SG Trems

[Silverbursted]

OK, I do not own a SG (yet) and was looking around at another forum and found these. I did not realize there were this many variations of the SG. Can anyone shed some explanation of these. Thanks.

[NeoConMan]

There were more variations on the SG than the Les Paul by a factor of ten.

 

Different necks, neck joints, neck joint angle, joint depth into body (which fret?) and then there were all the subtle body differences.

 

My 61 RI is identical to the pic of the Pelham Blue right down to the Maestro.

The other Trems are ancient pieces with nothing going for them beyond nostalgia from what I hear.

Of course, I've heard the Maestro is a pain in the *** to keep tuned and mine works fantastic.

Kinda like a Bigsby in that there's not much travel.

No EVH dive bombing....

[Tim Plains]

The white one's a Custom. I think there are also three or four SGs made by the Custom Shop.

[daveinspain]

Those are three gorgeous SG's in the pics you posted. When the SG came out in 1961, it was actually a Les Paul... Gibson came out with this new futuristic design to offer a guitar that was much lighter and gave the player more access to the high end of the neck (double cutaway). The early SG's even had a truss rod cover that said Les Paul. Only problem was Les Paul, the man, didn't like this radical design and made Gibson take his name off it. That why the SG's from 61 some early 62's are called Les Paul SG's. The cherry SG's you posted has what is called the sideways tremolo, found on the 61's and some 62's... The Blue SG has a Lyre Maestro tremolo which started in 1963. The white custom three pickup also has maestro style tremolo but without the tail piece. The ebony block of wood at the base of the tremolo is very rare and collectible.

[led floyd9]

Okay, I'm gonna guess the years. I'm guessing the first SG is a '63 SG (Les Paul) Custom. I'm assuming the second SG is a more recent model (2000's) because it looks fairly new. I'm guessing the last SG pictured is a '61 SG (Les Paul) standard.

[led floyd9]

Okay' date=' I'm gonna guess the years. I'm guessing the first SG is a '63 SG (Les Paul) Custom. I'm assuming the second SG is a more recent model (2000's) because it looks fairly new. I'm guessing the last SG pictured is a '61 SG (Les Paul) standard.[/quote']

Okay, I looked them up and I guessed incorrectly for the first one, by the looks of it online, it's a '62 SG (Les Paul) Custom. I was right about the second SG, it's an Elliot Easton model (I should have known that) and they were introduced in 2006, I think. And I was right about the last one. I know all of this didn't help you, but..... it was fun.

[Silverbursted]

Hey thanks guys. My guess is, the whole point of a lighter LP went out the window when they added all this hardware to the guitar. Nostalgia aside, these trem systems would seem to be very limited and quite clunky (is that a real word?). I've played with a Bigsby installed on an SG and found that for an accent to a jazz type sound was pretty good, but when I tried some George Lynch licks, I felt like I was going to hurt something. Besides the damn thing always wanted to point up and was constantly readjusting the strap. Again thanks for the info.

[Tim Plains]

Silver, a friendly warning.

 

Step one is talking about a particular guitar.

Step two is playing one...this is where you are now.

Step three is playing it again....sometimes referred to as the point of no return.

Step four...you bought it.

 

Let me be the first person to pre-invite you to the SG club!

[Everdying]

Hey thanks guys. My guess is' date=' the whole point of a lighter LP went out the window when they added all this hardware to the guitar. Nostalgia aside, these trem systems would seem to be very limited and quite clunky (is that a real word?). I've played with a Bigsby installed on an SG and found that for an accent to a jazz type sound was pretty good, but when I tried some George Lynch licks, I felt like I was going to hurt something. Besides the damn thing always wanted to point up and was constantly readjusting the strap. Again thanks for the info.[/quote']

 

george lynch licks?

 

[TattooedCarrot]

I have a 2000 historic SG/Les Paul that has a maestro trem. Mine has aged considerably (almost convincingly vintage) and its missing the trem cover and trem arm. I actually don't like trems and this one is no exception. I find that even though I don't use it, it doesn't stay in tune very long and is always out of whack whenever I take it out of the case. Its also very heavy and has tonal properties that I don't care for; it makes the guitar smoother and has a softer attack, which some people like (especially for cleans). But I like the more responsive growl and punch from SG's so I yanked the trem off and its at the shop right now getting a matching aged TonePros lieghtweight tail piece added. I was a little disappointed to see that there was still red under where the trem was mounted, but along with that and the remaining holes it will look even more like a true vintage gutiar that had been modded (like so many were) that I figure it just adds to the mojo. Most people don't make this for an 8-year-old guitar when they see it.