NGD: SG faded v SG tribute.

I picked up a 2013 NOS Gibson SG future tribute. $700 delivered with shop setup included.

It has a thin and lightweight body, 60s asymmetric neck profile, thin nitro (not glossy), 57/57+ pickups, steinburg tuners, standard chrome bridge and tailpiece and the circuitboard electronics.

Some pictures next to my SG faded:



The front profile, bevels, shape, seem to be exactly the same except for the two extra frets that come down where the faded has a small pickguard element - no neck angle, fit or anything changed.





The faded is thin and light; exactly the same as that year's SG standard, but the tribute is maybe 20% thinner and lighter - both are very comfortable to play.



The tribute has a nice dark rosewood board that matches its ebony body really well. The frets fit well and play perfectly (haven't yet found a high fret or any issues at all. The inlays are well done and look really nice.

The neck is lovely to play, really lovely. The faded neck is lovely to play too, but the tribute is even easier, especially when you move down the neck - it's really a great neck. The nut seems to be cut well, no issue at all there.







The shop did a great setup - very happy with them especially as they took back the PRS at full price. The guitar came a half note flat, but took no time to tune (very good tuning with these steinburgers - easier than standard tuners - I have 30 seconds tuning experience only with them so won't cast judgement yet). I have done nothing at all to the setup - it's close to perfect.

The pickups are 57/57+ zebra; the neck one looks a bit tatty, but nothing that'll bother me. The bridge and tailpiece have been set up very well.







So, I played them back to back; firstly scales - both are great, but I played slightly fewer bum notes with the tribute! The frets are different, I haven't looked them up, but the tribute board seems a tad wider fret to fret without causing stretching problems (maybe that's in my mind?) and the frets seem a tad more forgiving although the faded frets are fine and comfortable.

The 57s v the 490s: The 57s are strange in somuchas you can control the gain through the treble knob, not only the volume knob. The 57s are nice and very versatile, you get a lot of tonal variety with small movements. In comparison, the 490s feel a bit crass. I would say 57+ v 490T goes to the 57+. But, at the neck, the 57 is very nice, but perhaps lacks the ballsy crunch of the 490R. But, I've literally played for a short period of time on only an AC30 amp setting, so nothing proved here. I did notice that even though the 57s are not hotter, I had the 490s at 10 and the 57s rolled down a bit; maybe they are more sensitive to amp gain and volume setting. Anyways, the 57s are impressive.

Other stuff, here's the circuit board (different style of PU connector to the faded... ).



Obviously, I spent $2.50 on a cream switch tip, and I had some Gibson reflectors in the drawer, so these may be put on too.



All the bits and pieces came with the guitar, and some goodies from the shop.



This is not some cranky old guitar, it's a lovely NOS in perfect condition, set-up well, playing well and looking great. I actually prefer these two finishes to the glossy nitro standards. I have seen reports of horrible grain filler, or lack of, and bad finishes on the tributes, but this one looks really nice.

I just measured the fret spacing, and it's a tad wider on the tribute, but I thing this is due to narrower frets (not much in the fret size, but the spacing is wider between frets on the tribute - the tribute is also more forgiving with you fretting position; that's not to say that the faded isn't too, just not as much so).

Happy as Larry... Right, that's an extended lunchbreak done, better get back to work before I am missed!

Congrats on the new SG Grumpy.I like that black finish,gives it a evil look. What i really noticed is how well the strings line up over the neck,pickup poles ect.Neck angle looks good. Im OCD about that kind of stuff. So i think you got a good one

Very cool, if you want to polish it up use some Virtuoso polish. I did it to a Faded LP and looked great.
I didn't buff it but gave a couple coats and a good rub down.

Very Cool congrats Grumpy --- interesting about the Circuit Board....mine has regular pots/caps wiring etc.......

Gball.....Did you swap that stuff out????? I know you swapped the tuners. THOUGHTS???

HA good call on the knobs !!!


MIne also came with a 3 ply P.G> as well. ----thanks Gball

eSGEe said:

Very Cool congrats Grumpy --- interesting about the Circuit Board....mine has regular pots/caps wiring etc.......

Gball.....Did you swap that stuff out????? I know you swapped the tuners. THOUGHTS???

