JoryNad Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Ok for my first project i am deciding to do a LP or an SG is there a difference in building them or is it essentially the same.. One fun fact : does anyone know what SG stands for??? anyone??? anyone?? Bueler? Bueler? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themikestro Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 It stands for standard guitar and was invented by Les Paul, and early ones carried his name, he decided he didn't like it and the name was taken away.... Thats how I remember it anyway. I love SG's! 'specially blue ones! If I were you i'd make an SG, in fact I am making a P90 equipped hollowbodyso I would say that! Maybe with some different woods..... If you plan on copying either to the last detail you'll really need to know what you are doing! The Les Paul is a very complex beast! The SG has it's pitfalls too, tricky neck join and some none to easy carving... What would work well would be a flat bodied Les Paul, a bit more like a Tele really, unless of course you're an experianced woodworker, in which case you'll be fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 I've read that SG stands for solid guitar. SGs are abit lighter, so that might help you choose on which one you would prefer But one of my friends complains that his SG doesn't balance too great, but I've played it and its not that bad, just some thing to consider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzy_elephant Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 check this out for an SG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Fruit Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 check this out for an SG Yea, that is sweet. Was it Crash who did this one? i know he did the grafitti strats for clapton, but did he do this one aswell? sorry for the off topic question. Anyway, SG or LP? Which do you prefer? after all, its you who is building it, and you who is going to be playing it. an SG might be easier, but both have their own pitfalls. but if you have the patience and determination, either should be possible. just so you know, i havent built any guitars yet, so take my advice with a pinch of salt! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 Personally, I think LPs are coolest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 sg's are gonna be lighter and thinner vs a carved top lp, go play both and see which one you like better MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morben Guitars Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 How about a LP Jr. for a middle ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 ahh! les paul jr. now that would rock way better than both, I reckon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorecki Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 I've read that SG stands for solid guitar. You're right. Originally Les was going through a divorce with Mary Ford and was originally 'Les Paul SG' but his name was removed (due to the divorce) and renamed 'SG'. The SG was it's production name, they never gave the guitar a real name of its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 SG = "Solid Guitar" Les Paul did not like the guitar. Quote from this site: http://www.everythingsg.com/history.htm#Facts "Facts Why Did Les Paul want his name off the SG? A friend of mine saw Les Paul play at the Iridium in New York and asked him that very question. There where 3 technical factors.. and 1 funny one… When he did fast runs up the neck, the bottom horn always got in his way. He hated the neck. He thought they were flimsy and not as stable from a tuning stand point. He liked the Mahogany body – maple cap construction of the les Paul better from a tone standpoint. In fact that’s the same thing he didn't like about the old Les Paul Customs. He didn’t want to do anything until Mary was out of the picture ( so she couldn’t get part of the contract money). " Both guitars are nice to build and play. From a personal standpoint I prefer the SG over the LP. Its a question of weight and balance for me. I like to play sitting down and found that the heavy LP sitting on my leg wants to flip. Its a stand up guitar. The first time I picked up a '68 SG I was surprised at how light it was and liked the wide fingerboard and shallow neck profile. Of course, you can build either to any specifications you want. What you do doesn't have to be an exact copy. I'm currently building an SG style neckthru right now. Still one of the coolest body styles I've ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefm Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 The weight is what I like best about the SG...and those cool horns :-) I have a couple friends with LP's...the play alright I prefer the SG... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 Give up on the Airline??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavnerGuitarWorks Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 I worked for Gibson for quite awhile. Got tired of building crap, so I quit. Anyway, SG stands for solid guitar. They weren't entirely designed by Les Paul, but by him and the Gibson design team. As everyone else pointed out, he didn't like it too much so he took his name off it. As for construction differences, they are quite different. Obviously, LPs are thicker than SGs, and have a carved maple top. The neck joint on SGs are considerably weaker due to the the lack of wood at the neck joint and not being set into the body deep enough. I saw many a neck pop off the SGs just sitting in the racks . The carved top is quite a task for a first guitar, but the contours of the SG are equally as hard. My suggestion is to practice both on scrap before ruining your pricey piece of whatever you have. My first guitar was a SG standard and my second was a 78 LP Custom Deluxe Silverburst, and man, I wish I still had my PRS. I've owned 64 guitars, 36 of which were Gibsons (mostly LPs and SGs) and I wouldn't own another one unless I built it myself, which I wouldn't. Triple grade A pieces of shite if you ask me. But, that's just my two cents worth and I'm guessin' it ain't worth that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidgec94 Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 I've owned 64 guitars, 36 of which were Gibsons <insert fainting smilie here> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtommyb Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 I'm an SG person my self... i cant find a fault in it... OMG! I DONT OWN AN SG!!! AND I LOVE EM!!!! ive found my project Big Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoryNad Posted May 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 haha the airline, well jay i figured it was a little to challenging for my first project, plus i dunno i would only want the guitar if it was really fiberglass anf not a wood copy y'know? yea... im most definetly going witht the LP a carved top one at that, wiring seems easier and with a simply neck..oh are they bolt on or set?? But now i just went and played a Gibon ES 335 and man is it nice.....so might be going with that tho i hear they are extremely difficult to produce.....so many choices thanks for all the replies! keep em coming! Jory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted May 16, 2004 Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 set. cheap epi's are bolt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codec Posted May 17, 2004 Report Share Posted May 17, 2004 Build a LP. Those are awesome. They are way better looking then the SG's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 17, 2004 Report Share Posted May 17, 2004 i also prefer the lp...it is a guitar classic and is much better built than an sg in my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 I live both, but If I really had to choose one, It would be a carved top SG with seymour duncan 59 model pickups and a 31 fret neck. But, if i had to go Les Paul, it would be carved top maogany body with an ash cap, along with seymour duncan 5p model neck pickup and seymour duncan live wire bridge to give it a thrashy kinda-hate-me sound, now thats a beautiful sound So, go whatever way you choose, personally, I would go SG, but LP are good as well Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 what would be cool is a "soloist"style lp...you know,carved front and back like an ibanes sabre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 you got a pic of that? that sounds killer! Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 you got a pic of that? that sounds killer! Curtis no...because i have never seen one...which is why i think it would be cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 lol ok, that sounds killer though maybe something like this???? (you click here to see a pic) Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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