For me I thought the Telecaster could only do country. But now that I’ve owned one for a while I’ve realized it can do many genres of music. It’s very versatile.

I always felt like you can play any kind of music on any guitar. Pickups matter more.

I’ve never actually thought “this guitar is only good for one genre”. I reckon you can play anything on any guitar as long as you set yourself to it.

Fun story, my son wanted to learn guitar, he was a big AC/DC fan, so I bought him a cheap Epiphone SG. I think the whole thing with the case was like $125. But holy crap, that is a fun guitar to play. As an old guy myself, I remember when I was younger and learning guitar you couldn’t buy anything for under $500 that was playable. I can’t believe how good this thing plays and sounds for $125.

For me as a metal player, when I started I thought the classic guitars were boomer guitars and I needed something ultra modern to play metal. Now i play doom on a 50's les paul with p90's.

I never had any SG desire until one basically fell in my lap and I ended up loving it. The neck goes on forever!!

As a kid I loved the SG - Santana, Clapton, Zappa, Marino, Young - so many players with distinctive styles and sounds.

If you take an SG with PAF style pickups, and a Marshall half stack, you can find almost every sound you ever heard from an electric guitar by playing with the knobs.

Well, being a lot older than you Mike. I'm a Brotha from Detroit. I started highschool in 1981 and went to a school in the suburbs of Detroit. There was sort of a revolution going on it seemed to me where I took guitar lessons. You had the old guard who was trying to keep what I called "Bell bottom" rock alive. (70's rock) and us new younger guys who were into the original Alternative/under ground/new wave/Punk music that was happening at that time. Gibsons seemed to represent the 70's rock and the new stuff was played on various Fenders. If you were into newer hard stuff like Van Halen the thing to do was take your strat and put in a Duncan Humbucker, swap out the tremolo for a Floyd Rose and order a Charvelle neck. So I stayed away from Gibsons until about 1996. I picked up this 1968 Gibson SG Jr and I couldn't believe how fast I could work the fretboard. So I bought it for $600. It's only got the bridge pick up but it does have the tremolo and I have the original tremolo bar with it.

The same way that you use to feel about the Gibson SG was the same way that I used to feel about the Fender Telecaster. When I was younger, I always associated the Telecaster as a guitar for country music and punk rock. It wasn't until I got a little older did I start to appreciate the Telecaster.

I’ve used a 2005 Epiphone version of the 61 with maestro vibrola in a worship setting for over 15 years, and it’s beyond versatile- and I get lots of comments about how good it sounds from other guitarists.

Funnily enough, my very first guitar was an Epiphone SG Special, but I thought it was only good for the AC/DC kind of thing. At the time though, that didn't matter to me. It wasn't until various points throughout the years that I realized how much an SG can actually do. I learned not only about Tony Iommi, but Eric Clapton in Cream, Pete Townshend, Frank Zappa, and even George Harrison. Because of that, I have gained an even higher appreciation for the instrument than I already had to begin with. In fact, a couple years ago I finally let myself buy one of my dream guitars, which was a Gibson SG Standard from 2007 - the year I started playing. One of the best purchases I've ever made. It has made guitar even more fun for me.

I just gotta say, the SG and les Paul are are some of THE MOST versatile guitars out there right now. Great for everything and still have a timeless look and feel!

Sweet. Really felt like your playing was improved in this video. Love my SG standard, though I would prefer the 61 with vibrola. Sounds nice.

I got my first SG a few months ago, and i love it. I was more surprised at how comfortable it is to play more than how it sounded tbh

Had my SG Stnd for about 12 years...sold it last month....could be 'the one that got away'. Rawked like no other...played GREAT in the hands...but I seldom played it. Had frets dressed and parted ways. Fetched a nice price for a lefty 2005. Oh, as you already know....the Tele is another guitar riddled with misconceptions. I"m into Tele's now...full circle for me....from early 20's to now in my early 60's...Tele's are my fav.

Mike, you're aging like a fine wine! Thanks for the comedy, the great playing, and most of all sharing your experiences as you go through the stages. Us old folks know those stages, but it refreshing and fun to watch your videos. You really get it!! All the very best to you!

Good review of the SG. I have bought and sold several Gibson solid bodies over the years, the SG is the only one I liked enough to keep. They can be as sweetly expressive or as harsh and driving as you want. Add the fact that they are comfortable to play, and you have a winner.

