The Gibson SG is THE Most Misunderstood Guitar (2023 Gibson SG Standard) 

Frank Zappa, Tony Iommi, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Angus Young...they all can't be wrong. I played one for 20 years straight and love the thing. Still play it.

When I did Gibson's advertising in the mid-70s, I bought a '74 SG Standard. My favorite of all the factory-made guitars I owned.

Sorry bruh it IS a thrash machine, it is a blues machine, it delivers cleans from heaven. You’re not the only one to recognize this guitar, there’s covers and live gigs all the the time on SG from all genres

We need more good honest reviews like this. Don't doubt yourself Randy, Keep going.

Okay I stayed away from Les Paul's and SG my entire life. Les Paul because I didn't see the appear over a cheap strat. SG because of AC/DC association.... THAT Being said... I picked up a teal green 61' SG (my first Gibson) and it's freaking awesome...It's just a blues machine. I gravitate to warming tones, so the SG fits my style. Also, there's a great book called "The Birth of Loud" by Ian S. Port. It details the life history of Les Paul and Leo Fender, and several others, and how they developed their sound and gear. Check it out if you are a guitar nerd such as myself.

Good video. The Gibson SG Standard was the guitar of my youth, $250 new back in 1969. Finally went through two Stds. and a Special by the end of the 70s. $175 used for a Standard was the going rate. Remember, inflation was not crazy yet, nor was there any such thing as a vintage market yet. That came in the 1980s when the USA regained prosperity under President Reagan, and the new owner Henry J. raised the new prices a lot. I picked up another 1995 Gibson SG Standard in the early 2000s, but had to sell it due to being in the family way. By the end of the 2000s, I bought a new 2010 Gibson SG Standard - 60s model w/OHSC for only $1299.99, good price. It was literally the one I waited about 30 plus years for. That one really has the true 1960s dark cherry and 60s slim taper neck. The open coil burstbuckers with coil taps are a nice touch, although the single coil tones are quite thin. I really don't play it much, although it's a great guitar. Tend to gravitate towards Fender Strats, Teles, other guitars, and a Charvel for more practical gigging guitars. But, I like having the 2010 Gibson SG Std. - 1960s model, close enough to my youthful forays and many gigs back in the day, and it does have nice smooth tones. My advice for anyone planning stand up gigs is try the SG out standing up with a strap, before buying. It's a whole different animal standing up, from sitting down. The entire center of gravity shifts or swings out to your left standing up on a strap, and that neck all of a sudden looks a mile long going off to the left (for a right hand player), ha. Try it before buying and see if it is the ticket or not for you. It should be fine if you are simply a lap/sit down gigging or home player, that doesn't need to stand up on gigs, etc.

Excellent no bullshit review. I've got an Epiphone SG, really think that stepping up to a Gibson SG standard will be a good shout. Thanks!

490s are hotter than burstbuckers. They are meant to be a modern version of PAFs. Burstbuckers, as the name implies, are meant to be more faithful to the late 50's "Burst" era PAFs, which were clearer and brighter with less output.

As a woodworker I can verify your comments about hardwood hardness. And thanks for the SG overview. I am a begining guitar player. Started with an accoustic, then got a Stratocaster. Now I am thinking that I want a guitar with humbuckers. Been looking at Les Pauls, but this has me thinking that I can have what I need with less weight and lower cost from an SG.

I love my SG and used it for some jazz. Great stuff. Though I've since made the change to hollow body with my 6120. Better fits my needs. One thing my SG has over my 6120 is that I can really cut loose.

I totally agree , I don’t have a Gibson but I do have 2 epiphone SG’s and I love playing them clean , you can cover so much ground with these guitars …. My only gripe is that I’m a Strat player at heart and mostly so when I do grab my SG it feels like the neck is a mile long and where my 12th fret is normally at with a Strat is where the 17th is at on an sg so that throws me off for a second but after a few minutes you adjust …. Cool video ! I enjoyed it

A lot of heavy bands use sg over Les Paul’s. Doom and drone without at least one sg is concerning tbh. I’ve come to find it might be the perfect Gibson.

To fix the neck dive, just use a leather or alcantara strap.

