Why Would ANYONE Buy This? 1980 Gibson "The SG" Walnut | Review + Demo
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- Опубліковано 10 жов 2024
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0:14 - "THE SG"
1:11 - SG Standard Market
1:56 - Why Would Anyone Buy This?
4:40 - What's "Bad?"
6:33 - Why so Much?
7:12 - Zakk Wylde
7:30 - Final Thoughts
9:31 - Clean Demo
11:35 - Dirty Demo
13:14 - Condition Overview
18:52 - Blacklight Test
20:00 - Case Review
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I've always kind of looked down on 'The SG' models as I never really understood why anyone would buy these yet today when you can get a much fancier looking SG Standard for the same or just a few hundred more. Looking at photos, it might seem like an easy choice as to never get a The SG, but the two guitars are completely different and will appeal to different players.
The SG has a standard nut width so it will feel like a 'traditional' Gibson guitar. 70s SG standards have kind of a thin feeling neck width which can feel cramped for some players so they avoid them. The SG comes stock with TTOP pickups whereas the Standards came with Tarback pickups. I've always much preferred the sound of ttops. The SG has a satin finish whereas Standards have gloss and colored finishes.
Spec wise, I actually prefer a The SG over a standard, but I can't quite get past the 'plain' looking ebony fretboard. If these had the same small block inlays as the standards did, I would definitely choose a The SG over a Standard.
So... Why Would Anyone buy this guitar over an SG Standard? Well, because they are quite simply both very different guitars that play to two different strengths. Definitely try one out if you see one!
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From just a quick online glance of photos and prices, one might ask themselves, "Why Would ANYONE Buy a THE SG?" Unless you have the opportunity to sit down with one of each... the HUGE differences might not be very obvious. Sure, The SGs aren't as pretty... but they are definitely worth a 2nd look!
0:14 - "THE SG"
1:11 - SG Standard Market
1:56 - Why Would Anyone Buy This?
4:40 - What's "Bad?"
6:33 - Why so Much?
7:12 - Zakk Wylde
7:30 - Final Thoughts
9:31 - Clean Demo
11:35 - Dirty Demo
13:14 - Condition Overview
18:52 - Blacklight Test
20:00 - Case Review
I bought my Gibson SGJ with zebra pickups for $400 I'm happy with it
I was in HS when these came out, they were pitched to be an introductory model. Stripped down, bare bones, nothing fancy. As DiMarzio pickups were all the rage back then, that's why they put a zebra one in the bridge (MARKETING!). Decent guitars that didn't catch on. This was also during that era where the first wave of budget electrics from Japan and Fender's Bullet series were competing for market share.
Not quite my favorite "the SG" look, but they play awesome and sound awesome!
Have you ever done a video about the Gibson Victory guitars? I own one, and love the thing. Kinda rare, as they only made them a few years.
I have one right now... eventually there will be a review of it. That one will take awhile to make as there is lots to teach
Hands down the best SG Gibson ever made. I bought this guitar in 1983 used for $320 in NYC. It is still the best guitar I own, and I have 15 amazing guitars. Never done any work on it. Sounds and feels amazing after all these years. Play it in my "MAD" video - tracked many songs with it. Withstands serious punishment. Impervious to weather. Stays in tune always. Sweat, grime, dings. People buy them because they are battle axes. Unbeatable. I will never sell mine. They are worth more than any new SG by far. A serious bargain at $1,200.
It’s worth it with the good wood. It’s better than what Gibson are blowing out nowadays. I’d rock it. I even dig the wider headstock.
Kevin Kelly wood doesnt matter
Fredrik Svärd: Everything matters. I’ve had bridge repairs change the tone. Every subtle nuance always matters with tone and feel.
nothing matters. A box with a broomstick neck and shoelace strings sounds EXACTLY the same as any Gibson or Fender
@@fredriksvard2603 wood matter bc the better the materials the longer it will last. A real wood guitar with better glue will last longer than plywood guitars. It’s like comparing Walmart pressboard furniture to real wood furniture.
@@thecatthatgotawaywould you rather play a box with a broomstick?🧹
I have a 79 all original. Paid 800 about two years ago. Absolutely love it.
Me too! paid 900 for mine and it was like new. I play in a 9 piece band and sometimes it's a little too dark to cut, but I also play in trios and it sounds great!
