I fell in love with the SG the first time I saw one in 1961 when I was 11 yrs. old... My parents couldn't afford it and my mother said it reminded her of the Devils horns. After I grew up I wanted to buy one but they were either out of stuck or I was short on cash trying to support my family..,. Last week at the age of 71 I finally got one. Only took me 60 yrs.
Make sure ya try it Before ya buy it. I didn't and found out that the way the body is cut it makes the neck seem longer when sitting down, and sometimes I have a hard time playing an F bar chord on the 1st. fret. My SG is to long my LP is to short but my Yamaha Pacifica fits just right. 😊😊
Saw Clapton play "The Fool" SG at a jam session at the small New York club, Cafe Au Go-Go. The session included Elvin Bishop, Larry Coryell, and Frank Zappa. Yes, I am that old.
Remember that club well..my older brother had a tiny apt. 2 blocks from the club on bleecker..I spent many a night hanging out in front of it with friends..
@@joeyjo-joshabadu9636 As time goes on, ergonomics matter more and more and more... When you're in the shop with a fist full of hard-earned..things like colour...and "does it look cool?" matter more. But now...? It's all about ergonomics... Good thing it still looks cool, has a killer colour (Pelham Blue)!! ...And has a tone all of its own that I have grown very fond of..
The only thing I don't like is the neck dive while sitting, but it's not a big deal. I like that the 12th fret is about where the 9th fret on a fender is, it makes you want to solo haha.
Favorite SG player: George Harrison on “Revolver” and Terry Kath of “Chicago”. Very underrated guitarist, gone too soon… I resisted years until I stumbled upon a '64 SG reissue (NAMM 2019 edition). Massive neck, 2xunpotted Alnico III Custombuckers, that guitar ROCKS !!
SG's are one of my favorites and most comfortable platform to play on. At first , many moons ago it took me a little time to get used to it but once you do, you won't look back. Incredible rock machines.
Lee Anderton once described the SG as having a more 'gnarly' sound than the Les Paul. I always remembered that because it's totally true. The mids give it more grunt, more growl, more slightly organic and kind of on the verge of going out of control than a Les Paul. It's like a bulldog while the Les Paul is a Labrador.
Does it though? They sound pretty similar and the sg sounding on the verge of out of control is pretty much entirely reliant on what it’s played through.
There's not much growl in a bulldog. I've had two and they are useless, affectionate things. Appearances are deceptive. You want growl? Think doberman.
@@codythedoggo7671 not even close. You just gotta know where to find the best deals and ONLY ever buy used. I got one Gibson Les Paul for a trade on a Fender bass that I only spent $127 on!
Brilliant, as usual, Chris. The guitarist in the first band I played in (waaaaay back in 1974) was a Richie Blackmore clone and went into our local gear store to buy a black Strat. He came out with a 1971 SG. He hated the Strat but loved the SG. He still has his ‘71 SG and it still looks and sounds fabulous!! Greatly under appreciated, as you say.
Couldn't help but notice that Chris Buck is a superb guitarist. He has a real feel for the instrument and puts true soul into his playing, something which is quite a rare thing in this day and age!! Rock On!!
I have always said that you could take a Telecaster and a Les Paul to any job, and have the bases covered. After 59 years of playing, I believe that you could also take a Stratocaster and an SG Standard to that same gig, and tag out ALL the runners!
One of the things I appreciate about your Friday Fretworks is the highly articulate and well-written text you deliver. This is not just RUclips waffle; you can see that a lot of thought has gone into the word-choice and how it hangs together. Maybe this is an underrated part of your art! The playing speaks for itself. Should you not, perhaps be supplementing your income with a column in some guitar magazine? Or writing for Rolling Stone? Maybe you are...
I had a Les Paul for nearly two decades before I bought an SG. When I finally bought one, it was a revelation. Lighter, slimmer, far better high fret access, jack in the front for couch playing, switch easier to get to. Maybe the knobs are a bit cramped, but otherwise absolutely fantastic. I still think the Les Paul has more “magic” but the SG is a far better all round guitar. Rock and roll machine. Also, they’re all nice but I do love batwings.
Getting my Gibson history bug fed today. Thanks for some more great history and awesome playing. Thanks from Austin Texas! Robbie Krieger is my favorite SG player.
I have several comments: first of all that was the best comparison video I have seen. Well done. I own 8 Gibson Les Pauls but no Gibson SGs. I have been researching for the last 10 days and will go shopping tomorrow. Secondly, I love your playing. Not only does it sound great but you are one of the best to watch -- it's so intense and visceral and cool! Keep up the great work!
I agree with you. I love the sg .but sadly I have a Jay turser sg clone. I love it but wish I had a real gibson .my copy is a 150$guitar so the action is kinda high and cant be lowered but it sounds decent and I love it .jst wish it was higher quality... happy for you... sg speaks to me more than any other guitar shape. Cool and comfortable
My little brother is a huge tele fan. He played my SG the other day(I hadn't seen him in almost 6 years. He lives in hawaii and was in Japan before that)he looks at me and says "Shit, I think I've been playing the wrong guitar all these years".
