NGD, another SG Special

gball said:
I went and did some P-90 loaded guitar shopping this weekend and I found that the current Jr.'s and Specials have a slightly beefier neck than the standard Slim Taper that the '61's have (or my 2017 SG Standard). It's a really super-comfortable neck. Problem with me though is I left the shop more confused than when I entered...the guitar that really spoke to me is the Les Paul '50's Standard goldtop with P-90's. That damn thing blew my mind but I don't know if I want to drop that kind of cash on what will be kind of a novelty for me.
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This is the thing, isn't it - you don't really know until you go out and try them. I kinda had the opposite experience to you: I went looking at a goldtop classic (P90s) which was fairly similar to the 50's standard original series and an SG standard, and ended up buying the SG junior which I hadn't really considered before... BTW, the 2018 junior had a slimmer neck, smaller everywhere, so they definitely made some changes for the 2019s; I like the thinner 2018 neck too.

I also thought that the LP specials they had (a SC and a DC, just didn't do it for me - the SGs are far sexier for some reason). A SC LP junior blows a DC LP special out of the water, imho.

You gotta go with the one that speaks to you, even if it's a neon green spikey Jackson (with free spandex catsuit in matching neon green); if it speaks to you then it speaks to you... I'm still not 100% sure if my 2019 SG Special is speaking to me or not. But, for you, an Original series LP Gold Top is a fantastic guitar to have; kinda the top of the mountain in many ways, and if it speaks to you then there is no down side (other than price...).

There are new SG Custom Shop jnrs and specials out:

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Personally, I prefer the '61 style of the 2018/2019. The lightening bar, just doesn't do it on a junior for me, you gotta have the angled flat wraparound (which intonated perfectly on my 2018 junior).

Screenshot 2020-01-21 at 09.49.44.png

Again, I prefer the 2010 CS Special which is based on the '61 and I prefer my '64 and the 2019 Burgundy/Pelham Blue to this guitar.

I still haven't stopped gassing for this one:

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Mr Grumpy said:
This is the thing, isn't it - you don't really know until you go out and try them. I kinda had the opposite experience to you: I went looking at a goldtop classic (P90s) which was fairly similar to the 50's standard original series and an SG standard, and ended up buying the SG junior which I hadn't really considered before...

I also thought that the LP specials they had (a SC and a DC, just didn't do it for me - the SGs are far sexier for some reason).

You gotta go with the one that spoke to you, even if it's a neon green spikey Jackson (with free spandex catsuit in matching neon green); if it speaks to you then it speaks to you...
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Definitely agree. Will need to sit on it for a few days and then go back and give them another spin. Luckily the local Sam Ash had all the ones I am interested in up on the wall. And as petty as it sounds, I was really turned off by the fact that the SG Special didn't have an inlaid logo. They got the details mostly right on the rest of the Jr's and Specials (really, the only thing "wrong" is the tuners - other than that they really come off as reissues). But that one thing really bugs me for some reason and turns me off on what I think would otherwise be may favorite of the bunch. Silly it's something cosmetic, but that's how I feel.
 
And as petty as it sounds, I was really turned off by the fact that the SG Special didn't have an inlaid logo.

I agree, my US$1800 spend does feel a bit abused by Gibson for that reason. I would say that I have not had a satisfactory Gibson experience with my 2019 SG Special, and I'm not sure I'd recommend the guitar to others... The SG junior was better, in '61 form is closer to ones expectations too, imho. It's my fault, you simply cannot buy a Gibson online, you have to check them out in person. I may be talking utter nonsense here, but I feel like 4 out of 5 Fenders are fine whereas maybe 1 out of 5 Gibsons is fine... I also feel you get more with the Gibson, the nitro and set neck do add, but as SG John said about the employees on the clock all the time, it's hard for them to get every guitar right - it's not that the employees don't have the talent, but they don't have the time to properly use their talent.
 
Mr Grumpy said:
And as petty as it sounds, I was really turned off by the fact that the SG Special didn't have an inlaid logo.

I agree, my US$1800 spend does feel a bit abused by Gibson for that reason. I would say that I have not had a satisfactory Gibson experience with my 2019 SG Special, and I'm not sure I'd recommend the guitar to others... The SG junior was better, in '61 form is closer to ones expectations too, imho. It's my fault, you simply cannot buy a Gibson online, you have to check them out in person. I may be talking utter nonsense here, but I feel like 4 out of 5 Fenders are fine whereas maybe 1 out of 5 Gibsons is fine... I also feel you get more with the Gibson, the nitro and set neck do add, but as SG John said about the employees on the clock all the time, it's hard for them to get every guitar right - it's not that the employees don't have the talent, but they don't have the time to properly use their talent.
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I've had equal online luck with all brands. Never had to send a Gibson back that I bought online but have returned a PRS and a Fender, so I think it's luck of the draw. One thing for sure, if you have a relationship with someone at the retailer, like how Sweetwater assigns a rep to you, you'll always do well. My guy Josh as Sweetwater is amazing and makes sure I get exactly what I am looking for.

