Is SG Junior a lesser version of the SG Special?
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
- Comparing these two classic guitar models from Gibson. At first glance it might seem that they are almost identical guitars, but there are pretty clear tonal differences and they feel different to play too.
Gear used:
Gibson SG Special
Gibson SG Junior
Marshall 1987x 50 W plexi reissue
Marshall 1960ax 4x12" cab
Parts:
0:00 Intro
0:25 Spec differences
1:35 Playing the Junior
2:25 Playing the Special
3:00 Analyzing the differences
3:55 Playing the Special again
6:18 Playing the Junior again
6:48 Further analysis of the differences in tone
8:19 Junior with the tone pot rolled down
9:34 Special with the tone pot rolled down
11:43 Clean tone with the Special
12:26 Clean tone with the Junior
13:42 Final thoughts 
Видеоклипы
I’d take a Junior over a Special. I like single pickup simplicity.
Makes a lot of sense! Juniors rock!
I presently have a ‘66 SG Jr. In the past I had a ‘59 LP Jr. 3/4. I also used to have a reissue SG Special with Lollars. And I have a Firebird with soap bars. From what I hear through my iPhone, the Special has more sustain and midrange than the Jr. The Jr. is more touch/attack sensitivity. Bridge/ tailpiece is also a factor. ‘50s wraparound tailpieces were hollow, and killed sustain. That is one of the characteristics of Johnny Thunders’ sound - the short tail of notes. Nothing wrong with the tinkle of notes above the nut. Tony Iommi did bends there. It was part of his style. Thanks for the video.
Really interesting study between the two! Although we can hear differences between the two, I must say I like the way both sounds. Thanks, it really helps me for my next choice of sound machine!
Thanks! I really like them both too.
Great demonstration! I feel like the Jr sounds bigger and fuller. Maybe has something to do with how the strings vibrate without the magnetic pull of a second pickup. I’ve noticed on other guitars, the ones with just a single pickup generally sound beefier to me. Love both these killer SGs!
Thanks!
They don’t sound better, they just sound different. Just a case of the right tool for the job! You’ll never get the rolling warm feel of a strat with a single pickup design but you will also never get as clean and cutting of a tone as you will with an LP or SG junior
Thank you so much for making this video!!!!
Thanks! It was fun to make
Thanks Matti , I certainly found it interesting and explained a lot for me. I just got a junior and love it . Cheers. Icky
Awesome! Thanks.
Congrats man both guitars sound terrific... amazing!
Thanks! I love to play them.
The Jr. all day every day. With only one p90 it doesn’t have to share the tone juice with another pickup. I have a 2006 USA Jr. that I play through a tweed deluxe, a tweed champ, and a tweed Pignose 7-100 all cranked up and using the guitars volume and tone controls. Sometimes I do the same but with a 50w ‘79 Marshall JMP 2204 into a 1960B cab. I go straight in no chaser, no peddles into the “HIGH” channel where the destruction lives. Mahalo!
That’s gonna work!
I maintain the dog ear pickups differ in tone due to the mounting. Deeper and rounder.
You're probably right.
Keep up the good work Matti! I think I prefer the sound of SG Junior.
Thanks! Yeah, it’s more “3D” for a lack of a better term
Compared to junior, special bridge pickup sounds like strings being pulled by neck pickup magnets, which makes the bridge pickup sound get a bit narrow and compressed(?) rather than bold.
I wish I would’ve bought a SG Junior when they were available a couple years back
Maybe you can still find one.
I love my Junior.❤️
They are both sweet guitars. Thanks for demo. Be careful switching them i almost had a coronary. My 2021 has 490r & 498t i love sg's .
i love the SG Yoonyer
Congratulations for the video. If the woods and pickups contribute to the sound of the guitar, I believe that even with the same model there will always be a difference between one guitar and another. I tested it with five of mine custom shop SG Specials (P90) and none of them are the same. The same goes when comparing different SG Standards (Humbuckers). So it is "obvious" that between different models you will notice a difference!!!
Wow, that's quite a selection of high quality guitars!
I play on the bridge pickup 90% of the time on my telecaster. Neck pickup gets sometimes in the way of the plektrum. I'll take the junior, gladly!
The position of the pickup in the body (where it is along the scale length) and the distance from the bridge to the pickup is what’s making the biggest difference to the two tones.
I think you are right
Well some people think it is less… one less pick up, right? There you go.
More is more?
Pop a bone nut on that Special. I did. That nut probably isn't cut correctly, causing that sound behind the nut. Mine's much more resonant acoustically now. Very alive. I've also found that pickup height with P90s is more sensitive than most other pickups. You really got to find the sweet spot, and in the case of the Special, you must find the right balance between the two, as well. But go with a bone nut for sure! 👍 cheers.
Thanks. I ordered a music city bridge for the special. Will be interesting to hear how much of a difference it makes
@@jogo2000 I got "The Savvy" Music City Bridge on my SG Special along with locking studs from the same place. Again, all this stuff has made the guitar extremely alive. That Bridge nails the intonation. Especially with the locking studs. So much better than the Gibson lightning bar tailpiece.
