Epiphone Limited Edition Sg Special-I Electric Guitar Cherry For Sale (2024 Update)

I love this Casino. I knew I wanted a P-90, and I really wanted a fully hollow body. I wanted to see if I could replicate a I've been agonizing over the purchase for months, looking for every possible solution, and was almost ready to pull the trigger on the Epi USA version, and after MUCH research, finally decided to go with the regular Epiphone. The construction, from everything I read, is excellent, and I knew that if necessary, I could always switch out the pups. Well, I can't say enough about how good this guitar is! I am extremely fussy on setups (I do setups on my own guitars and for other people) and this thing was ready to play right out of the box! I literally didn't touch a thing except to tune it up. I won't even have to dress the frets. I may touch them up just a bit (again, I'm really fussy) but they feel better than most guitars that cost three times as much. It is really beautiful. I love the vintage sunburst. The finish is flawless. Now for the important part – it plays like a dream. The neck profile is extremely comfortable. I can move up and down the neck as fluidly as on any guitar I own. And the sound! I was amazed at how present it is, even before plugging it in. I see this little sweetheart spending a lot of evenings on the couch with me. Soft enough not to overly bother my wife, but again – very present. Plugged in – well lets just say I won't be replacing these pups. It is exactly the sound I was hoping for. I'm no Grant Green, but I can certainly understand why he loved this guitar. Would I recommend it? Heck yeah! Country? Check. Classic rock? Check. Rockabilly, surf, blues and even jazz? Check, check, check, and check.Jess

Had the money to buy any guitar in the shop. Liked the looks of the SG, worn ebony with rosewood fingerboard and the Gibson speed knobs. Having only played guitars with 9.5 radius, I found the 14 radius was better for bar chords. The craftsmanship is excellent, can find no flaws the body or neck. The truss rod was out of adjustment, considerable back-bow. I fixed that, and set the action low. The intonation was spot on. Frets were polished with no sharp edges. I plan to upgrade the cheap electronics with new pots. As for the pickups, they sound ok. Since I use a modeling amp, not a big issue for me. The nut is a GraphTech synthetic bone. Nice touch for an inexpensive guitar, since i do not like changing them out…too much risk of damage. I have fender Strat and Tele, but have not put this down since purchasing it. Once I upgrade the electronics, this will be a very solid guitar.Jeff

I've been playing guitar for over 15 years. I got an 05' Gibson SG Standard for my 13th birthday. Over the years of influence in your ear about other guitars, you decide to dabble with different sounds and set ups. After playing a few strats, a ES-339, and a LP Standard over the years, I've always found myself to be happy at home with my SG. The 490R and 498T pickups are the best pickups Gibson made in my opinion. The versatility is astounding, ranging from jazz-fusion types like Larry Carlton, to the crunch of post hardcore, while pitching perfectly on iconic 70s solos and leads. Wether you're new to the Gibson family, or looking to add to your Arsenal, the SG Standard will forever please, and forever fit into any track.Jack

Absolutely love this guitar. It has taken the spot of my main Gibson for playing out. I alternate between this and my Dark Night American Pro II Stratocaster. The color schemes go well together and match my band's logo color scheme and branding so that's kind of a cool plus. I love the neck profile, the U shape is chunkier than a 60's Les Paul but is very comfortable in my hand and really reduces fatigue when I'm playing chords. I am still able to shred away with ease during solo time. I'm a huge fan of the nitro cellulous finish. I really like how the mahogany body resonates…I think it improves the tone. The QC, fit and finish on this guitar seems flawless to me. Gibson has really stepped up. Lastly, I want to comment on the soft case. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I was very surprised at how much padding there is and how plush it is on the inside. It is much more portable than a hard shell and honestly, with the shoulder strap….I may prefer it over the hard shell. It's easier to take to practice or a gig and the pocket has enough room for my wireless buds, iPod and foot controller (for iPod). I'm really stoked with my new SG, and I'd love to get one in white with gold hardware if AMS will ever offer it;-).Jon

