SG neck dive solution

jjudas

jjudas

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Well, I have 3 SGs that each have some neck dive. It is a non issue with me. I compensate and play them often enough that it is an unconscious habit to hold unto to my neck and rest my right forearm on the the upper body which in turn balances my guitar. My opinion is that this prosthetic arm takes away from the elegant body contours that the SG is famous for. I honestly think that people need to stop whining about SG design flaws and play the blessed things.
 
S

SG standard

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Biddlin said:
Seriously, you guys can't handle a 7 lb. guitar unless it's perfectly balanced?
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Weight and balance are separate issues: A balanced heavy guitar doesn't require your hands to support it whilst playing it, but might place strain elsewhere and become uncomfortable. An unbalanced light-weight guitar won't cause such strain, but will require your playing hands to take on the job of supporting it - unless another method of support is employed. Two different things: Balanced heavy guitar; the neck sits where you want it & your left hand just plays it. Unbalanced light-weight guitar, the headstock wants to point to the floor, and your left hand must hold the neck up.

Whether or not you feel using your hands to support a guitar is a restriction, limitation, impediment or PITA, I can't see how it could be an advantage, improvement or benefit whilst playing. Nor can I see why it should be necessary. My latest guitar, a Reverend Sensei, weighs right between an SG & a Strat, and balances perfectly well using an ordinary strap, & without dragging on my clothes. And it has locking tuners on the headstock. I can't see why Gibson can't achieve the same result straight out of the case on all SGs, one way or another, should be a basic element of R&D on any SG model. Let's face it, they've been making guitars for 100 years longer than Reverend.
 
Col Mustard

Col Mustard

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It all comes back to one of our favorite slogans around here...
PLAY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT

I would never buy an instrument that didn't balance.
I'd buy one that did. And I have not had any trouble finding
guitars that balance, seemingly. Both my SGs balance without
fuss, and I believe that Gibson's design is not head heavy
in general. AND I agree that Gibson ought to be able to correct
the situation if one of their SGs gets shipped in a head heavy
condition.

And yes, I have had the unpleasant experience
of fitting heavy tuners on guitars and seeing their headstocks tip
toward the floor, ... and wrastling with that situation until I
got it through my thick skull that I had to undo my work and
put the correct tuners back on.

And that was the end of that. The guitars in question remain among
my favorites, They balance now and they are a pleasure to play. One is a 1936 Martin 0-17 and the other is a 2006 MIM Telecaster '72 Deluxe replica.
Neck dive is optional IMHO.
 
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Biddlin

Biddlin

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SG standard said:
and your left hand must hold the neck up.
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Or you can rest your right forearm on the upper rear bout. If it is such a big issue, you probably should play it before you buy to make sure it suits your needs. I have played a lot of unwieldy instruments in my day and SGs are not even in the running. Aside from my painfully heavy and awkward Mosrite, I also had an Alembic that crushed vertebra with ease and talk about neck dive, like Micki Carlino on prom night..............
From the perspective of this 64 y.o. with spinal stenosis at L4-5 and a detached left Achilles' tendon, with SGs, it's just a non-issue.
 
S

SG standard

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Biddlin said:
From the perspective of this 64 y.o. with spinal stenosis at L4-5 and a detached left Achilles' tendon, with SGs, it's just a non-issue.
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Which is wonderful for you... And I can understand it's not an issue for you. And, as I mentioned in the thread I started; it's not an issue for everyone, it's probably not an issue for every SG, and there are multiple solutions, any combination of which might provide a solution for anyone who experiences this issue. I also discussed why some of these solutions don't work for everyone, (including clamping the guitar to your body with your right arm).

But, as I've come across people who have both not bought SGs because they didn't get along with the neck dive, and people who've bought & sold an SG for the same reason, plus people like Chiefhibachi1 who've found their own solution, what I can't understand is why you're so insistent that it shouldn't be an issue for anyone else, regardless of age or ailments.

Biddlin, you suggest people 'try before they buy', well perhaps neck dive is one reason why the world's best looking guitar* isn't it's top seller...

*Just my opinion!
 
sg jones

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Biddlin said:
From the perspective of this 64 y.o. with spinal stenosis at L4-5 and a detached left Achilles' tendon, with SGs, it's just a non-issue.
Click to expand...

1 year behind you so I can feel some of your pain.... I like my light SG's.
 
Col Mustard

Col Mustard

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well, I say that bayonet is an interesting innovation... Angus jumps around too
much to use one. He is smart enough to know that he would impale himself on it,
or impale someone else.

And yes, it's an extra cool SG, well worth all the effort to get it where you want.
 
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