LEARN ABOUT THE BEST Gibson SG-Style Guitars for the Money. Buying Guide, Price, and Features for Each Model.
GIBSON SG Features
The Gibson SG was launched in 1961, supposedly as an improved version of the Les Paul. The latter was not very well received at first, partly due to its high price.
Therefore, the SG focused on reducing production costs while maintaining high quality. The manufacturer implemented some additional improvements over the LP model on the new guitar.
To reduce costs, the Les Paul’s attractive arched flame maple top was eliminated, with all the savings in materials and production time that this entails.
In addition, the SG’s narrower body compared to the Les Paul optimizes the expenditure on manufacturing materials and also lightens the weight of the instrument.
As for improvements compared to the LP, the Gibson SG has added a second cutaway on the opposite side of the guitar body, which further lightens the model in question, facilitates access to the last frets of the fingerboard, and gives the instrument a very attractive symmetry.
Gibson SG Woods
Otherwise, it follows the Les Paul characteristics, with a mahogany neck set-in to a mahogany body and with rosewood fingerboard.
The Gibson SG has been used by countless professional guitarists, although its most notable ambassadors are Tony Iommi, guitarist for Black Sabbath, and Angus Young, guitarist for one of the most popular bands in history, AC/DC.
As you can see, these are hard rock and heavy metal guitarists, but the Gibson SG Standard can adapt to virtually any musical genre.
Best GIBSON SG guitars
Gibson SG Standard
The Gibson SG Standard currently costs around $1800. It’s one of the most attractive Gibson models in the standard version.
A Les Paul Standard can cost over $1000, more than the SG.
Gibson SG Tribute
In the Tribute series, we find the Nashville brand’s most affordable models. Although the price of an SG model in this range is around $1500, this guitar has all the basics needed to be a good SG, such as its construction, woods, and Gibson 490R and 490T pickups.
But the manufacturer is obliged to make up for some things compared to the Standard model, such as the crown inlays, replaced with dots, and the somewhat more affordable open-back pickups. If we don’t mind straying from the classic Gibson SG aesthetic, this guitar can perform perfectly, but for $300 more, we can boast of an authentic Gibson SG Standard.
Best GIBSON SG Style Guitars: EPIPHONE
Although the SG model is one of Gibson’s most affordable models, it’s still a significant investment, especially for a hobbyist. But we can always consider Epiphone guitars, which are essentially Gibson’s budget brand or subsidiary.
Epiphone SG Custom
As for this brand’s SG-style guitars, one of its most luxurious models is the Epiphone SG Custom, with an ebony fingerboard and alnico classic pro pickups.
Even so, it maintains a relatively affordable price tag of under $700. A rather attractive price, considering the current difficulty in obtaining fine woods like mahogany, and especially ebony.
Epiphone SG Standard
But if this guitar is out of our budget, we can always opt for the Epiphone SG Standard for around $500.
Also mounted with alnico classic pro pickups, and with everything necessary in terms of woods and aesthetics, to show off a great SG guitar.
Epiphone SG Classic
For those who love the sound of P90 pickups, the Epiphone SG Classic is even more affordable, under $450.
Best GIBSON SG Style Guitars: VINTAGE
Vintage also offers SG models, maintaining the standard features of the model in question, at a very affordable price. Like the Vintage VS6 with a mahogany body and neck, and Wilkinson humbucker pickups, for around $450. Available in traditional cherry red or in a natural finish.
With similar features, but with three humbucker pickups, we have the Vintage VS63. A very attractive guitar model, for a modest $550.
Best GIBSON SG Style Guitars: ESP LTD
The Japanese brand ESP LTD is an excellent choice when looking for a good SG-style guitar like the ESP LTD Viper-256.
Although this guitar goes up to approximately $500, it doesn’t have individual volume and tone controls for each pickup. It only has master volume and tone controls.
But what makes this brand stand out most is that we can find SG models in non-traditional finishes, such as the ESP LTD Viper-256 Dark Brown, with a decorative quilted maple top, for around $530.
Best SG Style: TOKAI
From the Japanese brand Tokai, we can find the SG58 model at a price of around $450. This guitar is made in China under the supervision of the renowned Japanese brand. This isn’t necessarily a negative, as numerous guitar brands manufacture their products in the Asian country. It all simply depends on the level of quality the brand in question aims to develop in this country.
In short, the Tokai SG58 is a great guitar, even though it has a Canadian maple neck. This isn’t necessarily a negative, but it is certainly a departure from the strictly traditional. As we know, the classic wood used for an SG neck is mahogany.
The maple wood simply gives the instrument a slightly more defined tone, as the rest of the guitar’s components adhere to classic characteristics. Especially the set-in neck. Something that is often dispensed with in favor of a bolt-on joint in very economical SG models.
Also from the Tokai brand, and with similar features to the previous one, but with three humbucker pickups, we have the Tokai SG65S-BB-Custom.
A truly impressive guitar, backed by a legendary brand, for around $500.