Overall: This guitar showed up in need of a complete setup. Nothing was properly adjusted and setup, and I’m still not sure about the neck truss rod. Fortunately for me I know how to setup a guitar, however everything was out. When I set up a neck I usually adjust for .009” relief. I am unable get that with this neck probably because the truss rod was installed wrong at the factory. I might send this one back for that reason because if I ever go to a light gauge string I’d have to raise the action at the bridge so high it would be unplayable. As far as the CTS pots, they’re a very cheap version and they’re not very good. I replaced all of them with Bournes 500k pots and installed a Switchcraft jack. It definitely makes a big difference. Now that it’s been setup and fixed, except for the neck truss rod, it’s a great guitar. The Epiphone pickups sound great and the tuners are nice too. The finish is perfect and the stock hardware seems good. I certainly can recommend this guitar, but I feel zZounds should at least try and send these out in better condition. A setup like what I did would cost about $150. The last guitar I bought from zZounds was perfect, they let me down this time.Scott

What can you say? Epiphone has always made a good guitar, even before they became part of the Gibson family. The Epiphone SG and Les Paul models are top notch guitars, and are a great value for the price. So if you're looking for a good starter electric guitar, I recommend Epiphone all the way.krimzo_96

Great guitar, looks good, plays quite easily. Barely had to tweak it at all. A lot more economical than a Gibson(most don't realize it isn't.) I am very happy with this guitar and would recommend it to anyone who wants quality on a budget.richa.schau

I am a professional musician and play 5 days a week — I play my Epiphone SG full time. I don't have to take my Gibson 335, Les Paul, SG or Tele. This guitar holds it's own with any of them. I've been a player for 50 years. Highly recommend…musiclane301

Overall: This is my umpteenth Epiphone custom sg guitar ive bought since the last guitar i had which was the more lower end 61 standard i bought here used last year. The caps pots and Gibson USA burstbuckers are definitely a step up in the right direction and are true to the original reissue Sg standards back in the beginning of the Gibson sg. It sounds like a 2000 dollar Gibson reissue sg but at Epiphone import prices. I intend on keeping this guitar for a lifetime and is a good backup guitar to my similarly pricef esp ltd viper 1000 deluxe i bought a year ago from a competitor in the now disconnected tiger eye finish from zZounds. Lastly i also intend on getting a real Gibson sg custom 63 version used for a discounted price. One more thing i might buy a backup les Paul sg standard by Epiphone just in case this one gets stolen or lost. Thank you Epiphone custom for stepping up your game and making better sg custom shop guitars than in the past. The black Epiphone sg custom with gold hardware is no joke either and i might another one when i get done paying for this Les Paul sg standard first fron here.Isaac

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

My first electric. Got it in a combo kit with amp and bag. Hook it into my computer now and rarely use the amp for anything. That being said, as many people have mentioned the bridge. If this isn't your first guitar, or you are looking for a second guitar – don't get this one. I learned about intonation and action and all that while having this guitar. You can only set the intonation on the outside E's and everything else is just what you get. My the height of my bridge for medium action on the low E is maybe a 1/16 from bottoming out, any lower it will buzz more. To get the same range of action on my high E my bridge is almost a 1/4" in the air. I do not know enough to get into shimming the neck to get it leveled out more, I just know enough to assume a 1/4" rise over 3" space probably isn't a good thing. However! I've learned plenty on it over these last 6 months. I bought this guitar because I did not want to invest a lot of money into it if I wasn't going to stick with it. I bought this in February of 22. The first 5 months I probably played on it maybe 50-60 hours. These last 4 months I've probably played on it 1-3 hours a day. I started using apps to learn and being able to plug it directly into my computer has been amazing. It's served it's purpose, I'm now getting to the level of playing where I'd like a better quality instrument and am looking in the $400-$500 range. For a first guitar, and you're not sure if you're going to stay with it, this was great for me and I will pass it on to someone else to get started with. Other than the bridge intonation and probably not flat fret board, I have had 0 mechanical issues with it.Jay

I was quite lucky to get the last Worn Yellow in stock online (for now). It arrived the next day. After some easy setting and adjusting it started to play very nicely. The sounding is quite pleasant and the playability is great. I'm an acoustic player who is very picky on the sounding of a guitar, now owning an all-solid Yamaha which sounds great. And I'm happy to have this Epiphone to try some new types of sounding. Overall, a great buy at this price! Highly recommended!David

Went in-store and purchased this blue beauty, got it home tuned her up plugged her in and on my VOX VT20X this Les Paul sounds amazing!! I also own a D'Angelico SS and a Squire fat Strat and obviously none of them will sound exactly the same however the LP for the price sounds far better than I expected. This is my practice guitar and who knows maybe even a couple of upgrades and it will be my travelling guitar. Well balanced lightweight even the factory strings worth keeping for a while. Definitely a good buy.jason