I actually learned on an SG. Not a real one. A lawsuit era Japanese one. Even though I’ve acquired several other types but my heart will always be with the SG. The one I should never have dismissed is the BC Rich Warlock. Surprisingly comfortable and felt very similar to the SG with it access to the upper frets. I built one for my family’s Stranger Things Halloween costume and it quickly become one of my favourites.

Seeing Angus in 2017 at Magnetic Hill, NB. I loved the SG shape! I've never played one, but I think the double cut look is amazing.

That white 3-pickup sg custom with gold hardware Terry Kath used in the late sixties is one of the most beautiful guitars ever built

Don’t forget Gary Clark Jr!!! He does some great stuff with the SG!

I played my first show with my uncle’s ‘62 Les Paul (SG) and it was magic. I play a Telecaster as a #1 now, but that Valentine’s Night in 1986, I was playing that vintage-instrument with reckless abandon. It was a “battle of the bands” and we won. I was 16 & I’ll never forget the sound of that guitar through my Dad’s Fender-Twin … cranked.

For me it really was the SG. Was led to believe for the longest time it was just a rock machine. Ended up buying one because at the time it felt the comfiest and the ergonomics were amazing for me; and learned it sounded amazing playing just about anything I wanted on it.

I'm 49 and and my first guitar, I saved up all summer working for at 17 was a 1991 Gibson SG Standard. Bought it new in 1991 and still own it, and will until the day I die. I have a a couple Les Pauls, but SGs will always be my go to Gibson shape! They are not one trick ponies by any stretch!

I keep looking at SGs more and more. I have a Gretsch 2627 with triple broad'trons. Each pickup has it's own volume in addition to a master volume. With a little tweaking, it can sound like anything. Something about engaging the middle pickup with either or both other pickups, creates an incredible jazz tone.

The thing that surprized me most wasn"t a specific guitar, it was actually the P90 pickup! I really love it and have it on the guitar I play the most, it"s a Sire L7v...

Very nice vid. As a 90s kid, I spent a lot of time looking at Musician's Friend mail-in catalogs. I always loved the SG, but didn't care much for Strats. Now, I love them all, much more into them all, jamming all the time.

Guitars with humbuckers sound so similar to one another that pretty much all of them can do any kind of tones. It's about the other gear, the settings and the speakers.

I have an old SG that I got from my mom. It has one of the original pickups, someone put a Seymour Duncan SH-4 in it that I replaced with a Dimarzio Steve's Special, and I rewired it to '50s wiring. I challenged myself to only play it for a week and I was basically able to make it sound like any of my other guitars. The SG is a great guitar if you get a sense for how to use those knobs

If my telecaster can play metal then your SG can play country. The L5 can do both, Ted Nugent plays a Gibson Byrdland…(Look it up) but NOBODY wants to take a $10,000+ L-5 to a ruckus gig and risk hurting it. I wouldn’t even bend a damn string on an L-5. But I do love your videos. Good job!

I have an SX SG with custom made vintage PAFs and almost every one that plays on it loses their mind, it's kinda my studio secret weapon

had this exact experience today. suddenly it dawned on me that that middle ground between a strat and a les paul might already exist, the SG. I played a 61 standard and it blew me away immediately. never had such an instant reaction to a guitar. love at first sight...sound

I have the same model sg and I love it. Light, easy to play, sounds great. And looks gorgeous.

You’re such an amazing story teller. And you also made me a proud owner of my 2017 Epiphone SG G400 Pro. I was wondering if you really would recommend a vibrola as I am in the cusp of getting something along the lines

Hearing you improve after all this time is really satisfying

Congrats I absolutely love my ‘61 SG reissue. It’s the most comfortable guitar I own at only 6lbs and sounds as good as a Les Paul any day in my book! Question: is your bridge pickup at a slight angle to the strings? I’m not sure if that’s normal, and the internet won’t give me a straight answer.

i got a epiphone sg special for $25, no cord jack, not sure what was wrong with pickups/wiring,etc but couldn't get to work, put in new jack, no solder wiring and seymore duncan phat cats. sounds great now.

It’s the SG for me too. I went to the store for a PRS Vela, and when I said I wanted a lightweight guitar, was shown a used sparkling burgundy SG Special. It’s been by my side since. I love it.

I picked up a hollow-body Gretsch while I was in a bit of a rockabilly kick, and it quickly became my #1. Does a great job with blues, rock, punk, jazz, and just about anything else I throw at it. The SG is still my #2 though.