SG is my favorite guitar. Definitely way more comfortable than a les paul for me. I like the neck access, and the way it feels sitting or standing. I can deal with the neck dive just fine, but I can see how it would annoy some.
SG's are great and they look amazing. It's also really nice playing them because they are super light and comfy to get to all the frets. Really enjoyed your sound and playing throughout and that 62 from Bernie Marsden sounded huge!
I got my SG because of Cream and The Who, everyone always forgets about Pete Townshend and how he rock Monterrey, Woodstock, and the Isle of Wight with a SG.
I have a '67 SG that was given to me by a friend. He was playing one evening, and his dad told him to turn it down. He got really angry and threw it out the 2nd floor window. The headstock cracked, and broke diagonally. The tuning pegs were all bent. It sat in his closet for 30 years. Then he gave it to me. A few hundred dollars later, I have a player's grade old SG with nice finish checking, the original pick ups, knobs, fretboard and most of the neck that came with the guitar. My friend has since passed away. I love the dang guitar. The mids are ferocious.
SG is simply a beast. It is THE beast. Nothing else sounds like it. That thing drove the sound of the 60s second only to Hendrix's Strat and McGuin's 12 string.
Wow, this is the first A/B comparison that I've seen that's actually useful and worth a shite. Never knew that the SG was their biggest seller! Aaaaand....subscribed.
I find that when playing open chords (think AC/DC) with a crunchy, driven sound, that an SG hits a sweet spot where a Les Paul can get a bit messy and less focused with all that low end and sustain. The SG has a punchy mid range and a bit of jangle so the chords really ring. It really is a perfect rock'n'roll guitar. Of course Les Pauls are the greatest but SGs have their special thing and don't give you back problems.
If have found that using identical pickups and the same clean amp the SG has more sustain and better mid tone then the LP, but on blues the deeper muddy tone of the LP can't be beat by any guitar out there. At least using Gibson burst buckers.
My first step-up from a garbage guitar was a Univox based on the SG, and my first high end guitar was a Gibson SG standard. Now, after 45 years or so of playing mainly Strats, I’m thinking of the SG again.
I love love love my SG and won’t play anything else now. I’ve always though they were overrated until I gave one a shot now I’m totally in love with it
I’ve been a Les Paul guy for a long time, although I’ve always had an SG around for when I got the itch...but the past few years, I find myself reaching for the SG’s more and more. The light weight, unparalleled upper fret access and great/versatile tones have made it much more of a go to guitar for me. Thanks for the excellent presentation as usual, and also the stellar playing 👌 Oh, and favorite SG players? Well, the usual suspects, but I adore what John Cippolina of QMS did with his :)
@gheddi If you are referring to Ollie Halsall, he was too crazy and advanced to be fully recognized in the late Sixties and Seventies. Here you can have and idea of what he could do with an SG: ruclips.net/video/JcCoPmVLwjE/видео.html.
that crazy access to the high frets! another design gibson was head of their time on great playing as always mr buck! always keeps me coming back for more of those tasty licks
I could see the Tele analogy. That's pretty much all I play is Teles. I can say that I have an SG, and it is not one I play frequently at all. Not trying to disrespect the instrument as a whole, but the one I have, I keep for sentimental reasons only. One thing I notice is that the SGs throughout the video varied a bit in pickup configuration. Some had humbuckers and others P90s. Very very different sounds. To me, the P90 is and always will be one of the most overlooked and underrated pickups, and to the loss of those who overlook them. Overall, I'd say the SG lives at that weird nexus of blues, hard rock, psychedelic rock, and the overall zeitgeist of the post Summer-of-Love leading into the 70s. It doesn't quite fit in any one place, but you almost can't imagine any of them without it. Not sure if I'm making sense, but great video and thanks for doing it!
Who needs a bigger endorsement than Angus or Tony, between them and their sg's they've influenced a whole genre and several generations of metal heads 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Totally agree with your summary at the end - this isn't Gibson's equivalent to the Fender Stratocaster IMHO, but to their Telecaster........and that makes it SO much cooler 😎👍
I love the way such a fine player, Chris Buck, has time to discuss guitar history. You and Joe Bonamassa are very generous in that way and I really appreciate it.
@@DavidGarcia-kw4sf Bingo! But it's got two p's: Cippolina, pronounced chip-o-leena. If it wasn't a master's name and if he were still alive, I wouldn't be such a pedant. I remember those nights with Gravenites and Greg Ellmore at the Saloon--half of QMS, and they f-ckin' smoked!
I don't know if you read these comments Chris but you have re inspired me. You have a fresh style that I needed to hear in a stale musical environment......Thanks and keep'em coming
Thanks, Chris. I have a ‘61 SG Standard Reissue that I think is a great guitar. Favorite SG player is certainly Derek Trucks, but among those who used an SG a lot I have to mention Mick Taylor, one of my all-time favorite guitar players.
Well, the biggest difference in sound will always be their pickup locations. The bridge pickup on the les paul is closer to the bridge and the neck pickup on the les paul is right up against the neck. So, even with the same pickups, they will sound different for that reason alone.