Sounds sick
I was a Gibson dealer in that period, (before they dropped smaller dealers), and we were glad to have a decent affordable Gibson to sell at that time. By then enough Les Pauls had been sold to kinda satiate the LP market, so Gibson and the dealers needed other products to keep us all in business. “The SG” was ok, it was made in America, and the foreign invasion hadn’t hit Gibson in the teeth yet, so that’s what we sold.
that is the wood /tone, color ,, i like! also, it's a stripped down, "no frills", i love that light walnut finish!
Man. I got a '79 The SG in a pawn shop back in '87 for $250 and I love it. It rocks and it has a great feel.
It's a true players workhorse. Ebony board, t-tops/tim shaw humbuckers, comfortable necks, good weight, don't have to worry about dinging it up. It's a workhorse. Pick these up $800-1200 sometimes, quick sellers. I've owned 50's to current les pauls, and one of the best ones I've ever played is a 1982 Firebrand The Paul Deluxe, black, harmonica bridge with Tim Shaws, ebony board. Brilliant guitars.
If I had the scratch I'd grab on a heartbeat. Played a walnut 3 pickup custom that was just out of my price range...it was gorgeous. I love the look of these. This is the colour I want all my guitars. Also satin finishes rule.
It's an SG with T-Tops. 'Nuff said!
T-Tops are the best Gibson made !!
That's why one would want it. A great playing guitar with T-tops and walnut is a strong wood and Ebony fingerboard like a Custom.
I like it. Walnut is durable for gun stocks and it looks good on a guitar. Like the wider nut because my fingers are fat.
I have owned a number of SG’s over the years, a 65, 68, 71, 73 etc… but my favorite player hands down is my 1980 standard. It has the best neck of any of the, that I owned. In 1986 I had and EMG bridge pickup installed but otherwise it’s bone stock. I have sold all my others over the years but my 1980 will stay with me to the end.
But it was a standard and not a ‘the SG.’
I still have my original that I bought in 1979 October for $400 brand new. Replaced the bridge pickup with a Bill Lawrence number that Joe Perry used to plug, but that stock neck pickup is so warm, one of the most amazing things I have ever heard. Needs a fret job, but it is still a regular for me in the studio.
1:10 Hoarding and driving prices up for no other reason than greed is so sad. The same thing happened to bmx, people started hoarding parts and charging obscene prices, turning regular useable parts into "collectors items". Now the only people that can buy them are dopes with too much money and the parts never get used again. They just go from one guys display case to another. Free enterprise is the way we live and it's good, but not always good. If small businesses can use tactics like this to change market values just think about what big businesses are doing to keep the wool pulled over our eyes.
The artist I work with has a Gibson Les Paul or this specific model in this video. It was actually his fathers guitar originally purchased in the 1970s. And every show I’ve filmed he always plays that guitar and it sounds amazing!
I got a 78 model in 1996 for $250. Greatest playing guitar I have ever owned. Thought I would he buried with it. Would love to pick up another but refuse to pay more than $600. Great guitar. Oh and the neck is set differently than a standard, helps the playability.
I have a 1980, and while I'm not the best player, I have many friends that are professional and semi professional musicians. Every single one of them has always been in awe at how well it plays and sounds. Supposedly, 1980 wasnt a good year for SGs, but I dont know. Mine is a bit magical.
I really like the sound of this sg wow sounds fantastic the way it rings out very sonic and melodic at same time
2 years ago, I saw something like this, in a pawn shop for only $400! If I didn't already own 2 SGs, I probably would've bought it. It did have the Harmonica bridge.
shouldve bought it to sell!
Just refinished a 79 the Paul with new frets and CTS pots and switch craft switch. Unbelievable! Picked up a 79 the sg yesterday. I will swap it the pots and pickups to sound like my the Paul. Burst bucker3 in the bridge and a Seymour Duncan jazz in the neck. Old guitars are going up in value, what was taboo a while ago about re fretting a guitar or re fin has gone to the way side. Simply, if you own it, make it playable.
I love SG's Trog. Cheers buddy & have a sound day.
I used to think I would like inlays better but more and more I found myself drifting back toward my 2000 Gibson SG special. It has an unbound ebony fret board with dots.
My experience has been that SG’s are typically “neck-heavy” where, if you take off your left hand, the headstock heads towards the floor. Other than that, I like them.