Overall: This is my umpteenth Epiphone custom sg guitar ive bought since the last guitar i had which was the more lower end 61 standard i bought here used last year. The caps pots and Gibson USA burstbuckers are definitely a step up in the right direction and are true to the original reissue Sg standards back in the beginning of the Gibson sg. It sounds like a 2000 dollar Gibson reissue sg but at Epiphone import prices. I intend on keeping this guitar for a lifetime and is a good backup guitar to my similarly pricef esp ltd viper 1000 deluxe i bought a year ago from a competitor in the now disconnected tiger eye finish from zZounds. Lastly i also intend on getting a real Gibson sg custom 63 version used for a discounted price. One more thing i might buy a backup les Paul sg standard by Epiphone just in case this one gets stolen or lost. Thank you Epiphone custom for stepping up your game and making better sg custom shop guitars than in the past. The black Epiphone sg custom with gold hardware is no joke either and i might another one when i get done paying for this Les Paul sg standard first fron here.Isaac

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

Overall: This is my umpteenth Epiphone custom sg guitar ive bought since the last guitar i had which was the more lower end 61 standard i bought here used last year. The caps pots and Gibson USA burstbuckers are definitely a step up in the right direction and are true to the original reissue Sg standards back in the beginning of the Gibson sg. It sounds like a 2000 dollar Gibson reissue sg but at Epiphone import prices. I intend on keeping this guitar for a lifetime and is a good backup guitar to my similarly pricef esp ltd viper 1000 deluxe i bought a year ago from a competitor in the now disconnected tiger eye finish from zZounds. Lastly i also intend on getting a real Gibson sg custom 63 version used for a discounted price. One more thing i might buy a backup les Paul sg standard by Epiphone just in case this one gets stolen or lost. Thank you Epiphone custom for stepping up your game and making better sg custom shop guitars than in the past. The black Epiphone sg custom with gold hardware is no joke either and i might another one when i get done paying for this Les Paul sg standard first fron here.Isaac

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

Alright, so the first one of these new SG Specials in Pelham Blue showed up with a giant crack (not finish checking) that wrapped from the input jack to the control panel. I knew I had to return it but tuned it up and noodled a bit and tested pickups to make sure it was worth the exchange. The guitar was so good I almost kept it. My girlfriend convinced me to return it for a new one and it's the best decision I've ever made regarding gear. I've had the new one for a few days and it is just better in every way compared to the damaged but also incredible guitar I originally received. The resonance, sustain, comfort, aesthetic, playability, P90s, even the smell… all perfect. Gibson even learned to cut a nut. The fretboard is darker (better), the setup and finish is better. It just feels and sounds better. There is no neck dive on this one, although the first one did have a neck heavy feel (nothing a leather/suede strap couldn't fix). I say all this to remind everyone that every guitar is different and just hope you get one with mojo. I went to a competitor today and played a new Les Paul Standard that was tagged at $1K higher than this SG. No comparison. I was laughing at how much better the SG was in every single department. I can't wait to take this on the road as my new #1 and I seriously doubt it will ever be topped. New or vintage. Gibson is taking this rebuild seriously, and these Original Collection models are the best step they could have taken.UglyRunnerMusic

I am astonished at how quiet the P90's are in this SG. The hum is negligible — substantially less than the high gains in my Rickenbacker and only barely more the Lace Sensors in my strat (which are 99% silent). I had anticipated ordering some hum-canceling Lindy's to go in there, but that won't be happening. These sound phenomenal. They're just about all I could ever want from a pickup. The guitar came with the neck set almost completely straight. Just a smidge of relief (the perfect amount, really). Fretwork is essentially perfect. No sharp ends, frets are perfectly even and well-polished. The action was set a bit high, but was fairly easy to remedy. So why 4 stars instead of 5? The lower set screw (high E side) on the lightning bar wraparound bridge arrived stuck. Under no tension, it could not be adjusted in or out with the 1/16 hex key on the included Gibson multi-tool. I had to use an extractor plier to get it out out of fear of grinding down the end of the hex. Upon inspection, some of the threads near the cup point on the screw were malformed. There were no issues with the screw on the upper (Low E) side. Tracking down a replacement #5-40 3/8" set screw in small (< 100) quantity was actually kind of difficult. A stuck screw on a bridge is not catastrophic, but it does seem like something that should have been caught in QA. Aside from the one issue, everything else was immaculate. Also, great service from Musicians Friend.Justin

