its relatively low output level for a humbucker and balance frequencies ... I finally decided to pay me a Classic 57 in bridge, and it sounds a hell harmonics with a shovel and perfect balance of frequencies! As soon as I would have the means, I'll put in a second bridge! When the neck pickup, do not go too much because it has a fairly consistent output level which is not always pleasant to give nuances crunch ...
I play everything, with different sounds (clean, crunch, crunch boosted, lead) and it provides in all areas! I play reggae, ska, funk, blues, british rock, punk and sometimes a bit of hardcore / metal, and can do everything! Then the sober look in fact quite a scraper mat! I play on an Orange Rocker 30C with two wah (Dunlop and Vox) and a Radial Tonebone Hot British, and it sounds A LOT!
This gives a very full sound, I do not like the bumps in the media microphones as Seymour Duncan SH4, so I'm happy to have a micro balance! In terms of parasites, it is nothing compared to other guitars home I could try! Microphones terrible!
I love all the sounds of this guitar!

OVERALL OPINION

I bought used for 550 €, two years ago it was not brand new, but I gave him back a shot of youth (the opening round, flycase SKB, change in micro short ,...) I have pampered!
I love the look, the finish (very simple!), The sound, in short, everything! In terms of comfort, it comes with practice, not easy at first so the handle is thick!
It was the first Gibson I was testing, purchased without the plug, I was not disappointed (I've been a Epiphone Les Paul 100 SG at this anyway ... What leap!)
The price / quality ratio is really great, used it even better!

With experience, of course I do it again this election! In fact, I'm in my plans to pay a second (or the same color, either red, I do not know yet) to mount a different config micro (EMG P90 or two ...) but I 'have time to come and see!

I love the guitar now!

United States 2003
2490 pickup
Channel rouded pretty big compared to my Flying V or an epi SG400

UTILIZATION

The handle is ebony I love this guitar everything is ok I bought the mechanically modified with groove and I've changed the pot that had been modified yeark 250k cts! I asked her j 500k bait linear with vitamin q) the .022 better. The sound is very rock but I'll change the pickup for two classic 57 rounder creamier. Currently I prefer the sound of my epi sg 400 modified (see 400 vintage sg worn brown) but the gibson has a better resale value in case? But I'm sure the 57 are flared to death

SOUNDS

I play old rock in a 5 watt lamp with a treble booster. Its very modern + rock can be very hard rock

OVERALL OPINION

Good guitar and I think I'm going with 2 max from the classic 57

The Gibson SG Special Faded Worn Brown is a lower budget version of the famous Gibson SG Standard. It features the same basic core features but in a cheaper package. The construction is all mahogany (body and neck) and it has the typical SG body shape. It has a rosewood fretboard with 22 frets and dot inlays. The tuners are Klusons, and the bridge is the typical tune-o-matic variant paired with the stopbar tailpiece. The stock Gibson humbuckers are the typical 490R and 498T pairing found in many different Gibson guitars. The finish is their very thin "faded" finish that consists of pore filler and a few thin coats of nitro lacqure to seal it. The instrument is built proudly in Gibson's USA factory in Nashville TN.

UTILIZATION

The SG is a fairly ergonomic guitar overall. The weight is definitely on the lighter side and the contoured mahogany body is very comfortably fitting against the body, even for extended periods of time. The overall shape of the guitar is definitely more fit for jumping around and playing live than say, a Les Paul or a Flying V/Explorer. The faded finish does make the guitar feel slicker too. The upper fret access is pretty good on this guitar as well. The neck heel can get in the way sometimes (like many Gibsons) but overall it isn't too bad.

Getting a good sound out of this guitar is pretty simple. The guitar is fairly versatile and works well for everything from jazz to rock. Though the pickups are a bit hotter than '57 Classics or the typical PAF type pickup, they're still pretty versatile and it's easy enough to get a wide range of tones out of this guitar for sure.

SOUNDS

I've tried this guitar with various different amplifiers and can conclude that it's a bit more inclined to do distorted tones because of the slightly hotter pickups and mahogany construction. The pickups have a certain midrange heft to them that works well for cutting through a mix. Clean tones have a wonderful woody and warm quality that works very well for everything from old school jazz, to some funky textures to some more gutsy blues. About the only thing this guitar doesn't really ape is that Fendery tone that would work for country licks, but it can fake it with the right amp tone.

Dirty sounds are great. The guitar has a surprisingly thick tone that works really well for classic/hard rock rhythms, especially in lower tunings. The guitar's mahogany woodiness really comes through with a good vintage voiced high gainer such as a Marshall or Orange. The guitar doesn't quite have the high end character that I would use for more modern lead tones but it has that classic Gibson SG tone, perfect for unleashing some Sabbath or Spirtual Beggars type tones.

OVERALL OPINION

All in all I think the SG Special Faded is a great way to get into owning a Gibson for a reasonable price. They are about $850 new, which is a great deal considering the quality and tones you're getting out of this guitar. The Faded model Gibsons are pretty popular and it's easy to see why... with a unique look, great sounds and excellent playability from the thin feeling finish, the guitar is simply a great rock machine.