What drives me absolutely insane about every single SG to ever leave Gibson's Factories from Kalamazoo to Nashville, is the lack of attention to detail on the pickup angles of practically every SG that has ever left their shop. All it takes is is a couple proper sized neoprene blocks installed beneath the pickups to make them perpendicular to the strings. Lack of detail makes even the US made SG seem bottom shelf.

I have a SG , LP, and Explorer. Believe it or not, the Explorer is my favorite followed by the SG (very similar feel IMO). The LP is cool and although I like it a lot, I prefer the others and mostly due to the thickness.

I have the older '61 RI model SG (before they changed it back to "standard"). It has the slimmer neck, and it's very comfortable to play. Probably the most versatile guitar in my collection.

Big sg fan and les Paul's......and strats and teles....lol. I think the bigger difference on the 61 standard and the standard is where the neck joins the body different heel joint. Also the Pickguard on the standard has the pickups mounted in it keeps the pickups flat to the body instead of on a angle like the neck and strings are.on the small guard sg s the pick ups are mounted in a ring that puts the pickups in parallel with the strings giving it more room to adjust . I prefer the neck joint on the standard but I like the pickups mounted in the rings better on the 61s. For a few years the were doing the standards with the standard heel and a small guard and rings . That was ideal specs for me.

Nice to see another SG-lover. I have a 2021 SG Standard and an SG Standard ‘61. The necks are slightly different. The Standard neck isn’t very fat compared to a vintage-style Tele (i.e., American Original ‘50s).

I really dig that color.

Being someone who owns a few SG’s I get anxiety seeing a regular guitar cable ran to one because I have seen many with the cable male end pushed through the body from being bumped, dropped, etc. a 90 degree my friend is the safest guitar cable end for an sg. lol I gig a SG special, gotta love the p90s in a SG, you get into the fat tele territory. I also love my SG standard, great tones man!

aside from the unbearable neck dive, i think the sg is the most comfortable guitar excluding ergonomic shapes like strandberg and stuff

I put Bareknuckle mississippi queen bucker sized P90s in mine. Sounds great, plays great.

Thank the lord. A reviewer that comments on the neck profile / width.

I used the SG to play surf rock before. The guitar looks like Squidward so it’s perfect

Great observation, i turned to an Sg after long time a les paul, and yes that's what i'm expierincing, versatile. And the maple explanation 👍 It's still very forward mid, towards the LP.

I'm not really MUCH of a Gibson guy - I've owned and sold 2 Les Pauls - a Standard and a Studio - and an SG Special. Right now I have a Gibson Flying V and an Epi Explorer. I love the shapes but not so much the playability or tone of their stock pups. I like a pristine, thin neck-thru construction and everything set up for metal. But as to the SG in particular, it was the most unique-feeling guitar I ever owned. EXTREMELY light, almost felt like it wasn't even made out of wood. And I don't recall the neck feeling very fat, I would have remembered that. I got it used, it was a little beaten up, had some dings in the neck that kind of bothered me. But of the Gibsons I sold, it was better than the Les Pauls IMO. I've always thought about getting a brand new Standard version. So anytime I see a video like this talking about them I click right away. Thanks for the info.

I’ll never understand why people make excuses for Gibsons flaws. The neck dive is real. If you play live it’s more than annoying as it affects playability. I think SGs are the coolest guitar ever but I can’t play one. I realized awhile ago that anything with a strap button higher than 13-14th fret will have neck dive. I went to practice today with a Washburn Idol and it’s the same deal. It annoyed me for 3 hours-I’m not using it live. Glad you love it.

Other changes on the '61 standard include a smaller headstock like the classic. The modern gibsons have a wider head (more weight). Flat head screws holding in the pickup. Different neck join. More body weight due to less routing with the tear drop pick guard. Overall the '61 version sits a lot better on the strap. The only thing I don't like about the '61 is the burstbucker '61 pickups. They are A5 mags and they sound very scooped. Too much bass. Too much treb. Swapped mine out ofr A2 seth lovers with great results. Also the bridge uses SS parts. Swapped it out for one with brass parts. The guitar was very shrill before changes. I love it. I also have an SG special and a les paul. I never liked SG for 20 years because Angus played them. Took me a long time to figure out they are great guitars.

