What makes the SG have 'the thing' that the Les Paul doesnt have..

[efstop]

The closest LP to my SG Special is the similarly thin '14 Melody Maker, also with P-90s. But it has a maple cap and neck.

 

[Wuuthrad]

^ Bourbon Burst?

 

[CB91710]

So I measured the distance from the back of the bridge to the #1 pole on my 96 SG Standard and my 2012 R8. 3cm on the SG, 3.5 on the Lester. I never realized they were different. Good catch @CB91710 !

Credit to "Dylan Talks Tone" for that one.
I never even gave it a thought...

Interesting thing about the Strat/Tele... the bridge and neck pickups are in the same positions

 

[CerebralGasket]

Ergonomics

 

[Dogbreath]

I have both, but I have always preferred an SG. I got my first one new in 1973. I’ve never noticed the neck dive, but my Les Paul seems ass heavy and crude by comparison. Each has a different tone. That’s true. Apples and oranges. Just a matter of looking at the issues from two different perspectives. I prefer my SG’s but I will always have at least one Les Paul.

 

[Wuuthrad]

Ergonomics

Sg is great beveled edge- so much more comfortable than binding on many Les Pauls. I think the DC is also more comfortable- both of these much more so than the the sharp edges of Classicals or Acoustics also.

 

[GibPhone]

Everyone all talking about comfort, when acoustics are like four times as thick.

 

[CerebralGasket]

Sg is great beveled edge- so much more comfortable than binding on many Les Pauls. I think the DC is also more comfortable- both of these much more so than the the sharp edges of Classicals or Acoustics also.

Totally agree.
At least with the LP Specials and Juniors, they are flat slab bodies with a radius edge around the body. I also prefer the Double Cut for better upper fret access like the SG.

An LP with a carved top and sharp edges around the body is very uncomfortable for me to play after any extended period of time. I had a few in the past, but let them go in favor of the SG and LP Junior DC.

 

[Wuuthrad]

Everyone all talking about comfort, when acoustics are like four times as thick.

It’s mostly the sharp edge that bothers me; cuts off circulation. I agree about the dimensions being another factor, but it’s necessary for good sound!

I’ll use an arm sleeve, and many players buy armrests or have luthiers build them as you may know.

 

[Wuuthrad]

Totally agree.
At least with the LP Specials and Juniors, they are flat slab bodies with a radius edge around the body. I also prefer the Double Cut for better upper fret access like the SG.

An LP with a carved top and sharp edges around the body is unplayable for me personally.

I nearly can’t play a Les Paul for the same reason, but there’s something about the sound I like so I have a Studio. I wish they made a 24 fret Les Paul DC with the 4 knobs- that would be an ideal guitar for me. Maybe they do?

 

[Curious George]

I am no pro, but i do think ‘bite’ is how I think of an SG. I like SGs... I remember seeing kid Anderson (blues) and the sg was smoking... of course ANGUS is prob my fave and Clapton strange brew (sg) is maybe my fave Clapton.

 

[Stinky Kitty]

I am no pro, but i do think ‘bite’ is how I think of an SG. I like SGs... I remember seeing kid Anderson (blues) and the sg was smoking... of course ANGUS is prob my fave and Clapton strange brew (sg) is maybe my fave Clapton.

The SG 90 Double is one of my most cherished guitars of them all. So much to love, from the string through body, to the Bill Lawrence pups, to the ebony fingerboard, the easy volume swells, to that hella finish, and that stylin pickguard..

 

[mdubya]

The SG 90 Double is one of my most cherished guitars of them all. So much to love, from the string through body, to the Bill Lawrence pups, to the ebony fingerboard, the easy volume swells, to that hella finish, and that stylin pickguard..

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My buddy had a pair of those, blue and white. Super cool guitars.

 

[Stinky Kitty]

Here is a performance on one of the same model SG.

 

[crosstownblues]

Damn, I forgot about this. This might exactly the reason.

My 2003 Brazilian kills the SG based on resonance. I sustain also much longer. But that sound that I like so much is exactly the sound that you get when your bridge pup is placed closer to the bridge than usual. Thanks!

Sounds like a Jeff Beck style wrap tail might be in your future. His p90 equipped Les Paul was routed for PAFs, but instead of using the back edge of the route and enlarging towards the neck, the luthier did it backwards. Definitely a different sound, but subtle. The new placement made it difficult to restring the high E, so a notch was filed/cut in the pickup ring.

 

[Curious George]

The SG 90 Double is one of my most cherished guitars of them all. So much to love, from the string through body, to the Bill Lawrence pups, to the ebony fingerboard, the easy volume swells, to that hella finish, and that stylin pickguard..

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still one of the coolest SGs ever made... and Stinky Kitty’s a great guy to boot!

 

[strat1701]

personally to me, the difference is I've never been happy with the way an SG sounded whenever I've played it. It lacks that woody growl-n-honk you can get out of a good LP.. I've had lots of LP's cross my hands, and lots of SG's, even owned a vintage '62 LP/SG with PAF's. While it sounded generally ok, it just never could get that bridge pu woody growl I can from my other reissue LP's. It just didn't 'wow' me overall the many I played. Perhaps there is one but I've yet to find it. I also didn't like the necks on the SG they are a bit too thin for me. They get a plus in the upper fret access column though....

 

[OBX351]

Besides better fret access, smaller neck thickness, less weight and all mahogany wood tones which, generally speaking, give the guitar more mids than a maple top? However most times people can't hear the difference. I have a '64 std that is magical and everyone who plays it loves it, but I play my '63 SG special and '63 JR more often. It's personal taste.

 

[Dolebludger]

I have some LPs and a real 61 SG Standard. My experience has been that the LPs with their greater weight and density sound and sustain better than SGs at lower volumes. But the SG sounds and sustains better at concert volumes. A post above says the SG vibrates like a tuning fork from the ambient volume. LPs don’t. That is exactly what I mean.

 

[Shelkonnery]

It's embarrassing how many years after owning an SG it took me to notice both pickups are a bit closer to the bridge than on LP.

A post above says the SG vibrates like a tuning fork from the ambient volume. LPs don’t. That is exactly what I mean.

This is a great description. I feel like my SG is always ready to scream if that makes sense.

The lighter body and lack of maple top gives it an unique midrange.
You'd be surprised how well it works in lower tunings.

SG leads/solos with LP backing rhythms are a great match.