Re: setup tips on an SG?
Some old wives tales, some legend, some fact.
1) Headstock:
SG's (and Les Pauls and ANY other guitar with a "tilt back" or "pitched" headstock) are prone to breakage if the guitar falls.
My '91 SG standard has fallen TWICE. Once from about 2 feet high, and once right flat on it's face from a guitar stand about 6" off the ground. BOOOM! (the guitar was plugged in). It is fine. I don't recommend it :laugh2: , but I was lucky. And if the guitar fell BACKWARDS, I may have had some trouble.
2) Neck Body joint:
All SG's before 1968 (or 69 - I forget) have the old style "small heel" neck to body joint (including the current '61 reissues). The ENTIRE neck, and all 22 frets are 100% and totally clear of the body. Although some love it (myself included - the fret access is unequalled), it is a fair criticism to say that it is not as stable as the "improved" body joint introduced in the late 60's where the heel is much bigger and more stable (the guitar body actually extends more "onto" the back of the neck).
People had complained that those old necks (technically longer) were more prone to going out of tune ("rubber-y"), and the small heel was more fragile (which it is). Some SG's that have had too much pressure applied to the neck (lets say a car seat folding back on an old SG in a soft case), have had the neck body joint break.
In the 70's, the price of such a repair made many low priced SG's "not worth fixing". Such is NOT the case today as SG's are not cheap and are more highly regarded (back then many people looked at SG's as "NOT a Les Paul"). For the record, MANY Gibson guitars are prone to the same problems (Melody Makers, Les Paul Jrs, etc - even, gasp, - Les Pauls)
I have both style SG's and they are both fine. I prefer the extra fret clearance of the old style. All current models except the 61 reissue ($1599) have the "new and improved" body joint. Both styles offer excellent fret clearance overall. Take care of your guitar and you'll be fine.
3) Kluson style tuners:
This is one of those things that just fules debate endlessly. Gibson stilll uses those "old style" tuners (they have the yellow-ish plastic heads). They are HIGHLY underrated.
Yes......... they are not as good as a good set of sealed Grovers (or the equivalent). But they are fine. Most guitars don't go out of tune because the "tuners are slipping out of their gears" (only defective or REALLY cheap tuners do that). They go out of tune because the string was not put on properly, the strings were not stretched properly, the guitarist has poor tuning habits, etc. So easy to blame the tuning machines themselves.
Look at SO many pro guitarists who keep those Klusons on there (everyone from Jimmy Page to Warren Haynes to Lenny Kravitz to Les Paul himself). If they were SO bad why would pro players who can afford anything not care? Answer: the Klusons are FINE. If you REALLY need to "upgrade" your tuners (I've thought about it but have never done it - and it's not a big deal), get a set of locking Grovers. But unless you are using really light strings (more on this below), you may as well spend the money elsewhere, because the Klusons hold tune fine if used properly. I have never had a problem.
4) As far as "looking inside the control cavity", that won't do you much good as there is black shielding paint in there.
All Gibson SGs are made from Mahogany, from two or three piece bodies on the standard, to one piece bodies on the '61. The bodies are stable as HELL. Did you ever try to break a piece of solid mahogany as thick as an SG body? Good luck. :dance:
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