And by the way it's got nothing to do with labor. Despite a les Paul having a decent amount more craftsmanship, they're still selling juniors for 2000$+, and that's due to attention.iommi,hendrix and clapton and many many others played sg. Not really their main axe,otherwise they'd be much more expensive. Fact is, they're just not that desirable of a guitar,but enough sell and enough ppl love them, that they continue on making em

If the setup is not perfect, they can be a nightmare but if they are setup to the sweet spot, you will consider it to be the best guitar you have. They are very versatile, having been played by many great guitarists of many different styles of music.

SG aside - your comment on the Bassbreaker amp is spot on - those are great sounding amps

I'd take a 61 all day. I like the small pickguard and the Burstbucker pickups are an upgrade on the 490 set.

As someone who just had to do it on his SG, sounds like you need to clean your pots. Otherwise, totally agree. SGs are rad!

The SG is a super practical guitar. The only thing i would say is sadly the SG lacks a little bit of mojo in my opinion, but that is player to player. If you like the looks, SGs are awesome

This brought back memories. I bought a '61 model new back in '87 for $500 american. it seemed to have more cons than pros for me. neck heavy, so bought a thick leather strap. I would find myself playing in B when everyone else was in A. but the worst bit was I couldn't get it to stay in tune. it had a great sound and I liked the thin neck. wound up selling it to my brother. he didn't care much for it either. I pretty much play guitar to amp. at the time I used a '61 d'Armond 15w valve amp [with tremolo!] but it made any guitar sound great.

Love it in that alpine white. Sweet guitar sound too in the right hands. Nice review. The real deal. Maybe Xmas!

I use this to play jazz and fusion. Its the only guitar i own

But you realize that magnetic pickups don't pickup the sound reflecting off the top of the guitar? I agree that there's a difference to the tone of a Mahogany top LP like an R7 and a maple topped one. But I don't think it has anything to do with the sound bouncing off the top of the guitar.

If I remember correctly the Les Paul "overhaul" and name change took place not only because of the divorce, but the Les Paul wasn't selling for shit either. I could be wrong, but that's what I remember reading some years ago.

love the color , cool guitar .

i have an sg, and im into modern metal x shoegaze, stuff like two way mirror from loathe, my sg does it fine, and im not an AC/DC fan

would you say it's more of a cream color than white?

I have a strat, been playing acoustic lately. Looking for something suited to real rock and roll but still sound natural playing softer music.

The body of your guitar influences how your string moves only in etremely sublle ways. Most of the difference between LP and SG is in the fact that the pickups are not mounted in exactly the same spot, that the strings flex against their anchor points differently, that the body is solid in an SG or obviously that it has different pickups. Magnetic fields don't care a great deal about tonewood specifically.

I agree, SGs are very versatile. My 2017 Standard even does surf!

Any guitar can do anything, it's just how you suss it!

Is that a brick in your pocket during the demo? Or are you just happy to be playing that SG? Edit... Maybe the brick in the pocket trick is a solution to the neck dive issue?

I just bought the same one but in black! 2023 model.

Hey, man. Can i have that guitar please? Thanks

Is that the TV yellow? I been looking at one

Leather strap no dive whatsoever.

Neck dive . The first position is far away. Great if you like to play high up and are ok with broken headstocks

I own the ‘61 Standard with the Maestro and I would agree entirely. I’m plugging into a Mark V: 35 combo and covering everything from modern jazz tones to Metallica. I would go as far as to say it draws a better tone (to my ears) for Metallica than does my Eclipse. For the month I’ve owned the SG I’ve found it to be WILDLY versatile. I’ve heard Les Pauls played everywhere, but I’ve never played one myself that felt quite right. I’ve felt right at home with both the Standard SG (running into a DSL 40 - covering classic rock/metal) and ‘61 Standard SG (running into the Mark V:35 and a 65 Princeton Reverb - covering modern jazz, classic and modern country, classic rock, classic metal). The only times I don’t favor my ‘61 over the Eclipse (JB/‘59) are while playing Nickelback, Bad Omens, Disturbed… basically modern, drop-tuned hard rock and metal songs that were recorded on amps like Dual Rectifiers with the gain cranked. The only other guitar I feel that I need in my collection after this is a telecaster (for what twang I can’t already achieve). Side note: I notice zero neck dive on the model with the Maestro Vibrola.