All this! Also... it's light. A lot of LPs and Strats can end up giving people back trouble but the SG is a joy to wear... if you ignore the neck dive!
Love all 3 of my SGs! I see myself as a Flying V dude, but people associate me with the SG.. it’s no accident I own 3 of them. My 2002 SG Supreme in sapphire burst with maple top and Duncan pickups, stands up to a les Paul
SG was definitely under-appreciated by me *forever*. I never even played one until a few years ago. After I rekindled my affair with Gibson by buying a killer used R8, I was at a local boutique used guitar shop in town, and for the hell of it tried a used SG Classic with P90s that was hanging on the wall. Bloody hell! Amazing neck profile (like a '59 burst), action like it had been PLEKd and that p90 growl. Of course I bought it on the spot... only $750. My R8 was $4500 and that SG gets played more! In short, SGs can be absolute monsters, and BTW they are comfy as hell to play.
Of course Zappa's 'Roxy' SG is another guitar altogether due to its amazing switching and pickup arrangement. So versatile! Dunno why he ever stopped playing them.
I've played SG's as my go to guitar for almost 20 years. I just got my first LP in December. They are both great guitars and there's things I love about both. I hear it in this video and I've noticed it with my SG vs. LP...the sustain on a Les Paul is unmatched. An SG just doesn't have the wood like a LP but it also saves your back 😆
My first "real" guitar was an SG, that my Dad and I got at a tiny hole in the wall local music store,NEW in 1966. It cost my Dad $350 dollars ! It had the Maestro style vibrola and came with a rectangular gold lined hardshell case! Wish I still had that one!
I worked all summer to buy my 67 with Maestro in 1973 when I was 14! Being used it only cost £175 with case. Like you, I wish I still had it! After a long break from playing and selling all my gear I’ve started building a collection again but sadly these days, copies! I currently have in my collection a white Epiphone 61 Les Paul (SG) with the 3 gold humbuckers to which I’ve added a Maestro trem. I have to say the guitar plays looks and sounds fantastic but I do hope to add some Dimarzio PAF 59’s soon to really do it justice!
@Trevor Johnson I remember my Dad having to sell some stock in his pension plan at the time...it was definitely an investment that I paid him back by playing in cover bands while in high school!
Watch The Main Squeeze play "Have a Cigar" and try to resist the urge to go try an SG. Maximillian gets full blown possessed by his SG in the final solo.
I had a bunch of guitars in my 20s , including a Firebird, Les Paul, 69 SG and A 64 355. Ended up getting rid of everything and keeping a strat. 40 years later I wanted another Gibson. Last year I picked up a 2011 SG classic with P 90s. No neck dive, sounds amazing, plays amazing and stays in tune amazingly, love this guitar!
Dude I love your guitar demos! You make the guitars sound beautifully raunchy and it blows my mind how smoothly you go from using your fingers to a pick. Good stuff man.
A friend of mine got to meet Les Paul and have a short conversation with him at the Iridium in New York not too many years before Les passed away. He asked Les "Did you really hate the SG?", to which Les emphatically replied, "Oh yeah, it was awful! Tiny little body, neck joint was unstable, it wouldn't stay in tune, oh yeah, _hated it!_ ", all with that famous LP smile. True story.
Always been a les paul and strat man , but recent lesters aren't doing it for me. So , im going to get a used SG and see where it goes! Great demo again. Ta much .
Its funny that I'm watching this video just before Christmas eve. Your lead playing puts me in mind of the season at hand. Merry Christmas Chris. Thank you for being a humble example of a monstrous player. You're a champion sir!
Bought an SG type guitar this week after having played exclusively a Les Paul for 2 years. Thought the new guitar was "defective" because the SG has less sustain with a steeper volume drop off as well as a more "barky" attack. After watching your back to back demo I was so relieved that it's actually a signature characteristic of the SG. Wonderful demo, gonna spend more time on the SG to appreciate its unique flavour instead of constantly comparing to the LP.
I'm glad the sg is underappreciated let's keep it that way considering everything that gets talked about online gets price gouged its nice to find a vintage gibson with a somewhat attainable price point I think back to how before youtube and before everybody had access to the internet you could find vintage what are now considered holy grail guitars for a fraction of what they fetch these days all that's gone now and what we are left with is only a few models that are still attainable to working musicians
Pete Townsend used the SG for the Who's peak live years: Stones Rock n Roll Circus, Woodstock, Live at Leeds, etc. So even though it was from '68-'73 it was def. the guitar most associated with him when the band was its hottest on the stage.
Many "classic" rock tracks/albums are assumed to have been recorded using LPs, when really it was Teles & SGs, LPs mainly being used "live" due to their flashier looks (& the quality of the sound not mattering as much).
SG: more bite, more mid range, cuts through more, well suited for when wheres two guitars in the band if you're playing heavy stuff. Also lighter and thinner so more comfortable to play live. Les Paul: thicker more rounded sound, more low end, probably better for a one guitar band as it will fill the mix more. Heavier so will make your shoulder ache more live.
