Re: NGD: My First Gibson
"Good deal" you say. How many bones did it set you back? I love SGs and these are a great buy even brand new.
"Good" but not a "great" deal, it set me back 5 Benjamins with a new Gibson gig bag. I could've gotten a brand new one for $700 but I liked this one better, grime and poor setup notwithstanding. The price point of the faded models is compelling for someone like me who usually buys less expensive brands of guitar. It's like paying for an Epi but getting a Gibson.
The lack of finish is the best thing about them. The wood breathes and resonates much better.
I know Gibsons well, and all I'd do with that one is run some folded sandpaper or a file through each slot to smooth them out and make their height absolutely perfect. Then, throw something like a Custom 5/59 in it. Intonate it perfectly. Get the guitar to ring like a bell, and you're done.
I agree with the comparison to teles. They sound like a solid man's guitar right outta the box, then you tweak them to your liking. Then for the rest of their life, you can beat the tar out of them, and they sound consistantly great and stay in tune.
By the way, Murphy's Oil Soap is an amazing cleaner. It works great on dirty tolex and vinyl. You can literally strip 100% of the dirt out of the crevices on a 50 year old amp or car seat with that stuff. Back when I detailed cars and upholstery, that was my secret weapon for vinyl and leather.
I think the simple, clean look of the faded brown was what sold me on it. The SG is a workhorse guitar that I've always considered to be the ugly stepsister to the LP. This one is Ugly Stepsister Without Her Makeup On. There's something inherently beautiful about such honest simplicity. :naughty:
The (lack of) finish may be good for the tone, but I suspect it's also good for the price. Gibson can skip the grain filling step, it likely takes fewer coats, and they don't have to polish it to a glasslike finish. As many of you know from personal experience, finishing a guitar (or waiting for your lady to apply her makeup) is the most costly/time consuming step in the process. She's even more purdy without all that crap on, IMO.
A friend suggested Murphy's Oil Soap to me when I asked for advice on how I could safely clean the scum off the fretboard. It worked very well, and didn't completely screw up the wood. I probably should recondition the fretboard, though.
As far as the tuning goes, I'll definitely start with sanding and lubing the nut. I think the fact that the guitar did eventually stabilize tells me the tuners are not the problem. The tuner for the D string is a little bit stiff, but I can live with that as long as it will stay in tune. I'll still be tweaking the setup for a few weeks while it settles into its new home.
I also love Teles for many of the same reasons I'm attracted to SGs. Are you guys trying to give me even more GAS??!?