Satan's Guitar '61 RI Standard is the best player out there in 2024.

Love the fact that it’s out of tune when you play it 😝😝

I wish I could get the 61 Standard with the fat neck like on the Standard.

Almost tele like.

Maple Cap, huh? With that kind of talk, you might piss-off some wood tone deniers.

Lester Polsfuss!!!!

Well i was impressed until he started playing. When i say playing i mean fkall ability or technique.

Frank zappa played sg

I just got an SG with p90s about 2 months ago. My first SG and its awesome. Very little neck dive and the pickups make it the best of single coils and humbuckers. Sooooo light and comfortable to play. I love that the body is thinner than a standard guitar.

I've always said that an SG will do pretty much anything you want it to. Neck dive is also bullshit, let's be honest. Do people just not hold the neck as they play or what?

I hated the way SGs felt whenever I tried them in the store. They feel like the nut is a mile away. I bought a used Epiphone SG just because I wanted one on the wall. I put on a strap and fell in love pretty quickly. You just have to angle the neck up like Angus does and the neck dive become irrelevant. I went from the smallest strat necks (41mm) to this thing and I actually prefer the wider neck now.

I saw a local band play a few months back, the lead guitarist was playing an SG. I don't remember much about the songs they played, but I remember being low key amazed at the types of sounds he was getting out of it. It's more versatile than people think.

I am an sg fanatic. probably have 12-15 of them, I like the thin but wide neck style similar to a 61'. good to see someone else supporting them. also it depends vastly on the type of pups and amp you have in there as to what kinda music you can do.. SG's themselves are more than capable of the any kinda metal.

Things to remember about SGs. Played by ACDC, Sabbath, Jerry Garcia, Frank Zappa, Country JOe and the Fish, Big Brother, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Cream of Clapton, Judas Priest, George Harrison .

I've had multiple LP's and PRS and other guitars, and never cared much on SG's (In part because when I sqw specs they seem to always have slim taper necks that I dont like much). But had an SG bug, and realized the Standard has a thicker neck that suits me well. Got it last week and damn, what a great guitar is the SG. I really thought I would like it, but it like it for different thigns I imagined. IS a very different animal than a les paul to me, in tone and in feel. The offset freboard gives it different feel, besides the great access and how light it is. Plays amazing. Neck dive is 0 issue to me. Never think about it when I grab it. There is but how my arm naturally supports the guitar then its always great. And the tone! It reminds me of the tele. A drier direct tone, and the guitar is loud! Its really interesting. As days goes by i'm liking it more and more. There is something about the SG. I can see why many people can like it and why people may not like it. But it brings something different to me from my LP type guitar and my PRS DGT SE. And is much more than just a rock machine. I mean it is, like a tele, has that bite and works great for rock, but can do so much more. Actually for blues I think its awesome!!

you're so right. been trying to find a sweet spot between strat, tele, 335, les paul, etc. never thought of an SG until i saw one recently and decided to pick it up. game changer. easy guitar to build your own tone with too. It's not all hendrix or clapton etc. i got the 61 standard w the slim neck -- i don't shred at all. americana, indie, etc. it's perfect

My first electric was a 1997 Epiphone SG G310. Was my main electric until I got a Les Paul 15 years later. I love the SG. I have found the LP sounds warmer, more mellow, while the SG is more brash, in your face. And the horns.....

Personally, I love the tone of mahogany in acoustic as well as electric guitars. It just has a nice, warm resonance that just works for me. I had a '66 Gibson Melody Maker (SG body), and I'd sometimes just play it unplugged because the tone was so nice. Just a block of wood and strings. I didn't play it all that often because of the thin neck, so my son has it now. I had a '73 Les Paul that had a maple top and better neck... but I still have an Ovation Breadwinner that's mahogany, and with a better neck than the LP. A good friend has a '54 LP Junior that plays and sounds GREAT with the mahogany and P90. ...a real '54 Junior, not reissue. He hasn't turned it loose to me (yet!!). I still have a couple of Strats and one Tele, and while they do what they do better than Gibsons, I still prefer the Gibson tone.... probably because of the wood. Everybody has their preference.

