Les Paul vs SG

Re: Les Paul vs SG

For the first time in my life, I have both at the same time.

The LP has a 59/Custom hybrid in the bridge, Jazz in the neck, SG has the stock 57+/57 combo.

I'm not sure at this point. The different pups give different, but equally good sounds. Each has its own feel, but either one is fine for me.

Either can cover the hard rock I play exceedingly well. The SG with its lower output pups would have an edge with cleaner blues, but in the end....I love both!
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

I love the sound of a les paul... when someone else is playing it. But I still hate the look of them, plus the ergonomics and feel are terrible for me.

SGs I always thought looked cool, but I could never get one to not sound dead in my hands... until I got a Vintage VS6 unexpectedly yesterday. That one, I think Im gonna bond with.

So SG for me
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

Taz Rules said:
I love the sound of a les paul... when someone else is playing it. But I still hate the look of them, plus the ergonomics and feel are terrible for me.

SGs I always thought looked cool, but I could never get one to not sound dead in my hands... until I got a Vintage VS6 unexpectedly yesterday. That one, I think Im gonna bond with.

So SG for me
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Love it, an instant convert to Gibson designs when the right combination of woods get in your hands. I know it's not a Gibson, but it's what "we" call a "gateway drug". Welcome to the addiction.
 
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Re: Les Paul vs SG

I love this question because they are both great- very, very different, but that's why I love both of them-

In general Les Pauls are thick and beefy- they weigh more, they have a lot more bass, they fill a lot of space and are very good at holding down the center- however, their strength is also a weakness- it takes a lot of work to thin out a Les Paul to do anything other than thick (I do a lot of Jimmy Page mods for this reason).

In general, SGs are far more versatile, the neck is incredibly accessible and they weigh less. In a pinch, an SG can cover most of the LP repertoire (when you dial up the sustain) where a stock Les Paul can't cover most of the SGs range (I have a 62 SG/Les Paul that can do practically anything other than country, and it could handle country if it wasn't for the Dimarzio SD in the bridge).

Bottom line, both are fantastic and I agree with everyone else that it's great to have both.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

JB_From_Hell said:
The bridge PAF in my '62 is like a Tele-players dream sound.
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Uhhhh.............................whaaaaat?

What Tele-player ever dreams of an SG with a humbucker?

I'm not a "Tele-player" but I've got a few, and I've got more than a few SGs, and I love to play both of those style guitars because they are different. I would never want any of my Teles to sound like any of my SGs (even the ones with P-90s). I can't even imagine a real Tele-player dreaming of an SG with a bucker.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

Mincer said:
The ergonomics of both are pretty terrible for me...
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If an SG bad, I can't imagine what you think of a banjitar or even dreadnaught acoustic. I for one don't care too much about how uncomfortable it is to play an instrument, so long as the frets aren't cutting into my hands.

Personally, I prefer Les Pauls for playing and SGs for hanging on walls. Take this for example:

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I prefer Les Pauls in every regard except aesthetic, is what I'm trying to say.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

JB_From_Hell said:
The bridge PAF in my '62 is like a Tele-players dream sound.
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Good for you! yeah, the early PAF LP/SGs were bright and clear and great for country, but I can't get that out of mine-

It's a special that was converted from p90s to Dimarzio Super Distortions in the 70s (tuners replaces with grovers, bad ass bridge- plays like a dream).
So it will blues and rock all day, but nothing close to clear and clean.

On a sidebar, I'm thinking about converting it to humbucker sized P90s or even Prails to get a little closer to it's original tone and I'll start another thread for input-
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

GuitarDoc said:
Uhhhh.............................whaaaaat?

What Tele-player ever dreams of an SG with a humbucker?

I'm not a "Tele-player" but I've got a few, and I've got more than a few SGs, and I love to play both of those style guitars because they are different. I would never want any of my Teles to sound like any of my SGs (even the ones with P-90s). I can't even imagine a real Tele-player dreaming of an SG with a bucker.
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I was exaggerating a bit, but it's super bright and sounds great for chicken-pickin licks.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

I have given up on Gibsons for the time being (famous last words) although I love the shape and sound of a good LP and have owned five of them in the past.
The only minor issues I have had with the LP shape is the lack of a tummy/ribcage contour on the back and upper fret access (not that I spend that much time at the high end of the fretboard).
Also, due to the thickness of its body I find that when playing seated my left fore arm is uncomfortable where it rests on the top of the guitars body.
I currently have two different LP style guitars with thinner, contoured bodies and could not be happier.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

Another thing I've noticed is that my A5 pickups tend gravitate towards my SGs and A2s go to my Les Pauls.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

Chistopher said:
Another thing I've noticed is that my A5 pickups tend gravitate towards my SGs and A2s go to my Les Pauls.
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The Whole Lotta Humbuckers A5s sound great in my Les Paul. I might put a set in my SG.


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Re: Les Paul vs SG

Chistopher said:
If an SG bad, I can't imagine what you think of a banjitar or even dreadnaught acoustic. I for one don't care too much about how uncomfortable it is to play an instrument, so long as the frets aren't cutting into my hands.

Personally, I prefer Les Pauls for playing and SGs for hanging on walls.
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Ergonomics matters most to me, is what I've learned. It's so much better when the bridge placement, balance, height of the strings above the body etc. get the guitar right where it needs to fall under my hands. I'll compromise on a lot of things before that.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

Silence Kid said:
Ergonomics matters most to me, is what I've learned. It's so much better when the bridge placement, balance, height of the strings above the body etc. get the guitar right where it needs to fall under my hands. I'll compromise on a lot of things before that.
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Totally agreed... As much as I like Firebird and V tones, they don't fit me and closest I can come is to move their pups to a platform that fits me.

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Re: Les Paul vs SG

Also, one other thing that makes me pick the LP...the neck pickup sounds much better. I am on that 80% of the time, so it is super important to me.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

My Epi SG is a serious neck diver and not as comfortable to play standing up.


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Re: Les Paul vs SG

UTGrad said:
My Epi SG is a serious neck diver and not as comfortable to play standing up.
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I don't understand the neck dive complaints. If you need one hand free, hold the neck with the other. If you need both hands free, you shouldn't have a guitar strapped on you. Good way to ding a guitar up. Any guitar can swing around and hit things.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

zionstrat said:
I'm thinking about converting it to humbucker sized P90s to get a little closer to it's original tone and I'll start another thread for input-
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I'll save you the time: go for GFS Mean 90's, widely praised here on the forum. They have A5's and have the bite & clarity of P-90's.
 
Re: Les Paul vs SG

blueman335 said:
I don't understand the neck dive complaints. If you need one hand free, hold the neck with the other. If you need both hands free, you shouldn't have a guitar strapped on you. Good way to ding a guitar up. Any guitar can swing around and hit things.
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I can’t stand unbalanced guitars. Oddly, my ‘62 hangs level.
 
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