Why no SG Heritages?

[tulk1]

I didn't know that Don Knotts played guitar!

Few people realized that behind his milktoast exterior lurked one mad skilled shredder.

[TalismanRich]

I have had my "SG" for years, courtesy of Guild.

 

Back when I was looking at guitars, I had two that I lusted over. The first was a blonde Starfire V, the other is the S-100 pictured here. Better balance than the SG that Steve, our other guitar player had (at least to me). The pickups are wired differently from the Gibby, which imparts a distinctive tone. Plus, the finish was worlds above Steve's.

 

 

BTW, Jim Deurloo was at Guild at the time this was designed.

[DetroitBlues]

I have had my "SG" for years, courtesy of Guild.

 

Back when I was looking at guitars, I had two that I lusted over. The first was a blonde Starfire V, the other is the S-100 pictured here. Better balance than the SG that Steve, our other guitar player had (at least to me). The pickups are wired differently from the Gibby, which imparts a distinctive tone. Plus, the finish was worlds above Steve's.

 

 

BTW, Jim Deurloo was at Guild at the time this was designed.

 

Wow, that's an interesting bit of history. I had no idea about Guild in solid body guitars... Really cool stuff! Of course we all know now that Guild is owned by Fender which is why they focus on pure accoustic guitars now....

[tbonesullivan]

The gutting of Guild is just a shame. They made some good solid and semi-hollow electrics. If I remember, Guild was originally made up of a lot of former Epiphone Employees in the New York Area. Unfortunately however under the huge FMIC umbrella, there isn't room for Gretsch and Guild to be making "classic" style semihollow, full hollow, and solid bodies. They are now back to being what they were originally, which was mostly acoustics.

[blueox]

" . . . I like that Heritage carefully chooses the models they decide to produce and market and continue to maintain an identity of their own. It made perfect sense for them to produce the 150 as the LP is arguably the most popular electric guitar in the world. They don't want to be a Gibson copy cat and I am happy for that!"

 

The SG is a classic design and is played by several pros that I enjoy listening to (Buddy Guy at one time and Lonnie Brooks, for examples). There are some other Gibson designs that would be interesting to see built by Heritage, such as: Explorer, Flying V, Moderne, and Futura. But Heritage is not Gibson and should not be expected to produce everything in the Kalamazoo-made Gibson catalog. Likewise, I believe that Heritage should continue to present guitars that differ from their past as they did with the H-110 model in 2009.

[DetroitBlues]

The gutting of Guild is just a shame. They made some good solid and semi-hollow electrics. If I remember, Guild was originally made up of a lot of former Epiphone Employees in the New York Area. Unfortunately however under the huge FMIC umbrella, there isn't room for Gretsch and Guild to be making "classic" style semihollow, full hollow, and solid bodies. They are now back to being what they were originally, which was mostly acoustics.

 

You can't even find a Gretsch that's made in the U.S. unless you go custom shop. I never understood why anyone would buy a Gretsch 6120 MIJ over a 5120 MIK. Other than a few electronic differences, its basically the same guitar. I believe Japaneese and Korean luthiers (if you'd call them that) have very similiar quality value...

[Connor]

I also wondered why there was an absence of SG's at Heritage. I'm glad I ran across this thread. My first new guitar was an SG purchased in 1964. I sold it in 1971. I have often thought about getting another for nostagic reasons.

 

I have been recently thinking about contacting Heritage to build me another one. Mine was built in Kalamazoo and was Walnut colored. My memory recalls that it was actually made of Walnut. I can still remember the grain in the wood, but I've never seen one like that since.

 

These new Gibsons don't look like they have the quality that the older ones did. I might have to opt for a Heritage Firebird if SG's are not available. That picture of the Firebird really looked inviting, and that instrument has been on my wish list for a long time.

[DetroitBlues]

I also wondered why there was an absence of SG's at Heritage. I'm glad I ran across this thread. My first new guitar was an SG purchased in 1964. I sold it in 1971. I have often thought about getting another for nostagic reasons.

 

I have been recently thinking about contacting Heritage to build me another one. Mine was built in Kalamazoo and was Walnut colored. My memory recalls that it was actually made of Walnut. I can still remember the grain in the wood, but I've never seen one like that since.

 

These new Gibsons don't look like they have the quality that the older ones did. I might have to opt for a Heritage Firebird if SG's are not available. That picture of the Firebird really looked inviting, and that instrument has been on my wish list for a long time.

 

I don't think you'd go wrong with one of those. The only Walnut Gibson's I've seen lately are in the form of the Epiphone SG...

[ingeneri]

There's an interesting story behind why Heritage even had the SuperStrats to begin with. Not something they wanted to do. But more of something they had to do during a particularly "annoying" time while contending with the big G. There is a direct connection to Fender, of all companies, where the Stats are concerned. It's also why they won't make them anymore. Along with the Tele-looking one. Out of respect for FMC. Pretty cool story. Nothing to do with SGs, but still kinda cool.

 

But!! on SGs. When I first started playing out SGs were my guitar of choice. More because my "hero" was playing them than anything else. Well, they do look cool. The necks on my first two warped. Could have been my fault, leaving them out all the time. Didn't really know (or care) about guitar care at the time. I did really like the tone, tho'. I would think that any thin, solid mahog body, 2 hb guitar should be able to get darned close to that sound.

