SG or Les Paul ?
- Thread starter Lee Waite
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Shadow Explorer
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As a beginner the SG will give you easier access to the higher frets of the board.
If you like them both, this alone will make it easier for you to play the guitar.
Go with someone knowledgable, maybe your guitar teacher and pick a good one, if you have a fine instrument, coil tapping wont matter much, you can get so many tones from the pots anyway.
In any other case I would advice you to get whatever you like best. If you like what you see, chances are you are more likely to grab it and play... even if it gets in the way a bit like the Les Paul.
If you like them both, this alone will make it easier for you to play the guitar.
Go with someone knowledgable, maybe your guitar teacher and pick a good one, if you have a fine instrument, coil tapping wont matter much, you can get so many tones from the pots anyway.
In any other case I would advice you to get whatever you like best. If you like what you see, chances are you are more likely to grab it and play... even if it gets in the way a bit like the Les Paul.
Not sure about that. A beginner will spend most of its time on lower frets, which are 1½" farther from your belly button on a SG when using a strap.
I have a SG special and love that guitar. I wasn't in the market for a new guitar when I spotted it at GC for $599. A black Gibson that was a demo. When I picked up the guitar (a lay-away), it rang up at $500 even. I had to replace the saddles as the factory did a poor job of qc. I'm looking for an Epi sg with P90s. Neck dive isn't an issue with mine
They produced a very limited run in 2011, so not easy to come by one.
Look for a 50th Anniversary '61 SG Special.
http://www.epiphonewiki.org/index/SG.php#1961_SG_Special_P90
Davis Sharp
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My answer is simple - use BOTH! I have 6 Epi Les Pauls and 5 Epi SG Specials. Each has a purpose. A wise man once said "You can't be too rich, too thin, or have too many Epiphone guitars!".
Mini-buckers!
Don't scare the new guy away
Matthew Medofer
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In my experience...
My first real guitar was an epiphone g-310 back in 96' over the epiphone les paul special 2. My dad suggested to spend a lil more money and get the one with the volume and tone controls for each pick up. With that being said, at the same time my older brother had a brand new gibson les paul studio and it in deed was a heavier guitar and I did do g myself hitting the pick up selector while playing over my g-310. I feel the sg's are a lil easier to access at the higher frets with the double cut a ways.
If I were you I'd get a gibson lespaul studio faded or sg faded, any more new they are $500 out the door and used if you really look hard enough up find them for $350-400. It's just that much of a better instrument, made in the u.s.a., has the actual gibson pick ups
Sg has a way more aggressive sound imo with the 490r and 490t, the les paul studio we got for $500 has the burstbuckers which are real wicked pick ups but a les paul usually has a 498t and 498r. I kno after a few good years of playing the epiphone it just started falling apart.... It had massive fret cavitys, the pick ups aren't the best unless u get a really good epiphone then the hardware is a lil better
If you must buy an epiphone I'd at least spend the few extra bux on one with a set neck n not a bolt on but I'll never regret that first epiphone g310 I got
I had some miles on it when I gave it away to someone that could play n desperately needed a good guitar.... I upgraded the bridge pick up to a dimarzio and took the shim outta the neck. But in 98 when I was 16 n laid away my gibson sg special, just it blew me away at how much more quality was put into that instrument n 20 years later it plays BETTER than the day I got it and is worth more than the $550 I paid without a hardshell case.
This was back in the days of when u really couldn't get any electric solid body under $250-300, now u can get epiphone sg's for $199 shipped and them firefly es 335 copys on amazon for $158 shipped! Makes me wonder how these people make any money!
But for sumone on a budget and just starting out an epiphone is a great guitar
I'd look at a g400 or a firebird even
You need to go and play a few on the amp your gonna own and decide, hell with the prices of the epi's anymore I'd get one of each!
My first real guitar was an epiphone g-310 back in 96' over the epiphone les paul special 2. My dad suggested to spend a lil more money and get the one with the volume and tone controls for each pick up. With that being said, at the same time my older brother had a brand new gibson les paul studio and it in deed was a heavier guitar and I did do g myself hitting the pick up selector while playing over my g-310. I feel the sg's are a lil easier to access at the higher frets with the double cut a ways.
If I were you I'd get a gibson lespaul studio faded or sg faded, any more new they are $500 out the door and used if you really look hard enough up find them for $350-400. It's just that much of a better instrument, made in the u.s.a., has the actual gibson pick ups
Sg has a way more aggressive sound imo with the 490r and 490t, the les paul studio we got for $500 has the burstbuckers which are real wicked pick ups but a les paul usually has a 498t and 498r. I kno after a few good years of playing the epiphone it just started falling apart.... It had massive fret cavitys, the pick ups aren't the best unless u get a really good epiphone then the hardware is a lil better
If you must buy an epiphone I'd at least spend the few extra bux on one with a set neck n not a bolt on but I'll never regret that first epiphone g310 I got
I had some miles on it when I gave it away to someone that could play n desperately needed a good guitar.... I upgraded the bridge pick up to a dimarzio and took the shim outta the neck. But in 98 when I was 16 n laid away my gibson sg special, just it blew me away at how much more quality was put into that instrument n 20 years later it plays BETTER than the day I got it and is worth more than the $550 I paid without a hardshell case.
This was back in the days of when u really couldn't get any electric solid body under $250-300, now u can get epiphone sg's for $199 shipped and them firefly es 335 copys on amazon for $158 shipped! Makes me wonder how these people make any money!