Overall: This is my umpteenth Epiphone custom sg guitar ive bought since the last guitar i had which was the more lower end 61 standard i bought here used last year. The caps pots and Gibson USA burstbuckers are definitely a step up in the right direction and are true to the original reissue Sg standards back in the beginning of the Gibson sg. It sounds like a 2000 dollar Gibson reissue sg but at Epiphone import prices. I intend on keeping this guitar for a lifetime and is a good backup guitar to my similarly pricef esp ltd viper 1000 deluxe i bought a year ago from a competitor in the now disconnected tiger eye finish from zZounds. Lastly i also intend on getting a real Gibson sg custom 63 version used for a discounted price. One more thing i might buy a backup les Paul sg standard by Epiphone just in case this one gets stolen or lost. Thank you Epiphone custom for stepping up your game and making better sg custom shop guitars than in the past. The black Epiphone sg custom with gold hardware is no joke either and i might another one when i get done paying for this Les Paul sg standard first fron here.Isaac

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

I've been playing guitar fairly seriously for about 6 years now, playing out at a few gigs and jamming pretty regularly for a couple years. My guitar collection has included PRS SE, Ibanez, LTD, Fender, and Kramer. After the initial break-in period, the G-400 pro definitely plays and feels like a significantly more expensive guitar. The neck feels great, the frets don't poke out like some other guitars in this price range, and the action was set pretty low with only some loss in sustain at the last five or so frets. That might be down to the higher frets apparently being less polished though they seem to have worn in after a couple weeks of playing so the sustain on the upper frets has improved (This won't be an issue for you if you're just interested in playing rhythm in lower part of the fretboard or if you crank up the gain on your amp). If you look closely enough you'll be able to spot tiny imperfections on the fretboard but for a guitar this price, the overall finish is excellent. I really like the finish they used on the neck- it doesn't get sticky with any buildup of oil or sweat. The pickups sound great. Through a Marshall DSL40C and a Yamaha THR10C, I can get everything from beautiful, articulate jazz tones, classic rock crunch, through 80's hair metal tones. The coil split tone is too thin to be usable in my opinion but it's there if you want it. Overall, I am very satisfied. For the price, this guitar is such an unbelievable value. Very good fit and finish, comfortable neck, awesome pickups, good setup from Musician's Friend out of the box. Would highly recommend this guitar whether you're a beginner or experienced.FrankTank

To start this off, this is not your typical Epiphone versus Gibson review. It's an Epiphone (China) Versus Fender Madein Mexico review. Both Value lines of great guitars. This month I Bought several guitars on musicians friend. A Fender Deluxe Ash Telecaster (MIM) and an Epiphone SG Limited Edition 1966 G-400 Pro. I have always played Les Pauls and recently got an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute Plus with a bone nut, Gibson 57s and plek'd. It is not a good comparison for most epiphones and it outperforms some Gibson's, no question. This is their top of the line for Les pauls and probably an outlier. Then I really bonded with a Fender Stratocaster. I found myself leaning toward the fenders from the Gibson/ Epiphone models. I was going to GC to play telecasters and fender amps and when doing research and everyone seemed to say how made in Mexico was far superior to Chinese Made Epiphones. When the musicians friend sale hit this month I decided to get an Epiphone 335, Epiphone SG 1966 G-400 Pro, and a butterscotch MIM deluxe ash telecaster. All of them needed a set up and would not intonate. But by far the Epiphone SG arrived in the best condition and craftsmanship. I couldn't find any flaws in the finish. Didn't notice anything with the frets. The Epiphone really stood out in craftsmanship. At 1/3 to 1/2 the price (even on sale). You will need a setup, new set of strings just factor that into the cost. If you can do it yourself, great. If not plan to spend another 75 to knock that out. But the Chinese made Epiphones are really legit and a great value for the money. This guitar is beautiful sounds great and comes to you in really good condition to begin playing.Matt8999

