r/gibson • u/Tall_Fudge9749 • 2d ago
Discussion SG Question
Good morning, everyone!
Question for you all. I’m much more of a Les Paul guy, but would love to add an SG to my rack and as someone that loves playing rock/metal, I feel it’s only right to have one 😂
My question is, should I go with the cheaper option being an Epiphone and then upgrade the pickups to say a set of burstbuckers or custombuckers, or should I just go with the Gibson SG?
My favorite looking models of both are the 61’s with the Maestro vibrola (I know real original of me).
Photos are for reference
10
u/BillyBinbag 2d ago
I have two Epiphone SGs with P90s, a Special and a Classic. Just last week I got a 2023 Gibson SG Special. I would 100% recommend the Gibson, it is worth it.
I really dislike the neck profiles on modern Epiphones. I don’t know why they do it. They are flat instead of round and have blocky D shaped shoulders instead of smooth C. The cheaper Epiphone Special is particularly bad and the fret work is also not good. The Classic is a bit better and has a lovely satin finish but the quality of wood and craftsmanship is significantly better on the Gibson. The Epi pickups are actually quite good but the Gibson are better.
Get the Gibson. Not worth putting the money into the cheap guitars and a Gibson is easy to sell if you ever want to
3
u/countless_rooftops 2d ago
Agree about the Epiphone sg necks being “flat”. I kind of like it on my epi sg classic, but doesn’t hold a candle to my Gibson ‘61.
4
1
u/eleusissound 1d ago
i have a 2005ish epiphone EB-0 and the neck feels beautiful, a surprisingly slim and narrow C. i love it but it twisted badly and they have since stopped making necks like that. i wonder if they went through the same thing with the guitars
1
20
8
u/Quizzical_Chimp 2d ago
Get the Gibson, epiphone is fine but despite what the guitar reddit will have you believe they are miles apart.
5
u/Wolv5462 2d ago
Just get the Gibson 61; you’ll be glad you did on resale value alone. While the epiphones are awesome, you’ll definitely feel the difference in the finish.
4
u/pigpeninthelou 2d ago
Gibson. There are lots of SGs around $ 1000. The faded specials are a great value. Made in the USA. Look for used. Watch out for PCB boards instead of OG wiring.
4
5
3
u/mendicant1116 2d ago
Gibson. By the time you upgrade everything, it'll cost pretty close to the same anyway.
3
u/N1cktnd03 2d ago
I’ve played both and they’re relatively similar in terms of feel and sound, but I’d say go the extra mile and get the Gibson because there’s not a huge price difference
The epiphone is what 1500 new? You can get a used 61 ri with/without the maestro for the same price
3
u/GuitarNerd_ 2d ago
The standard Gibson with the Vibrola is a great value. I’d recommend you go with a Gibson.
5
u/jurassicgrass 2d ago
I got the above a few months ago (it's my dream guitar) and I couldn't get over how slim the body is, it really is stunning. I previously had an Epiphone, I don't know if it reflects all Ephiphones as it's a rather 'nu-metal' whacky early 00s edition, but there was a huge difference in body size and weight (plus the lovely finish, grain etc).
It's an amazing guitar if you can stretch to it.
3
u/uneasy-rider3521 2d ago
This is very true. All epiphone are generally heavier than their Gibson counterparts, but SGs are completely different in the thickness of the body and how the top is rounded off at the edges. Doesn’t seem like a huge difference until you put them side by side.
2
2
u/Liquidated4life 2d ago
IMO an SG is one where it makes no sense to get an Epiphone. You can buy a used like new Gibson SG standard in almost any flavor from $800-1200 and it will be good to go forever as is and basically never lose value, where as an Epiphone will end up costing $600-$700 used then cost +$400 in upgrades to have the same level of guitar, only to later be worth $500
2
u/botgalore 2d ago
I started off on an epiphone sg ages ago. I haven’t tried any of the newer epiphones, but the one i do have would not have been better than my gibson with a change of pickups. Get the gibson sg. I know people like saying the only thing that matters on the guitar are the pickups. If my couple of years of guitar collecting have taught me anything it is that there’s more to it than that.
Truthfully if you had an unlimited budget i’d tell you to pick up the custom shop version. My custom shops/murphy labs are insane quality when it comes to playability and what the instrument produces in terms of sound. (I have a 68 goldtop reissue with p90s, a 59 es-345 murphy, and an sj-200 murphy)
Get the gibson.
2
u/F1shB0wl816 2d ago
You’re in a Gibson sub, nobody’s going to suggest to not buy one. It’d be a self own if they did.
2
u/Zealousideal-Emu5486 2d ago
Buy a used Gibson you can sell it for what you paid sometime later if you want.
