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SG good for metal and grunge?


Jonderdonk

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Hi, everybody! I'm in a band that plays a lot of Metallica,

Nirvana, and AC/DC covers. Right now I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio Shred, and I'm looking for a guitar that is designed to handle lots of distortion. Would the Gibson SG Standard, 60s Tribute, or 70s tribute be a step up in that regard? If not, what other Gibsons would I want to look at? Any reviews about the quality of the guitar for the money would be great.

 

Thanks!

John

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I had an SG worn brown special faded for awhile. I sold it cause I couldn't get used to an unbound fretboard, but, man, lemme tell you, for the money it was a badass SG. Very dirty sounding.....490 PU set in them maybe?....and the playability was excellent. Best bang for the buck from Gibson IMHO. Would be great for metal or hard rock. Standard has 57 classics which , to my ear, sounds better for blues or classic rock.

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I had an SG worn brown special faded for awhile. I sold it cause I couldn't get used to an unbound fretboard, but, man, lemme tell you, for the money it was a badass SG. Very dirty sounding.....490 PU set in them maybe?....and the playability was excellent. Best bang for the buck from Gibson IMHO. Would be great for metal or hard rock. Standard has 57 classics which , to my ear, sounds better for blues or classic rock.

 

Thanks so much for your feedback! Do you have a particular model that you think I should go with? Right now I'm looking at the 2013 standard because of the min-etune option. I do a lot of home recording, and not having to tune before every single take would be awesome.

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Hi, everybody! I'm in a band that plays a lot of Metallica,

Nirvana, and AC/DC covers. Right now I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio Shred, and I'm looking for a guitar that is designed to handle lots of distortion. Would the Gibson SG Standard, 60s Tribute, or 70s tribute be a step up in that regard? If not, what other Gibsons would I want to look at? Any reviews about the quality of the guitar for the money would be great.

 

Thanks!

John

 

They were/are good enough for this guy:

 

7715336_orig.jpg

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SGs are great for many music styles, and it doesn't matter to me if there's a fretboard binding or not. I have some guitars with bindings and nibs, some with bindings without nibs, and some without bindings. I just don't care since I never touch the fretboard edges during playing. IMHO there's a downside of fretboard bindings with nibs, the smaller usable width. However, all of my four Gibson SG guitars have bindings with nibs, and both my Gibson SG basses have not.

 

Basically any SG with humbuckers is useful when playing hard'n'heavy, but perhaps due to the desired lows and distortion the 490R/498T or 496R/500T may be best. However, I think '57 Classics or 490R/490T are more flexible. Since the Burstbuckers aren't wax potted, I would not recommend them for high gain settings although I never had any trouble with my Dual BB 1/Dual BB 2 and Dual BB Pro N&B Les Paul guitars.

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I've got an SG Standard with 490/498 pickups through a Marshall DSL, and YES, it will CRANK out the tone for metal tunes if you want it!

 

I typically like more classic rock and therefore don't need much in the way of gain and pickup volume to get a classic rock tone, so that leaves me a lot of room to crank it up and play with when it comes to metal.

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Get an SG with the right humbuckers (something that I don't think will be straight availiable to you),

maybe an SG 70's tribute with a pair of Dirty Fingers. You'll have to try and see what you like best,

A 496R/500T set is what could possibly come closer to what you're looking for.

 

If you like your LP you're going to fall in love with SGs.

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Get an SG with the right humbuckers (something that I don't think will be straight availiable to you),

maybe an SG 70's tribute with a pair of Dirty Fingers. You'll have to try and see what you like best,

A 496R/500T set is what could possibly come closer to what you're looking for.

 

If you like your LP you're going to fall in love with SGs.

 

Wow, and I already love my Les Paul. It has 490R and 498T pickups. So you're suggesting that I buy the SG 70s tribute and install new pickups?

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Thanks for the replies, everyone! Has anybody had any experience with the 2013 Standard SG?

 

There are demo videos, on the 2013 Standard, by member "Voodoo Monkey" right here, on

the SG forum. Most that have the new 2013 Standard RAVE about it! So, I don't think

you'd be disappointed, at all, in that particular guitar! It has Classic '57's in it,

which are awesome pickups, but NOT "Hot!" Still...Metal, Grunge, and Hard Rock tones

can be had...you just have to have the right amp (and/or pedals), and eq settings.

