LeftyBassist.com

I am currently in love with an SG I got in two days ago. This is a review I posted elsewhere.

Imagine my disappointment when, upon pulling this beautiful guitar out of its case, I discovered that the neck on it is really wide and thin when I'm used to a narrow D. Slim taper? I used to love those, but arthritis makes the D feel better to me now.

And yet, I decided to give it a chance. i rubbed a bit of Flexiseq onto my hands and finger joints, did some hand and finger stretches, and started toying around with it.

Thank goodness I gave it a fair chance. After a good hour of playing, I'm just fine with the taper and width. It's actually good because of the way I've had to adapt my playing, relying more on my fingers and less on picks. Gripping a pick is a bitch. I'm using thumb picks but prefer my bare thumb.

It sounds wonderful, just what you'd expect from P90s on an SG. Takes dirt well, sounds great clean, sustain, all the things you'd want. It can get snarly or stay mellow. Just what I was hoping it would be.

It's stunning, the Pelham Blue--I just need a 1960 Cadillac in Pelham Blue to cart us around.

One concern I had was neck dive, but I needn't have worried. It's perfectly balanced, and it's a light guitar.

I a/b'd it with my Les Paul Trad, and as you would imagine, they're different animals, and that's a great thing. I have a feeling that even after the honeymoon period, I'll be playing this a lot. Keeper.

It's more blue to me than these photos show.

Congrats! They are great guitars, I used to have one in Heritage Cherry a few years back.

These always look soooo tempting. I do wonder though, how is the intonation on these and how evenly matched is the radius of that... let's call it "bridge", to the radius of the fingerboard? It really annoys the hell out of me that righty versions have a compensated bridge, but lefties get a plain tailpiece with no compensation whatsoever.

Congrats, indeed. That guitar is stunning. Love Pelham blue. I own a few Gibson guitars, including an SG Standard, LP Traditional Mahogany, and a recent acquisition, a LP Special in TV Yellow (Which is currently for sale).

If the neck profile is the same as my SG Standard, then I concur with you. After getting used to the thickness, I almost feel like it lends itself to better playing. Chordal forms are more relaxed when applying the "proper" hand positioning (I was always a thumb wrapper). and my SG is my favorite guitar (after my '52 Tele RI). In fact, I think the SG in general, is my all time favorite Gibson. They look cool as hell, and can scream and rock with the best of them, but they're a bit edgier than a LP due to the thin body, and their clean tones are absolutely beautiful and chimey. I don't understand why they're not appreciated more for their versatility. They can do it all, IMO, especially P90s.

Thanks, guys. The intonation sounds spot on to me, and yeah, that Pelham Blue is to die for.

And hell yes, they are versatile animals. After slinging such heavy guitars and basses over the years, it's a pleasure to have so much oomph in such a thin solid body. I had a right Epiphone SG for about two weeks back in the early 2000s, and I loved that guitar, would have kept it had it been a lefty. I've loved SGs for a long time. I saw a guy in Hamburg or Munich? playing one through a portable amp--playing jazz and it sounded as full and warm as a Wes Montgomery L5. I couldn't believe my ears.

And then, I am a product of my age and Townshend has always been a hero. His special was a bit different, but Live at Leeds is one of the best live sounds ever for a guitar or any model. SGs rule. The first one I ever saw was Link Wray's when he played at Nashville's yearly Charlie Daniels potpourri Volunteer Jam events--saw everyone from honky tonkers to Billy Joel and back at those concerts. Link Wray was total badass, and that SG sounded great.

I love my Les Paul Traditional and Explorer, and I'm proud to add this one to my Gibsons.