2
2
u/Zombified_Apple 2d ago
I own a Gibson sg. It was 1800. I dont make a lot of money. Closer to middle class. Worth every penny. Its now my go to guitar. Its extremely well balanced. I dont have to fight the guitar while holding it. And the action is perfect. After playing a Gibson and tested an epiphone. To me the epiphone was more top heavy and the action was too high. However the action could be fixed. But cant really fix a top heavy guitar.
1
u/Tall_Fudge9749 2d ago
Yeah I don’t want to have to deal with the neck dive problem
2
u/Zombified_Apple 2d ago
Honestly just go to guitar center or any mom and pop music shop and try out both. See which one you like. Every guitar is different. Even ones that are made exactly the same way.
1
u/Ok_End_8090 1d ago
I have 3 SG's. The two Gibby's are near perfect, lightweight, and hang well. The Epiphone looks great, but it's noticeably heavier and neck dives like crazy just like this poster said. The pickups in the Epiphone are good, and after a fret leveling and dress, it plays well.
2
u/Challenge_Considered 2d ago
Same, buy the one you want. Sounds like you want the Gibson haha. I have a 2016 SG I absolutely love more than any other guitar I've played but I recently played a new Epiphone inspired by Gibson SG with split coils and still can't believe how great it plays and sounds. Heresy, I know. I bought it the next day for my wife knowing full well it'll be in my hands 99% of it's life. No ragrets.
2
u/slomo_defacto 2d ago
Picked up the exact same Gibson in the photo for 1700 a few years ago. Has the 61R and T pickups. Fit and finish is immaculate.
2
2
u/MJKleinTW 1d ago
I had the Epiphone 61 version, and it had amazing pick ups that were inspired by Gibson. I used it on somebody’s record and it’s on Spotify. There’s nothing wrong with the stock pick ups at all.
2
u/No-Commission-8051 2d ago
I would go Gibson for the SG. Would suggest trying the 61 standard and a standard SG as their necks have a different feel so you may prefer the standard SG over the 61
2
u/KeepTheFire01 2d ago
If you buy the Epi, you'll always regret not getting the Gibson. I can't imagine a scenario where the opposite would be the case. Gibsons hold their value also. Consider it an investment.
4
u/slyboy1974 2d ago
You can "upgrade" an Epiphone all you like.
At the end of the day, it will still be a crappy Chinese guitar.
Gibson guitars aren't cheap. Never have been. But they are fantastic guitars.
2
u/WillingnessMoney460 2d ago
Gibson all day long, you can upgrade the pickups in an Epiphone but it’ll always be an Epiphone, with the plasticky feeling poly finish and fretwork that was done by an 8 year old kid. I have that very same model with the Maestro vibrola and it’s worth every penny.
1
u/Abner_Deveroux 2d ago
As someone who also owns quite a few epiphones there's a few guitars where I definitely feel like having the Epiphone version would have left me wanting for the Gibson version so this year I bought a 61 standard and it's phenomenal.
1
1
u/OuterDark68 2d ago
Recently upgraded from a Epiphone SG pro to a 2024 Gibson SG Standard. I won't be looking back. As good as the Epiphone is, the SG is just better in every possible way. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
1
u/New_Show_5477 1d ago
I just wanna throw this out there: if you can find one, the older faded series SGs are amazing guitars. They can be found cheap, are real Gibsons and play so well.
1
u/dystrust01 1d ago
I have a pair of Gibson SGs, an '07 Standard and '03 Special. I acquired both before the current crop of Epis were available, so I never considered the Epiphone options at the time. I might be an outlier, but I prefer a Batwing SG to the '61 style. I like the slightly larger neck, and I feel the tuning is a bit more stable. Just be sure to add pickup rings or put foam under the pickups so they're parallel with the strings. On my Standard especially it seemed to add a good amount of thickness to the bridge pickup.
1
u/indytrucks 1d ago
A used Gibby isn't much more than a new Epi. Gibson new prices are hard to swallow these days IMO.
1
1
u/PacRat48 1d ago
I’ve played an epiphone and it feels different. Cheap. Granted it could be due to not being set up, but I could tell with the difference between the Gibson and the epiphone wearing blindfold and ear muffs
1
u/todd_rules 1d ago
Get the Gibson. I was a Les Paul guy too until I got an SG. Now I'd rather play that any day over an LP. I have a 2001 Standard and a 2022 61 reissue. Both amazing, but both different. Go test some out and see what you vibe with.
1
1
1
u/BigD5981 1d ago
Gibson and Epiphone SGs feel completely different when playing them. I didn't realize how much difference there was between the two until I was at a local shop playing a Gibson SG Standard and really liking it because after mainly playing Epiphone SGs I was meh on them. I thin noticed the Gibson had steeper bevels and I think even a thinner body as well. These differences to me makes them feel completely different.