My hands down favorite guitar!!!🔥🔥🔥🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

I have owned many SGs, including an original 1961 les paul (before they were even called "SG"). I think they sound great and are very versatile. They also look really cool. That said, I simply never have bonded with one. They feel delicate to me because of how thin they are, and they are neck heavy, which I find unbearable. They also feel too long to me because of how they hang on you and where the neckjoint is--the result is this super vulnerable headstock an arm-length away. It is a nightmare to play live on a small stage for that reason. Lastly, the wide, thin and flat neck are uncomfortable to me.

SG's are my favorite guitars. I LOVE the sound and feel. The neck dive is not a big deal. A strap that is textured on the backside like a rough leather or something that grips you shoulder will reduce that greatly. I have a 70's SG with the ultra thin neck and it fits my small hands perfectly. Angus Young likes them because he is not a big guy and they just work for him because of the size of hands and small frame.

totally agree! SG's are great!

George Harrison had one on hey bulldog, the doors, a lot of good pro guitarists have since I've bought my 08 Gibson SG, got a Les Paul junior, the real les Paul standard or studio is gonna be my next. I like the axe shape the SG has mine has bridge, neck or in series pickups p90s ps a decent strap will stop neck dive dude

I played a sg, starting in 1967 .I have had seven due ro theft.I agree it is the best for professionals,and the best overall electric. You can really hear the middle toggle switch ,sounds sounds like bloomfield on middle,cLEAN.l like what you did,demonstrates your narrative

I bought a new '61 reissue last year and i had some guitar player friends who questioned my decision. They said it wouldn't stay in tune. It does. They said the neck would dive like a plummeting comet. not so much but a little bit. I fu*king LOVE this guitar. I was down to a standard or the '61 and the 61 just felt better TO ME. I would really dig if it was white (mine is cherry). That is a beautiful finish! glad you're digging it. It is not a shred guitar, but i am not a shred player.

Hey dude, you played an AC/DC riff. How dare you? L O L. All kidding aside my SG does everything from blues to shred. I have three of them. One particular is my go to all the time of all of my guitars you name it I have it or have had it, but I always go to my SG, the purpose guitar

always thought my SG is one of the coolest and most metal Guitar in history specially my Black SG Custom of Gothic Honor cos HAIL Sir iommi and my Doommetal music and this is coming from someone who also loves his Les Paul Customs and his black beauties to hell whoever disagrees that SG is not one of the best Guitar ever created

I LOVE THE FULL BATWING PIC GUARD. Who ever has seen a bat with 1 wing??

I agree, it's like how people keep associating the Casino with the Beatles or Lennon but has anyone heard what Gary Clark Jr. did with one of those ? The SG debut was 61' so of course it's not a speed metal super Strat. I picked one up because of The Doors if im being honest. The playability and versatile tone and weight make it incredibly seductive. For what other Gibsons go for these are nicely priced too.

My first guitar will be an epiphone sg standard ebony ( will be delivered on Thursday or Friday)

I re-discovered the SG in a roundabout way. A 70's Japanese copy SG was my first electric guitar. I was a teenager mostly learning my favorite Stones, Beatles etc. riffs and tunes. Then AC/DC came a long and of course I took a deep dive into trying to sound like Angus.. Later I really started to love the blues, and listened to a lot of all the Kings and Clapton. Then SRV totally blew up my world. I had to have a Strat and get "that sound". 40 years later, still working on that, heh... I noticed Gary Clark Jr. was often playing an Epiphone SG in videos, and it reminded me of that first guitar. I started checking them out, ready to buy one. Then a friend offered me a sweet deal on a Gibson SG I just couldn't pass up. I bought it mostly to be my heavier rockin', shreddy guitar, but I soon discovered it was much more versatile than that, very responsive to touch enabling some very expressive sounds. I've also notice lately Eric Johnson has been performing with an SG, and still sounding like EJ, surprise surprise... I still play my favorite MIM Strat often, but the SG is easier on my fingers and is the guitar always on the stand right next to my PC, practice amp and recording setup.