I've owned a '95 Gibson SG Standard in ebony since new. This Epi version with it's full pickgaurd, neck binding and trapezoid inlays is almost a dead ringer for it. I purchased the Epi because the old Standard has served me well on the road over the decades, but It's now worn, beat up and it's time to replace it and put it in a safe place. I have other Gibson SG's, all Specials and faded Specials, but this Epi is a better direct replacement for the old Standard than they are. The major difference in this Epi and the Gibson Standard is the neck tenon. The Epi has the short neck tenon of the original SG and the Current Gibson '61 (the Standard and "Faded" models have the long tenon). The Epi also has the body contours of the original models. The feeling between the two is near identical otherwise. This Epi has far better fret work and a better overall feel than two of my most recent mid 2010's Specials (I hate to say it, but it is what it is). As far as electronics, current Epi's feel just as good as the Gibsons' and are far superior to what they were putting in their guitars in the 90's and early 2000's. The stock pickups will stay for now. They sound close to the 490r and 490t of the Specials. I think they sound great. Overall, I now feel that current mid and upper range Epiphone's are a better choice for working musicians than lower end Gibsons. This was the second Epiphone I've bought in as many months. The deals on the GC and MF exclusive models, like this one, can't be beat.The Vox

I've been playing guitar fairly seriously for about 6 years now, playing out at a few gigs and jamming pretty regularly for a couple years. My guitar collection has included PRS SE, Ibanez, LTD, Fender, and Kramer. After the initial break-in period, the G-400 pro definitely plays and feels like a significantly more expensive guitar. The neck feels great, the frets don't poke out like some other guitars in this price range, and the action was set pretty low with only some loss in sustain at the last five or so frets. That might be down to the higher frets apparently being less polished though they seem to have worn in after a couple weeks of playing so the sustain on the upper frets has improved (This won't be an issue for you if you're just interested in playing rhythm in lower part of the fretboard or if you crank up the gain on your amp). If you look closely enough you'll be able to spot tiny imperfections on the fretboard but for a guitar this price, the overall finish is excellent. I really like the finish they used on the neck- it doesn't get sticky with any buildup of oil or sweat. The pickups sound great. Through a Marshall DSL40C and a Yamaha THR10C, I can get everything from beautiful, articulate jazz tones, classic rock crunch, through 80's hair metal tones. The coil split tone is too thin to be usable in my opinion but it's there if you want it. Overall, I am very satisfied. For the price, this guitar is such an unbelievable value. Very good fit and finish, comfortable neck, awesome pickups, good setup from Musician's Friend out of the box. Would highly recommend this guitar whether you're a beginner or experienced.FrankTank

To start this off, this is not your typical Epiphone versus Gibson review. It's an Epiphone (China) Versus Fender Madein Mexico review. Both Value lines of great guitars. This month I Bought several guitars on musicians friend. A Fender Deluxe Ash Telecaster (MIM) and an Epiphone SG Limited Edition 1966 G-400 Pro. I have always played Les Pauls and recently got an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute Plus with a bone nut, Gibson 57s and plek'd. It is not a good comparison for most epiphones and it outperforms some Gibson's, no question. This is their top of the line for Les pauls and probably an outlier. Then I really bonded with a Fender Stratocaster. I found myself leaning toward the fenders from the Gibson/ Epiphone models. I was going to GC to play telecasters and fender amps and when doing research and everyone seemed to say how made in Mexico was far superior to Chinese Made Epiphones. When the musicians friend sale hit this month I decided to get an Epiphone 335, Epiphone SG 1966 G-400 Pro, and a butterscotch MIM deluxe ash telecaster. All of them needed a set up and would not intonate. But by far the Epiphone SG arrived in the best condition and craftsmanship. I couldn't find any flaws in the finish. Didn't notice anything with the frets. The Epiphone really stood out in craftsmanship. At 1/3 to 1/2 the price (even on sale). You will need a setup, new set of strings just factor that into the cost. If you can do it yourself, great. If not plan to spend another 75 to knock that out. But the Chinese made Epiphones are really legit and a great value for the money. This guitar is beautiful sounds great and comes to you in really good condition to begin playing.Matt8999

