YellowDawg Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hey Folks, My kid is an Entry level player, and is jazzed about the SG Special... one Volume and one tone pot model SD humbuckers. It is so affordable, that Iam questioning the overall quality. I want a guitar that will stay in tune, and have a certain ease of playability that will not discourage a beginer. Does the SG special fit that criteria ? Thanks far any and all responses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan1281734120 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 The SG special I guess is not a bad choice for a beginner guitar but I would be worried if it would stay in tune. Maybe try looking at the SG G-310 its cheap but has 2 volume and 2 tone knobs and is slightly higher in quality than the special model. It also comes with a full pickguard. I've never played the SG Special model, I learned to play on a SG G-310 and I found it so easy to play on, low action and stays in tune. Your kid should play both the SG special and G-310 models in the store to see what he/she is most comfortable with. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i hate classical music Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 i had an epiphone SG G400, it really stayed in tune!, im serious when i went to melbourne for a week when i came back it was still in tune, tho when you get new strings they often strench, and after a week the strings don't strench and don't go out of tune Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomDelonge182 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 for the money the SG special is not that bad. The tuners are pretty much garbage tho. It sounds good and plays pretty nice but i would deffinantly spend the extra $100 or les and go for the G-310 or even the G-400. Both very good guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDawg Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hey great, thanks for all the input, I appreciate it. You all make some very compelling points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Does the 310 have the same tuners as the special? Because if it does, it won't stay in tune any better. The G400 has grovers. And mine stays in tune just fine. Actually, it's better than fine. So, if the 310 has the same tuners as the G400, I think that would be ok. It not, get the 400. I love mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Does the 310 have the same tuners as the special? Because if it does' date=' it won't stay in tune any better.The G400 has grovers. And mine stays in tune just fine. Actually, it's better than fine. So, if the 310 has the same tuners as the G400, I think that would be ok. It not, get the 400. I love mine![/quote'] The G-310 has die-cast tuners. Not Grovers, but not "vintage" style either. Mine stays in tune great until the strings go dead. I would get the G310 over the special as well. It has better tuners and more tone control. Also it was based on the 67 SG (I bevieve that is the correct year). The special is more bottom barrel entry material. Not sure if there is a difference in the PUs or not. probably not though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyushPresley Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Would definitely go with the G 310 rather than the Special model..Like everyone else here said about the tuners and stuff... comparatively 310 is is a better guitar than the special and only about $100 difference or so.. so I'g say go for the G310.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDawg Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Hey, Well she picked up the SG Special for $30.00, sounds and plays well. Tuners are quite bad, and the input jack is missing the Lock nut. Epi seems to use a smaller diameter jack then most I figure I will just replace the input jack, and put on a set of tuners. I was thinking Grover 205C ? I want to stay under 60.00. any recomendations ? thanks for all replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Hey' date=' Well she picked up the SG Special for $30.00, sounds and plays well. Tuners are quite bad, and the input jack is missing the Lock nut. Epi seems to use a smaller diameter jack then most I figure I will just replace the input jack, and put on a set of tuners. I was thinking Grover 205C ? I want to stay under 60.00. any recomendations ? thanks for all replies.[/quote'] $30.00?!?!? Is that a typo? Heck, I would have picked up an SG Special for $30 whether I needed it or not. Good deal! Make sure the tuning pegs fit the holes before you buy them, lest you want to do some drilling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dietrich Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I bought an SG Special ("G-310 Special") because I wanted the little amp and gig-bag that came in the package, for a friend. I could have bought him a gig-bag and a 10 watt amp for about the same price, so I naturally figured "What the hell, I'll just keep the little guitar." It soon became one of my two favourites. The tuners on this one are NOT bad. I will probably replace them with Grovers maybe, something with a higher number-to-number ration (whatever that's called), and I plan to put a nicer pickup from Guitar Fetish in there, and maybe also an intonatable bridge. Still, these mods will keep the guitar under 200$ for sure, and it LOOKS great (I like the Special with the distinct pickguard). Yep, awesome guitar for the