@@BostonWhoFan515 glad to hear that! I didn't get mine yet so good to hear that it works well.
@jogo2000 Yeah, I've tried them all. Tonepros, Faber, Pigtail, Golden Age, Wilkinson, Gotoh, Shaller, Graph Tech, etc.... nothing even close to the Savvy from MCB because most of the others don't retain the traditional look of the original. Some do, but compared to the MCB Savvy, they just don't stand up. MCB has two models, the Savvy and the Stud Finder. The Savvy is for guitars like the SG Special that we have. Straight across from stud to stud. The Stud Finder is for like LP Jrs and older SGs that had the angled wraparound tailpiece. So go for the the Savvy. They offer both models and locking studs in a polished nickel finish or an aged nickel finish. I went with the polished version since my guitar is mint. I'll add my own wear to it. It really complements the guitar so well. The locking studs are a must. They drop right into the stud wells that are already in a Gibson. So, no modifying. It'll still work if you use the stock Gibson studs, but the bridge will have a little lean like the stock bridge and you won't get its full potential. Once it's locked with the MCB studs, the guitar becomes so resonant. The bone nut I added helped a lot, too. The guitar's a rock machine after those two upgrades. 👍
What’s the purple unit on top of the Marshall head ? I’m guessing an attenuator but I’ve never seen that one before , what exactly is it ?
That is a Rivera Rockcrusher, an attenuator unit like you guessed.
The Jr is sparkling bright..the Special is just bright...and warmer maybe
Good comparison!
Are the necks the exact same size and shape?
I once left a comment saying they sound the same and then went in abt how p90s td are consistent where as in the past the pickups that were too hot to pair went into jrs. I stand corrected because there is a big difference but every jr pickup should still be replaced with a p90 that is a little hotter to get that real experience. The truth is no burst or 2 pickup les paul could ever drive an amp as hard as a vintage junior. They clean up and you can play any genre because its all in the hands. Junior players also tend to be better guitar players overall as they learn to become more versatile as players and more dynamic to get the most out of their guitars. Limitations are good because they breed creativity when there are too many options you tend to get paralysis. And when the guitar sounds like an lp/sg jr you rly dont need anything more they have wonderful dirt sounds and amazing cleans. Most guitars with 2 and 3 pickups struggle to match that tbh. I love an in between sound on humbuckers and p90s too so the fact i think the clean sound on a turned down jr is v high praise.
The Junior just looks cooler!
Can't argue with that! It's super cool.
I’m a big fan of the SG. I own a 70’s SG 200, but I really want a Jr. I’m also a huge fan of Johnny Thunders. I think a good portion of his sound comes from his Les Paul DC with single P90 played through a 100 watt amp on clean channel, but cranked way up. I think the sound of an SG single P90 should be the close.
It is a glorious sound! Rock’n’roll!
Make sure you only use a dog ear like JT did.
Great video, thx! I’ve got a junior and a standard, always thought a special would be very similar to my junior so I never bothered about them, but man that was quite a difference, think I gotta go hunting for a used special 😊
A good idea to try before you buy, as always
Junior of course.
Are the bodies identical in shape and size ?
As far as I can tell yes.
Could be as simple as different pots. You'd have to measure them.
I think the biggest factor is the wood. There's a lot more routs in the special which would cause different resonance. Anyway, I have a LP and SG special (the LP sounds better). I prefer the specials cause I'm constantly flipping to the neck pickup.
You're right, I completely forgot about the pots! And the rest of the components like caps etc. They have pretty big tolerances.
Are the pots the same?
As far as I know. They are both stock and from the same period.
well i like the JR, but when it was created thats exactly what it was marketed as: a lesser version of the special. a student guitar. that doesnt make it bad but objectively the JR is made with less parts, less routes, lesser materials like the bond neck, all while sharing the same body shape. its absolutely a lesser version, just like a special is a lesser version of a standard.
I can't argue with that.
One day I will own bouth🤟🏼😂
They say that material possessions don't bring happiness but I wonder if they have ever tried a really inspiring guitar.
Single coil please 🙏
I like the junior but with humbucker indtead of p90
Yeah why not? That’d be cool
@@jogo2000 yeah i got a cheap epiphone like that and has a great tone. Its my favorite guitar and I have more expensive others but that epiphone sounds so good. See in my channel If u want.
Sg jr!
Great hair
Thanks!
I never understood why somebody would want a guitar with no neck pickup. its half of the guitar missing IMO
Fair enough. Consider this. Is there something missing from an acoustic guitar?
Tone pot...
It's the same guitar with an extra pup and neck binding.
You could say that. My experience of playing both makes me think it is a different thing. But I get your point and can't really argue with it.
I never cared for the sg. To me it's basically a strat with humbuckers. Les paul is my guitar of choice. Much fuller tones.
I can’t argue with that.