SG Special deficits to the SG Standard?

SpinWheelz · 10-29-2009, 05:23 PM

Is there anything structurally or electronically "inferior" in Gibson SG Specials versus Gibson SG Standards? I mean, apart from the inlays, I can't really tell the difference between the two. Can anyone help shed some light?

Cheers.

meatclown · 10-29-2009, 10:56 PM

generally speaking, the hardware / pickups *might* be slightly lower quality, and possibly you might have more pieces to the body, but other than that, I think you got basically the same guitar. if I had to guess (without pulling up the specs) I'd say the differences in the price has more to do with the multi piece bodies and finish and maybe pickup covers and inlays....

Boleskinehouse · 10-30-2009, 04:01 AM

Specials have a 490 in the bridge as opposed to the 498t in Standards.. That's the only difference besides cosmetics.

SpinWheelz · 10-30-2009, 09:28 AM

That's really good to know, fellas. Cheers. I've been browsing for a black SG, and it sounds like a black SG Special may the ticket.

H.E.L.Shane · 10-30-2009, 10:28 AM

I've always found Specials neck profiles to be less to my liking than standards...

MorePau1 · 10-31-2009, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meatclown

generally speaking, the hardware / pickups *might* be slightly lower quality, and possibly you might have more pieces to the body, but other than that, I think you got basically the same guitar. if I had to guess (without pulling up the specs) I'd say the differences in the price has more to do with the multi piece bodies and finish and maybe pickup covers and inlays....

My special faded is a 1 piece body and neck. The neck is nice and thick, like a 59 les paul. I put emgs in mine, as well as a few other upgrades, so I'm not worried about pickups. I like fretboard binding, and trapezoids. You can put inlays in it, its nuthin' but cutting, gluing, sanding, and polishing.

AngryHatter · 10-31-2009, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorePau1

My special faded is a 1 piece body and neck. The neck is nice and thick, like a 59 les paul. I put emgs in mine, as well as a few other upgrades, so I'm not worried about pickups. I like fretboard binding, and trapezoids. You can put inlays in it, its nuthin' but cutting, gluing, sanding, and polishing.

One piece body?
Cool.
Mine is three.

MorePau1 · 10-31-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryHatter

One piece body?
Cool.
Mine is three.

Wait... I just checked and I found 1 seam, its a very small part of the left horn. O well, 2 is better than 5 like some... I could have sworn it was a 1 piece...

nadzab · 10-31-2009, 11:46 AM

Look along the bottom edge of the body, sometimes that's the easiest place to pick out the seams.

jonesy · 10-31-2009, 01:42 PM

Alice has a two piece body, one side looks a bit darker than the other in some lighting. Just added a push pull pot to bridge tone that does the green/ page phasing mod, also added a cover over the neck pu, I like the way it toned the 490R down a bit. She's a no frills rocker looks wise, but plays great and has got some Big tone. I like the ebony fretboard and slightly beefier neck profile.

geochem1st · 11-02-2009, 01:59 PM

With SG Specials it depends on the year. Originally they came with P90's only. I find the early year SG Specials to be thinner than the Standards.

My 61 SG Special has a one piece body with a 3 peice neck. The neck has two small blocks up where the tuners are.

HEY!YOU! · 11-10-2009, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geochem1st

With SG Specials it depends on the year. Originally they came with P90's only. I find the early year SG Specials to be thinner than the Standards.

My 61 SG Special has a one piece body with a 3 peice neck. The neck has two small blocks up where the tuners are.

That's not really considered a 3 pce neck.

River · 11-11-2009, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HEY!YOU!

That's not really considered a 3 pce neck.

Pieces are pieces. "Considering" has nothing to do with it, does it?

geochem1st · 11-11-2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HEY!YOU!

That's not really considered a 3 pce neck.

Maybe to Gibson its not. But the wing blocks make a true 3 piece neck when compared to other brands that have a carved one piece neck and headstock.

p90rules · 11-11-2009, 03:50 AM

I just recently bought a 2008 SG Special faded model & it's one of the nicest gibson's I've had in a very long time. I thought it was a 1 piece body, but on VERY close inspection, there's a narrow piece near to the edge. You have to look real closely at the edge joint to tell. My only gripe is the pots/wiring etc which I'll be swapping out for an RS kit anyway. I love the chunky neck & the way it buffs up with playing. I think it's basicaly the same as the Standard albeit a stripped down workmanlike version.