Depends on the trap ur using
Just bought a 2019 Jr, had to make sure that didn't happen before I bought it!
Man, that's just the best sounding SG I ever heard, so much bass and body but it's a defined & articulated bass - and it just has a beautiful overall sound. Just about a thousand times better than all the standard mahogany ones because they are wooly and imprecise in the low end and at the same time they sound way thinner than this one.
I have one from new with the wider bridge. The jack socket on the edge is how ALL SG's should be, much better. Also, mine has keystone Grovers. I bought one because they where cheaper than a standard SG and I love the walnut! Got me into a rock band and I still have it.
I owned as my only guitar for 30+ years an 80' Gibson 'The SG' bought it in 81' new. Mine was gloss black and full mahogany. It had the gold Gibson on the headstock and an ebony fretboard. I did call Gibson about it, they told me that the last few 'The SG's that rolled off the assembly all got painted what ever color they had laying around which was black. They never mentioned 'firebrand's. Wish I could post pics, she is a beauty, lost her in a house fire but if I still had her NO way would I sell for less than 3 grand.
I had 2 of these. Paid $200 each back in the 80's. One was a 78 the Sg and the other was a 80 firebrand sg.
I loved them both. Its a vintage guitar that plays and sounds great and with the walnut body and mohagany neck which makes the guitar warmer sounding. I currently have 2014 SGJ 120th anniversary Sg. Its good but not even close to my old SG's/ I will get another VINTAGE SG. Thats why they go for alot these days. I think they look great, play great and sound great.
this is pretty much my dream SG.
The walnut looks pretty damn good
Sounds very Smashing Pumpkins when you went into the demo. Actually really like this guitar. Nice video man!
I looked at these guitars The SG and The Paul as an entry level SG and Les Paul. My father bought me one of The Paul's in San Jose, CA back in 1979. Still have it today, it's the first guitar I'll pick when get a chance to play. I have a Studio Les Paul and a couple American Standard Stratocasters. It's a fun guitar to play. I had two friends in San Jose at the time that both got The SG's. Both better players that I, but they sound great.
I have a 79 “The SG” the same as this one except for Harmonica bridge, original tuners and knobs. To me it has a darker tone than a normal SG. Plays effortlessly love that ebony fretboard. And now it’s considered vintage!
10 years ago, Norlin SGs would sell for 500 all day. I guess they hit that vintage sweet spot
I bought one of these, a 1979, in 1980, off of the guy who bought it new, he was hard up for money, and I gave him $250 for it. I've owned it ever since. My Dad was a professional player for over 40 years, he played Chet Atkins style guitar, and if you weren't looking, you could not tell it wasn't Chet playing, he was that good. He absolutely LOVED "The SG" said it was one of the best playing, best sounding, most comfortable guitars he ever played. His Number 1 was a 1964 Gretsch Tennessean Chet Atkins Signature model that Chester actually signed for my Dad. But he liked this guitar even better. I've gigged with it, for over 40 years now, and it's still completely original, and aside from some light Rivet rash, in very good condition. Mine has the Harmonica Bridge, and the Grover Tulip tuners, and came in the Chainsaw Case. I never got rid of it, just because I've ALWAYS felt like it was worth way more then I would ever get out of it. It's still a great guitar.
Had an '83 Gibson THE PAUL and it was amazing. Undervalue for sure. Great tone. Saw a wave in price and sold for a decent profit. One of the best USA made guitars for the $$ I ever had
I love walnut wood. I have several drums with shells made from walnut. They are beautiful, with deep sustain and yet excellent attack and clarity due to the hardness of the wood. I think they sound just as deep as mahogany but less muddy sounding. I would love this guitar.
I got mine for £350 back in 1993 in the UK. It got stolen in 2002. 3 months later I walked into a guitar shop to get an acoustic guitar pick up and asked if they had any Gibson SG's for sale. He said yeah there's one on the wall. I had a look and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was my guitar. After a bit of hassle I got it back. Great luck eh :-)
The Trogly's Guitar Show
My 1st guitar was a 80 firebrand SG and it played so sweet. I bought it for $200 with gibson flyaway case in 1993. I sold it a year later for $300 to a friend who just lost his 76 les paul custom in a house fire. I miss it every day but im glad i sold it to someone who ended up trading it to get another les paul custom.
