Gibson SG Standard Electric Guitar, Ebony - Chrome Hardware Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my most versatile as well as easiest-to-play guitar. I've had this guitar for four years now. I was actually shopping for a Les Paul at the time, but its larger fingerboard makes the Les Paul a little harder to tame. I use my SG for everything from rock to jazz and even classical. No kidding! I've done recitals with this guitar for class. There are classical pieces I can't play on my stratocaster but I can on my SG (and on my Ovation, to be fair).
It's not perfect. Both tone labels have fallen off their knobs. And there was a burr in the saddle that destroyed B strings daily until I got it fixed by a dealer (under warranty).
But the SG is nice and light and easy on your fingers. If I could only keep one of my guitars, this would be it. If you're considering one, you might check out the Custom SGs as well, as build quality may be better, but they are significantly more money.
My SG Standard has only whetted my appetite for Gibsons. Bravo, Gibson! I can't wait for my next Gibson purchase (a Black Beauty, please, with nickel hardware).

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Gibson's best-selling SG Standard shatters all perceptions of what an electric guitar can--and should--be. The slim, lightweight mahogany body; unmistakable twin cutaways, pointed horns and beveled edges; the fastest neck in the business; a pair of Gibson's screamin' humbucker pickups--all irresistible features coveted by some of the greatest guitar players of all-time. Various SG models have been played on-stage by the likes of Pete Townshend, Angus Young, Tony Iommi, Robby Krieger, Chris Robinson, Alex Lifeson, Derek Trucks, Elliot Easton, Jim James, Jeff Tweedy, Moby, Keith Urban, Nick Jonas, Rocco DeLuca. When will you add your name?

A New Classic for Rocking Through the Twenty-First Century
Available FinishesTake your pick between two gorgeous, time-honored finishes--Heritage Cherry or Ebony--both of which are applied by hand in a process that demands several coats and many hours. Unlike a lot of our competitors, who settle for a polyurethane finish, Gibson opts for a nitrocellulose finish that will encourage the natural vibration of the instrument for a purer tone. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous and actually gets thinner over time. That way your guitar's wood can breathe and age beautifully.
Exquisite Mother-of Pearl and Acrylic Inlays Among other key distinctions, the SG Standard stands out from its no-frills kid sister, the SG Special, because of the fine mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and holly inlays that decorate its headstock. The SG Standard also boasts figured acrylic trapezoid inlays along its rosewood fingerboard.
'50s Rounded Neck Profile No guitar neck profiles are more distinguishable than the neck profiles employed on the Gibson models of today. The more traditional '50s neck profile--found on the SG Standard--is the thicker, rounder, more time-honored profile, emulating the neck shapes of the iconic late '50s Gibson models. The neck is machined in Gibson's rough mill using wood shapers to make the initial cuts. But once the fingerboard gets glued on, the rest--including the final sanding--is done by hand. That means there are no two necks with the exact same dimensions. So while it still has the basic characteristics of its respective profile, each neck will be slightly different, with a distinct but traditional feel.
Set-Neck Construction Like all classic Gibson guitars, the necks on Les Pauls and SGs are distinguished by one of the more traditional features that have always set them apart--a glued neck joint. Gluing the neck to the body of the guitar ensures a "wood-to-wood" contact, no air space in the neck cavity, and maximum contact between the neck and body, allowing the neck and body to function as a single unit. The result? Better tone, better sustain, and no loose or misaligned necks.
Gibson's 490R AND 498T Pickups The mid to late 1960s saw the emergence of a very different type of music coming from the clubs of England. This new genre's players were demanding more powerful amplifiers with increased volume outputs to satisfy their sonic explorations. This led to a call for a more versatile pickup, and Gibson answered the call with the 490T and 490R pickups ("T" for treble, and "R" for rhythm), humbuckers with the tonal characteristics of an original PAF, but with a slight increase in upper mid-range response. The Gibson 498T bridge pickup is the 490's ideal complement. Taking the 490 one step further, the 498 swaps the Alnico II magnet to an Alnico V, thus making it slightly hotter with emphasis on mid-ranges and highs. The pole pieces on the 498T are also aligned a little further apart to accommodate the spacing of the strings at the bridge, which is different than the spacing of the strings at the neck.
Solid Mahogany Body Probably the most central of all SG features is its solid mahogany body. The mahogany goes through the same rigorous selection process as all of Gibson's woods, and is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson's team of skilled wood experts before it enters the factories. Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This ensures all woods are dried to a level of "equilibrium," where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to reducing the weight. It also improves the woods' machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that the SG will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after it leaves the factory.

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