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In Praise of the Lowly Epiphone SG Special


Aoresteen

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You can buy an Epiphone SG Special new for $180, $100 or less for a used one if you hunt. Color choices are simple: red (cherry) or black. With a few mods they are very fine players. My first Epi SG Special was a 1999 black that I converted to an OPEN-G 5 string back in 2013.

 

Over the last year I've acquired 4 more which I have set them up for alternative tunings. They don't cost a lot and I like to have them optimized for the tunings that I use.

 

Here's my Epiphone SG Special Family:

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Family%202_zpst7uh13p2.jpg

 

L to R: OPEN-G, OPEN-E, Eb, Celtic, and DROP-D

 

I prefer a single vol & tone which the Specials have. I replace the tuners with sealed tuners, use Artec Alnico 5 covered pickups mostly, and have bone nuts installed with a pro set up. Bam! They are now great players. I also install contrasting color pick guards. I also had new truss rod covers made for them by Terrapin Guitars.

 

 

OPEN-G

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/99419-keefered-up-again-1999-sg-special/

 

 

OPEN-E

 

This cherry SG Special is set up for OPEN-E tuning (E B E G# B E)

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Open%20E%20headstock_zpsscawv0l1.jpg

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Open%20E%20Full_zps9zwg8qxa.jpg

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Open%20E%20Body_zpsjkn0ml2f.jpg

 

String gauges are .010, .013, .017, .022, .032, .046

 

 

Eb

 

This SG Special is tuned to Eb and I thought using the SG Special GOTH model would be appropriate. It's color is a flat black.

 

Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Goth%20Eb%20headstock_zpslsrbgiix.jpg

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Goth%20full_zpskuhrycu5.jpg

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Goth%20Eb%20body_zpsetgald2c.jpg

 

Strings are .011 to .049

 

 

CELTIC (DADGAD)

 

Celtic tuning (DADGAD) is fun! Kashmir!

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Celtic%20headstock_zpsqeoapdy1.jpg

 

CELTIC looks just like OPEN-E.

 

Strings are .011, .015, .017, .026, .036, .052

 

 

DROP-D

 

I like DROP-D and I have a number of guitars set up for this tuning: D A D G B E.

 

My go-to pickup for DROP-D is a DiMarzio D-Sonic in the bridge. I like the double creme on the black body.

 

http://www.dimarzio.com/node/2176

 

The neck pickup is a neck Artec Alnico 8k.

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20DropD%20headstock_zpsrukkz8pw.jpg

 

Epiphone%20SG%20Special%20Drop%20D%20body_zpsw0q6cu5a.jpg

 

 

 

These Epiphone SG Specials are nice guitars! Even though they are at the bottom of the Epiphone line up, it doesn't take much to turn them around.

 

Over the years Epiphone has released the SG Special in a few custom colors like the flat black Goth model and there is a green color SG Special that pops up on eBay every now and then. There might be others; I'm not really sure.

 

If you see an SG Special in a pawn shop, I say grab it!

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You can buy an Epiphone SG Special new for $180, $100 or less for a used one if you hunt. Color choices are simple: red (cherry) or black. With a few mods they are very fine players. My first Epi SG Special was a 1999 black that I converted to an OPEN-G 5 string back in 2013.

 

Over the last year I've acquired 4 more which I have set them up for alternative tunings. They don't cost a lot and I like to have them optimized for the tunings that I use.

 

 

 

:rolleyes: I went through this very same thing with the Emperor Regent model about ten years ago. There IS help out there. You just have to be stoic. [sneaky] LoL

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I went to GC looking for a Gibson SG, but just didn't like how any of the models played. Next to them was an Epiphone SG Special for $179, and I just loved the neck. True the tuners are plastic and may not last forever, but it gets more playing time than some of my more expensive guitars.

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Last month I won an Epi Les Paul Special II at a guitar show raffle. Was really surprised to find what a fun guitar it is. Did a bunch of mods. Needed new tuners but the rest was cosmetic. Great little axe.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks all! My SG Specials have worked out great and have proved to be a great modding platform. Dennis, get to work on your SG Special & show us the results!

 

A blue SG Special has just been listed on eBay but the price is too high.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Epiphone-SG-Special-Limited-Edition-PELHAM-BLUE-GREAT-CONDITION-/122513632339?hash=item1c8661ac53:g:4skAAOSwDiBZJWxl

 

$350? I'd peg the values at $160-$185. Am I off?

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Thanks all! My SG Specials have worked out great and have proved to be a great modding platform. Dennis, get to work on your SG Special & show us the results!

 

A blue SG Special has just been listed on eBay but the price is too high.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Epiphone-SG-Special-Limited-Edition-PELHAM-BLUE-GREAT-CONDITION-/122513632339?hash=item1c8661ac53:g:4skAAOSwDiBZJWxl

 

$350? I'd peg the values at $160-$185. Am I off?

That SG Special on FleaBay is going for more than a used Epi SG 400 would go for. I would go for the 400. The seller shouldn't be surprised at the lack of bids, they wasted their money on the listing.

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Thanks all! My SG Specials have worked out great and have proved to be a great modding platform. Dennis, get to work on your SG Special & show us the results!

 

A blue SG Special has just been listed on eBay but the price is too high.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Epiphone-SG-Special-Limited-Edition-PELHAM-BLUE-GREAT-CONDITION-/122513632339?hash=item1c8661ac53:g:4skAAOSwDiBZJWxl

 

$350? I'd peg the values at $160-$185. Am I off?

He got 0 bids!

 

Musicians Friend has that model in Pelham Blue on sale today for $129. Why buy used at that price.

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I love my Epi LP Special II. It's also a great platform for upgrades: I put an unbleached bone nut and Gotoh tuners from Stew-Mac on it, a pickguard from eBay made especially for Epi LP Special IIs, a DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge position (also from eBay), and a Wilkinson roller bridge and X-Trem from GFS. Also, stickers :)

And as someone said before, the necks on the Specials are great.

 

 

PGw8RpC.jpg

 

 

 

PQWdOhp.jpg

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