I’m a SG fan! I would buy THAT guitar. I have a standard in that look (walnut). Confession- I start my day watching your videos. Thanks to you, I’m getting my LP education. 👍🏽
I have a 40 year old The Paul with T tops and walnut. Newly refetted and it is awesome.
I played one of these and the 'Firebrand' in 1979, in a music shop in Portsmouth, UK. They were both pretty cool guitars and back then were the sort of equivalent to the more recent 'LP Studio' offerings, but with better pickups and a really nice satin finish. Although the 'SG' used walnut, the 'Firebrand' came in both walnut or mahogany. They were fitted with Schaller M6 tuners as standard, a vast improvement over the aging and rattling Klusions, that Gibson for some reason believed were the best tuners, period. (When I purchased my LP Standard, I ditched the Klusions for M6's, straightaway! ).
The 'Firebrand' that I tried that same day, was fitted standard, with 'Dirty Fingers' pickups. Thus is was a 'metal' guitar. At that time, or shortly thereafter, Gibson brought out the revamped Flying V2 & Explorer II. The Explorer II was also fitted with 'Dirty FIngers' and fine tune tail-piece, with a 'Badass' style bridge. I personally think these were the best V's and Explorers ever made (well, apart from the orginal korina models...). Both models also used a walnut/mahogany/maple sandwich, with ebony fretboard... Which was VERY nice indeed, thank you very muchly.
BTW, the Gibson 'Boomerang' pickups fitted as standard to the Flying V2, were much underrated. Most people replaced them, in favour of more meatier items... 'Boomerangs' are in fact humbucking pickups, but have a tonal characteristic all of their own, not far between a Gibson P-90 and PAF. I have a set fitted to my equally rare Burn's 'Flyte'.
I'd buy one of those 'SG's or a 'Firebrand', as I tend to like the walnut as a tone wood and some of the colour ranges in that wood are stunning. I also like the 'minimalist' aesthetic of these models. The only thing, I have any gripe about, is the gold Gibson transfer... I would personally fashion the logo headstock inlay, out a piece of solid silver plate, or gold-plated brass.
However, I also don't mind the 'Firebrand' branding... It did make that model look cheaper back then... But now, it is well quirky and odd, in a retro way, which I think is cool.
Good upload, thanks Dude!
Ones on LA craigslist for $600 as i type this, for that price why not.
Sounds about right. Stick in some DiMarzio super distortion pickups and you'll be pleased as pie.
@@weareallbeingwatched4602 you want to replace t tops?
I had a 1979 the sg. Awesome playing guitar. Got it for $300 in 1988 or so. Got stolen and I keep looking for it on reverb. Ebony fretboard t top pickups. Played and sounded amazing.
learned how to really play on one of these and played in my first real band with one . Loved it and miss it but one SERIOUS complaint I had with it was it was super neck-heavy. I recently bought a 2011 SG Special HH w/a similar finish and love it. A lot of fellow punks came up playing "The SG" and "The Paul" and did killer shows and records with them.
Very informative, as always, Mr. Trogly. Rock on! 😎👍🏻
its a three piece neck . that increases the stability especially where the standard has end grain weakening in the curve .
I've been playing a "The Paul" for almost 30 years and I love the hell out of it. The "The SG" though? I've owned one when it was priced under a grand and sold it almost immediately. I did like the 335s but had to unload it as well. The Paul is a permanent part of the collection however.
I have an all original 1979 in great condition that I picked up 2 years ago for $900 with a hard case. I love the feel of it. Love the neck. Love the look. It is much darker sounding than my SG standard though. I may swap pickups out one day, maybe for some Seth Lover's or something brighter.
I have one and it's blown away any other guitar I've touched.
His vids are not commercials for his products on ebay/reverb and he's a good guitarist.😊
pretty much everything in your comment is false
My buddy and I were in the same band for a while, I played a the Paul and he played a the SG in goldburst. They both played as good as any Gibson of the era. I also love T-tops
Output jack on the front? No problem!
Just use a right angle cable.
You can get the Epiphone version of this (looks almost exactly the same) for little over £100. I have one, love it. Epiphone SG Special VE Walnut
I never liked SG's until I came across a 61 reissue. At Sam Ash they put it out for $1800., it got a tiny chip on the back of the head stock and no one would buy it, 8 months later I went in there and it was still there and I played it for a while and the manager told me.." make a offer and I'll take it" I said $900 with factory case to get rid of him and he said OK. ..I still have it. Best playing and sounding SG I have ever picked up, without a close second.