I’m thoroughly convinced you could play a stick with a rubber band on it and sound better than 90% of all other guitar players. Tone and feel for DAYS. Jealous as
Seriously. I play fingerstyle jazz so I'm *slightly* more immune to his charms, but I am certain there are boatloads of aspiring rock guitar guys that cry themselves to sleep at night after watching this guy make it look SO EASY and sounding so consistently, stupidly good. Wait did I come across as jealous? 🙄🙄
Your playing is exquisite Chris. Outstanding dynamics and soul. I always very much enjoy your improvising. Loved that jam clip at the end. Keep on keeping on my friend!
Really enjoying the tones you're pulling from both guitars. My wife said that I wouldn't definitively be able to tell which was which if blindfolded...she's right, but I'll never tell her that.
So, who’s *your* favourite SG player? Did I miss anyone?!
You are now. ;)
Mike Oldlield, Mick Box, Manuel Charlton
My fave is Derek Trucks.
Frank Marino 🤘
Angus!
I fell in love with the SG the first time I saw one in 1961 when I was 11 yrs. old... My parents couldn't afford it and my mother said it reminded her of the Devils horns. After I grew up I wanted to buy one but they were either out of stuck or I was short on cash trying to support my family..,. Last week at the age of 71 I finally got one. Only took me 60 yrs.
Bravo Buddy….CONGRATULATIONS on your new toy.
👍👍
I'm sure you truly appreciate it 🙂🙂🙂
I'm just 6 years behind you. I started playing in 1964. I'm 65 years old this year. Still hoping to play (and maybe own) an SG one day!
Make sure ya try it Before ya buy it. I didn't and found out that the way the body is cut it makes the neck seem longer when sitting down, and sometimes I have a hard time playing an F bar chord on the 1st. fret. My SG is to long my LP is to short but my Yamaha Pacifica fits just right. 😊😊
@Not In The Box Thanks, God gave me the talent to play guitar but he forgot to make my fingers & thumb a little longer. 😎😎
Saw Clapton play "The Fool" SG at a jam session at the small New York club, Cafe Au Go-Go. The session included Elvin Bishop, Larry Coryell, and Frank Zappa. Yes, I am that old.
I saw Clapton play The Fool in 1968 with Cream in Cleveland OH.
I saw him play the Fool in november -67 in Gothenburg.Sweden.
Mr T pities the fool.
Not "that old" mate; yes you're "that cool". Envious sir 👌🏻👌🏻
Remember that club well..my older brother had a tiny apt. 2 blocks from the club on bleecker..I spent many a night hanging out in front of it with friends..
Back here every Friday, watching my version of "TV" 😁
What other "TV" is there?
SG has significant ergonomic advantages over the LP
Own both, and couldn't agree more!
@@joeyjo-joshabadu9636 As time goes on, ergonomics matter more and more and more... When you're in the shop with a fist full of hard-earned..things like colour...and "does it look cool?" matter more.
But now...? It's all about ergonomics... Good thing it still looks cool, has a killer colour (Pelham Blue)!!
...And has a tone all of its own that I have grown very fond of..
The only thing I don't like is the neck dive while sitting, but it's not a big deal. I like that the 12th fret is about where the 9th fret on a fender is, it makes you want to solo haha.
Like what? The neck dive? Hate SGs.
Should get a musicman majesty if one's after ergonomic though.
Favorite SG player: George Harrison on “Revolver” and Terry Kath of “Chicago”. Very underrated guitarist, gone too soon…
I resisted years until I stumbled upon a '64 SG reissue (NAMM 2019 edition). Massive neck, 2xunpotted Alnico III Custombuckers, that guitar ROCKS !!
Terry was a beast of a player.✌️
SG's are one of my favorites and most comfortable platform to play on. At first , many moons ago it took me a little time to get used to it but once you do, you won't look back. Incredible rock machines.
"took me a little time to get used to it but once you do, you won't look back" - Exactly.
Beautiful playing and SG 🙌🎸🤘🔥
Lee Anderton once described the SG as having a more 'gnarly' sound than the Les Paul. I always remembered that because it's totally true. The mids give it more grunt, more growl, more slightly organic and kind of on the verge of going out of control than a Les Paul. It's like a bulldog while the Les Paul is a Labrador.
With P90's it's a Rottweiler.
@@outtolunch88 W00F!
@@outtolunch88 i have a '65 sg jr with the p90>
i rocks.
Does it though? They sound pretty similar and the sg sounding on the verge of out of control is pretty much entirely reliant on what it’s played through.
There's not much growl in a bulldog. I've had two and they are useless, affectionate things. Appearances are deceptive. You want growl? Think doberman.
As someone who has owned 5 Les Pauls and about a dozen SGs, I love my Les Pauls but prefer the SGs in every way.
So glad that when I was young I almost broke a stupid LP plastic pickguard in a music shop & thought "fuck this - I'm getting an SG!" 😄
That's like 100k in guitars 🤣
@@codythedoggo7671 not even close. You just gotta know where to find the best deals and ONLY ever buy used. I got one Gibson Les Paul for a trade on a Fender bass that I only spent $127 on!
