Country Music on an SG

[shamu1]

I'm not this big country music fan, but recently I've been trying to learn to play and create chord melody arrangements (I find it very challenging), and I've been trying my hand at it with a few simple country tunes, mainly because the chord progressions aren't complex and are good for a beginner at this like me.

Wow, I have to say that the SG sounds damn good playing country music! Not bad for a guitar that's usually considered a rock guitar. Particularly on the bridge pickup, it has a great dark, trebly twang that sounds awesome playing country music. It's a different twang from a Telecaster or a Gretsch, but I think it sounds just as good.

Here's a short video of me playing "Stand By Your Man" on my 50' Tribute SG:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiusUAlqiHA&feature=youtu.be

I think the P90s sound particularly cool in a country music context.

 

[eS.G.]

linkie no workie!

However, I can agree, and ...with a P-90 (in the neck pos.) and some proper amp adjusting I can get my Epi SG Special to make a very nice almost Brad Paisley Tele sound....These SG's are JUST AMAZING guitars......

New country but country all the same :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=C3icBcr1_Tw

 

[cmm71]

Gary Louris of the Jayhawks used to twang away on his SG...still does from time to time. Jay Bennett would twang on his with early Wilco. Until bands like The Jayhawks and Wilco came along I only associated the SG with hard rock and heavy metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rIOmGRdp4I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QCeSS03RE

 

[Biddlin]

What amp are you using, shamu1?

 

[SG John]

Doug Pettibone quite often played an SG when he was in Lucinda Williams' band. Love the sounds he would get. Many people mistakenly judge an SG as a one trick pony. But then, they do the same with Flying V's. Saw Brad Paisley's rhythm guitarist playing a V. He sounded great.

 

[Col Mustard]

I'm glad to see this post. I usually don't get it when people say that a guitar can or can't play X kind of music. IMHO it's the player who can or can't play whatever kind of music is being discussed. The guitar just has six strings and a couple of pickups. I believe that if you've got some country soul in you, it doesn't matter what kind of guitar you use to let it out. And that goes for other genres of music too, like R&B, Classic Rock, Blues, Hard Rock, Jazz and others. It's the player.

I feel the same way about neck shapes. People post so much about neck shapes, as if a millimeter or two of difference ought to be a deal breaker. I just don't get that. Although I can see that it's true for some members. I don't know why. To me, if you get a guitar that has a different neck shape that what you're used to, you just practice with that instrument until it does what you want. Like duh... That's what I do anyway.

There may be genres of music that I know nothing about, that require a specialized tool, like a seven string Ibanez or like that. But I still believe that if you've got what it takes, you can play it on any instrument. The specialized one may facilitate some stylistic things... but if you don't have what it takes, you can buy the coolest looking signature model and still not sound right. BUT YOU CAN PRACTICE AND WORK TOWARDS IT.

So I agree that judging an SG (or a Telecaster) as a one trick pony is a dim-bulb stance.
Let's not do that!

 

[shreddy bender]

The SG is kind of like Gibson's take on the telecaster. Why wouldn't it be great for country? I have written a couple of country flavoured songs and love the bright twang of the SG with a Bassman. It sounds authentic. When I played in my hard rock band one of our most popular tunes was Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues (we only played 2 covers, that one and Motorhead's Ace Of Spades). Yup! And all on an SG!

 

[shamu1]

What amp are you using, shamu1?

It's just one of those small Roland Micro Cube practice amps. No pedals, nothing. All the effects on the amp are off, except for just a touch of reverb.

The picture quality is horrible because I was using my smartphone camcorder with almost no battery power left on it. I had the phone leaning up against the speaker on the amp when I recorded it.

 

[shamu1]

I feel the same way about neck shapes. People post so much about neck shapes, as if a millimeter or two of difference ought to be a deal breaker. I just don't get that. Although I can see that it's true for some members. I don't know why. To me, if you get a guitar that has a different neck shape that what you're used to, you just practice with that instrument until it does what you want. Like duh... That's what I do anyway.