I’m restoring one right now. Re radius the board, new frets, new walnut danish oil under lacquer, drying at the moment, waiting to be wet sanded, the only thing I don’t have original is a volume pot, pickups and a truss rod cover. I have truss rod cover but it says “The Paul “ I’m up for Trades on the cover.
Why would I do all this? Because I can. LOL. Nice Video, thanks for your sharing your knowledge.
I remember a local shop trying really hard to sell me one of these, around 1979. They offered monthly payments, even. They were considered budget models at the time.
I have a 1979 “The Paul”, the nut was cut wrong (from the factory) put in a bone nut. The T tops are the best sounding hum buckers I’ve ever had. Switched out the tiny ceramic caps for some old bumblebee’s. I just love the simplicity of these guitars. And I love the volute. These are WAY lighter than the Les Pauls or the SG Standards too.
T tops were very versatile. I also have a '79.
The modern SG bridge is basically that Harmonica bridge in the older visual formula. The old Bridges were horrendous to adjust. but the ones now...pretty easy. And I agree...the 1970s SGs and early 80s SGs...are SOOOO good. My fav's actually [the 1983].
My neighbour has a Les Paul version of the "Firebrand" guitar (from 1980) and loves it.
my dad just gave me this, it was his first guitar. he lent it to my godfather for about 10 years when he was making an album in london and forgot about it. the wood on mine is WAY darker than yours looool. my godfather apparently left in a shed outside for ages, i'm suprised the pickups still work. everything is original, i'll need to give it a good clean it seems :' D
I have an early 1978, still all original every way, not a single amendment or replacement of anything. It has been in it's case for over 40 years whilst I was working overseas and I have just unearthed it in its original case, from my cellars in the south of France. It has hardly been played, so no dirt, scratches or wear on the frets or any other part of the guitar and I am delighted with it. You can get all of the Zappa sounds out of it except for the tremolo, they never made one with a tremolo as far as I am aware. I bought it from a Sam Goody's in NJ in early 78, together with a 'The Paul'. I am really attached to it and love every aspect of this cracking Gibson classic gem that is why I have been a little hard you but don't take offence just keep practicing your guitar and see how you get on with one or two Zappa solo's. It has all of the original documents, Norlin tags etc. and the original receipt and considering it is very probably the best existing example, I would not sell it for a penny less than 2,200 Euro's. A must have in a Gibson collection. I have to say it is nice to see you have been fairly balanced with your comments and have highlighted the great aspects of the guitar as well as those that, at the moment, you still have not yet discovered. Lots of volume from good amps in a good concert hall. Best regards.
Bought one of those in '79 for $650 new. Hated it. Traded it in 1997 for a mid-80's mint Jap clear dipped swamp ash Strat that plays and sounds AWESOME. Everyone who sees it is drop-jawed. Shoulda bought a Strat to start with but I was suckered in by the wood as I have been a woodworker all my life.
I had one a few years ago, it had a head stock repair when I bought it and I just couldn't learn to be okay with that. Definitely an awesome SG though.
Oh yeah, sorry I should've explained better Harry Lime. It's just that it was my only one and I couldn't "calm my mind" about it. I wasn't worried about it breaking, it was solid and straight as anything but I just couldn't digest that my only Gibson had a repaired headstock. It bothered me, not to play or to look just the fact. I know its kinda silly, "just play the damn thing" right? It was like having your dream car in a color you hate.lol
I can't stand bound frets. But I can see where you're coming from. These do need to be knocked down to a damn Studio model price
Have a walnut 79 The Paul (gold logo) made in Nashville, stamped 2nd and nobody could tell me why. There's no obvious defects but I got a good deal on it when I was a broke college kid and I got myself an awesome guitar.
I love the plain look of these SGs. I remember these walnut SGs going for £200 about 30 years ago. Shame I didn't have the money then.
I have an Epiphone 2013 walnut. Walnut sounds great and plays great. I have this one SG and that’s all. It’s in top shape not a firebrand. This piece is heavy but tone wise it’s awesome!! Beauty is only a small piece of overall playing it and tone. No ttops but nice pickups.
Grover tuners and block inlays.