The SG is a very good guitar, in spite of its age, but those heavy Grover machine heads didn't help the neck diving. The classic Klusons are lighter.

just got my first SG after 25 yrs+ w les pauls and strats ONLY and bud....wtffffffffffff i LOVE it. weighs HALF as much as a LP and the PAF's (this the only gtr i own w PAF's) are the CLEAREST, lowest output, singinest pickups in the entire house. YO I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GET THEM HIGH NOTES like you can on this SG

I think the sg is the best Gibson electric I've ever owned and I never really played any ac/dc songs . I used it for blues and southern rock and even black sabbath tunes . It does everything fairly well . If you only have one this is a good one

I have an Orville SG and it's my best guitar so far. The neck is incredibly confortable and the tone is great for metal and blues.

I have to say, I’ve never taken the “plunge” and bought an SG-shaped guitar. If I did, it would have nothing to do with Angus Young and plenty to do with three players who played one early in their careers and switched to other models afterwards: Eric Clapton, Tommy Shaw and the late Terry Kath. Meanwhile, I have owned top heavy guitars like it, and I acknowledge how the right strap is essential to combatting that physical shortcoming of instruments like the SG.

I gotta say, white sgs with the full black pickguard is underrated as hell, I don’t see many people talking about it and it sucks because they didn’t really make those in that color before, just a lot of red. Guitar looks like an angel

Great summary. You’re always going to fan boys of a given brand/guitar. But right now, I’m stuck between whether I get an SG or a 335 - I have a LP std. And whilst I fancy a hollow body to have something different to the LP but I can’t shake the want for an SG. Keen for any opinions! Thanks for the share mate.

Don't convince the unconvinced. One small wave of attention toward sgs, and they'll be 2800$ "Sgs kinda suck" is what I always say

If it's good enough for Clapton, Krieger, Iommi, Townshend, Young and Zappa... Gotta be good enough for me!! 😎👍

Man, I thought you were going to get through without playing AC/DC. Lol. I agree, SGs a really good all-around/multi-genre guitar. I have a 2021 special and a 2014 Futura, and I love both. The Futura is actually my #1. Looking at a 61 now.....

Gibson SG is best work horse for all genres. Takes a bit of getting used to shifted neck position, but when u bond u will rock. I recommend a LP and an SG together for the ultimate collection

Why wast my money on Gibson when i have this ..the specs of the 2021 Epiphone modern figured Sgs....as you can see its definitely high end....The SG Modern Figured from Epiphone's Inspired by Gibson Collection has a classic SG profile made from Mahogany with a AAA Flame Maple Veneer top and Trans Black Fade finish. Powered by ProBucker humbuckers with coil-splitting, phase switching, and CTS electronics. Featuring an Ebony fingerboard and world class Grover Locking Rotomatic tuners with Tulip Buttons with an 18:1 ratio. Specs - Body: Material: Mahogany Top: AAA Flame Maple (3/4") Neck: Neck wood: Mahogany Profile: Asymetrical Slim Taper with Contoured Heel Fingerboard: Ebony with Pearl "Trapezoid" Inlays Scale length: 24.724" Number of frets: 24 Hardware: Brige: LockTone ABR Tailpiece: Stopbar Knobs: Clear Top Hats with Ridge Tuners: Grover Locking Rotomatic tuners with Tulip Buttons with an 18:1 ratio Electronics: Neck pickup: ProBucker-2 humbucker w/coil-splitting and phase switch Bridge pickup: ProBucker-3 humbucker w/coil-splitting and phase switch Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS electronics

7:12 Absolutely. I have a 2008. You can play everything. The design is amazing.

Bought an gibson sg standard same color like yours. Tbh i just hate the rounded neck profile, It just too bigger for me

It annoys me when people play lame pentatonics on an SG. It’s capable of so much more. 😂 and god man, your guitar is so out of tune please tell me your trolling.

I no longer have any interest in anything anyone has to say about sold body electric guitars once they talk about tone woods. It's always the same hackney shit about how "bright" the fucking maple is.......Go learn how electric guitars work. Google is free.............