 

So what was the story with the Superstrats and Fender? Please PM me if you're not comfortable elaborating on the board. I always find this sort of company history interesting. Thanks,

[MartyGrass]

I also wondered why there was an absence of SG's at Heritage. I'm glad I ran across this thread. My first new guitar was an SG purchased in 1964. I sold it in 1971. I have often thought about getting another for nostagic reasons.

 

I have been recently thinking about contacting Heritage to build me another one. Mine was built in Kalamazoo and was Walnut colored. My memory recalls that it was actually made of Walnut. I can still remember the grain in the wood, but I've never seen one like that since.

 

These new Gibsons don't look like they have the quality that the older ones did. I might have to opt for a Heritage Firebird if SG's are not available. That picture of the Firebird really looked inviting, and that instrument has been on my wish list for a long time.

 

 

Then I spose you won't be wanting that Millie anymore- hint, hint.

[Connor]

Martygrass

 

Marty...... You might be waiting a long time. That guitar is almost like young love.

[DetroitBlues]

Never give up a Heritage for a Gibson, especially just an SG....

[Connor]

Never give up a Heritage for a Gibson, especially just an SG....

 

I have owned a lot of guitars, but only sold a few. My SG, bought when I was 14 or 15 years old is the one I regret selling the most. "Sweet Millie" isn't going anywhere. We married for life!

[MartyGrass]

Martygrass

 

Marty...... You might be waiting a long time. That guitar is almost like young love.

 

 

Drat!

[pro-fusion]

Can you guys explain what, besides nostalgia, is the appeal of the SG?

 

Several people have already replied, but let me give my long-winded take on this.

 

--The original 1961 SG was cheaper to produce than a Les Paul, but was also fairly labor-intensive in its own right. If you look at the early SGs, you'll notice that they have deep beveling and very pointy "horns"--they are much more attractive and appealing than the later ones. Problem was, these bevels were hand-carved and took a lot of work, so after a few years Gibson gradually started reducing the beveling and made them much more "slab-sided", like the ones you see from the 1970s to today. On the '61 Reissues, Gibson has reintroduced the original body styling, and I invite you to compare with a 'regular' SG to see what I mean.

 

--The SG has certain sonic advantages over the Les Paul. Obviously the SG has less bottom end, which can be problematic. However, the SG also has very little of that high-mid "honk" that can be a problem with Les Pauls, and SGs often sound MUCH better for playing high-gain leads on the bridge pickup. Players like Frank Marino, Frank Zappa and Tony Iommi have gotten fantastic lead tones out of SGs, so you know it can be done. The SG gets stereotyped as a "snarly" guitar for sounding like Townshend or Angus Young, but they actually do "sweet" just as well as they do "snarl."

 

--The SG was pretty much the first guitar to have totally uninhibited access to the upper frets. The downside is that the lack of a neck heel or body mass around the base of the neck means that the uppermost notes on an SG don't have a lot of sustain to them. I've always found playing singing leads on the SG's upper register to be difficult because of that. They're not a particularly good legato instrument unless you find an unusually resonant one. But you can really whack those high notes with abandon, since nothing gets in your way.

 

--The biggest downsides of the SG for me are the balance and the angle when using a strap. Early SGs were ridiculously neck-heavy, and that's still a problem on some of the later variants, though Gibson has largely corrected the problem over the years by pushing the front strap pin further forward. Also, the neck juts out further from your body when you play it, and I find that uncomfortable, though I know guys who prefer that playing angle to what you get on a Strat or Les Paul.

[Gitfiddler]

Speaking of SG's, I found the perfect one for the man or woman who has everything...and believes anything!

 

 

1963 SG

[barrymclark]

Speaking of SG's, I found the perfect one for the man or woman who has everything...and believes anything!

 

 

1963 SG

I love when people get all uppity and misspell words in the process. I have no issue with misspelled words... just that someone trying to be uppity is doing it. haha.

[DetroitBlues]

I'm just glad I started this thread because it has proved a lot of thought and interest.

[peteraltongreen]

I'm just glad I started this thread because it has proved a lot of thought and interest.

There was a lot of response first time round.It's a great topic that only time will tell if anything happens from our Parson's Street friends.I dragged our my 1962 catalogue again,from the previous factory owners,and selected this very nice 'Les Paul',with sideswing vibrato for your perusal.

Peter Alton Green

[mark555]

The story of the guy selling the $200,000 SG reminds me of a particular guitar dealer we have here in the UK, no names, suffice it to say he has a reputation for selling over priced guitars.

 

I have owned two SGs, a Deluxe and a Standard, It's a long time since I owned one, but they have a special place within me - don't think I'd buy another though.

[JackBaruth]

Add me to the list of non-SG fans. I owned a 2009 Standard for all of two weeks before

getting rid of it. It was a neck diver and I just wasn't excited about playing it.

 

With that said, the SG Special at a $699 street price kind of kicks the legs out from

under people who say they can't afford to buy a US-made guitar. You can find 'em used

for $450 and they sound pretty decent.

 

Note that G* has done a lot in the past decade to try to "fix" the SG. Most notably,

they've done several different models with flame maple tops, including the rather

luscious SG Ocean Burst. That one I could see owning.

[DetroitBlues]

I'm considering a SG for learning to play slide guitar. Might even be an epiphone. I've played an SG and since I'm not a small fellow, it doesn't suite me physically. Looks like a toy guitar on me...

[koula901]

[H]

That's the Fool, isn't it?

[DetroitBlues]

That's the Fool, isn't it?

 

Oh, the guitar, I thought you meant something else....