NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
- sal paradise
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3767
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
That is so cool. Entirely ott in all the right ways
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?
- Jonesie
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4101
- Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2008 7:00 am
- Location: Massachusetts
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Gorgeous! Congrats!
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
I know you were, but now I'm picturing this in a maroon sparkle and it's certainly not unappealing, haha.
Thanks! I normally don't care about my birthday at all, but I was under strict orders to make this one feel special, and this totally did the trick.
That's actually my main fear about this one. It's so nice - I really can't tell you how amazing the neck feels and plays. So naturally, a guilty voice at the back of my mind started saying that I probably won't play it enough to justify keeping it.Pacafeliz wrote: ↑Sat Sep 10, 2022 9:15 pmCool. I have my dad's '74 pretty much just like it, but in black. Amazing looks.
But I hardly ever play it. (too) chunky neck, tiny frets, and the middle pickup does get in the way. I also rewired it so the middle position isn't out to phase (wth were they thinking?!). Neck and treble position sound great, pickups are original tarbacks.
Sure hope you like/play yours more than I do.
I only take it outta its case for about a week each year, then stash it away again. Yeah what a waste, but it IS my dad's guitar he got in the 70s so I won't be "able" to sell it, I guess.
As for the out-of-phase middle position, I actually kinda get it. It feels like an early attempt to target Fender - PAFs out of phase sound similar to single coils in parallel but in-phase like a Strat.
From a modern perspective, it seems silly to not be able to access the middle pickup or any in-phase tones, but in 1961, even strats had only three switch positions. The Jaguar hadn't come out yet, and electric guitarists weren't used to having too many switches or settings yet.
If I decide it's a true keeper, I'll likely drop in a Free-Way switch. I have one in my Bullet Mustang that looks like a standard Gibson toggle, but it has six positions. The bottom three go neck - neck and bridge - bridge, and the top three go neck and middle - middle - middle and bridge.
It's basically all combinations except for all three at once, which I've never found particularly useful on any instrument.
With all those tones accessible, why not use them? I'm sure neck and bridge would sound amazing on it, and the middle pickup might be a pleasant surprise on its own.
As it stands, all three positions sound good to me. It's got lower output pickups than my V, which are more to my taste, and the neck pickup does that SG thing that only SGs do, since it's a bit closer to the bridge than on other Gibsons.
Also, I thought its looks would be too over-the-top, but I think my years of chrome plates and sparkles have prepared me for this moment. I can handle some extra inlays and gold hardware...I think.
But I understand your position you're in. If I had sentimental attachment to it, I'd never be able to let it go. Some things trump all specs and tones.
That's definitely how I'm starting to feel about it. My skepticism is waning. I can post some closeups later, but it has quite a bit of honest play wear and natural aging, which tone it down just enough for me.
Thanks! The banana creme finish is growing on me.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- Maggieo
- Expat
- Posts: 13447
- Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:36 am
- Location: Nebraska, USA
- Contact:
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Seconding the Free-Way switch!
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.
- Surfysonic
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1874
- Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:22 pm
- Location: Walkersville, MD
- Contact:
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Cool, I've been bitten by the sparkle bug, too! Most recently, I refin'd my Squier Paranormal Cyclone in Rose Gold.
My next refin project is going to be a blue sparkle finish on one of my parts build Teles. It currently has a milk paint finish that I'm bored with (the one on the left).
The doofus formerly known as Snorre...
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
It's such a useful mod, right?
Right now I'm kind of in love with the neck and bridge pickups on this guitar. The middle + bridge, not so much. I mean, it's certainly usable, but the neck and bridge on their own are phenomenal and it's just not up to that bar.
I think that'll be a great project! I'd love to learn to do sparkle finishes, but it would be very dangerous to learn to do them well, since I'd probably end up working my way through the whole collection.Surfysonic wrote: ↑Sun Sep 11, 2022 11:53 amCool, I've been bitten by the sparkle bug, too! Most recently, I refin'd my Squier Paranormal Cyclone in Rose Gold.
My next refin project is going to be a blue sparkle finish on one of my parts build Teles. It currently has a milk paint finish that I'm bored with (the one on the left).
For now, I'll just appreciate the sparkly guitars I do have, which are slowly but steadily growing in number.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- Surfysonic
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1874
- Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:22 pm
- Location: Walkersville, MD
- Contact:
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
All I'm using is Krylon Glitterblast - more coats the better per the pros. Then a few clear coats. Here it is so far...mbene085 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 12:46 pmI think that'll be a great project! I'd love to learn to do sparkle finishes, but it would be very dangerous to learn to do them well, since I'd probably end up working my way through the whole collection.
For now, I'll just appreciate the sparkly guitars I do have, which are slowly but steadily growing in number.
Body shots look better and more fully done in the daylight. I took these photos in the garage at night with a flash.
The doofus formerly known as Snorre...
- panoramic
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 16939
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:09 pm
- Location: baltimore, md.
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
SG's kinda rule and this one looks lovely. Congrats.
I used to be cool, now I just complain about prices.
- BoringPostcards
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7210
- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 8:50 am
- Location: Newfoundland
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
I had an Epiphone version for a short time. Couldn’t get on with the middle pickup being there. Felt like there was no space.
SGs kick ass and you got a real good one there. Good score.
SGs kick ass and you got a real good one there. Good score.
Det er mig der holder traeerne sammen.
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Looking pretty cool so far! Can't wait to see it clearcoated.