But for sumone on a budget and just starting out an epiphone is a great guitar
I'd look at a g400 or a firebird even
You need to go and play a few on the amp your gonna own and decide, hell with the prices of the epi's anymore I'd get one of each!
Lee Waite
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Okay, just got back from the guitar store. Tried LP , SG and 339.
Found the LP to be heavy for such a small body. Liked the SG a lot more and it was in Pelham blue !
The 339 has awesome fit and finish but it was piano black and showed every finger print.
So I ordered a limited edition 339 pro in Pelham blue, ah now waiting for it to arrive
Found the LP to be heavy for such a small body. Liked the SG a lot more and it was in Pelham blue !
The 339 has awesome fit and finish but it was piano black and showed every finger print.
So I ordered a limited edition 339 pro in Pelham blue, ah now waiting for it to arrive
Bonzo21
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Great choice! Humbuckers or P90s?
Lee Waite
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Humbuckers with coil splitting
Matthew Medofer
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Cool
I just got a 335 in walnut and I fell in love with the tone that comes from the semi hollow body, me n my dad both
Mine has coil tapping, it's nice if u use it if not
It's still there n is nice
Imo when getting a 335 or 339 it's ur preference
Some like the smaller body some like me like the bigger 335 45 55 body
But I'm happy to hear you got that being it has a set neck and I believe you'll really enjoy it.
Does it have the epiphone probuckers?
Those are nice sounding pick ups
I just got a 335 in walnut and I fell in love with the tone that comes from the semi hollow body, me n my dad both
Mine has coil tapping, it's nice if u use it if not
It's still there n is nice
Imo when getting a 335 or 339 it's ur preference
Some like the smaller body some like me like the bigger 335 45 55 body
But I'm happy to hear you got that being it has a set neck and I believe you'll really enjoy it.
Does it have the epiphone probuckers?
Those are nice sounding pick ups
Matthew Medofer
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I bet it's a 339 pro
With the probuckers and coil tapping
Sweet pick ups....
Have you thought about what kind of amplifier you r gonna get?
I have a 68 fender dual showman reverb with a 63 blackface circuit and a 100watt Marshall and recently decided to purchase a smaller amp.
I heard a lot of good things about these monoprice stageright 15watt all tube amplifiers
I got one for $200 shipped from amazon and for a budget 15watt tube amp
I'm really impressed
With the probuckers and coil tapping
Sweet pick ups....
Have you thought about what kind of amplifier you r gonna get?
I have a 68 fender dual showman reverb with a 63 blackface circuit and a 100watt Marshall and recently decided to purchase a smaller amp.
I heard a lot of good things about these monoprice stageright 15watt all tube amplifiers
I got one for $200 shipped from amazon and for a budget 15watt tube amp
I'm really impressed
Lee Waite
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Yep, probuckers
Lee Waite
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I haven’t purchased an amp yet, I did buy a Vox headphone plugin amp so that I have something to practice with until I can research amps and pedals
Matthew Medofer
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Cool
I'm defiantly an advocate of electric guitars over acoustic.
The playability is so much more versatile for what your trying to play. An acoustic is only good for chords to me. I learned on as I said an epiphone sg and a fender squire stray and the epiphone being the most serious of the two. And everyone always said if you start with fender you'll always be a fender advocate
If you start with epiphone/gibson
Ul always lean toward the gibson style of guitars (les Paul's, sg's, 335s, 339's, etc).
But having said that everyone seems to start with acoustic and always plays acoustics....
And chords....
Me n my brother started with electric guitars and it seemed like we gravitated toward riffs and licks being that an electric is so much easier to play and bend notes and go faster on.... I believe you'll have a good experience imho.....
As for amplifiers, that can be tricky and expensive, I want with the monoprice stageright 15watt because of all the good reviews for a relatively cheap tube amp.
You just don't find $200 dollar tube amps. You can go on youtube and listen to reviews
Like I said I just bought one n I really like it
rjwilson37
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Congrats, great choice and hope you enjoy it forever. Can't wait for you NGD post.
Matthew Medofer
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Probuckers are really good sounding pickups
Are supposed to be epiphones version of the burst buckers. I got a set for a guitar I was working on and I was really impressed....
Sound to me like 57 pafs which I more prefer over the aggressive burstbucker pros. I have a gibson lespaul vintage mahogany with burstbuckers, it was a guitar center exclusive that's just a great guitar but has a very aggressive sound compared to a traditional gibson wound pick up
(490s, 498s, 500s, 59 pafs) the more I play the probuckers the more I like um.
Are supposed to be epiphones version of the burst buckers. I got a set for a guitar I was working on and I was really impressed....
Sound to me like 57 pafs which I more prefer over the aggressive burstbucker pros. I have a gibson lespaul vintage mahogany with burstbuckers, it was a guitar center exclusive that's just a great guitar but has a very aggressive sound compared to a traditional gibson wound pick up
(490s, 498s, 500s, 59 pafs) the more I play the probuckers the more I like um.
They produced a very limited run in 2011, so not easy to come by one.
Look for a 50th Anniversary '61 SG Special.
http://www.epiphonewiki.org/index/SG.php#1961_SG_Special_P90
You have to love spaghetti size necks. The reason I sold mine. A tone monster though.
The neck pup on this one is sweet. Being pretty close on to the other, the difference is less than on another P90 guitar. Some of it sounds like this:
