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Gibson SG Standard
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Gibson SG Standard

SG-Shaped Guitar from Gibson belonging to the SG series

heads on fire heads on fire

« It's a classic for a reason. »

Published on 11/25/11 at 19:16
Made in the USA (Nashville, TN, or Kalamazoo, MI for the older ones)
Mahogany double cutaway body
Mahogany set in neck
Rosewood fingerboard
22 frets
Trapezoid inlays
Gibson/Kluson vintage tuners
2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way pickup selector switch
2 Gibson humbucking pickups, covered
Tuneamatic bridge and stop tailpiece, or vibrato tailpiece
1/4" output jack

UTILIZATION

Playability is a dream on an SG Standard. The double cutaways are very deep, and the neck joins the body near the end of the fretboard, closer than on most guitars, so fret access is sublime. The neck feels fantastic, as if the carve and fretboard radius were built for my hand. Controls are easy to reach, yet plugging in a straight end cable is a tad annoying, as it juts out near the controls. My guitar has a Maestro Vibrato system, and it is great for subtle Bigsby-style vibrato, with a severe helping of cool. It's a classy, yet edgy looking guitar.

SOUNDS

This guitar is bold and aggressive, but can be smooth and subtle. The inherent acoustic resonance is undeniable - you can feel the guitar vibrate in your hand, probably more than any other guitar I have ever played. Bridge pickup tones would cut through a steel bank vault, with all the bite in the world, yet all notes and chords retain a crystal clarity. The neck pickup tone is thick and singing, which is what you hear on the early Santana records.

OVERALL OPINION

This guitar is fantastic, a true classic. There is a reason why this guitar is one of the most enduring and iconic designs of all time - it rocks! The SG Standard is a true winner all the way around, and I would recommend that every guitar player try one out at some point.