I've owned a '95 Gibson SG Standard in ebony since new. This Epi version with it's full pickgaurd, neck binding and trapezoid inlays is almost a dead ringer for it. I purchased the Epi because the old Standard has served me well on the road over the decades, but It's now worn, beat up and it's time to replace it and put it in a safe place. I have other Gibson SG's, all Specials and faded Specials, but this Epi is a better direct replacement for the old Standard than they are. The major difference in this Epi and the Gibson Standard is the neck tenon. The Epi has the short neck tenon of the original SG and the Current Gibson '61 (the Standard and "Faded" models have the long tenon). The Epi also has the body contours of the original models. The feeling between the two is near identical otherwise. This Epi has far better fret work and a better overall feel than two of my most recent mid 2010's Specials (I hate to say it, but it is what it is). As far as electronics, current Epi's feel just as good as the Gibsons' and are far superior to what they were putting in their guitars in the 90's and early 2000's. The stock pickups will stay for now. They sound close to the 490r and 490t of the Specials. I think they sound great. Overall, I now feel that current mid and upper range Epiphone's are a better choice for working musicians than lower end Gibsons. This was the second Epiphone I've bought in as many months. The deals on the GC and MF exclusive models, like this one, can't be beat.The Vox

Too many options to mention here, and they all work great. I especially like the Split coil on the neck pickup and the out of phase with some distortion. The Ebony fretboard plays and looks great. The neck shape is perfect, it balances nicely and the output jack on the side is a perfect touch. Oh, and the locking tuners are sweet, especially at this price. This SG plays and sounds as good as it looks. And they look MUCH better in person than on this websites little photos. I don't get won over very easily but I love this guitar.Pluto

Overall: Mahogany body and neck 3/4” maple cap, Ebony fingerboard, locking Grover tuners makes this an outstanding guitar. The asymmetrical neck is thicker on the upper part and slimmer on the bottom which makes this neck feel more comfortable than any I’ve ever played.There is no neck dive at all, which the SG was plagued with through out its lifetime. I saw the other day a documentary on the SG which said that the SG is the biggest selling guitar in electric guitar history. This model is also much lighter than other SG’s.This is the best looking and playing SG I’ve ever had.The finish is flawlessStan

Overall: I've had my SG Modern (Honeyburst) for about a week now and I'm very impressed. I've always liked the look and feel of the SG but sold my old Gibson SG Standard because of the "neck dive" issue. It just drove me crazy. This Epiphone version seems much better balanced. Perhaps the Maple cap is adding just enough weight to help with balance. As far as the pickups go,I wasn't a big fan of these Probucker pickups in the new Les Pauls, they seemed muddy and un-responsive, but they seem to come to life in the SG body. They're brighter and clearer here. And with all of the tonal options at hand with the coil-splitting and phase inversion, it's impossible not get a good tone. The playability of mine, out of the box was pretty good. It only took a minor neck adjustment, a little intonation tweaking and some new strings to get it just right. The only modification I've made was to swap out the ugly clear knobs for some reflectors. The Ebony fretboard looks and feels great, especially at this price point. A big step up over the Indian Laurel on most other Epi's.The asymmetrical neck is just freaking perfect, it really feels natural and is my favorite feature of this guitar. It fills the hand but makes chording and lead runs almost effortless. Changing strings was a breeze with the Grover locking tuners and the nut was cut very well on mine. No tuning issues at all here. I had been wanting to add an SG to my collection and with all of the features on this Modern, it was the clear winner over the other models. If you're also looking into a new Epi SG, I'd go for this. It's a great playing, great sounding guitar at a really good price. It's really fun to play. Plus, it's a unique, cool looking finish.Zappa

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

I've been looking for the right Epiphone SG for years now, but it's been difficult to find one that I loved the feel of. I love this guitar. The neck feels fantastic. The fit and finish are very high quality. The pickups are great, if a little muddy at the neck, and they drive my Hot Rod DeVille just right. The split coils are decent and you really can get a workable single coil sound from it if you want. It sounds surprisingly close to my 40th Anniversary Stratocaster even though there is still a noticeable difference. The only real upgrade I'm thinking of is some locking Grovers in nickel, but the stock tuners are serviceable. I took a really close look at the Fender Classic Vibe Telecasters with humbuckers, but Epiphone is just crushing it with their Inspired By Gibson line. If you've always dreamed of owning a Solid Guitar, you owe it yourself to play one of these.Dustin

I saw the deal on the 4th of July at $399 but I wasn't sure if I should jump in it without testing one out. So I decided to take a ride to my local Guitar Center and check one out. Let me say the quality felt great and the tone sounded great and I was sold at the price. I own 2 Gibson SG Standards and this Epiphone hits all the marks. The tone sounds great clean or dirty and the setup was perfect out of the box. I did change the strings and tuned them to D standard. The guitar will last for years and I think it's a definite buy. Do not sleep on the new Epiphone guitars.Michael