Back to P-90's though, I am also interested in checking out the Heritage guitars but there are none close so it may take a while to get my mitts on one.
 
Mr Grumpy said:
And as petty as it sounds, I was really turned off by the fact that the SG Special didn't have an inlaid logo.

I agree, my US$1800 spend does feel a bit abused by Gibson for that reason. I would say that I have not had a satisfactory Gibson experience with my 2019 SG Special, and I'm not sure I'd recommend the guitar to others... The SG junior was better, in '61 form is closer to ones expectations too, imho. It's my fault, you simply cannot buy a Gibson online, you have to check them out in person. I may be talking utter nonsense here, but I feel like 4 out of 5 Fenders are fine whereas maybe 1 out of 5 Gibsons is fine... I also feel you get more with the Gibson, the nitro and set neck do add, but as SG John said about the employees on the clock all the time, it's hard for them to get every guitar right - it's not that the employees don't have the talent, but they don't have the time to properly use their talent.
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Part of the reason why I wanted to stick with the retailer I bought mine from (AMS) was that it was about $300 less than the next best price (Sweetwater). Now with the flip of the calendar (and NAMM), the price has gone up again. I was trying to get in under the wire with the last few at last years price they still had in stock. I was happy to see mine does have the hand wiring with Orange Drop capacitors, but they will still need to go. There's a certain harshness to it that hits my eardrums the wrong way. I've tried it in a couple of amps, and I'm sure I can roll away some of the harshness eventually, but I'd prefer to just have paper in oil caps and some different pots in there.

Like GBall said, I also like Sweetwater. Never had an issue, but I was trying to save three hundred dollars at the time.

And yes, it should have an inlay for the logo.
 
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gball said:
I went and did some P-90 loaded guitar shopping this weekend and I found that the current Jr.'s and Specials have a slightly beefier neck than the standard Slim Taper that the '61's have (or my 2017 SG Standard). It's a really super-comfortable neck. Problem with me though is I left the shop more confused than when I entered...the guitar that really spoke to me is the Les Paul '50's Standard goldtop with P-90's. That damn thing blew my mind but I don't know if I want to drop that kind of cash on what will be kind of a novelty for me.
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But, deep down you know that it's worth every penny... All 250,000 of them... ;) That guitar is beautiful, and the P-90's are cocaine on the cake!
 
syscokid said:
Yeah, but I think this one is trying to get your attention:
View attachment 37322

... :wink:
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You bastard.


Yup, though. Same guitar I played. One drawback is the one I played was heavy as hell, at least 10 pounds. I've been really digging on lighter guitars lately.

I know it's a world apart in a lot of ways but the Jr. I played was really light and resonant, and let's face it there is something cool about single-pickup guitars.

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I will undoubtedly feel different about it all come tomorrow.
 
gball said:
You bastard.


Yup, though. Same guitar I played. One drawback is the one I played was heavy as hell, at least 10 pounds. I've been really digging on lighter guitars lately.

I know it's a world apart in a lot of ways but the Jr. I played was really light and resonant, and let's face it there is something cool about single-pickup guitars.

front-banner-1600_900.png


I will undoubtedly feel different about it all come tomorrow.
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My LP Junior is about 7.1 Pounds

2020-01-21 19-39-26.jpg
 
I'm not sure I'd want a junior that sparkly, but what the hell, why not? :dood:

See, this is how Gibson rams us repeatedly up the posterior: the Juniors are great, unbeatable; the Specials are so sexy, and have their own sound, DC and SC, so different from each other; of course those Goldtop 50s style classic/original series are just about the perfect guitar; the Black Beauty, P90s is quite amazing too; oh, and it'd be great to have a '67 style special with the batwing, and you can't really go without a Standard...
 
Mr Grumpy said:
I'm not sure I'd want a junior that sparkly, but what the hell, why not? :dood:

See, this is how Gibson rams us repeatedly up the posterior: the Juniors are great, unbeatable; the Specials are so sexy, and have their own sound, DC and SC, so different from each other; of course those Goldtop 50s style classic/original series are just about the perfect guitar; the Black Beauty, P90s is quite amazing too; oh, and it'd be great to have a '67 style special with the batwing, and you can't really go without a Standard...
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So true.

I'm about 5 minutes away from pulling the trigger on the TV Yellow LP Special though.
 
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