HEY!YOU! · 11-11-2009, 10:20 AM

the headstock may have pieces but the neck is one piece, so it's a one pce neck.
most lp's are that way too.

10-29-2009, 05:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
SpinWheelz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,479 Thanks: 13 Thanked 31 Times in 19 Posts	SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? Is there anything structurally or electronically "inferior" in Gibson SG Specials versus Gibson SG Standards? I mean, apart from the inlays, I can't really tell the difference between the two. Can anyone help shed some light? Cheers.

10-29-2009, 10:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
meatclown Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 39 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? generally speaking, the hardware / pickups might be slightly lower quality, and possibly you might have more pieces to the body, but other than that, I think you got basically the same guitar. if I had to guess (without pulling up the specs) I'd say the differences in the price has more to do with the multi piece bodies and finish and maybe pickup covers and inlays....

10-30-2009, 04:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
Boleskinehouse V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Next to Raleighwood Posts: 17,799 Thanks: 63 Thanked 506 Times in 90 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? Specials have a 490 in the bridge as opposed to the 498t in Standards.. That's the only difference besides cosmetics. __________________

10-30-2009, 09:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
SpinWheelz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,479 Thanks: 13 Thanked 31 Times in 19 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? That's really good to know, fellas. Cheers. I've been browsing for a black SG, and it sounds like a black SG Special may the ticket.

10-30-2009, 10:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
H.E.L.Shane Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mifflintown, PA Posts: 210 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? I've always found Specials neck profiles to be less to my liking than standards... __________________ Currently on the Bench: H.E.L. V Prototype, Prototype Batleth Bass, Custom Strat re-neck, In Paint: 1973 LP Bass, Custom Iceman Spin, J50D, Misc Kramer Current Stage Rig: HEL Valkyrie, HEL Interceptor, ADA MP-1 (3.666 Mod), G-Major, Sound Tech 2/3 Eq, BBE Maximizer, Micro-tube 200, Marshall 1960b cab.

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10-31-2009, 11:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
nadzab Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 46 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? Look along the bottom edge of the body, sometimes that's the easiest place to pick out the seams.

10-31-2009, 01:42 PM	#10 (permalink)
jonesy Capacitor Ambassador Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Indiana USA Posts: 5,771 Thanks: 164 Thanked 247 Times in 51 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? Alice has a two piece body, one side looks a bit darker than the other in some lighting. Just added a push pull pot to bridge tone that does the green/ page phasing mod, also added a cover over the neck pu, I like the way it toned the 490R down a bit. She's a no frills rocker looks wise, but plays great and has got some Big tone. I like the ebony fretboard and slightly beefier neck profile. __________________ Soundclips mp3's Jonesy's Sound Clips Tonemojo Videos on Utube Tonemojo.com & jonesyblues custom shop You can contact me at jonesyblues@yahoo.com GOD ROCKS!

11-02-2009, 01:59 PM	#11 (permalink)
geochem1st Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: NC Posts: 6,275 Thanks: 169 Thanked 200 Times in 62 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? With SG Specials it depends on the year. Originally they came with P90's only. I find the early year SG Specials to be thinner than the Standards. My 61 SG Special has a one piece body with a 3 peice neck. The neck has two small blocks up where the tuners are. __________________ ... "Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." - Albert Einstein

11-11-2009, 03:50 AM	#15 (permalink)
p90rules Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 139 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? I just recently bought a 2008 SG Special faded model & it's one of the nicest gibson's I've had in a very long time. I thought it was a 1 piece body, but on VERY close inspection, there's a narrow piece near to the edge. You have to look real closely at the edge joint to tell. My only gripe is the pots/wiring etc which I'll be swapping out for an RS kit anyway. I love the chunky neck & the way it buffs up with playing. I think it's basicaly the same as the Standard albeit a stripped down workmanlike version. __________________ Steve Hunter & Dick Wagner Rock & Roll Animals.

11-11-2009, 10:20 AM	#16 (permalink)
HEY!YOU! Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 211 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: SG Special deficits to the SG Standard? the headstock may have pieces but the neck is one piece, so it's a one pce neck. most lp's are that way too.

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