how comfortable is an SG?

[vtpcnk]

number one fact : i prefer guitars with a tummy contour. i love the way that the contour angles the body/fretboard towards me when strapped on.

i even have a gibson lp and a tele thinline with such a cut.

so strats, jazzmasters are all gods own gifts for me.

i would like to own an SG. i hear of SG contour/beviled body etc.

so are SGs as comfortable as say strats, when strapped on? does the thin 'beviled' body allow a tilt etc?

and btw the SG i am interested in is the gibson sg menace primarily because it has a slim taper neck. anybody owns or has played it?

appreciate the feedback from SG lovers here.

 

[jimh]

Eerrrrrrrr.

Go to a shop and try one??  They are all over the place. :icon_scratch:

 

[Kostas]

A Gibson SG was my first electric, I learned to play with this guitar. For me it's very comfortable. Thin body, unlimited fret access, a bridge where you can rest your hand. It's very easy to play. Every guitar has a different weight, if you have trouble with a heavy neck try a leather strap, it keeps every guitar in place!

 

[dmraco]

I personally do not like them.  As stated, the access is good to the frets, but the body is SO thin, they are very light.  Does not feel balanced. 

That is my 2 cents, but I have always liked  heavy guitars....

 

[rapfohl09]

A Gibson SG was my first electric, I learned to play with this guitar. For me it's very comfortable. Thin body, unlimited fret access, a bridge where you can rest your hand. It's very easy to play. Every guitar has a different weight, if you have trouble with a heavy neck try a leather strap, it keeps every guitar in place!

+1, I totally agree. I love my SG, it was my first guitar too. I dont ever play with it strapped on though, always sitting down, so I cant help you with that.

 

[GoDrex]

Warmoth makes a thicker SG body, just sayin...

 

[dmraco]

Warmoth makes a thicker SG body, just sayin...

good point...I dod not know that...it would have too with the bolt on neck.

 

[Mor Paul]

Nah. They also make a thinner one.

 

[T50]

... the SG i am interested in is the gibson sg menace primarily because it has a slim taper neck....

I had a few Gibson SGs in the past and now have only one, SG Diablo.
SG Menace is not the only SG model that has slim taper neck. SG Custom, 61 RI and Angus Young model
also have slim necks. I prefer a slightly thinker neck on Diablo, Standard and Special Faded.

If you like the neck to stand up close to your face when playing strapped, you might have an issue
because SGs are known for being neck-heavy.

 

[rockskate4x]

the warmoth SG's don't have great upper fret access at all compared to gibsons and epiphones. All SG's, however, are unbalanced. If you want balance AND good upper fret access, I would go with a Warmoth flying V (not the V2), or VIP. Soloists might even be good.

 

[Return of Guitlouie]

I've said this before....but I have a 2001 Gibson SG that balances perfectly on a strap.  It has no noticable neck dive.  Maybe I just got lucky, but I personally think saying ALL SG's are neck heavy is wrong.  As to the OP's original question, how the hell am I supposed to know if you would think it was comfortable or not?  I like mine, but that does not mean you would like it.  Go pick one up.

 

[-CB-]

Tele's and Strats are about 1-3/4 inches.  Les Paul's vary from Gibson, with Historic and Custom being about 2 inches, and the Studio being about 1-11/16, and the Standards being about 1-13/16 or so.  It varies on the carving though... by as much as 1/16 inch or so.  SG's are very slightly tapered, from 1-5/8 at the heel, to about 1-9/16 at the neck.  Some are straight, non-tapered.  L6S's are an 1-1/2 inches, but solid maple, and feel heavier and thicker than they really are.

SG's are light guitars in mahogany.  I like 'em.  They tend to like rather middy pickups, as opposed to say... Lesters, that get by with a more scooped mid pickup.  Currently the SG's are doing either 490/490 (a decent choice there), or the 496 which I dont like, or 57 classics which sound terrible in a mahogany SG (by my ears), but ok on an ash body SG (like the voodoo or swamp ash).  I have no clue on the Zoot SG

SG's are also particularly fond of rather hottish wound P90's.

