SG players that made you choose the SG

[rumstove]

I got my first SG in '93. I wanted a Jackson; my dad convinced me to look at Gibson instead. I saw the SG on the wall and that was that. Only after I got it did I start searching for who used SGs.

Funny enough, in '94 I got a Laney GH100L and 4x12 cab (Laney was advertising quite a bit in guitar mags at the time, usually featuring Paul Gilbert in the ads). So, without even trying I got fairly close to an Iommi setup haha. I still have the SG and the Laney.

 

[alexander paul]

I often wonder why Justin Sullivan always seemed to be playing Norlin SGs in the early days of his band. He's from the UK and I wonder if those Norlins were all that was available in the UK back in the '70s. There must have been non-Norlin SGs in the UK at that time, but maybe they were super expensive. I know Rickenbacker had different models for the UK market back then, I wonder if Gibson did the same. Flood the UK with Norlin models and the non-Norlins were the precious finds for the rich or for those who bought them while in America.

Or did Sullivan always play a Norlin simply because he was fond of those models? Is that possible? Is there a sect of people who prefer Norlin model SGs over the "normal" SGs? Was there something that a guitarist would find better about the Norlin SGs?

that model sg has a different look but also a different feel, fat neck parallel to the body with a raised
pick-guard... at the time i thought they were trying to do a fender thing...

 

[Sp8ctre]

I went SG solely on looks and weight. The LP was killing my back...

If I were to name anyone it would be Frank Zappa. I've seen him Live more than any other artist and he always played an SG for at least part of the show.

 

[TDA1966]

 

[Relic61]

Gotta love the Fender strap on the old Gibson SG. Good ol vintage Rock 'n Roll 'who gives a flying fook' attitude.

 

[Skulltula]

Not sure if anyone else has already mentioned, but for me was Dave McPherson from InMe. Just as a band I discovered and liked when I’d not been playing guitar for too long and his SG is one of the first guitars I remember being really aware of and wanting to know what it was. Not to undersell him as a guitar player though, really talented guy just never hit the big time.

Angus also on the inspiration but that one will have been done to death and probably nothing more can add there!

 

[sgberry]

For me : Robbie Krieger and Mick Tayor

 

[Semla]

For me, it was Christoph Lindemann from Kadavar. Interesting, also what made me grow a beard.

 

[Felixq78]

Alright we have the obvious ones Tony Iommy , Angus Young , Pete Townsend
But for me with punk/hardcore it was Joey shithead Keithley (DOA) Greg Hetson (Bad Religion Circle Jerks) Ian mckaye (Minor Threat) but more (Fugazi) he didn't play guitar in minor threat. I think a lot of hardcore/ punk bands in the 80s used a lot of 70s Norlin era SGs and Lps because no one wanted em Van Halen and super shredder guitarists were all the hype and the super strat guitars with double locking floating Floyd Rose trems were all the rage so these punk rocker kids got their SGs and Lps on the cheap and rocked the hell outta em! "And just so ya know I do like Tony, Angus and Pete just thought it would be fun to hear of some others"

Angus Young I suppose but my main reason is that I found my Les Paul too heavy as I've got older so I bought an SG Special and it was stolen. I replaced it with an SG Standard yesterday . The funny thing is that my local vintage guitar shop owner told me that my latest SG belonged to Angus. BS I thought but he told me after I'd paid for it yesterday not before so he had no reason to lie. He does get a lot of well known customers like Joe Walsh and Joe Bonamassa so Angus isn't such a stretch I suppose.

 

[Justin]

Alright we have the obvious ones Tony Iommy , Angus Young , Pete Townsend
But for me with punk/hardcore it was Joey shithead Keithley (DOA) Greg Hetson (Bad Religion Circle Jerks) Ian mckaye (Minor Threat) but more (Fugazi) he didn't play guitar in minor threat. I think a lot of hardcore/ punk bands in the 80s used a lot of 70s Norlin era SGs and Lps because no one wanted em Van Halen and super shredder guitarists were all the hype and the super strat guitars with double locking floating Floyd Rose trems were all the rage so these punk rocker kids got their SGs and Lps on the cheap and rocked the hell outta em! "And just so ya know I do like Tony, Angus and Pete just thought it would be fun to hear of some others"

I think of Zappa, but one of the players that got me excited about the SG was Paul Westerburg. Early Replacements records had his p90 tones all over it.