@@KevyNova that's insane
In uncertain times, it's such a reliable delight to hear you play.
Brilliant, as usual, Chris. The guitarist in the first band I played in (waaaaay back in 1974) was a Richie Blackmore clone and went into our local gear store to buy a black Strat. He came out with a 1971 SG. He hated the Strat but loved the SG. He still has his ‘71 SG and it still looks and sounds fabulous!! Greatly under appreciated, as you say.
I love the way you articulate the notes, giving each and every one of them a tone and a meaning.
Couldn't help but notice that Chris Buck is a superb guitarist. He has a real feel for the instrument and puts true soul into his playing, something which is quite a rare thing in this day and age!! Rock On!!
I have always said that you could take a Telecaster and a Les Paul to any job, and have the bases covered. After 59 years of playing, I believe that you could also take a Stratocaster and an SG Standard to that same gig, and tag out ALL the runners!
Strat won't cut through the mix
@@truffeltroll6668 anything can cut through the mix, if you can’t make a strat cut through mix thrn I think that’s your fault
@@Yourmom-ww1sp no that's on the strat. Cutting through =/=louder.
And if you want a strat that won't work unless you kill the strat sound
@@truffeltroll6668 fat strat decked
I'd rather have a tele and SG.
One of the things I appreciate about your Friday Fretworks is the highly articulate and well-written text you deliver. This is not just RUclips waffle; you can see that a lot of thought has gone into the word-choice and how it hangs together. Maybe this is an underrated part of your art! The playing speaks for itself. Should you not, perhaps be supplementing your income with a column in some guitar magazine? Or writing for Rolling Stone? Maybe you are...
Rolling stone wants trans stories...
You are always so erudite in these matters Chris. Impressed!
I had a Les Paul for nearly two decades before I bought an SG. When I finally bought one, it was a revelation. Lighter, slimmer, far better high fret access, jack in the front for couch playing, switch easier to get to. Maybe the knobs are a bit cramped, but otherwise absolutely fantastic.
I still think the Les Paul has more “magic” but the SG is a far better all round guitar. Rock and roll machine.
Also, they’re all nice but I do love batwings.
Getting my Gibson history bug fed today. Thanks for some more great history and awesome playing.
Thanks from Austin Texas!
Robbie Krieger is my favorite SG player.
Right On!
Your playing at 6:00 should open a lot of ears to one of the many, many tones available with the SG.
Thanks for a great video!
Everytime I watch this kids technique, I'm blown away! Love Friday fretworks!❤😁👍
I have several comments: first of all that was the best comparison video I have seen. Well done. I own 8 Gibson Les Pauls but no Gibson SGs. I have been researching for the last 10 days and will go shopping tomorrow. Secondly, I love your playing. Not only does it sound great but you are one of the best to watch -- it's so intense and visceral and cool! Keep up the great work!
I just got a Gibson SG don’t know why I waited. It’s the only guitar I play now, sold my Strat and Tele, just love this guitar
I agree with you. I love the sg .but sadly I have a Jay turser sg clone. I love it but wish I had a real gibson .my copy is a 150$guitar so the action is kinda high and cant be lowered but it sounds decent and I love it .jst wish it was higher quality... happy for you... sg speaks to me more than any other guitar shape. Cool and comfortable
My little brother is a huge tele fan. He played my SG the other day(I hadn't seen him in almost 6 years. He lives in hawaii and was in Japan before that)he looks at me and says "Shit, I think I've been playing the wrong guitar all these years".
@@harrysachs2274 I felt the same way when I got the SG. I was shocked I sold my Tele then my strat as they didn’t get played.
@@joshuataft5541 I’m sure one day you will get one mate. It’s a fantastic guitar and I really like the SG
Sold you Tele? Are you mad. I have the big 4 guitars and the Tele would be the last I'd sell.
SG is my favorite guitar. Definitely way more comfortable than a les paul for me. I like the neck access, and the way it feels sitting or standing. I can deal with the neck dive just fine, but I can see how it would annoy some.
Do you have Grovers tuners on it ?
Mine has no neck dive
Davd Wilder Mine neither. It’s got Klusons.
Same here I agree, have a 1994 Standard I bought new, great guitar
@@frantisca I dont
SG's are great and they look amazing. It's also really nice playing them because they are super light and comfy to get to all the frets. Really enjoyed your sound and playing throughout and that 62 from Bernie Marsden sounded huge!
I got my SG because of Cream and The Who, everyone always forgets about Pete Townshend and how he rock Monterrey, Woodstock, and the Isle of Wight with a SG.
Live at Leeds is my favorite tone ever!
He played a Stratocaster at Monterey.
I got my SG because of Robby Krieger
@@honkytonkinson9787 Indeed, Live at Leeds is stupefying! Heaviest sound ever!
@@lotharroberts5978 😬 yikes your right but still his best tone was with the Sg if you ask me
I have a '67 SG that was given to me by a friend. He was playing one evening, and his dad told him to turn it down. He got really angry and threw it out the 2nd floor window. The headstock cracked, and broke diagonally. The tuning pegs were all bent. It sat in his closet for 30 years. Then he gave it to me. A few hundred dollars later, I have a player's grade old SG with nice finish checking, the original pick ups, knobs, fretboard and most of the neck that came with the guitar. My friend has since passed away. I love the dang guitar. The mids are ferocious.