I bought The Paul in 1979. I wanted the sg and I couldn't find one. I loved The Paul, there was one problem, the pickups burnt out after 2 years. I traded it. I regretted. The satin walnut was gorgeous.
Walnut kicks ass man. My custom fox guitar Is made of walnut. It sounds and looks amazing. It was based on a Jackson Kelly but since I am fox guitars first endorser I call it the weapon of indignation
Using the black light for Foghat. 👍
I have a 79 "the Paul"....absolutely fantastic axe...walnut is all muscle....ebony fingerboard is sweet! got it for 5 beans..
it's every bit wonderful sounding as my Custom...but a little different...
You have to be a magician to keep that thing in tune...i say firewood...
Locking tuners ? A cheap and effective upgrade, I swear by them.
I had a 66 SG bass. It was 3/4 scale I believe. My nephew 'bought' it from me. He is making payments of $20 a week. So far I got $20. Since he started paying in 1995, I have a feeling $20 is all I'm getting. I have had a few SG's but I don't like the way they sit on me and don't like playing them. Every 5 years I forget and buy another SG only to regret it. Les Pauls and Strats for me.
I have this same guitar. The SG 1979. How much do you think I can sell it?
The firebrands were the affordable sg's I bought mine for between 300 and 400 bucks ... this was the late 70's ... I was 17 or 18
thats a real nice axe! ,, but i still think ther'e only worth about 500.00 bucks,, walnuts good lookin though,, gene
That was the original tag line for these guitars new... "An SG for Half a G." $500 new... now just the pickups are worth around $300. The part out value for an all-original one with original case is between $800-$1000
Ya, I Agee maybe a little more due to age but I’d buy the SG at my local pawn for $600 out the door.
I like it. My first real guitar was a 79 the paul. It wasn't all fancy but I really liked it. For some reason for inlays make playing easier. But love the other inlay options. To be honest I'd clean and rub it with wd40. Yes that's right. It was always greasy lol and the strings suffered
I just love that your channel is an average guy of average playing skills checking out guitars. Man, did you work your way into a sweet gig! God bless. Subscribed. ;)
(a good luthier can take care of that fret buzz and action, but, it costs. ;)
Most 80's Gibson's are slightly odd ball due to the lack of finances the company had available. Thus they began using whatever woods we laying around the shop according to Tim Shaw.
The maple top explorer E2 is one of the most incredible sounding guitars I have ever owned and I've owned a lot of them. I know, surprised the check out of me too. I played it on a whim and after 20 minutes I had to have it.
Friend of mine had one of these and he kicked himself for years for getting rid of it. He eventually got a different SG standard but I played this guitar and it was actually really good and reminiscent of Zappa's hand made copy SG in appearance. if you find one in good shape you could do a lot worse for a good playable guitar for a lot of types of music.
The Faded SG is a good deal for a stripped down SG. I like the big fat neck on the Faded, I picked up one that’s refinished in gold that’s a great player and they’re cheap.
Angus used one on Back in black tour, he painted it black. I believe he recorded a lot of the album with it also.
I had a The Paul. Wish I never swapped the pickups if I knew they were t-tops. I think I did dimarzios and a cool tap. Was much cheaper when I had it. $300 back in the 90s
I've had 2. A 79 branded with the nasty harmonica. From 80 till the end of production there's many changes. Here's a very rare one. In later 1980, they painted the headstock black with a gold Gibson TM, big difference!!! They were also labeled The SG Firebrand Deluxe. And here's another difference... they are not Satan finish, they are gloss. The very late 80' sgs started using Gotah tuners and occasionally Schector. Sorry for a lot of mahogany fools, these sound great! Great tone!! If Eric Clapton and George Harrison were gifted the 1st 2 off the line, these would be the top of the line SGs and they would have loved the jack on the side
Why WOOD I buy this?
because walnut is actually better than mohogany for a guitar, its harder, denser, and resonates well and is actually less common.
I had one until it was stolen. I LOVED the walnut - heavy and resonant, lighter than a Paul, but a nice heft, and with the t-tops, sustain for days. Action was spot-on.
I believe those guitars came with TGA Super Humbucker later renamed The Velvet Brick . My two cents :)
I think you should check out the 2013 "Future Tribute" SG. I got one right here in natural finish, and it`s such a cool guitar - asymetrical satin finish neck, very light, it`s not neck heavy at all, and it looks very different from other SGs because of the tuners and trapezoid inlays.