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Nope, came out of the box that way.

That are great guitars, for sure!

I don't think I'll turn this guitar into a P90 or sell off the expensive parts - it's very nice as is...

Of course, that does leave a problem: I need a P90 guitar.

And the sickness.....she spreads...................you also NEED a Semi Hollow Body Guitar........and an Acoustic..........and.............

Nice geetar and good choice of colour...black! Congrats on your purchase. The 24 frets should supply you with all the notes you need.


;>)/

Excellent buy. That guitar is worth what you paid IMHO. I believe you got a lot for your Korean money.
The two SGs will have somewhat similar tone in the neck pickup... that's my experience. The 490R and the 57 classic
sound similar to me, any differences are subtle. To my ear, the 57 Classic plus has a lot more of everything than does
the 490T, but that just means turn the 490 up, or stomp on your EQ pedal.

The 57 Classic plus might be my all time favorite pickup. I think you are right not to mod your new SG, keep it as
designed. It's one of those unusual ones, with its own character and mojo.

And so, of course, in a year or so you may find yourself pining away for the P-90 sound. OR NOT! You already have
one of the best plain guitars ever designed: the Gibson SG faded special. Add to that another one of the coolest and most
remarkable innovative guitars with perfect setup and a pair of '57s and you have almost all the tones you might ever need.
Lucky you, to have all this at your fingertips. You can spend many happy hours exploring all the musical paths open
to you with the two Gibsons. You could spend a lifetime, happily thrashing away.

But if you simply can't be satisfiied with those two... then you can fill out your P-90 card and punch your semi-hollow card
at the same time by looking for one of these, like I did:

I've been having a great time exploring the ramifications of the P-90 experience... remember, these pickups were designed right after World War ll
and have been in production ever since. There's been lots of improvements and innovations for electric guitars in the last 70 years, but these
p'ups and their tone have not been surpassed. My little powerhouse weighs about half a kilo more than an SG, balances perfectly, has a body no
bigger than a 4 Kilo+ Les Paul, sounded and played great right out of the box... I named her Caledonia. She was fine stock, but has responded
very well to upgrades, and now takes her place alongside the best with nary a blush. Just a little goose for the G.A.S. ...but I recommend you
play the ones you have, there's a lot there to take in.

Mr Grumpy said:

I don't think I'll turn this guitar into a P90 or sell off the expensive parts - it's very nice as is...

Of course, that does leave a problem: I need a P90 guitar.

Click to expand...

Good idea! Congrats on now owning TWO very nice Gibsons.

Thanks everyone. I have been quite surprised by the tribute - I bought it as a mod platform that once the pups and tuners were sold off would have cost me not a lot of money for a nice nitro SG with a neck that's perfect for me. But, the guitar does have some mojo; if this is a step up from the already excellent faded then if a standard is a step up from here then they must be incredible.

So, the 57s... As the Col. says, the 57+ has more of everything than the 490T; I know better or worse is subjective, but I'd be confident saying it is better than the 490T. The 498T is anther story, maybe not as versatile but much more ballsy.

The 57 neck pup does have some rock and roll bite and snarl to it which I really hadn't expected. It is close to the 490R in some ways, but the tone knob does a lot more (on both 57s).

Kinda feels strange having these two similar, both very good, guitars as my only two guitar. The 57s are certainly more complex in working out what settings work for what - the 490s are kinda leave the volume on max, find a tone setting you like and leave it there.

I was expecting a screw on the knobs, but they look to be just pull off - I might leave them on for a bit, the guitar looks much better in person than in pictures.
(I might do a little thread over at the other place; it is an SG afterall...)

Just for fun, and I have no idea what any of this means in the real world... I put a multimetre to the output lead.

Neck pickup: no readings on either guitar.
Bridge 490T = 8.10
Bridge 57 (+) = 8.20
Middle 490R/490T = 6.90
Middle 57s = 6.75

Conclusion, I don't know, but the in-circuit outputs seem to be pretty similar in DC ohms.

The middle position and bridge positions do sound better with the 57s to my ears. The neck positions aren't too different, and I like them both - the 490R has less sounds available, but the sound is good RnR ballsy whereas the 57 can also get quite hairy and maybe cleans up a bit better with clearer highs (for better or worse).