SG is simply a beast. It is THE beast. Nothing else sounds like it. That thing drove the sound of the 60s second only to Hendrix's Strat and McGuin's 12 string.
The solo on the final jam was absolutely magnificent
Five Watt World did an extensive history of SG...would be a great partner to this video.
Five Watt World ALSO left out John Cipollina! GRRR!
@@MalcolmO Another absolute master guitarist using an SG. John Cipollina defined a unique sound that no-one can duplicate today. RIP ...
Watching your videos ignites my passion for guitar
Wow, this is the first A/B comparison that I've seen that's actually useful and worth a shite. Never knew that the SG was their biggest seller! Aaaaand....subscribed.
I find that when playing open chords (think AC/DC) with a crunchy, driven sound, that an SG hits a sweet spot where a Les Paul can get a bit messy and less focused with all that low end and sustain. The SG has a punchy mid range and a bit of jangle so the chords really ring. It really is a perfect rock'n'roll guitar. Of course Les Pauls are the greatest but SGs have their special thing and don't give you back problems.
If have found that using identical pickups and the same clean amp the SG has more sustain and better mid tone then the LP, but on blues the deeper muddy tone of the LP can't be beat by any guitar out there. At least using Gibson burst buckers.
Totally agree I find I get a sweeter tone when I roll off the volume on my LP especially on power chords and cranked el34 Marshalls
In a way, it is a castrated Les Paul.. but the right frequencies are still there
@ tomasvanecek8626 castrated? I doubt it, that guitar has more balls than any other guitar I’ve played!
I’m a professional blues guitarist in Memphis, and I must say your playing is magnificent 😎
Yea. His videos are always entertaining 😅 I really enjoy his jams.
My first step-up from a garbage guitar was a Univox based on the SG, and my first high end guitar was a Gibson SG standard. Now, after 45 years or so of playing mainly Strats, I’m thinking of the SG again.
I love love love my SG and won’t play anything else now. I’ve always though they were overrated until I gave one a shot now I’m totally in love with it
That clean tone from the Bernie Marsden! Exquisite. And what you played on it was truly special. Absolutely great.
I’ve been a Les Paul guy for a long time, although I’ve always had an SG around for when I got the itch...but the past few years, I find myself reaching for the SG’s more and more. The light weight, unparalleled upper fret access and great/versatile tones have made it much more of a go to guitar for me. Thanks for the excellent presentation as usual, and also the stellar playing 👌 Oh, and favorite SG players? Well, the usual suspects, but I adore what John Cippolina of QMS did with his :)
Bingo!
Love that fierce playing
Gary Clark Jr! Love his tone on the SG 😍
Didn’t realise you had an album out, just purchased it. Very cool indeed. I know what I’m going to be listening to on my way to work tomorrow!
I'd add Robby Krieger to that Iommi and Angus Young list, Chris.
Frank Zappa must be included too.
And John Cippolina
Ollie Halsall, forgotten father of modern shredders, should be mentioned too.
Robby’s so underrated
@gheddi If you are referring to Ollie Halsall, he was too crazy and advanced to be fully recognized in the late Sixties and Seventies. Here you can have and idea of what he could do with an SG: ruclips.net/video/JcCoPmVLwjE/видео.html.
That opening solo was so nasty good lord truly a well seasoned guitarist
The SG is the perfect Rock guitar.
I totally agree 👍👍👍🖤🖤🖤😷
As is the Stratocaster. If you have both, you have all the bases well covered ...
that crazy access to the high frets! another design gibson was head of their time on
great playing as always mr buck! always keeps me coming back for more of those tasty licks
I could see the Tele analogy. That's pretty much all I play is Teles. I can say that I have an SG, and it is not one I play frequently at all. Not trying to disrespect the instrument as a whole, but the one I have, I keep for sentimental reasons only. One thing I notice is that the SGs throughout the video varied a bit in pickup configuration. Some had humbuckers and others P90s. Very very different sounds. To me, the P90 is and always will be one of the most overlooked and underrated pickups, and to the loss of those who overlook them.
Overall, I'd say the SG lives at that weird nexus of blues, hard rock, psychedelic rock, and the overall zeitgeist of the post Summer-of-Love leading into the 70s. It doesn't quite fit in any one place, but you almost can't imagine any of them without it. Not sure if I'm making sense, but great video and thanks for doing it!
Nice playing buddy. Hey i met Mike in Toronto what a great guy no ego.
Whered u meet him?
Who needs a bigger endorsement than Angus or Tony, between them and their sg's they've influenced a whole genre and several generations of metal heads 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Totally agree with your summary at the end - this isn't Gibson's equivalent to the Fender Stratocaster IMHO, but to their Telecaster........and that makes it SO much cooler 😎👍
The P90 SG is one of the best sounding guitars!
THAT is the perfect guitar for rock.
Agree entirely!