Thanks! Still feels foreign to me, but it's such a great player that I'm hoping it starts to feel like home at some point.
Yeah, it still feels that way to me but I'm adjusting...slowly.BoringPostcards wrote: ↑Tue Sep 20, 2022 4:18 pmI had an Epiphone version for a short time. Couldn’t get on with the middle pickup being there. Felt like there was no space.
SGs kick ass and you got a real good one there. Good score.
I haven't tried dropping the height of the middle pickup yet. Not sure if it'll help or not. I've found that I really like playing fingerstyle with it - the pickups make a giant, flat ramp like some bass players add under the strings, which keeps your fingertips from going down too far.
It's the opposite experience from playing with a pick - I actually really enjoy having the pickups right there while playing fingerstyle.
I'm still not 100% sure what I'm doing with this guitar, musically speaking. I feel like I haven't figured out the permutation of amp settings, playing technique and musical style that clicks, but the fingerstyle discovery feels like an important step in the right direction.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- Surfysonic
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1874
- Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:22 pm
- Location: Walkersville, MD
- Contact:
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Thanks! More rattle cans ordered - more spraying hopefully in a couple of days.
The doofus formerly known as Snorre...
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Ok, I feel like I'm starting to crack the PAF code and am really, really digging this guitar.
With single coils, I've basically been using the Supro 1624T as the starting point for all my tones, but it's got a midrange character I don't find flattering toward PAFs (at least for my taste).
I've been exploring the brighter side of Marshall models on my AxeFX, and now we're talking.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm totally the first person to ever realize that a Gibson sounds good plugged into a Marshall. Sounds really stupid when I say it out loud, but there you have it. I was just so used to the Supro always serving me well that I stopped experimenting on the amp side of things for a while.
Having said that, a lot of "traditional" higher-gain Marshall tones sound congested and cheesy to me on this guitar, but there are some gems in there. But I'm slowly zeroing in on what works for me, and the clean tones on this guitar are really, really nice.
I'm even warming up to the bizarre, "wish.com stratocaster" tone of the middle position.
But mostly, my attraction to this guitar is really all about feel. The neck is sublime and the feeling of those big ass pickups under the fingers changes the way I play, which I actually really like. No point in having so many guitars if they don't inspire you to play differently, right? Same reason I love sitting down with my Flying V. It's different enough to encourage me to play different things, or the same things differently.
Goddamnit, I really do like Gibsons now. What is happening to me?
With single coils, I've basically been using the Supro 1624T as the starting point for all my tones, but it's got a midrange character I don't find flattering toward PAFs (at least for my taste).
I've been exploring the brighter side of Marshall models on my AxeFX, and now we're talking.
Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm totally the first person to ever realize that a Gibson sounds good plugged into a Marshall. Sounds really stupid when I say it out loud, but there you have it. I was just so used to the Supro always serving me well that I stopped experimenting on the amp side of things for a while.
Having said that, a lot of "traditional" higher-gain Marshall tones sound congested and cheesy to me on this guitar, but there are some gems in there. But I'm slowly zeroing in on what works for me, and the clean tones on this guitar are really, really nice.
I'm even warming up to the bizarre, "wish.com stratocaster" tone of the middle position.
But mostly, my attraction to this guitar is really all about feel. The neck is sublime and the feeling of those big ass pickups under the fingers changes the way I play, which I actually really like. No point in having so many guitars if they don't inspire you to play differently, right? Same reason I love sitting down with my Flying V. It's different enough to encourage me to play different things, or the same things differently.
Goddamnit, I really do like Gibsons now. What is happening to me?
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- jakeisjake
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 6709
- Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:39 am
- Location: i am the OGRE kukukachu, vermont
- Contact:
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Big Mama!
If I was a byrd, I'd be mighty sore every time they shut the door and I don't think I'd sing...
- Larry Mal
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 19791
- Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
- Location: Saint Louis, MO
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
They make great guitars, always have. Along with Martin and Fender, they've totally defined the world of the guitar and everything else that has happened has been in response to them in some way or the other. And Gibson is the only one of those three that you can say the same about the electric and acoustic guitar, not to mention the banjo, not to mention the mandolin.
I never understand people's knee jerk reactions against Gibson.
I'm glad you like this one, though. To me, it's world class and totally a keeper, when will another one of these come along, you know? At the same time, though, it's kind of a weird guitar and would not be for everyone.
I wonder, does this have the "fretless wonder" frets like Gibson uses on this type of Les Paul? I encountered that kind of fret on a Les Paul Deluxe from 1981, and I've been haunted by them since. What a super playable neck that was.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.
- Surfysonic
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 1874
- Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:22 pm
- Location: Walkersville, MD
- Contact:
Re: NGD: SG Custom Birthday-Birthyear surprise!
Thanks! Also, thanks for allowing me to slightly derail. I applied more coats of the Shimmer Blue sparkle and then three coats of clear on the body, two coats of clear on the headstock (I'll put on 2 more coats of clear after I put on the Tele decal when both body and headstock have cured for a month or two). Very happy with the outcome so far.
Back on topic, I love my Gibson ES-135 and Les Paul Special Tribute.
Some day I'd like to get a Les Paul Junior (single cut or double cut) in Pelham Blue or Tobacco.
Or even a Les Paul Special Double Cut
Last edited by Surfysonic on Sun Sep 25, 2022 7:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The doofus formerly known as Snorre...