maamp Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I ‘m in the market for an SG Standard or a SG 61 Reissue. Last summer my son said he wanted a Gibson SG. My response to him was that if you go from a C avg to an A avg that I would buy him one. Well he did and now I owe him. To be honest I only know what I have read in reviews because I do not play. So I find myself at a disadvantage when looking at these and what price I should expect to pay for one. I’m planning on going to the Guitar Center this weekend and want to ask you guys what you think about these and what’s the going street price I should expect to pay. I hope to negotiate a good price on one. Any recommendations on either one of these guitars would be helpful. He is asking for the SG Standard but in reading reviews the reissue may be a better choice. He likes to play AC/DC and various other rock. Thanks for your help.
ninety1vee Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 personally i prefer the 61' reissue look it over really well and make sure you get a hard case with it they run about $2000, more expensive than a standard, but i think the QC is better how long has your son been playing?
TinFish Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I think the 61 RI is a better guitar, it's my favorite guitar I have ever owned. If your son want's a standard though they are not bad guitars. The Standard has hotter pickups in it which are better for hard rock and metal. The pickups in the 61 RI have a more vintage sound and some might say are more of a blues - hard rock style pickup. That being said I play punk and metal riffs on my 61 RI all the time. The Standard has a slightly thicker neck than the 61 RI. Honestly if I were you I would let him play both guitars and let him decide which one he wants or just get him the Standard if he's already done the research and decided on that one. I realize this my take away from the surprise, but all guitars have a different feel to them and most guitarist enjoy playing a guitar before they buy it. You can compare prices on: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/h3 or http://www.guitarcenter.com/
ninety1vee Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Honestly if I were you I would let him play both guitars and let him decide which one he wants or just get him the Standard if he's already done the research and decided on that one. I realize this my take away from the surprise' date=' but all guitars have a different feel to them and most guitarist enjoy playing a guitar before they buy it. [/quote'] +1 million
fenner08 Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 The Standard has a slightly thicker neck than the 61 RI. Some people prefer the feel of the chunkier SG Standard neck (particularly for rhythm guitar). I'd let him try out both, but both are excellent guitars.
TinFish Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Some people prefer the feel of the chunkier SG Standard neck (particularly for rhythm guitar). I'd let him try out both' date=' but both are excellent guitars.[/quote'] Yeah, it certainly wasn't meant as criticism, just a comment in general. I do prefer the 60's slim taper though.
maamp Posted April 24, 2009 Author Posted April 24, 2009 I will have him try them both to see which one he likes better and take it from there. He's been playing about 4 years (since 12). I will probably do a drive by to GC and say hey you want to stop in for a little while. Then at the end of the school year give it to him. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for you help.
TinFish Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Sounds like a great idea. You're kid is one lucky little bugger! I sure didn't have my parents buying me $1500 guitars!
greg420blues Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 I think the 61 RI is a better guitar' date=' it's my favorite guitar I have ever owned. If your son want's a standard though they are not bad guitars. The Standard has hotter pickups in it which are better for hard rock and metal. The pickups in the 61 RI have a more vintage sound and some might say are more of a blues - hard rock style pickup. That being said I play punk and metal riffs on my 61 RI all the time. The Standard has a slightly thicker neck than the 61 RI. Honestly if I were you I would let him play both guitars and let him decide which one he wants or just get him the Standard if he's already done the research and decided on that one. I realize this my take away from the surprise, but all guitars have a different feel to them and most guitarist enjoy playing a guitar before they buy it. You can compare prices on: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/h3 or http://www.guitarcenter.com/ [/quote'] GREAT advice. You want to surprise him, but you should also get him used to shopping for them. Make sure you have him look at all the cosmetics and joins and such. ME? I sport the Standard ... and that being said, my neck is super sweet. I didn't think it was that thick ... and that's my first Gibson coming from a Fender background. Seems to me that LPs have thicker necks ... Regardless ... nothing cooler than walking in to a shop and playing a bunch of guitars and then walking out with one. ONLY piece of real advice I would provide would be this ... if you can, search for other authorized Gibson dealers out there and shop them before GC if you can. Not that GC won't get good merch, but I'd support local stores before a the big conglomerate. It is, after all, Earth Week, right? Hehehehe ...
maamp Posted April 24, 2009 Author Posted April 24, 2009 That sounds like a good idea. I will check out local shops first. I'm sure he would be thrilled walking out of the store with the axe in hand so I may go that route.
NeoConMan Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Can't go wrong with the Standard or 61 RI, just beware of the slimey used car sales games at Guitar Center. If you know what you're doing, you'll be okay - just pay attention. They should be able to beat the mail order prices posted here, and DO NOT pay separately for the factory hardshell case! I prefer the 61 for several reasons. Slimmer neck. Neck joint at 22nd fret instead of 19th - better access to upper frets. 57 Classic pickups are the best thing going. Half pickguard instead of the big bat wing on the Std. All 61's are made with a single piece body, 3 pieces on the Std. 61 costs a little more, but it's worth it. They retain their value a little better, and sell quicker should he decide (gasp!) to sell it someday. On the other hand, if the kid plays a Standard and decides it's his preference - you just saved a few bucks. You're good either way, and he's one lucky kid. My hat is off to you! Not to rain on your parade, but you know how kids are. Our 19 year old plays great, had a Les Paul Special, Fender Strat and Alvarez acoustic. I was gonna load him up with good gear when he was in high school but he started living dangerously.... He moved out, and pawned all his guitars and gear. He does rap "music" now with his homeboys. It was his stuff - he was free to do as he wished - but I have to really work at keeping my mouth shut. Still, I wouldn't change a thing. He will always be a capable guitar player whether he chooses to play or not.
jimmiJAMM Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 All 61's are made with a single piece body' date=' 3 pieces on the Std.[/quote'] Not true.