I would like it with the firebrand logo. There's just something cool about those logos. This one looks very clean. If I wanted an SG I'd probably pay up to a grand for this one, but I would never like the dot inlays. I think of Gibson having blocks or trapezoids and Fender having dots.
This guitar sounds awesome. The bridge pickup is really working well. You definitely took some of the tone out when you removed the smoke... ;) haha
I got to play and record with a "The Paul" last year the tone was amazing! I would buy this guitar if it didn't have fret buzz and I had the money. My ideal SG is the 3 pickup SG custom.
I wonder if there is a ''the marauder''
There is a Marauder Custom! Beautiful Guitars, they are.
To Date (as far as I'm aware of/remember for Gibson) there is a - The Paul, The SG, The Les Paul, The Hawk, The V, ... and I swear there is a 'The ...' in an acoustic Gibson that I can't remember right now. Fender has a The Strat as well.
I would LOVE to have a complete "THE" Collection Video one day!
How cool would it have been to have a 'The Explorer'? All walnut, ebony fretboard, and those screaming T-Tops! 💙💙💙
@Sassy Cat: Check out the EX-2's from the late 70's/early 80's. I had a 1980 model in walnut (they also came in maple), ebony board, gold hardware , and I believe Dirty Fingers pickups. That guitar had a KILLER sound; loved it for laying down crunchy rhythm guitar tracks because it just roared. Sadly, my truck threw a control arm so the guitar had to go.
@BuzzcutGtr - I feel your pain over the truck repair dilemma, been there myself. The E/2 looks a bit more posh than the "The" series, but still a nice find. 😎
I had an mid-70's Marauder with a maple neck. The pick-up blender was cool. Wish I still had it.
I had a 1979 335 s deluxe it looked like that with no fire brand but a pearl headstock logo factory coil taps zebra dirty finger pickups bound neck so it looked like a bare bones one like this with all theses deluxe features a rare gibson but a cool one! They reissued it all wrong though ask anybody who owned a real one
Sure wouldn't mind trying it out. Not much on the SG but I would be happy to try it.
Friend of mine had one back in the day. Killer guitar.
Good review. Thanks! You did a really good job on the clean abilities of this guitar. So many reviewers go straight for the drive. Have a Firebrand, bought it around 1990. This is definitely a love / hate guitar. The ebony neck is fast and smooth. Mine will stay with me for life.
1990's ES-135 models were inexpensive 15-20 years ago, well under $1,000. I got my 1992 sunburst with P-100 pickups for $750 and the blond 1999 with humbucker pickups for $550, and now I see them going for $2,000+, because they stopped making them. The ES-135 looks like an ES-175, but slightly thinner, and with a center-block, like an ES-335. They are great blues guitars, and I wish that I'd kept the 1992, although they both had the fat-round '59 neck, which I'm not fond of, preferring the slim taper feel.
I had one in 79! Nice guitar! Did what it said on the tin!
I learned on a The Paul my dad played on for years then gave to me. I traded it back to him for a silverface bassman and epiphone 335 dot. I just got it back when he killed himself and he had set it up for slide with a huge nut, hopefully will find the original in stuff around the house.
Always thought about gettin a matching The SG, back not long ago when both could still be had for $600 or less. Not even 10-15 yrs ago
Dont let go of that "the paul" I have prs custom 22,sg's,hollowbodies,etc but I kick my self for letting that the paul go.
Hmmm... after your video on “The Paul” I actually jumped on Reverb and bought one. I think I’ll ski this one, I actually dig the firebrand quite a bit more.
I got that exact same one in 1981 for 325 bucks, it got stolen in 84, pissed me off, I never found out where it went
I bet that there aren't that many still intact, and or in original condition. People probably bought them because they were cheaper than a standard and painted them. It's so beautiful in walnut. Such a nice sounding example too. It's also from the year i was born in.
I have a lame 2009 sg faded in cherry and i don't like it. The wood is too soft, it's neck heavy af, and the frets are obscenely tall. Oh, and the neck is a baseball bat. It's the only guitar i ever purchased online from musicians friend, so i didn't ger to try it first. And honestly, the only thing keeping me from selling, or trading it, is because it was a Christmas present from my mom.
I own The SG '84, great guitar with a great tone!