Overall: This is my umpteenth Epiphone custom sg guitar ive bought since the last guitar i had which was the more lower end 61 standard i bought here used last year. The caps pots and Gibson USA burstbuckers are definitely a step up in the right direction and are true to the original reissue Sg standards back in the beginning of the Gibson sg. It sounds like a 2000 dollar Gibson reissue sg but at Epiphone import prices. I intend on keeping this guitar for a lifetime and is a good backup guitar to my similarly pricef esp ltd viper 1000 deluxe i bought a year ago from a competitor in the now disconnected tiger eye finish from zZounds. Lastly i also intend on getting a real Gibson sg custom 63 version used for a discounted price. One more thing i might buy a backup les Paul sg standard by Epiphone just in case this one gets stolen or lost. Thank you Epiphone custom for stepping up your game and making better sg custom shop guitars than in the past. The black Epiphone sg custom with gold hardware is no joke either and i might another one when i get done paying for this Les Paul sg standard first fron here.Isaac

I got this guitar in sparkling burgundy and the finish is beautiful. The workmanship on this guitar is great; it feels very high quality. The fretwork is also really good, with no fret ends sticking out to cut my hands. That being said, the pickups are not very good. I initially debated purchasing the guitar since it sounded very ice-picky and thin when I played it in the store. But I decided to take a chance, knowing the return policy that GC has. I brought it home and the first thing I did was go over it completely. The fretboard was very dry. Even my wife, who doesn't play guitar, looked at it and commented on that. So removed the strings and polished the frets and cleaned/conditioned the fretboard. Then I swapped out the Alnico Classic Pro pickups, which are rather bad, and put in a set of Probucker 2/3 pickups that I had sitting around. Better strings, polished frets, and some nicer alnico 2 pickups made a huge difference. It sounds full and thick and warm, and it plays like an angel. I highly recommend it, as long as you can swap out the pickups.Robert

Now that I'm in my 60's, jumping around on the stage with a 10lb Les Paul is no longer an option. I'd never even consider an SG, but it was so lightweigh I thought I'd give it a try. OMG why did I wait so long? This thing is a Rock 'n Roll time machine! Besides being incredibly lightweight and resonant, it sound amazing. And due to the double cut and neck joint construction, it's soo easy to play all the way to the 22nd fret. The wide slim taper neck is incredibly fast… and its light weight means no neck dive. I should have picked one of these up years ago!Steve

Yes, this guitar is 100% worth it. I wanted to wait a full year of owning the guitar to write this so that I'd be certain. There's too much good to write about this SG to be honest so to summarize I can't even call this guitar a rock and machine id call it a musical weapon. It sounds absolutely phenomenal which for me was the most important part. I'm used to strats which id been playing the last 18 or so in terms of playability, it def plays different but it plays really nicely. It has a lot more pop and feels stiffer. The finishing and everything else is top quality as well. Guitar is beautiful. Not only does the guitar sound awesome with literally any type of gain, but the cleans are extremely nice sounding as well. This guitar is the real deal, I waited a long time to pull the trigger on this thing and it was 1000% the right decision.Pd

If you're buying and enjoying an SG you're probably aware it's a unique and quirky instrument. The body is very light despite being all mahogany and it does suffer the classic neck dive and tuning stability issues common with Gibson guitars. But these are aspects of the guitar more than negatives in my opinion. It's a classic shape. It's very light weight and plays easily. If you don't like the Les Paul because of its chunky neck and thick neck pocket you may be pleasantly surprised by the thinner neck and upper fret access of the SG! It tends to be a darker sounding guitar with it's all mahogany body and neck with rosewood board and classic nickel fret wire. But I'm nit picking here. You only need listen to Angus Young's classic tones to hear how this guitar can cut thru a mix with the right amp. The medium jumbo frets and shorter scale length are great for easy bends. With volume and tone controls for each pickup you get a lot of control over the sound of the guitar. If tuning stability is an issue try pencil graphite or Nut Sauce to lube the well cut (usually well cut) nut. Gibson is unfortunately known for let's say less than perfect fit and finish on their instruments. You will probably see imperfections in the paint job and finish if you look closely enough. That's just par for the course with Gibson. But I'm a Gibson fan. They make instruments that don't sound like anything else and the SG is one of those iconic rock and roll machines! I highly recommend it!Donnie