Some say neck heavy... and its all a matter of taste there.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

One thing not mentioned, the Warmoth SG has a slightly longer upper horn whereas the Gibson appears 100% symetrical.  Also, on the Gibby, the neck/body joint tends to flex alot.  If you have a lower center of gravity (aka beer gut), or have a heavy touch and bend alot, they have been known to go out of tune or even fret out due to this flex at the neck joint.

As far as neck dive, some guys wear their's with the neck going uphill while others play them parallel to the ground.  A player who likes their neck higher than the body might complain of neck dive while another player with the neck played lower will not complain of this.  Also, a strap will NEVER balance a guitar, it just keeps it from sliding.

 

[vtpcnk]

guys, thanks for all the useful input. but as noted i am looking for more information about how comfortable the body is strapped on in comparison to a strat. that is my primary question.

btw i agree that not all SGs are neck heavy - i owned an epiphone elitist sg which was not so (but it has been a while and i don't remember how comfy it was). likewise with the sg classic with p90s which is  a balanced instrument.

btw guild has the s-90/s-100 which have thicker bodies and a tummycut as well.

 

[rightintheface]

dude, we can tell you it's amazing, then you can buy one and hate it and then we'll look like douches. GO TRY ONE!!! they're really really not hard to find.

that said, when it come to your original post: i have two W teles; one thinline (no contours), and one hollow (strat tummy/forearm contours). i also own an epiphone sg G-400 whatever. i'd say my tele with contours is the comfiest for me. the sg is not that far behind. the "reach" to the low frets took a little bit of getting used too, as the lowest frets seem, well, so far away from the body! but once you get used to it, it's fine.

i play my guitars low-ish (see the youtube clip below) with leather straps. i dunno about most other people, but actually hold the neck when i play  :-\ so i don't have any problems with neck dive.

again, GO TRY ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or lash out and buy a cheap epiphone g-400 off the 'bay, they go prett cheap brand spankers, and aren't too bad if you get a good price and are prepared to swap pickups, adjust nut etc etc etc. i'm re-birthing my g-400 at the moment, a trans-red is becoming oiled natural. it's looking dead sexy so far (12 or so coats of danish oil).

TRY ONE

TRY ONE

helen says hi

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

I personally don't like the way an SG feels.  Growing up, my friend next door had one, but we rarely played it (he had a '50's Strat and I had a 60's Tele).  It was a good time to be a kid with older cousins in 1979.  Anyhow, the major issue I had with the SG was that it plain felt awkward to me.  As others have mentioned, too thin a body and balance issues.  Keep in mind that was my impression as an 11 year old about thirty years ago.  YMMV.

Comfort is a funny thing though, remember Goldilocks and her problems finding a good place to sleep?  Only you will be able to discern its relative comfort yourself, but I'm thinking that if you used to own and Epi SG, and don't remember a specific problem with its comfort, it was probably OK for you.

 

[tfarny]

Seriously - you've OWNED one and you're still asking for advice on the internet as to whether it's comfortable?  :toothy12: :toothy12:  :toothy12: :toothy12: :toothy12: :toothy12:

My new thread: is my jock comfortable for me, or too tight? Some one the internet say it is a bit snug. What do you think?

 

[-CB-]

One thing not mentioned, the Warmoth SG has a slightly longer upper horn whereas the Gibson appears 100% symetrical.  Also, on the Gibby, the neck/body joint tends to flex alot.  If you have a lower center of gravity (aka beer gut), or have a heavy touch and bend alot, they have been known to go out of tune or even fret out due to this flex at the neck joint.

Gibson SGs have a slightly larger upper horn.  Slightly wider upper cutaway too.  The neck/body joint on an SG is not as robust as a Les Paul, but the "they have been known to..." is not quite on the mark.  What "can" happen with an SG, is you can whip that neck a bit - as you apply a lot of pressure to it.  But keep in mind, you have to hold the body really well to do that.  It doesn't do it on its own.  Jeeze.  SG neck joints on newer SG's are a little stronger than the older 60's or reissue models.  But then again,  the new LP neck joint is a joke compared to the old one.  The LP is basically held in by the sides fitting well.  The bottom is totally gonzo - especially considering automated tooling should be able to make those necks just about drop in.  They're not.

I've got three SG's.  Two Gibsons and a Guild "wannabe".  Seriously, the Guild is VERY well made, but simpler in its hardware, sculpting and finish.