Live At Leeds.........all she wrote!!!!
I own one and couldn't agree more......just nasty beast..........the light weight is a big bonus on my old back also....
I love the way such a fine player, Chris Buck, has time to discuss guitar history. You and Joe Bonamassa are very generous in that way and I really appreciate it.
The BEST brand of guitar is the one you most love to play.
Chris, your right hand technique is amazing.
What about Carlos Santana in Woodstock, and Alvin Lee, and Mountain´s lead guitar player Leslie West, to name a few.
Yup, all great guitarists !!
I’m almost certain the late great fatsby used Les Paul Jr’s.
John Cipolina of Quicksilver Messenger Service.
@@DavidGarcia-kw4sf Bingo! But it's got two p's: Cippolina, pronounced chip-o-leena. If it wasn't a master's name and if he were still alive, I wouldn't be such a pedant. I remember those nights with Gravenites and Greg Ellmore at the Saloon--half of QMS, and they f-ckin' smoked!
glad to see you all doing a rehearsal! hope to see you all play live soon (fingers crossed)!
Nicely done, Mr. Buck. And the SG had a bit more mid-range, while the Paul tended toward a bit bigger bottom end.
I don't know if you read these comments Chris but you have re inspired me. You have a fresh style that I needed to hear in a stale musical environment......Thanks and keep'em coming
Chris, after that intro I am either going to continue to practice like mad or burn all my guitars. Either way, thank you for that, brother.
Thanks, Chris. I have a ‘61 SG Standard Reissue that I think is a great guitar. Favorite SG player is certainly Derek Trucks, but among those who used an SG a lot I have to mention Mick Taylor, one of my all-time favorite guitar players.
The neck pickup is in a different place on SG and LP. That in itself makes a huge difference.
Yep, plied my trade with a SG for a few years!
Well, the biggest difference in sound will always be their pickup locations. The bridge pickup on the les paul is closer to the bridge and the neck pickup on the les paul is right up against the neck. So, even with the same pickups, they will sound different for that reason alone.
Played a 61 SG standard yesterday gorgeous gorgeous music machine
Clapton, Dickey Betts and Duane Allman for me. All used the SG to great effect! Oh, don't forget a modern SG player such as Derek Trucks!
All this! Also... it's light. A lot of LPs and Strats can end up giving people back trouble but the SG is a joy to wear... if you ignore the neck dive!
My favorite SG is a 64 SG Jr.
Love the P 90 in the bridge position.
After playing both, I play a 2020 Epiphone SG. I love it. Through an orange stomp.
Love all 3 of my SGs! I see myself as a Flying V dude, but people associate me with the SG.. it’s no accident I own 3 of them. My 2002 SG Supreme in sapphire burst with maple top and Duncan pickups, stands up to a les Paul
Sg supremes are awsome .I dream of owning one someday
Friday means Friday Fretworks 🤘 cheers Chris, i had an SG some years ago it was great felt very well put together.
SG was definitely under-appreciated by me *forever*. I never even played one until a few years ago. After I rekindled my affair with Gibson by buying a killer used R8, I was at a local boutique used guitar shop in town, and for the hell of it tried a used SG Classic with P90s that was hanging on the wall. Bloody hell! Amazing neck profile (like a '59 burst), action like it had been PLEKd and that p90 growl. Of course I bought it on the spot... only $750. My R8 was $4500 and that SG gets played more! In short, SGs can be absolute monsters, and BTW they are comfy as hell to play.
The comparison part definitely made me want a Les Paul!
Of course Zappa's 'Roxy' SG is another guitar altogether due to its amazing switching and pickup arrangement. So versatile! Dunno why he ever stopped playing them.
I've played SG's as my go to guitar for almost 20 years. I just got my first LP in December. They are both great guitars and there's things I love about both. I hear it in this video and I've noticed it with my SG vs. LP...the sustain on a Les Paul is unmatched. An SG just doesn't have the wood like a LP but it also saves your back 😆
My first "real" guitar was an SG, that my Dad and I got at a tiny hole in the wall local music store,NEW in 1966. It cost my Dad $350 dollars ! It had the Maestro style vibrola and came with a rectangular gold lined hardshell case! Wish I still had that one!
I worked all summer to buy my 67 with Maestro in 1973 when I was 14!
Being used it only cost £175 with case.
Like you, I wish I still had it!
After a long break from playing and selling all my gear I’ve started building a collection again but sadly these days, copies!
I currently have in my collection a white Epiphone 61 Les Paul (SG) with the 3 gold humbuckers to which I’ve added a Maestro trem. I have to say the guitar plays looks and sounds fantastic but I do hope to add some Dimarzio PAF 59’s soon to really do it justice!
@Trevor Johnson I remember my Dad having to sell some stock in his pension plan at the time...it was definitely an investment that I paid him back by playing in cover bands while in high school!
Subscribed after seing your Guitar Solo on Paul’s C backing track.
Watch The Main Squeeze play "Have a Cigar" and try to resist the urge to go try an SG.
Maximillian gets full blown possessed by his SG in the final solo.
Just watched this earlier today, coincidentally! He's an amazing guitarist.