The Gibson SG has been featured on countless records and touring stages and some of the most prolific artists and if uses guitar has to be a AC/DC and Pete Townsend from the two. AC/DC has use this guitar on every album since its beginning and continues to be the main guitar for Angus Young. The SG is a great rock 'n roll guitar that features mahogany body of mahogany neck in a Rosewood fretboard. This is the kind of guitars that a lot of musicians are you look to win wanting a good harder rock sound. The two humbuckers give a nice beefy tone and the overall body shape allows this guitar to really resonate and have a very focused voicing and tone.


UTILIZATION


Gibson SG Special Faded Guitar Features:

* Manufactured in Nashville, Tennessee
* Mahogany body and neck
* Worn Brown finish
* 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays
* Scale length 24 3/4"; total length: 18.062" SG,
* Width at 12th Fret: 2.062"
* Neck Joint Location: 19th Fret
* 17 degree peghead pitch
* Thickness at 1st fret: .818"
* Thickness at 12th fret: .963"
* Heel Length: .625"
* Nut Width: 1.687"
* Chrome plated hardware
* Stopbar tailpiece and Tune-o-matic bridge
* Black 'Tophat" knobs
* "Green Keys" tuners
* 490R Alnico Humbucker neck pickup
* 490T Alnico Humbucker bridge pickup
* Black padded gig bag with white "Gibson" logo

SOUNDS


The tone of this guitar is a very focused Gibson tone. It takes its inspiration from the Gibson Les Paul body shape but it also has an actor cutaway and the top part of the guitar. The body of the guitar is a little fatter as well and the scale length of the fretboard is longer than a Gibson Les Paul. This allows you to get up in the higher frets with a lot more ease and playability. But the tone of the guitar is a little bit thinner that has a nice juicy mahogany tone. The guitar is one of the most classic and icon iconic guitars as ever been dealt primarily because of the body shape with the two cutaways on top bottom of the guitar body. This guitar sounds fantastic with just about any amplifier use but especially with a high gain amplifier. Uses in conjunction with a Marshall amp and you'll get a great classic rock tone all day long.

This is one of the most workable tones for recording session that you can get out of guitar. I love the way these guitar sound and recording session because they're able to give a little bit better frequency range then Gibson Les Paul in my opinion. I am an absolute fan of a Les Paul but when it comes actually recording I always preferred the Gibson SG over the Gibson Les Paul. It just has the right frequency and tone response that I'm looking for when it comes to laying down tracks for recording session.

OVERALL OPINION

I recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a great gigging guitar and great recording guitar. This is a guitar that's going to last tonight after night of eating planing clubs in theaters. If I need guitars new for right around $700 which is a great price for a well-built solid guitar. I highly recommend this guitar to anyone who needs a good hard rock guitar that will last them a lifetime.

Some people just want a Gibson and they do not really care what the quality is. This guitar is one of the cheapest Gibson SG's you can get and the quality is not much better than an Epiphone. In reality I would recommend an Epiphone over this guitar. This Faded version is currently one of the most popular SG models right now. Gibson noticed that people were starting to like worn in looking guitars. They decided to start a line of Faded guitars that do not have the final clear coat on them to give guitar players a line of new guitars that look old. Not only does this give them a worn in look but it also saves Gibson a lot of money. The guitar is made from solid mahogany with a mahogany set neck. The neck is 22 frets with a rosewood fretboard. The neck is not bound. It has two volume knobs and one tone knob and a 3 way pickup selector. It has 496R and 500T ceramic magnet pickups in the neck and bridge respectively. These pickups are Gibsons own design. It has a traditional Les Paul style tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece.

UTILIZATION

Because this is a lower end Gibson model the quality control on these guitars are not as good. I have noticed many Faded series guitars have poor fretwork and really need a good setup and fret level right from the factory. The SG was designed in such a way to give better fret access than the earlier Les Paul. The neck is not mounted as deep into the body as is with the Les Paul. This design gives it a few problems. The neck joint on SG models is very weak compared to Les Pauls or even bolt on guitars. This weak neck joint makes some SG's prone to going out of tune. With the neck mounted so far out on the body and the body being so thin and light, SG's are prone to neck dive. When playing an SG standing up you may find yourself holding up the neck due to this awkward balance between the neck and the body.

SOUNDS

Fretwork aside this guitar sounds like how any SG should. With their thinner flatter bodies SG's tend to have a tone slightly thinner than that of a Les Paul. Some people say it sounds more like a Gibson Flying V than a Les Paul. The smaller body also helps make the tone different than that of a Les Paul. Gibson pickups are mainly designed for classic rock. These pickups tend to offer a medium output. If you are looking to play heavier music you may want to replace the pickups with aftermarket higher output models. I would recommend EMG pickups for heavier music. Gibson for a short time sold a variant of this guitars with EMG's from the factory. Active EMGs will give you great output and more clarity for metal.

OVERALL OPINION

Gibson has a good idea going with the Faded Series. People want worn in guitars that look played and Gibson likes to cut costs. This guitar does both. I only wish they did not cut costs in other areas of the guitar. The fretwork on high end Gibsons is great due to the machine based plek'ing process they go through. But on these models the fretwork is subpar. Its similar to what you would find on a mid-range Epiphone. If you are looking for a nice simple SG and do not mind getting it setup this guitar is a good choice.