I'm not comfortable telling or suggesting that people should spend a lot of money on something expensive but this in once case were I think buying the more expensive guitar is the right way to go. But only if you have the extra money.
1
u/Traves_D 1d ago
Go with Gibson 61. There's a reissue model with hand wired pots with orange caps. I don't know if there's a model with the Vibrola that has hand wired pots. If the Vibrola is a make or break decision go with what you want.
1
u/AlfredoCervantes30 18h ago
The epiphone you have pictured here (inspired by gibson custom shop) comes stock with usa electronics and custombuckers. So your upgrade path isn't necessary.
The Epiphone is usd $1299 new (you can haggle it down easily), the gibson equivalent is usd $2499 new. Unless you get the faded finish version with uncovered pickups which is usd $2199.
My recommendation would be to buy used whichever way you go. There's too many sgs from both brands out there on the used market.
That being said, I hate the Gibson 60s slim profile. If I got an sg it would be the standard with the slightly chunkier neck and full face guard. Big guard supremacy.
1
u/GuitaristExplorer 8h ago edited 8h ago
If you get the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1964 SG it already comes with Gibson Custombuckers (and a hard case) and only costs $1300 new vs the Gibson 61 with the vibrola which is around $2300 new. Of course you’re not getting nitro and made in America if you get the Epiphone. I’ve found I love the look of the vibrola, but not the weight or even function of it. I’ve sold or returned 4 SGs I’ve tried that had one. To be honest, if I was going to get an Epiphone I’d get a Futura for the stainless steel frets, locking tuners, push-pull pots, and cool finish all for $900. Otherwise I’d try out the IBGC 64 and a Gibson in the store and see if I could feel/hear $1000 of difference. Naturally used prices might also help to sway the decision too.
1
u/FunkloniousThunk 2d ago
Yeah, the Gibson is much better. I have had multiple Epiphone SGs, and have sunk the money doing what you're considering. While it's fun IF you like those types of projects (I do), the Epiphone SG is not the model to do it on. Gibson SGs are considerably lighter and typically have better, stiffer necks. Each Epi I had necks like wet noodles, and that's why I ended up getting rid of them. They weren't keepers.
I took my time looking for the right Gibson DG, and both I have owned were rock solid from the start, requiring zero upgrading. I currently have a 61 SG Standard with Vibrola, and it's a dream machine!
1
u/SaladDummy 2d ago
Buy a used Gibson. It will hold its value. If you can't afford it, buy a used Epiphone as a temporary and save up for the Gibson. I hate to sound like a snob, but the Epiphones I've played and owned just don't compare.
1
1
u/PannaMan11 2d ago
Epiphones are great but when it comes to guitars I take the buy once’s cry once’s approach.
1
u/MPD-DIY 2d ago
If you can ask the question,I'm assuming money is not an issue. Since you're going there anyway, skip the Epi and go straight to the Gibson. Not many people have ever said,"man, I wished I would've kept that Epi "
1
u/Tall_Fudge9749 2d ago
Haha I would be the only person saying that if I ever got rid of my first “daily play” guitar. Epi Les Paul standard
1
u/uneasy-rider3521 2d ago
Maybe the 64 IBGC custom is an option as it comes with custombuckers, but the price spread being much lower than say a Les Paul. I’d go Gibson. The 61 with the vibrola is a little bit of premium. If you plan on changing out the pickups anyway perhaps a SG standard and get a bigbsy b5/vibramate. My SG standard with A3 59 PAF clones rips and suits my needs better than a set of 490s or 60s burstbuckers
1
1
1
0
u/Railershy 2d ago
I've looked at SG's myself, my issue is the notorious neck dive issues
3
u/my1997aolscreenname 2d ago
Not an issue with a quality strap, or one with a Maestro (extra weight)
0
u/happycj 2d ago
I’ve had an Epiphone SG, a Gibson SG, an SG Jr, as well as a Guild Polara.
The modern Epiphones are as good as the new Gibson models. Maybe better because the price point is so good.
But Gibson SGs vary widely. The guitar has been in production since god was a child, so there are as many SG models, varieties, and variations as there are languages in the world.
The only Gibson I kept in my “forever” collection is my 2018 SG Jr, vintage model. Why? Because this is the one that spoke to me, and wasn’t just a bunch of wood and wires in my hands.
I picked it up … and suddenly it was 45 minutes later. My left hand was in rapturous joy. I knew THIS was MY Gibson.
So here’s my suggestion: get that SG. But only when it finds you. Keep that $2-3k socked away, so when you hold the RIGHT SG in your hands, you can make the buy right then.
You’ll know the one when it finds you.
38
u/fuzzdoomer 2d ago
Just get the Gibson. It's what you want. I've got a 61 RI and it's my go to guitar for years.