Advice sought - Best 'bang for buck' SG

jellybelly

Hi all

Thinking of moving on my Yamaha semi as it's getting little use, along with some other bits, and getting something in the SG family. Only ever owned one Gibson (a faded 2014 Les Paul) so i've not much idea about specs etc - I've been through a few of the stock pickups in various guitars but that's about it and have no particularly strong feelings - they all paled when compared to a set of now long gone Bare Knuckles, though that's not to say they were 'bad'. 

So, up to the value of say £700, what's my best bet? A used Gibson Standard or some sort of tribute/faded/jr, Epiphone, Guild, Vintage etc? 

In an ideal world id have a Jeff Tweedy sig but I'm pretty flexible with spec as choice seems so much more limited when compared to fenders so it doesn't seem to matter all that much!

stickyfiddle

Secondhand pre-2008 Standard. Amazing neck profile, usually lightweight and not neck-divey. Stock pickups are great for rock and you can chuck your PAF of choice at it for more vintagey tones. 

Specials can be spectacular when you get a good one but the necks are often massive, which makes them more likely to neck dive. 

stimpsonslostson

With that budget I'd go for a Special, they seem to walk the line between a "full fat" SG & not costing a lot of money- £450 second hand is about normal. 
Of course you may prefer a half guard, binding & pickup covers, in which case a Standard is the way forward. 

I'm sure there are great copies by Epiphone, Vintage, Harley Benton etc, but if you can get a Gibson I can't see why you wouldn't. Especially if you want anything other than a thin neck/plasticy finish etc- the Vintage VS6 I played was like a tooth pick. 

If you like p90s, the 2013 50s tribute was lovely. Big neck & p90s, it looks strange with out the guard though. 

benecol

You'll easily get a Standard for that money, but also look at SG Classics - effectively a Standard but with P90s. I've had loads of SGs, and Classics are my favourites.

Voxman

stickyfiddle said:

Secondhand pre-2008 Standard. Amazing neck profile, usually lightweight and not neck-divey. Stock pickups are great for rock and you can chuck your PAF of choice at it for more vintagey tones. 

Specials can be spectacular when you get a good one but the necks are often massive, which makes them more likely to neck dive. 

+1 I have a 2006 SG Standard that fits all of that. I upgraded the tuners to Grover Rotomatics ( straight drop in fit) and still no neck dive. 

DesVegas

I've had my epiphone for around 15 years now and is still a beast with many different sounds in there. Bought for £200 second hand from Coda.

Iamnobody

benecol said:

You'll easily get a Standard for that money, but also look at SG Classics - effectively a Standard but with P90s. I've had loads of SGs, and Classics are my favourites.

Wis. Came here to post that myself.

skunkwerx

1000 series viper? 

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/esp-ltd-viper-1000-electric-guitar-see-thru-black-cherry?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInbu1savW5wIViaztCh10ZgazEAQYBCABEgIa-_D_BwE

£599 and gets you Duncan Custom 5 and a 59 for pickups, locking tuners, tonepros bridge, ebony board. 

Thats what I'd go for all day long, and spend the change on a hard case or having an earvana or bone nut fitted. 

Nunogilberto

I er, *cough*..

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/171497/fs-gibson-sgx-esp-ltd-ec401-vf-vintage-icon-v52#latest

Teacherphil

2nd hand SG Classic every time. You can pick them up for less than £600. There's just something about the combination of p90s a reasonably thick neck. I have a standard as well and much prefer the classic.
Also if you look around you can often get last years models at great prices. I paid £800 brand new from Thomann a couple of years ago.

Teacherphil

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153765529642

fastonebaz

You could buy my Yamaha sg

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/170729/fs-yamaha-sg700s-case-immaculate-reduced-now-600-now-with-weight

rlw

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/168725/2019-gibson-sg-special-faded-pelham-blue-ltd-run-for-sale#latest

I would seriously consider this too... 

jellybelly

Thanks all for the suggestions - think a 'proper' Standard is the most likely as I'd got it in my head I wanted humbuckers, but will certainly consider the Classic.

Useful to know that pre 2008 is a good period, should be cheaper (I don't mind some wear) and tallies with my favourite SG player using a '99 or '00 Standard as her main axe. 

While the blue one in the classifieds looks lovely it's a bit rich for me and some of the other suggestions just aren't classic-style SGs, sorry! Should have been clearer. 

Will report back when I've done some playing and trawling if eBay, which is as variable as ever. Some people are practically delusion...

impmann

Just to be awkward... I've owned Standards, Classics and even a Custom, but the one I've kept for the past 15 years is a Special. Its a 2004 gloss black example - I did have to change the pickups as the originals were a little barky in the mids and lacked subtlety but its the best SG I've ever played. 

I'm not a fan of the fadeds or the satin finished variants, but those early 2000s gloss finish specials are *very* good and incredibly cheap.

jellybelly

impmann said:

Just to be awkward... I've owned Standards, Classics and even a Custom, but the one I've kept for the past 15 years is a Special. Its a 2004 gloss black example - I did have to change the pickups as the originals were a little barky in the mids and lacked subtlety but its the best SG I've ever played. 

I'm not a fan of the fadeds or the satin finished variants, but those early 2000s gloss finish specials are *very* good and incredibly cheap.

Noted - spotted a couple of used ones for not much but wasn't sure if they were misdescribed as there aren't many gloss ones about...

stickyfiddle

jellybelly said:

Thanks all for the suggestions - think a 'proper' Standard is the most likely as I'd got it in my head I wanted humbuckers, but will certainly consider the Classic.

Useful to know that pre 2008 is a good period, should be cheaper (I don't mind some wear) and tallies with my favourite SG player using a '99 or '00 Standard as her main axe. 

While the blue one in the classifieds looks lovely it's a bit rich for me and some of the other suggestions just aren't classic-style SGs, sorry! Should have been clearer. 

Will report back when I've done some playing and trawling if eBay, which is as variable as ever. Some people are practically delusion...

Nothing wrong with preferring Standards imo. I've tried again and again with P90s but while I love them played by other people they just don't feel right whenever I've used them.