SG vs Les Paul

some_dude

some_dude

Raging BB Gunologist
I've played a Les Paul for a number of years now and am quite familiar with them, but I have very little time on an SG aside from buggering around with one in a store on occasion, and no experience with one plugged into an amp I'm familiar with.

Anyway, I'm kinda thinking that I'd like something that's a bit more aggressive and a bit less dense than the Les Pauls tone. Does the SG fit this bill?
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear, but it isn't my usual paulbashing so :laugh2:

lpthick.jpg


SG width Les Paul, Gibson "The Paul II", which aside from pickup placement would get you close...

lp.jpg


Though honestly the tonal similarities between Pauls and SGs are so close to me that a particularly dark SG or brighter Paul basically intersect and are indistinguishable.

...the things also have contours on the back ;)
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

Ahh...wel here's my take.

The SG is like EVH circa 1976-1985...more attitude...more brash...fast..a little wild...reserved when he needs to be though.

The Les Paul is like 1990s EVH. More refined, smoother...not so wild and crazy, but its there...he's till capable...just gotta push him a little harder :)


The SG is less complex in the mids. has more high mids and bite..its more agressive sounding and has a MUCH faster attack and is more articulate. It has more "push" or punch. It's more explosive under the fingers.

And surprisingly it has some excellent warmer jazzy clean tones ..just USE the tone controls. Thanks to the extra bite and less complex mids, it doesn't mud up like a Les Paul can.

I love 'em. All the Gibsons have a unique voice and feel and the SG is a FUN guitar to own (as long as you get one with a good piece of wood)
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

JeffB said:
Ahh...wel here's my take.

The SG is like EVH circa 1976-1985...more attitude...more brash...fast..a little wild...reserved when he needs to be though.

The Les Paul is like 1990s EVH. More refined, smoother...not so wild and crazy, but its there...he's till capable...just gotta push him a little harder :)


The SG is less complex in the mids. has more high mids and bite..its more agressive sounding and has a MUCH faster attack and is more articulate. It has more "push" or punch. It's more explosive under the fingers.

And surprisingly it has some excellent warmer jazzy clean tones ..just USE the tone controls. Thanks to the extra bite and less complex mids, it doesn't mud up like a Les Paul can.

I love 'em. All the Gibsons have a unique voice and feel and the SG is a FUN guitar to own (as long as you get one with a good piece of wood)
Click to expand...

Good description! Like the Explorer, the SG has a much more "immediate" response to it. Lead players may prefer the Les Paul for its overall thickness, but if 'cut' and articulation is what you're looking for, the SG has it in spades.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

The are thinner Les Pauls and Les Pauls without maple deck that come out different from a Les Paul Standard, too.

The SGs have more constant bodies, but different models have different neck joints and given the huge cutaways that makes a difference.

I think what you check out is the mentioned Explorer or Flying V, which are fat and aggressive. I would describe most SGs as more of a percussive, resonant kind of response.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

SG's are a perfect companion guitar for a Les Paul. I've got both & like to switch back and forth. Gives you're back a rest from the LP's weight, and the long neck & full access are nice for lead work. The tone is brighter & notes better defined. Like you said, when you want something more aggressive.

These two are by far Gibson/Epiphone's most popular solid bodies, as both designs have different but great strengths. There are enough similarities that going from one to the other feels natural. And there are so many models of each these days. The drawback to V's & Explorers is that they have big bulky bodies that are uncomfortable in some positions. SG's are sleek & racy, with curves just where you want them. They feel nice. You need an SG.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

SGs are bright and responsive. IMO they're very different from Les Pauls, I think you should have both.

Both pickups on an SG are closer to the bridge, and I hated the brittle sounding stock bridge pickup in my SG standard. A Seth Lover in the bridge will go a long way towards warming it up and giving the mids a bit more complexity.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

screamingdaisy said:
Anyway, I'm kinda thinking that I'd like something that's a bit more aggressive and a bit less dense than the Les Pauls tone. Does the SG fit this bill?
Click to expand...
Pretty much exactly IMO.

SG has more gritty bite and is ruder, more crunch. The Les Paul is thicker with a smoother, more singing tone.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

I've owned several SG's and a bunch of LP's over the years and they are honeslty more similar than they are different.

Its like talking a Jackson vs an Ibanez superstrat, not exactly the same thing but if you can play it on one, you can play it on the other and its going to sound pretty darn close.

Pickups in the guitar will make a bigger difference than anything. Putting hot P90's in a LP for example is going to make it a gritter ruder guitar than a stock SG for example.

Don't expect it to be day and night. Its not going to be like a strat vs a LP.

Its not even going to be as drastic as a strat vs a tele.


I think with a blind listen I couldn't tell if its a SG or LP and I really doubt many others could either.

The weight is really what you'll notice more than anyting.

Cool guitars though, I really want to get a P90 SG in faded cherry myself but I don't have an extra grand to spare on such a thing right now as I'm in the market for a Voodoo strat instead.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

I'm leaning towards either a P90 LP or a P90 SG for my next axe, not sure which way I'm going to go yet...
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

screamingdaisy said:
I'm leaning towards either a P90 LP or a P90 SG for my next axe, not sure which way I'm going to go yet...
Click to expand...
SGs are the sexiest guitars out there. I bought mine after getting some serious Gibson GAS from a real 59 Les Paul and an SG Classic:
472304.jpg

"Don't you want me, son?"

Or I guess you could split the difference.
274063.jpg


Anyway, there isn't a whole lot more i can add to this thread except an SG with P90's will be an awesome 'little brother' to your Pauls.
 
Re: SG vs Les Paul

I've been cruising around the net, trying to pick an Edwards model I'd like to get before New Year's. The SGs are just as tempting as the LPs, frankly.

Whenever I think SG, I think of that snarling Angus Young tone. Tons of attitude. Last time I played my Carvin Bel-Air with an SG, I was able to nearly dime the amp. An SG definitely has some balls, but if you listen to guys like Derek Trucks, you see that you can use it for many things.
 
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