I love the SG!!! It’s light weight body makes it so comfortable to play for extended periods of time (unlike the the Les Paul) and the double cut design makes it super easy to access the super high frets! My ideal guitar would be some kind of offset SG with coil spits, phase switching, and a series parallel switch!

Im an offset Fender/Squier kinda person, but I pulled the trigger on an Ibanez RG470 MSP w/Floyd Rose. I dunno, my Korn/Vai appreciation finally got the best of me. I can't tell you how happy I am with it! I thinks it's worthy to sit with my Jazzmasters & Jaguars.

SG has become synonymous with Angus and metal to a point that it's kind of hurt the guitar and people's preconceptions about what it's built for. It was originally a Les Paul model... Les Paul was a jazz player. He played with his wife Mary Ford who was a country/western musician... this guitar was built for all of those things. It's so versatile that I'd buy another one in a heartbeat if Gibson would just figure out a way to fix the neck dive issue...

I felt the same way for a while about the SG until I played one. I had a huge misconception of SGs and Les Pauls. For long time I always wanted a Les Paul until I played one and then played an SG. I love the feel of the SG and the feel of a Les Paul just doesn’t click with me. Ever since I played an SG I hope to own one one day.

Angus actually uses a 1970/1971 Gibson SG Standard. The actual date of the guitar is unknown, but it was his first SG. It was rebuilt from heavy use but it remains his number 1. It's hard to miss because its the dark wine SG with bolt inlays and cream toggle switch cover. The late 60's-1970 SG Standards will BLOW you away, they sound incredible.

Great video Mike! I always thought Jimmy Paige was a strict LP player until I found out he made the first couple of Led Zeppelin albums with a Tele. Always thought Clapton played a Strat exclusively, but then found out he used a 335 early on. The sound is in the artist’s fingers and heart and mind.

I've got 2 SGs, one with a Seymour Duncan JB pickup in the bridge and an SG Junior with a single P90 pickup. Both are great! I would prefer the P90 one for more low gain crunch/clean stuff.

I got an epiphone sg at the start of my playing career, again after getting into AC/DC just thinking it was the coolest guitar ever. Two years ago I got my first Sg standard and I love it to bits . Always been an sg player .

The worship tone sounded sooo good!!

I own an Epiphone Pro SG and I love it on the cleaner side with minimal distortion. I think in the video you always had some overdrive but not enough clean tones. Great content either way, thanks

My teacher has an X-shaped small Jackson with active humbuckers and a floyd. looks metal af but he teaches all kinds of things on it to me, from blues to thrash metal

My son bought a Epiphone SG Pro and i was blown away at how diverse the sound is. The only challenge I have is everytime I play it, the 5th fret isn't where I'm used to having it. But I do like its sound and it only takes a second for me to adjust.

Always great to relax,watch and learn from your videos, Mike. Thank you!

I fell in love not only the SG but the flying V as well because of the movie School Of Rock. As a kid, that got me interested in playing guitar.

Great job once again, Man! Since I listened to a lot of Cream when I was learning rock guitar, I always think of Clapton's "The Fool" painted SG, and the bluesy "woman tone" he would get with it. Thanks for showing us how versatile the SG is. Ironically, along these lines, I just got a J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster to play surf guitar. Leo Fender wanted to capture the jazz market, but the jazzers weren't having it. The surfers fell in love with it, but it is a fairly versatile guitar as well. Anyway, I enjoy your videos. Keep them coming!

Bought an SG ‘61 Reissue with ‘57 Classics back in 2012, it will never leave my arsenal.

335/ semi hollows. I have a nice Ibanez As73 that's my favorite guitar I've played. I use it for everything, including metal chugging.

Jaguar Special HH, with small frets, Fender fingerboard, vintage tuners... but it is a great guitar to play rock and heavy.

Yes, SGs are actually very versatile "work horse" guitars and can be used in almost any genre of music. They are light weight, easy to play and a brilliant design which has stood the test of time. Both the humbucker and the P90 versions are great. They are incredibly misunderstood and have been stereotyped due to their association with AC/DC. What people don't realize is they produce wonderful clean tones as well. You can even play jazz or country on them. In fact, there is almost no style of music they can't handle.

So glad you mentioned Max Newman… his have a cigar solo inspired me so much

The SG as well. Never was really into it until seeing Clapton demonstrating it with the wah, so when my strat got stolen, that's the one I had most fun at the store. Then I got my strat back, and now I'm only getting another guitar if it's with a p90.

