I'm a local gigging musician who plays out 2-4 times a month in a blues, soul (sometimes rock n' roll country) band. My main plank is a 92 studio Lester I refined as a burst and modded the pups out of phase Peter Green style. I also have a strat but heavily favor bucker gibsons. I really want to introduce an SG to the mix, for some added spank in the tone. I played a custom shop SG that I loved but was way to expensive. I would like to have different pickups in the SG than the 490 R/Ts in my lester... I like the 57 Classics a lot. I also like the '61 reissue looks. So any advice on SG models that might fit the bill for this purpose that are good return for value... or other suggestions? Thanks, John
Used 2013 Standard. Pretty close to the Custom Shop. Here is my standard next to a Custom Shop reissue for reference. We played these two back-to-back and they sounded prettty much the same. The Standard (left) has a slimmer neck and body than the Custom shop, but you'd only notice that if you had them in the same room. Since this photo was taken, I've replaced the pickguard with a wide-bevel version from Creamtone so it looks even closer.
2014 SGJ can be had for between 400- 500$ in most city on CL. Almost the only guitar with stock 61 pickups if you like those...I do, by far the cheapest. Great value Gibson SG IMO.
I'm a fan of the '61 ReIssue... A used one ought to retain its value unless you mod it. IMHO this is one of the best guitars Gibson has ever made. It will do whatever you ask of it, bone stock. If you're looking for one to mod, then you can usually find an SG faded special used for about $500, often for less. Install a set of your preferred pickups in that and rock. I have one with a set of '57 classic and 57 classic plus, and it's still the queen of my music room nine years later. Gibson's SGJ models took the place of the faded specials. Their '61 pickups are very well regarded. I've never played one, but many of our members swear by them. +1 on the 2013 Gibson SG Standard. Those also seem very well regarded. I've never played one, but members here speak highly of them. Good luck in your quest, and Welcome to ETSG.
This post does not contain any technical information' however, as I have two of these guitars, I must admit they are quality instruments. So far, I have two 2013's. The first one was ordered as a Christmas present to myself for 2012. I had to wait until Gibson ran a batch on the assembly line and I received it about three months [early March 2013 ] later. The other 2013 was an impulse buy. The store owner had a customer order a SG so he ordered three - one for the customer and two for the store. I walked in right after Christmas , beginning of Jan 2014, and saw an awesome cherry SG on the wall. Did not need it or want it. But an SG is an SG. So I asked to play it. Incredible! It had a better feel and acoustic sustain than the my 2013 SG. Saints, Sinners, and Eternal Damination! Bought it immediately. I didn't even try it thorough an amp until I got it her home. So, yes, I would suggest a 2013. The only thing I did on SG's was to lower the bridge stop and run the strings over the top of it. Pictures someday......
Second the 2013 Standard suggestion. Most newer Standards are good, by all means, but as mentioned, the 2013 is more similar to a 61RI. I have a 90 Studio Les Paul that came with the 490/498's. And given your profile pic, we have similar tastes in music. Ditch those pickups. I put in some SD 59's, and it completely transforms the sound of the guitar. Did it after playing my (2013 Standard) SG a bit and falling inlove iwht the 57's.
You might also want to look out for a 2014 - these had coil splitters on the '57s, which might be a bonus looking at the variety of musical styles you're playing. The other main difference between the '13 & '14 is the '120th anniversary' banner on the 12th fret inlay, and the Min-E-Tune (though on the 2nd hand market, many '14s would've lost that by now).
You didn't give a range you wanted to stay in, but I will echo the main sentiment and say you can't go wrong with a Standard. You would be able to get one at a reasonable price and in great condition from anytime in the last decade and have a killer gigging guitar. I am personally very fond of the 2017 and 2018 Standards, for me they are the perfect set of features, and the rolled binding really makes a difference.
I agree. Getting a 2013 standard is almost like purchasing a '61 Reissue. It is a very good value for the price.
+1 on the 2013 Standard. Got the looks and the specs you are looking. 2014s are almost identical, as someone else has stated above (12th anniversary inlay and coil split pots) . And there are the 61RI that cost more, but i really don't see why, the 13 Standards and the 61RI are pretty much the same guitar, with some minor diffirences. My 13 Standard
If you wanna a reissue without the price tag get 13 or 14. I prefer the 13 over a reissue honestly because the headstock is smaller and less prone to neck dive. My 2013 standard is the gem of my collection. White looks pretty knarley too of you can find one
What pickup are you running now. I just put a seymour duncan distortion in my silverburst and that thing screams. Completely different guitar now.
I have a couple of 2017s that aren't so bevel-y and I like the Burstbucker Pro pickups I put in. To make it 61-ish, I added pointers and the Rhythm-Treble chip. These were both stripped and I added the parts that I wanted. Tom
2013's SG Standard or earlier SG 61 Reissues would be a great place to start. I'd try to hunt down one of the models they did with the Maestro vibrola (the 2013 and 2014 SG Original, the Kirk Douglas, Frank Zappa or Jeff Tweedy signature...) They'd do things your LP will never do, and set them apart tonally even further.
Neck pickup is the 57 classic that came with the guitar and replaced bridge pickup to a 498t. Not that i did not like the classic 57, on the contrary, but it didnt suit my tone needs. Right now i m on the edge of sticking in there a super distortion. Too many possibilities, must try them all.
I got my Pelham 2017 standard for under 1k brand new. As a matter of fact it will be one year old in about 6 weeks. It is one of the finest guitars I have ever held. The 57's are perfect.
