Epiphone SG: Buying the Guitar I Never Wanted
All good things come to those who wait...
5,0 / 5,0 | 
The Epiphone SG is loved by guitarists worldwide, but I’ve never seen the appeal. However, I am now the proud owner of my own SG. Here’s how and why.
All About My New Guitar
Key Information about Epiphone SGs:
- The Epiphone SG can trace its roots back to 1961, when the original Gibson SG was released as an alternative to the iconic Les Paul. This new solid guitar provided a lighter offering with adouble cutaway design for better access to higher frets.
- Known for a slim taper neck, twin humbuckers and solid mahogany body, the SG delivers punchy rock tones whilst remaining versatile for most.
- The Epiphone version of the legendary SG has become an affordable option. With runs such as the Inspired By Gibson range, we can get Gibson spec guitars at a lower price.
Epiphone Inspired By Gibson 1961 Standard Vibrola
Who doesn’t love a new guitar day? Say hello to my new-to-me, ’61 SG Standard Vibrola. What a stunner. Specifically, this is a 2022 model from the Inspired By Gibson range. Therefore, offering Gibson specs at an affordable price.
Here, we’ve got a very slim taper 60s neck, combined with the visually superior Kluson tuners and, of course, that shiny chrome Vibrola tailpiece. Aiming to replicate one of the earlier models, we’ve got the smaller pickguard rather than the famed batwing, which I’m personally glad about.
This is all well and good, but the Epiphone SG was never on my radar, and it’s not something I ever wanted to buy. So why now?
Years of Admiration
Imagine the scene. It’s 2009, I’m watching YouTube on an Acer laptop running Windows Vista. I’d been playing guitar for less than a few months, and I stumbled across the music video to Hey Bulldog by The Beatles. I didn’t know what George Harrison was playing, but I knew that I liked the look and the sound of his guitar.
Fast forward nearly 20 years, and I, of course, know that Harrison was playing his 1964 Gibson SG. After years of playing and owning various guitars and loving The Beatles, AC/DC and Black Sabbath, I’ve never been inclined to get hold of an SG. My Les Paul worked for me just fine. But the SG has always been in the back of my mind.
However, last year Epiphone released another batch of these Epiphone SG Vibrolas, and I have been obsessed ever since. You know, when you have that ‘I’ve just got to have one of those‘ feeling? Well, that was me for a year.
Restoration and Revival
In my short ownership, this Epiphone SG looks stunning. However, this was not always the case. Despite *Thomann stocking some beautiful examples, I actually bought this guitar used on Facebook Marketplace. Oh dear. This guitar was either going to be great or garbage.
When I first saw this guitar, I thought that it had a matte finish and aged hardware. No, it was just very dirty. The previous owner clearly didn’t care for instrument maintenance. This thing was gross! Dust, sweat, blood and tears were ingrained into this guitar. But I saw the potential.
Already missing the high E string, I stripped the guitar back of all its components to give them a good clean with anti-bacterial wipes. From here, I could use genuine guitar cleaner to bring this guitar back to its former glory. Despite being four years old, it now looks brand new. Still retaining the early 60s charm.
Conclusion
What’s so good about the Epiphone SG? For me, price. Look, I’ve got bills to pay, but I still want a new guitar. Therefore, this specific example was the perfect opportunity to get into SGs. Considering that it has all of the lovely Gibson specs, such as the tuners and the pickups, it’s a win-win.
Plus, these 60s models are so incredibly light. It makes my Les Paul, even my Strat, feel goliathan by comparison. Therefore, this is my new go-to guitar for long band rehearsals.
Videos
Further Information
*This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!
This might also interest you