I really had issues with my first "real" SG, epiphone g-400, that my brother bought overseas, that slim taper neck, and the left shifting, used to pisses me off, and felt weird on my big fat, long fingers hands, but I had to play it, if I wanted to play, Now the arctic white almost cream, gotoh bridge and aluminium tailpiece, plus some SD pearly Gates, a proper nut and now, I love it, not only because of my brother's effort, because it's such a relief to play, slim and light, and sounds and plays amazing.

I like what your doing Mike! Your playing is really coming along! Keep up the good work!!!

I rec'd a broken (like body & head) 1992 SG some months ago. Took it too my local shop & they fixed up the wood, the wiring, etc, new keys, about $400. I never thought of me & an SG. BUT IT"S GREAT! It can be heavy or it can be spanky, I can do rock or country w it. It's my new fave guitar, why did I wait so long to get an SG????

is that blues riff you played in this video from Pearl's Jam's 'Yellow Ledbetter'? Sure reminds me of it.

When I moved back to The States, LP was selling for ~$3000. I’ve never spent that much on a guitar and never plan to. I found two SG Standards in excellent shape in hard cases for $700 each (pre covid numbers obvs). Even though I didn’t like SGs I wasn’t;t gonna pay thousands for a LP. So, I gave the SGs a try. Who knew I’d LOVE THEM?? They produce the kinda tone that gets me compliments after my shows and they always handle well.

I have several with vibrolas. Only problem, the vibrola keeps the guitar detuned. Can't even get through a bar without having to stop and retune. Other than that it's a beautiful and wonderful sounding/playing guitar.🙂

I have a 2017 SG. I wanted to learn electric guitar. The guitar tech at the shop ran it through a peddle similar to yours. Since I was interested in variety of music, I chose it as my electric guitar.

I remember when I first was getting into guitar, I saw Angus playing his SG and thought it was a custom built guitar since it had the horns. Then I find out that Gibson is the one making SGs and I fell in love. Own 2 SGs and a third one sometime soon. SGs and Telecasters are my about favorite guitars, though I have an awesome Kauer as well. And yes, my SG can cover a lot of ground as well.

I have similar SG ‘61 reissue with this ‘64 style Vibrola unit, made in 2019 and have to say, mine is not so red that yours, more brownish, that is something they worked on as I see, would love mine to be more red as yours. But rest, great guitar, love it.

My 1999 SG Special is my favorite guitar. She’s coming up on her 25th birthday, and still going strong. I’m the original owner, and can’t imagine having any other electric guitar. I play hymns, blues, and 60s & 70s tunes with it. It always Sounds Great. I’d say the SG is a Super Guitar.

Angus is the only reason I picked up the SG. I love the weight and the playability. I had an Epi SG to start my guitar playing and it was my main until I got a Gibson SG, but now I mainly play on my Gretsch 6120. Now I'll bounce between the two depending on my mood and what my band is playing.

Sg is such a versatile piece. I had one with p90s walnut finish, beautiful guitat both look and sound. Sold it because i needed money and i was tired or bashing the headstock due to it being heavier than the body. Regret it everyday such a unique sound.

Great examples. 06:15 it sounds like a fender guitar. So cool all the music you can do with this guitar. 07:24 what tunning is this? It sounds awesome! beautiful notes.

does that tremolo help balance away the neck-dive?

when you were doing that blues lick/I half expected Eddie Vedder to Start singing Yellow Ledbetter..oh yeah i have an Epiphone SG from a pawn shop for 40 bucks..it had a busted ground wire and cracks in the horns BUT she does sound amazing

Tele. Hands down. A beast of a guitar that I in my eighties hair metal days labeled “country only.” A silly child I was. One of my go-to’s and probably my desert island guitar nowadays. BTW, I have the “faded” version of yours, and absolutely love my SG too!

There are two types of guitar that come to mind, one of which I have now gotten one up and the other which tempts me to this day. The first is the flying V, a model that I wasn’t aware began as a blues ax before becoming embraced by hard rock or than metal heads. The other is the Brian May Red Special, the lack of which I know you’ve talked about in other videos, Mr. Cole; too many people demonstrate that guitar by trying to play Queen riffs. Regarding the F G, it is a guitar whose jeep had me momentarily confused with the Stratocaster before I learned what it really was. It did seem as though Gibson wanted to create an instrument with a similar body shape to the Strat, especially later in the 60s when (what’s called) the batwing scratch plate was introduced. Shortly before the lockdown, there were a couple of SG standard models that were on the floor of Guitar Center here in New York City that tempted me, mainly because they didn’t cost the entirety of my savings. However, I didn’t get one. I’m trying to work out if that was a mistake.