My first electric. Got it in a combo kit with amp and bag. Hook it into my computer now and rarely use the amp for anything. That being said, as many people have mentioned the bridge. If this isn't your first guitar, or you are looking for a second guitar – don't get this one. I learned about intonation and action and all that while having this guitar. You can only set the intonation on the outside E's and everything else is just what you get. My the height of my bridge for medium action on the low E is maybe a 1/16 from bottoming out, any lower it will buzz more. To get the same range of action on my high E my bridge is almost a 1/4" in the air. I do not know enough to get into shimming the neck to get it leveled out more, I just know enough to assume a 1/4" rise over 3" space probably isn't a good thing. However! I've learned plenty on it over these last 6 months. I bought this guitar because I did not want to invest a lot of money into it if I wasn't going to stick with it. I bought this in February of 22. The first 5 months I probably played on it maybe 50-60 hours. These last 4 months I've probably played on it 1-3 hours a day. I started using apps to learn and being able to plug it directly into my computer has been amazing. It's served it's purpose, I'm now getting to the level of playing where I'd like a better quality instrument and am looking in the $400-$500 range. For a first guitar, and you're not sure if you're going to stay with it, this was great for me and I will pass it on to someone else to get started with. Other than the bridge intonation and probably not flat fret board, I have had 0 mechanical issues with it.Jay

I'm reviewing the gold top model. I own a lot of guitars but I didn't have a gold top Les Paul and always wanted one. This is an amazing guitar for the price! Fit and finish are perfect. It sounds and plays great. I love it. Note, always put a new set of strings on a guitar that comes with strings on it. It's a simple fix for a lot of problems you thought you had, but don't. Who knows how long they've been on or what brand they are. Now, the details. Frets were perfectly level, no sharp ends. Slight amount of oxidization. I polished the crowns and ends with Micro-Mesh pads. I used 6000>8000>12,000 grit pads. I wasn't taking metal off, just polishing them to a jewelery finish. Really makes bends and vibrato silky and smooth. I do that to all my guitars. I like the Indian laurel fingerboard. It's a good alternative to rosewood. I cleaned it with alcohol, then applied a very light amount of fingerboard oil/conditioner. Let it sit a few minutes then wiped it dry. It has a beautiful look and feel now. As for setup, the only thing that was set correctly was the intonation. So I lowered the bridge to the (low) action I like, and it was pretty clean, a little buzz on the upper frets. The neck was trussed completely flat, so I loosened the truss rod about 1/4 turn and that gave it the right amount of relief. No more buzz. Next, I filed the nut slots slightly wider and deeper. Action was too high off the nut. I use XL strings (9-42) and the slots were even too tight for them! That was the only real glaring problem on this guitar. Tight nut slots cause tuning issues and your average customer isn't going to have the tools or skills to fix that. I have a set of precision nut slotting files and feeler gauges to cut them to the proper depth. Man, that was the magic touch. The action is amazing now, all the way up the neck. No problems with tuning stability. And that's all I needed to do. It plays like a dream. I thought I would need to swap out the pickups but I like these. I'm old and play mostly classic rock, and these sound just right for the Les Pauls of that era. I get that sound that Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon), early Joe Walsh, Duane Allman, Dicky Betts, Joe Perry, Page, Billy G, had in the late 60's – 70's. I ran it through a Goat distortion simulator and got Tom Scholtz Boston sound perfectly. It was actually better than another LP I have with DiMarzio super distortion pups. Easier to control the overdrive. All in all, Epiphone has really raised their bar. If you have typical electric guitar setup skills, you'll make this a sweet playing guitar. If you don't, it's worth it to find someone who does. Just a few minor adjustments and you'll have a fine axe to play.Rich

What can you say? Epiphone has always made a good guitar, even before they became part of the Gibson family. The Epiphone SG and Les Paul models are top notch guitars, and are a great value for the price. So if you're looking for a good starter electric guitar, I recommend Epiphone all the way.krimzo_96

Great guitar, looks good, plays quite easily. Barely had to tweak it at all. A lot more economical than a Gibson(most don't realize it isn't.) I am very happy with this guitar and would recommend it to anyone who wants quality on a budget.richa.schau