But, you could change them out, if you just felt the need! [biggrin]

 

Cheers,

CB

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There are demo videos, on the 2013 Standard, by member "Voodoo Monkey" right here, on

the SG forum. Most that have the new 2013 Standard RAVE about it! So, I don't think

you'd be disappointed, at all, in that particular guitar! It has Classic '57's in it,

which are awesome pickups, but NOT "Hot!" Still...Metal, Grunge, and Hard Rock tones

can be had...you just have to have the right amp (and/or pedals), and eq settings.

But, you could change them out, if you just felt the need! [biggrin]

 

Cheers,

CB

 

Thanks for the info! Right now I'm torn between the Standard and the 70s Tribute. The 70s tribute has the heavy distortion pickups, and it's about $500 cheaper. Why is the Standard $500 more, and is it worth the extra?

 

Thanks,

John

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Thanks for the info! Right now I'm torn between the Standard and the 70s Tribute. The 70s tribute has the heavy distortion pickups, and it's about $500 cheaper. Why is the Standard $500 more, and is it worth the extra?

 

Thanks,

John

 

More "Bling" and a better finish! As to being "worth it" (for you)? ONLY YOU,

can determine that! "Tributes" will come and go, but the Standard will always

be that...THE Standard! You can always change the pickups, if that's what you

"need" to do. [biggrin]

 

Good Luck!

 

CB

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Thanks for the info! Right now I'm torn between the Standard and the 70s Tribute. The 70s tribute has the heavy distortion pickups, and it's about $500 cheaper. Why is the Standard $500 more, and is it worth the extra?

 

Thanks,

John

 

The best thing you can do is to try and visit a place like Guitar Center if one is close by where you live. You'll have the option of trying out several different SG models, and take your amp with you if it's easily portable.

 

The SG Standard has a bit more finish and extras that the 70's tribute does not have (high gloss finish, neck binding for example), then there's the model reputation. The SG Standard, like the Les Paul Standard, is well known and has been around for decades. Is that worth the extra money to you? IMHO, don't get caught up in model names and stuff like that, find the one that plays best and sounds best to your hands and ears. [smile]

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The best thing you can do is to try and visit a place like Guitar Center if one is close by where you live. You'll have the option of trying out several different SG models, and take your amp with you if it's easily portable.

 

The SG Standard has a bit more finish and extras that the 70's tribute does not have (high gloss finish, neck binding for example), then there's the model reputation. The SG Standard, like the Les Paul Standard, is well known and has been around for decades. Is that worth the extra money to you? IMHO, don't get caught up in model names and stuff like that, find the one that plays best and sounds best to your hands and ears. [smile]

 

I always make sure to try a guitar before I buy and see how it compares to other, so no worries there :)

 

As for bringing my own amp, my only amp is a Fender Frontman 212R, so that would be quite difficult. I'll probably have to settle for the Guitar Center amps.

 

My LP Studio Shred with a Floyd Rose (which I absolutely love and would recommend to anyone) doesn't have neck binding, so it's something I'm used to.

 

As far as cosmetics, I don't really care about the high gloss finish. I mean it's not like the 70s tribute is an ugly guitar :)

 

On paper it seems like a much better deal for me to go with the tribute and pocket the extra $500. But of course I'll have to try both before making that decision.

 

Thanks so much, everyone!!!

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Thanks for the replies, everyone! Has anybody had any experience with the 2013 Standard SG?

 

Hi!

 

I've owned one since May and I really love it!

 

When I tried it I mmediately bonded with the guitar, bought it and have been enjoying it ever since.

 

Its one mean rock'n machine! I play AC/DC and Cream among my classic rock favorites. Even play some motown riffs with it. I don't have pedals, but I get great sounds with the amp and volume and tone knobs. In other words, its a very versatile guitar.

 

Again, I love mine. I'm an amateur player that plays for the sheer joy.

 

Hope this helps you a little bit.

 

Cheers!

 

D.

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Thanks for the info! Right now I'm torn between the Standard and the 70s Tribute. The 70s tribute has the heavy distortion pickups, and it's about $500 cheaper. Why is the Standard $500 more, and is it worth the extra?

 

Thanks,

John

 

I've got the 60s Tribute, and it's a great guitar. If the 70s Tribute is basically the same with hotter pickups, I don't see how you can go wrong.