I like my SG but the only issue is that the Vol knobs are not so accessible during playing

Sister Rosetta Tharpe played one. She wasn't exactly ripping it up at high gain. I love how SGs feel to play, you can sling them around all over the place. I like the neck dive, I like wrestling with it and shoving it around, it forces movement to add to the performance.

I just got an SG 61 R/I it's sweet! I play jazz, reggae - all sorts

I'm curious about that blues lick you played. It sounded like Yellow Ledbetter, and I'm wondering if that was a play on that song, or if it was another song altogether. I know the song is basically just Hendrix riffing, but I really enjoy it.

i think why everyone gravitates towards SG's is the slick clean look the guitar tends to have and the colourway contrasts great with each other. i was looking into one some point when i started guitar but just couldnt pull the trigger, ended up with a jazzmaster instead i couldnt get with the sg scale

I really enjoy your channel Mike. I love my LP Standard and I agree with then new player allure it evokes. When it comes to an SG I've all but closeted my newish Standard '61 for a well loved 10 year old SG Special. From my humble experience the P-90 can do ANYTHING you ask of it.

I used to hate strats because it was the guitar everybody played, but now I realized it has a unique and great tone

Born n raised in MS- LA. I always saw jazz players play a SG. Awesome on Yellow Ledbetter!

I bought a '61 standard last year and absolutely love it - in fact, everyone that has picked it up and played loves it as well. It's really a great, versatile guitar - and I'm a Tele player.

I have a Gibson SG faded I got from guitar center for 500.00 a couple years ago. Love it.

You can do it all on most guitars. The guitars that are one trick ponies are more the exception than the rule.

I was a strat guy through and through, I really only saw the telecaster as a country guitar until I borrowed one from a friend, it changed my world and now I own three tele's, it's such a simple machine, a real workhorse ready to anything you want.

Humbuckers and Gibson neck on three shapes: les Paul, SG and a 335. All can cover any genre imo. Also SG - Frank Zappa 🙏

Good SG video. Next do one on the real secret of the AC/DC sound...the Gretsch Jet Firebird.

I live in PA, too. Most people either love SG’s or hate them. I’ve always liked them having first seen them used by Robbie Krieger in the Doors getting the pretty jazzy neck pickup tones on the first two albums that are drenched in plate reverb and echo chamber and room reverb. They are totally unique and beautiful sounding and are Strat-like in ways but with warmth and character from the mahogany without the maple cap that a Les Paul has. To me an ultimate combination is a an SG and Fender Twin Reverb with lots of reverb. Plus they were perfect for psychedelic music in the 1960’s with those sort of weird “spooky” tones heard on Doors songs like “People Are Strange” and “The End” and others especially from the first two albums that had lush reverb. I can see why they’re misunderstood. Different ones I have made in the 1960’s have proved to be excellent for contemporary worship in the churches I attended from the 80’s to about 2010. I’ve never had a problem with neck dive if my hand is on the neck anyway.

I have 2 Epiphone SGs. The older one (1997) was my first electric guitar, and I bought a second one a year ago. I love the Telecaster and the Les Paul (both of which I also own) but I am an SG man. I love the light weight and the natural tendency towards gain. It is not brilliant for certain things, but it is immensely playable and has loads of power!!

Mike. I think you got it covered! Excellent video on your take on the SG!

I love the Telecaster. Unmentioned SG players: Jerry Garcia, Frank Zappa (both not exclusively SG, but both had their SG periods).

Where from in Pa are you?

Love your guitar. Any two humbucker solidbody guitar should be capable of this though! Your tones on the Helix rock. Great playing

The SG Special with the p90s is the one to get. Tonally, I can get so much more with it than the humbuckers on the SG Standard. I've have always been a Fender/single coil guy. But the fullness from the Gibson p90s is exactly what I needed. Especially when EQ'ing isn't my expertise.

I got an old 90's Ibanez Talman and that thing rips for high gain playing, of course it cleans up real well for other stuff but I was pleasantly surprised that it could essentially do metal.