Gibson SG Standard Guitar Review

The Gibson SG Standard has been played and made famous by some of the most respected and revered musicians of the modern era. It has made a big impression on millions, expanding musical tastes and opening new doors for musicians. Today, its legacy lives on with modern guitar gods like Derek Trucks. In this article, I'll review the most recent version of the Gibson SG to see if it lives up to its reputation.

Features: The body of the Gibson SG Standard, like most Gibsons, is made of mahogany wood. They have stuck with this wood make for so long because of the richness of sound and sustain it offers. There are several finishes available with the SG Standard, two of which include classic cherry and ebony. The finish of the SG is unique in that it has a glossed look while maintaining the rich, deep aesthetic quality of the mahogany build. The neck of the SG Standard is set into the body, and is also made of mahogany. It has a rosewood fretboard with twenty two frets and trapezoidal inlays. All of the hardware on the SG Standard, including the Tune-O-Matic bridge, pickup covers, and tuning heads, is made of chrome. Electronically, the Gibson SG Standard has a 490R humbucker pickup in the neck spot and a 498T humbucker in the bridge spot. It also has two volume and two tone control knobs and a three way selector switch.

Playability: The SG Standard is an excellent meld between sound and playability. It has two deep cutaways and a thin neck joint, making it easy to reach those higher frets. The body is thinner and lighter than most Gibsons as well. This affects the sound, but also makes it more comfortable to play. And, even though the neck is thick and rounded, it is smoothed very nicely to make it faster.

Sound: The SG Standard, though normally associated with hard rock, can cover any range of genres well. With a natural rich tone, it can go from clean to blues & jazz to metal with relatively few adjustments. But don't get me wrong. The SG shines most when you have the distortion cranked up and the volume at eleven.

Overall: The Gibson SG Standard is, in a phrase, a guitarists' guitar. Purists and experienced musicians alike can appreciate its high quality build, feel, and sound. If you've got the money and are looking for a classic, the SG Standard is a great choice. You can find the Gibson SG Standard in music stores for about $1,650.