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Wow, and I already love my Les Paul. It has 490R and 498T pickups. So you're suggesting that I buy the SG 70s tribute and install new pickups?

 

 

Actually I am suggesting you to buy any SG that you like and put the pickups you like in it.

Still, I think there must be at least one or two models that come at least with a 490R/498T combo.

 

If you want to go hotter, I'd try the 496R/500T, or maybe other brands of your preference.

 

The Dirty Fingers pickups have its advantages as well as its drawbacks, output is not really what

makes the best PUP.

 

The 57's are way too clean, the Burstbucker series (I think there's ~4 different kinds) might also fit your taste.

Everyone has their favourites.

 

I say, try, know your guitar, know your gear. Enjoy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks so much for your feedback! Do you have a particular model that you think I should go with? Right now I'm looking at the 2013 standard because of the min-etune option. I do a lot of home recording, and not having to tune before every single take would be awesome.

 

As stated by everyone, an SG has been used from blues to punk to every type of metal, even the paint your face death metal from Norway.

 

As for the new min-etune....I hate mine. I got a Les Paul Signature T with that system on it and I have to tune more with it than with a standard set of non-locking tuners, plus it's not exactly accurate and add the fact that the top low strings wind in the opposite direction irks me to no end. I am removing it and putting on some standard tuners.

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... My LP Studio Shred with a Floyd Rose (which I absolutely love and would recommend to anyone) doesn't have neck binding, so it's something I'm used to. ...

Sadly they don't make them anymore. :( The Les Paul Studio Shred is a great guitar, an incredible value for the money, and if I didn't own an Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess, I would have one of these.

 

Perhaps they would have sold some more of them if they had offered it in several finishes. Basically, I just can't suppose the market for them wasn't big enough.

 

They also discontinued the Epiphone Les Paul Plustop PRO FX featuring Desert Burst finish, Floyd Rose, AlNiCo Classic/AlNiCo Classic Plus and coil split - a great guitar as well and a real bargain.

 

Such things happen since marketing isn't done by players I think.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am 66 years old, primarily a blues player, and cannot stand Metallica...BUT I own 3 Gibson SG's...2 1999 Specials and 1 2007 3 Pickup Special...I have not found ANY type of music that an SG can not handle, and very well, too. They are a real players guitar, very comfortable and great access all the way up the neck. very solid and reliable with tremendous versatility.

 

Go to Youtube and look at some AC/DC, Frank Zappa, Mahogany Rush (Frank Marino), Black Sabbath...Look up SG players...there are several in EVERY type of music. Play a few if at all possible and make up your own mind...but be prepared to love them.msp_thumbup.gif

 

 

mark.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got myself a 09' standard SG a couple of months ago, and i too was a bit worried with prejudices that the SG really only was good for blues and AC/DC-style hard rock. But i of course was immediately proven wrong. Never have i played such a versatile guitar. Right off the bat, the pickups are good, though not entirely satisfying to my personal taste, so i am looking to change them some time in the future. So the quick and direct answer to your question would be: Yes, the SG would also be able to suit your needs. But as usual, it's more complex than so. Like with any guitar, your guitar won't be the only factor playing its part.

There are many factors at play.

 

In my personal experience, more often than not, right out of the box most of the SG's you'll find out there, especially those straight from the factory, won't necessarily strike one as the most high gain death-biting instrument. But with the right amp you shouldn't have too many problems achieving your desired tone. And as mentioned by the other guys here, you'll find that the SG is quite versatile. And if one so desire, theres always the option of going the extra mile in swapping the pups.

 

Try checking out Wolfmother, if you don't already know them. It might be more of a modern tone, but Andrew Stockdale uses an SG,, and does quite a good job at achieving a nice heavier tone ;-)

 

Oh and btw, Iommi from Sabbath has always used an SG!

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"Metal," "Grunge," are just labels. SG's (and, any other type guitar) can do ALL types

of music. From "Classical," to Death Metal. It's the player, that determines how/if

a particular guitar will work, for their purposes...IMHO. Some folks seem to lack

imagination, and/or use whatever everyone else uses, for a specific genre. That's just

"Marketing!" Half the fun, is to experiment, and see what comes out of that. Unless

you're in a "Tribute" band, and need to be as "exact" as possible, to whatever sound

your paying tribute to...Bring your own "sound" to whatever genre you like/love.

 

SG's can do it all! [thumbup][biggrin]

 

CB

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