 

[NMA]

Come on. Zappa, Carlos, Angus, Krieger.... Let's be honest.

When we all saw this guy come out on stage in the movie EASY COME, EASY GO playing an SG, it changed our lives. The tone he got from it blew all our minds. We all said right there and then, "One day I will be getting myself an SG.". Without Elvis none of us would be playing an SG right now.

Just listen to the tone from that SG. I ran to the stores and bought my SG the very day I saw EASY COME, EASY GO.

 

[SteveFord59]

We have to go back to around 1974 or so and I wanted a Gibson. In the paper there was one for $300 and I came home with a red 73 SG Standard and I can see why so many of the greats played them.
They've all been listed here.
That thing through a Marshall, ohhh boy, that was THE sound!
I've had quite a few guitars over the years but always liked the SG.

 

[Justin]

We have to go back to around 1974 or so and I wanted a Gibson. In the paper there was one for $300 and I came home with a red 73 SG Standard and I can see why so many of the greats played them.
They've all been listed here.
That thing through a Marshall, ohhh boy, that was THE sound!
I've had quite a few guitars over the years but always liked the SG.

Cool story, Steve. Thanks!

 

[SteveFord59]

Cut a lot of lawns for that one!
The bridge pick up on that really had a biting snarl to it, it kind of made other guitars sound kind of wimpy by comparison.
This was right about the time Dimarzio pick ups were become all the rage but I just couldn't see it - just plug it in and let rip. Why would I need a different pick up?

 

[donepearce]

Come on. Zappa, Carlos, Angus, Krieger.... Let's be honest.

When we all saw this guy come out on stage in the movie EASY COME, EASY GO playing an SG, it changed our lives. The tone he got from it blew all our minds. We all said right there and then, "One day I will be getting myself an SG.". Without Elvis none of us would be playing an SG right now.

Just listen to the tone from that SG. I ran to the stores and bought my SG the very day I saw EASY COME, EASY GO.

Crazy talent! all those chords without ever moving his fingers.

 

[John Hanson]

Actually nobody. I just picked out the best guitar (for me ) at Guitar Center one day. I had been a bluegrass banjo picker for 30 some years and really didnt have a clue. But the moment I played it, I knew it was the one for me. I've loved it ever since.

 

[Santiago97]

Mine was George Harrison as I love The Beatles. I tend to be more into jazzmaster and Jaguars players like Kevin Shields and J Mascis etc but I just love SGs and a SG with a Maestro Vibrola was my dream guitar as a kid. So when my girlfriend got me one for my bday it was love at first sight for me! (I just wished it stayed in tune!)

 

[Scott Hutchens]

Robbie Krieger was the very first since I started playing electric in 1967 at 13. Back then I didn't have access to or saw lots of pictures of players except for TV and album liner notes, magazines, living in a small town in NW Pa. of Oil City (pop. 18,000-20,000 then--didn't know about guitar mags since Guitar Player was the only one then and in its infancy being founded in 1967). No internet then, kids. Eventually as time went into the late 60s/early 70s I saw more SG's, mostly likely in this order: Clapton, Sam Andrews, James Gurley (JJ&BBaTHC), Blue Cheer, Hendrix' white Custom, Terry Kath!! Glen Buxton, Michael Bruce, (AC), John Cipollina (QMS), Jerry Garcia, Pete Townshend,Tony Iommi. So many San Francisco bands used them since they were one of the most affordable good sounding guitars for "psyche". Early on I knew it was the only other guitar I wanted other than a Strat especially because of the tone. Finally got one in about 1976-'77--(a 1975 cherry when they went back to the original pickguard and rear mounted controls).

 

[Scott Hutchens]

The first one was Robbie Krieger, many more followed mostly 60's guitarists from psychedelic bands.

 

[Robert Nunn]

No one. I mainly play a LP but also play an SG.