I agree totally. I feel the same way about tone. Obviously some pickups will make a guitar sound different than others will, but I usually don't hear a huge difference. The way I see it, if the guitar isn't producing the tone I want, I just spend more time practicing with it, make adjustments to my picking, fiddle around with the amp and the guitar's tone controls, and try out different guitar picks (probably the biggest, yet most overlooked factor!). Almost every time, I eventually get the tone I want.

I'm one of those guys that believes tone is 90% in your hands, and 10% in the guitar.

 

[donepearce]

The SG is one of the most competent and versatile guitars ever made. If I can ask it to play classical, believe me, you can make it play country.

 

[sgtbeefheart]

I'm not this big country music fan, but recently I've been trying to learn to play and create chord melody arrangements (I find it very challenging), and I've been trying my hand at it with a few simple country tunes, mainly because the chord progressions aren't complex and are good for a beginner at this like me.

Wow, I have to say that the SG sounds damn good playing country music! Not bad for a guitar that's usually considered a rock guitar. Particularly on the bridge pickup, it has a great dark, trebly twang that sounds awesome playing country music. It's a different twang from a Telecaster or a Gretsch, but I think it sounds just as good.

Here's a short video of me playing "Stand By Your Man" on my 50' Tribute SG:

Stand By Your Man Played on Gibson SG 50's Tribute - YouTube

I think the P90s sound particularly cool in a country music context.

Try it with the pup switch in the middle.

 

[shreddy bender]

Just got a chance to check out you video. I couldn't help but laugh as the thought of Jake and Elwood Blues playing that at the country bar! And Matt Murphy had an SG to boot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psm96Dn9KII

Nice country tone by the way!

 

[Heavy Garden]

most guitars can do just about anything i never worried about it one way or another
saw the smashing pumpkins a few months ago and billy almost blew my head off with a strat
strats can't rock right? wrong!

 

[Col Mustard]

I really like my little Roland Micro Cube. run a line out of the headphone jack into a 450 Watt powered P.A. speaker and it sounds HUGE. Nice tone in a small package. I especially like the J.C. Clean model.
Not a tube amp, but I've played mine on an outdoor stage with a line out to the mains and you can make some noise with that setup.

 

[dbb]

You can play ANY style on an SG.

Believe me, I've tried!

 

[dbb]

Roy Clark on a Gibson

Country guitar great roy Clark seemed to use Gibsons, not Fenders.

You can even see him shifting pickups at about 50 seconds in; he switches from the twangier bridge pickup to the neck pickup before the swing licks on the bridge.

I know it's not an SG, but it is a Gibson 2 humbucker guitar, and as such not usual in country music.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVX_HI4mzes]Roy Clark Caravan - YouTube[/ame]

Here's an old clip of Roy on a Fender Jazzmaster:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT2PTetKMU8[/ame]

He uses several other guitars in videos, including an Ovation Breadwinner type 12 string, and another odd one that I think was a Gretsch, but I'm not sure. In another he has a Les Paul Gold top. Mostly he uses semi-hollowbody or thin hollowbody Gibsons.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

OMG His facial expressions in the 2nd vid are priceless!!!!
Not to mention some sic playing!!!

LOL here he is in The Great Pretender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGlyn4XfHPQ#t=17

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

I digress but he is a hoot in this one.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xunOH7haPK4]Roy Clark performs The Orange Blossom Special 1987 Live - YouTube[/ame]

 

[dbb]

Roy was - and IS, still performing! - both a great player and a showman, and we all know he's funny.

Check this:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gw0fxuIvBM]Roy Clark Buck Trent Dueling Banjos - YouTube[/ame]

 

[shreddy bender]

Thanks for the Roy Clark! When I was a little kid country was huge with my Mom and Dad and aunts and uncles. I heard it everywhere I went. This stuff brings back great memories and now as a grown up who has played guitar for 27 years it really is humbling! Crap! I've been playing for 27 years and STILL need to learn how to play guitar (and banjo, mandolin, fiddle...)!