NeoConMan Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Okay...... Every 61 I've ever seen is one piece. Few Standards are, some are two pieces, but three is the norm. Feel free to enlighten me.... :-)
maamp Posted April 24, 2009 Author Posted April 24, 2009 Been calling around town and no small local shops carry Gibson. They all tell me the same thing that Gibson has large $$$ requirements that the small guys can't afford. One place told me Gibson's policy is $100,000 minimum stock plus what ever else. Only choices are Guitar Center, Best Buy, and Sam Ash. I didn't see the SG's on the Sam Ash site though. I know Best Buy has some SG's in the store but not on their website.
NeoConMan Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 They all tell me the same thing that Gibson has large $$$ requirements that the small guys can't afford. One place told me Gibson's policy is $100' date='000 minimum stock plus what ever else. [/quote']True. Guitar Center is like Wal Mart with an attitude. They've killed the Mom & Pop Guitar Shop in the USA. Sam Ash isn't much better. Best Buy is an option if they have what you need. Make certain the guitar you buy is flawless, and in the factory hard case.
Nick Beach Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 well your situations sounds familiar lol my dad said if i got my grades up then he would help me get a SG standard and we got my guitar from guitar center. now they won't bargain with you because they do keep there prices at street price. i don't know if every guitar center does this, but last december when we got mine (1 week before Christmas) they gave us a deal and rang up the guitar separate from the case and the $1600 guitar, ended up at about $1,450. Be sure if you decide to purchase ANY guitar from GC to ask for one out of the back. the guitars on display get played by almost every person to walk through the doors, so you might as well save some money and get a used guitar because thats what the display guitars are. GC policy says if a customer ask for a product out of the back that hasn't been played on, the GC has to get one for them. If they do not have one in the back then GC has to order one for the customer with no extra charge. (my friend used to manage a GC so I know some helpful hints about dealing with them)
Nick Beach Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Been calling around town and no small local shops carry Gibson. They all tell me the same thing that Gibson has large $$$ requirements that the small guys can't afford. One place told me Gibson's policy is $100' date='000 minimum stock plus what ever else. Only choices are Guitar Center, Best Buy, and Sam Ash. I didn't see the SG's on the Sam Ash site though. I know Best Buy has some SG's in the store but not on their website. [/quote'] thats true, thats why many small dealers don't carry Gibson (including Sam Ash, they are not a full on Gibson dealer they do cary some but not many) but gibson does require that 100 grand a year worth of guitars to be ordered from them, plus and extra 40 grand to have a liscesne to sell there products on line. I've yet to go to a best buy with the music stuff, but from what i've heard the people working there don't know much about guitars and what not. but that was when they first started carrying them so maybe they have gotten better since then.
jimmiJAMM Posted April 24, 2009 Posted April 24, 2009 Okay...... Every 61 I've ever seen is one piece. Few Standards are' date=' some are two pieces, but three is the norm. Feel free to enlighten me.... :-) [/quote'] True it's a rarity but my Standard's one glorious slab of Honduran mahogany.
maamp Posted April 24, 2009 Author Posted April 24, 2009 We lucked out and picked up the 61 at Best Buy. It was the last one they had and they had it marked down for $1685 but the guy said they could move down on the price. After playing and and checking it out closely I made an offer of $1400 and they gave it to me for $1495 which includes the case. I thought this might have been a return or something but it was brand new. He told me that they were discontinuing this model. I'm not sure if that just meant that BB wasn't going to carry it any longer or if Gibson was going to discontinue it - I didn't ask. It looks perfect and sounds great! My son is going to go absolutely nuts tomorrow when we give it to him. What would be good strings for this. He likes Heavy Metal, AC/DC, Metallica, Led Zeppelin. I want to thank all of you for your help and suggestions.
TinFish Posted April 25, 2009 Posted April 25, 2009 I would stick with a 10 - 46 gage unless you want to be taking it to get set up right away. D'Addario, Ernie Ball, GHS, Gibson, DR etc. all make good strings, I am sure everyone here would suggest a different brand. I like D'Addario's and Ernie Balls, but the more important thing is to stick with a 10 - 46 gage for now. If he want's to try out heavier or lighter gaged strings it will probably require a setup.
yucancallmepatty Posted April 26, 2009 Posted April 26, 2009 a gibson stand is a pretty pricey guitar. i dont think you should pay so much for something you dont really know either. i would say maybe getting the Gibson Sg Special. i have a sg 2005 special faded, it comes in other finishes and i think its only like 700 or 800. which is alot less than the other model SG's i find that mine plays grand too. ive made some upgrades over time. but non that i think was necessary. goodluck.
yucancallmepatty Posted April 26, 2009 Posted April 26, 2009 a gibson standard is a pretty pricey guitar. i dont think you should pay so much for something you dont really know either. i would say maybe getting the Gibson Sg faded Special. i have a sg 2005 special faded, it comes in other finishes which is alot less than the other model SG's i find that mine plays grand too. ive made some upgrades over time. but none that i think was necessary. it goes for 900 new, at guitar center. you can try to get a deal on it. a goood deal. cause guitar centers actually having a lot of trouble staying in business cause of the economy. but back to the sg it just depends on his (your sons) preference, and the finish. since its a faded finish, it turns many people away. you can probably find one in perfect condition used for like 500 and up. but im not the best at prices. goodluck.
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