When I work out: 1) how to play guitar; 2) how to record from the THR amp, I will do some sound clip comparisons.

Conclusion a good SG is a damn good thing

Mr Grumpy said:

Just for fun, and I have no idea what any of this means in the real world... I put a multimetre to the output lead.

Neck pickup: no readings on either guitar.
Bridge 490T = 8.10
Bridge 57 (+) = 8.20
Middle 490R/490T = 6.90
Middle 57s = 6.75

Conclusion, I don't know, but the in-circuit outputs seem to be pretty similar in DC ohms.

The middle position and bridge positions do sound better with the 57s to my ears. The neck positions aren't too different, and I like them both - the 490R has less sounds available, but the sound is good RnR ballsy whereas the 57 can also get quite hairy and maybe cleans up a bit better with clearer highs (for better or worse).

When I work out: 1) how to play guitar; 2) how to record from the THR amp, I will do some sound clip comparisons.

Click to expand...

A while back I measured some of my pickups (unsoldterd from the guitars). Here's what I found with the 57s and 490s I have:

490T: 7,6k
490R: 7,4k
Three different 57 Classics, all 7.83k
57 Classic+: 8.65

Except for the 490T, all of them measured differently than the specs given on the Gibson webpage; the Classics were higher, the 490T lower than the stated specs. The 490T is the only one of the pickups I didn't really like.

I have to say though, changing the magnets from A2 to A5 in the 57 Classics in my Future Tribute REALLY made me dig them. I liked them before, but now I effing love them. They push the amp really nicely, SO sweet and punchy at the same time.

Gahr said:

I have to say though, changing the magnets from A2 to A5 in the 57 Classics in my Future Tribute REALLY made me dig them.

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Interesting. I have an Angus Young which I was gonna replace the 490T with, but the connector adaptor which it was supposed to have in the box wasn't there and it doesn't fit the 2011s... It does fit the 2013s though, so I might give it a try. I mention this because I've read that the AY is basically a 57+ with an A5 magnet instead of an A2. I don't know if this is true, and the AY should have a bit more output, but I might give them a swap just to see.

So far: I like the 490R; I don't dislike the 490T but it needs changing; I like the 57 neck, but need time to play around with it; I'm undecided on the 57(+) bridge, but need more time to be certain - the 57s seem to have a lot more tonal space/tinkering space.

I always preferred the bridge position in my Epi310, but I much prefer the neck in these two - I'm hoping the AY will give me a bit more of what I'm after.

eSGEe said:

Conclusion a good SG is a damn good thing

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What are you talking about Adrian? Gibson SG guitars suck because they always break at the headstock which is a 17 degree angle which happened to mine. It cost me over $200 to fix mine after a drunken stuper. Get an Epiphone SG which the neck angle is only 14 degrees decreasing neck breakage. Get with the program...yo Adrain!


;>)/

Mr Grumpy said:

Interesting. I have an Angus Young which I was gonna replace the 490T with, but the connector adaptor which it was supposed to have in the box wasn't there and it doesn't fit the 2011s... It does fit the 2013s though, so I might give it a try. I mention this because I've read that the AY is basically a 57+ with an A5 magnet instead of an A2. I don't know if this is true, and the AY should have a bit more output, but I might give them a swap just to see.

So far: I like the 490R; I don't dislike the 490T but it needs changing; I like the 57 neck, but need time to play around with it; I'm undecided on the 57(+) bridge, but need more time to be certain - the 57s seem to have a lot more tonal space/tinkering space.

I always preferred the bridge position in my Epi310, but I much prefer the neck in these two - I'm hoping the AY will give me a bit more of what I'm after.

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Alnico V magnet, matched coils, and double wax potting 13.5k ohms....

BlackSG91 said:

What are you talking about Adrian? Gibson SG guitars suck because they always break at the headstock which is a 17 degree angle which happened to mine. It cost me over $200 to fix mine after a drunken stuper. Get an Epiphone SG which the neck angle is only 14 degrees decreasing neck breakage. Get with the program...yo Adrain!


;>)/

Click to expand...

I am a member of several 12 step programs......................