I'd like to see that dude try out a Yamaha Revstar
I had a bunch of guitars in my 20s , including a Firebird, Les Paul, 69 SG and A 64 355. Ended up getting rid of everything and keeping a strat. 40 years later I wanted another Gibson. Last year I picked up a 2011 SG classic with P 90s. No neck dive, sounds amazing, plays amazing and stays in tune amazingly, love this guitar!
George Harrison played a 64 SG in the mid 60s, on many Beatles recordings, later gifted it to Pete Ham, of the great band a Badfinger!
A great SG is a thing to be cherished, love them!
Dude I love your guitar demos! You make the guitars sound beautifully raunchy and it blows my mind how smoothly you go from using your fingers to a pick. Good stuff man.
A friend of mine got to meet Les Paul and have a short conversation with him at the Iridium in New York not too many years before Les passed away. He asked Les "Did you really hate the SG?", to which Les emphatically replied, "Oh yeah, it was awful! Tiny little body, neck joint was unstable, it wouldn't stay in tune, oh yeah, _hated it!_ ", all with that famous LP smile. True story.
His wife didn't though!
Always been a les paul and strat man , but recent lesters aren't doing it for me. So , im going to get a used SG and see where it goes! Great demo again. Ta much .
Derek Trucks is probably the most emotive player out there today and it’s good enough for him, so......
Its funny that I'm watching this video just before Christmas eve. Your lead playing puts me in mind of the season at hand. Merry Christmas Chris. Thank you for being a humble example of a monstrous player. You're a champion sir!
A guy who never strayed from an SG is Frank Marino. Terrific rock and blues player.
Well, if he’s a rock n roll star, he definitely has a higher chance of getting an SD than the general public.
@@alexbueno6811 Yeah, sorry for the typo. I fixed it.
SG neck pickup (& both pickups) played clean just gorgeous
Lots of guys who are "married" to the Les Paul have an SG Mistress...
Joey Jo-Jo Shabadu I write and record on my LP but I have fun live on my SG
Still have back ache from my Pes Paul.
I have both. Though of late, the SG has become my everyday "wife". Could just be the honeymoon period...
Stop! Enough with the too-many-analogies!
@@khankrum1 hurts my shoulder after a while.
Bought an SG type guitar this week after having played exclusively a Les Paul for 2 years. Thought the new guitar was "defective" because the SG has less sustain with a steeper volume drop off as well as a more "barky" attack. After watching your back to back demo I was so relieved that it's actually a signature characteristic of the SG. Wonderful demo, gonna spend more time on the SG to appreciate its unique flavour instead of constantly comparing to the LP.
I'm glad the sg is underappreciated let's keep it that way considering everything that gets talked about online gets price gouged its nice to find a vintage gibson with a somewhat attainable price point I think back to how before youtube and before everybody had access to the internet you could find vintage what are now considered holy grail guitars for a fraction of what they fetch these days all that's gone now and what we are left with is only a few models that are still attainable to working musicians
tasteful but raw playing. i salute you.
Pete Townsend used the SG for the Who's peak live years: Stones Rock n Roll Circus, Woodstock, Live at Leeds, etc. So even though it was from '68-'73 it was def. the guitar most associated with him when the band was its hottest on the stage.
Many "classic" rock tracks/albums are assumed to have been recorded using LPs, when really it was Teles & SGs, LPs mainly being used "live" due to their flashier looks (& the quality of the sound not mattering as much).
Yessssss. It’s Friday.
SG: more bite, more mid range, cuts through more, well suited for when wheres two guitars in the band if you're playing heavy stuff. Also lighter and thinner so more comfortable to play live.
Les Paul: thicker more rounded sound, more low end, probably better for a one guitar band as it will fill the mix more. Heavier so will make your shoulder ache more live.
I hope you come some day to South America and Chile. You are a beast!
I’m thoroughly convinced you could play a stick with a rubber band on it and sound better than 90% of all other guitar players. Tone and feel for DAYS. Jealous as
Seriously. I play fingerstyle jazz so I'm *slightly* more immune to his charms, but I am certain there are boatloads of aspiring rock guitar guys that cry themselves to sleep at night after watching this guy make it look SO EASY and sounding so consistently, stupidly good. Wait did I come across as jealous? 🙄🙄
That would be the Gibson Model RB, wouldn't it? :}
Chris Buck does a Friday Fretworks video on my favorite slab of wood of all time. Today is a great Friday indeed.
Frank Marino check out his All along the watchtower live, Jimi Hendrix
Your playing is exquisite Chris. Outstanding dynamics and soul. I always very much enjoy your improvising. Loved that jam clip at the end. Keep on keeping on my friend!
Great solo! I don't know why i always feel the SG has too much high end for me, but not so when you played it 🤔
I tend to roll the tone and volume back just a touch on the bridge pickup and it’s heaven.
Really enjoying the tones you're pulling from both guitars. My wife said that I wouldn't definitively be able to tell which was which if blindfolded...she's right, but I'll never tell her that.
Joyeux anniversaire SG. Et merci for this video. Always interesting and great playing.