money (under 100 bucks, new), with or without mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 +1 on the G-400. Better (and ultimately cheaper) to grow into a guitar, than out of one. G-400's are really good guitars, right out of the box. And, with some (personal) mods/upgrades, that you might want to do, later, it will be one you can play "forever!" CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallye44 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 +1 on the G-400. I was looking at a Squire HHS, or something like that, for my first electric (had a bass and an acoustic) when one of the sales people pointed out the G-400. I had originally shied away from it because it was a little more than I wanted to spend for my "first" electric, and I wanted something with a lot of sound options. However, the G-400 played much better, and I could tell it was better made. Once I plugged it in I discovered that it had a good range of sound possibilities. It's been about two years and I haven't changed anything yet (contemplated changing the tuners a few times...). Now that I have the Riviera P93 ( ) I think I'm going to change the PU's in the G-400 for something with a little more bite, and probably change the tuners while I'm at it... :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedgeSG Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I already know where this is going but right now your investment is low so I'll chime in here... The 310 was a bargain at that price if used as an oversize novel paperweight. However unless upgrades present themselves at similar prices shoot for a G400. The difference in tone, playabilty, etc., so far exceeds a 310, the price difference is really a non-issue especially in the used market. Granted the jump from Special to 400 is pretty vast but from 310 to 400 not so much. It's hard to even consider a Special in the compairison. As some have said, better to grow into an instrument and be rewarded for years to come than to become frustrated or discouraged with one that's less playable and possibly tire, (or worse), quicker. A G400 is a guitar that while reasonably priced; is on or above the needs for most intermediate to semi-pros IMHO. I bought a new 310 just to have around as a beater...I traded it within a week for a thrashed G400. I'm biased but experienced, my G400 total stands now at five. I think you'll hear this sentiment echoed a lot on this thread....Good luck with the new SG(s). Wedgie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowDawg Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 Thanks for all the input... I agree with everything said... Since the budget is Low right now i'll just through on some mods to this special and continue to save for the SG-400 Played on at the store the other day and was totally impressed... I will say that this Beat up SG special has some bite to it and nice playability...not bad for under $100 - (including new tuners) again thanks for the input...This is a great forum and Iam sure I will keep coming back with more Epi questions Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I already know where this is going but right now your investment is low so I'll chime in here...The 310 was a bargain at that price if used as an oversize novel paperweight. However unless upgrades present themselves at similar prices shoot for a G400. The difference in tone' date=' playabilty, etc., so far exceeds a 310, the price difference is really a non-issue especially in the used market. [b']Granted the jump from Special to 400 is pretty vast but from 310 to 400 not so much.[/b] It's hard to even consider a Special in the compairison. As some have said, better to grow into an instrument and be rewarded for years to come than to become frustrated or discouraged with one that's less playable and possibly tire, (or worse), quicker. A G400 is a guitar that while reasonably priced; is on or above the needs for most intermediate to semi-pros IMHO. I bought a new 310 just to have around as a beater...I traded it within a week for a thrashed G400. I'm biased but experienced, my G400 total stands now at five. I think you'll hear this sentiment echoed a lot on this thread....Good luck with the new SG(s). Wedgie I'm confused. Is the 310 a paperweight or not far off from the 400? These statements are contradictory. The 310 may be Alder (or plyboard on older models) and the PUPs blow to no end, but they are generally good feeling guitars and great to cut your teeth on. The 310 is more similar to the Special than the 400 by a long shot. The only REAL difference between the 310 and the special are tuners, pickguard, tone/vol config and MAYBE the woods used depending on the year. The 400 is a completely different beast with a set neck, binding (sometimes), nicer inlays, far superior tuners, wood, PUPS and more than likely the electronics altogether (and probably more). You cant seriously say that the 400 is a small jump from the 310. It's not even close. Your (and Dietrich's) posts are confusing and misleading. G-400 > G-310 > Special The Special and 310 are very similar, but not the same. The G-400 is from a different class altogether. EDIT: Forgot to mention: The other difference between the 310 and Special is that the 310 was moddled after the 67' SG. The Special is more akin to an "SG looking" guitar. Epi even states this on their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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