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Thread: SG Special, Pelham Blue

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Coming my way this coming week. I've wanted an SG for a long time but balked on the Standards since I already have a Les Paul and Ibanez Artist with humbuckers.

    Because all my guitar dreams were about Les Pauls in the 70s, I didn't care for SGs until I saw that Jimmy McCullough played one on Wings Over America--still my favorite live album. Around 2000, I saw a guy with a small portable amp and an SG busking, playing jazz. His tone was warm and full. Who would have thought the SG could sound as wonderful as Wes Montgomery's L5? I also owned a righty Epiphone SG around that time. The controls under my arm bugged me too much, but that was an excellent guitar.

    I've been obsessed with SGs for a long time and decided it was time to get one. Crazy thing to do when I'm battling severe arthritis, but guitar love doesn't always have to be rational. Needed some inspiration.

    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  2. #2
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    guitar love doesn't always have to be rational. Needed some inspiration.
    Very nice, @ch willie. I know finding lefty guitars can be a challenge. Congratulations on scratching that itch!

    I had a thing for SGs a few years ago. Funny thing: I placed a (what I thought was) low bid on one on eBay, I think. Believing that I'd be outbid, I found a similar one on Reverb, so I bought it. Then I won the auction! So now I have two identical (except for the color) 2013 Gibson SG Future Tributes. And after playing with them for a while, found them uncomfortable, so they've been in their cases now for years.

    But your comment on guitar love is right on the mark! Just this morning, I ordered a replacement headstock label for my 52 year-old Framus 12-string. I have better guitars, and an older guitar, and rarely take it out of its case these days. But it was my first brand-new guitar and I've decided to refurbish it this year. The headstock label came off years ago, and I found I could buy a replacement direct from Framus. The label itself wasn't too expensive (about $14, converted from Euros), but the shipping came out to over $60! I hesitated, but only for a moment...

    Striving to be ordinary

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  3. #3
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Beautiful SG!

  4. #4
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Thanks, Cogs. That particular blue just speaks to me.

    That Framus is the bomb. Glad you got a decal for it. A little detail like that is part of charm of a guitar. I have spent a significant bit of time looking at the decals and inlays on the headstocks of my guitar clan. I was just chatting with my dearest friend about how when we were young, we were too broke to get decent guitars. He has some excellent guitars, including two CS 335s with sounds to die for. I was playing my Explorer today and loving it..while staring at my beautiful Les Paul. Like a kid, my sense of wonder was intense. I own a decent house and truck, but the guitars are my pride.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  5. #5
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    A Special in Pelham Blue will be stunning!
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  6. #6
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    A Special in Pelham Blue will be stunning!
    Thanks! It’ll be here tomorrow. Tomorrow at work, I’ll be counting the minutes the work day’s done.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  7. #7
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    P90's or mini's?
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  8. #8
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    P90s
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  9. #9
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    P90s
    Perfect. What a nice axe you're gonna have!
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  10. #10
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by Offshore Angler View Post
    Perfect. What a nice axe you're gonna have!
    Thanks! I’m excited as though it were my first guitar. In a way, it completes my collection.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  11. #11
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Imagine my disappointment when, upon pulling this beautiful guitar out of its case, I discovered that the neck on it is really wide and thin when I'm used to a narrow D. Slim taper? I used to love those, but arthritis makes the D feel better to me now.

    And yet, I decided to give it a chance. i rubbed a bit of Flexiseq onto my hands and finger joints, did some hand and finger stretches, and started toying around with it.

    Thank goodness I gave it a fair chance. After a good hour of playing, I'm just fine with the taper and width. It's actually good because of the way I've had to adapt my playing, relying more on my fingers and less on picks. Gripping a pick is a bitch. I'm using thumb picks but prefer my bare thumb.

    It sounds wonderful, just what you'd expect from P90s on an SG. Takes dirt well, sounds great clean, sustain, all the things you'd want. It can get snarly or stay mellow. Just what I was hoping it would be.

    It's stunning, the Pelham Blue--I just need a 1960 Cadillac in Pelham Blue to cart us around.

    One concern I had was neck dive, but I needn't have worried. It's perfectly balanced, and it's a light guitar.

    I a/b'd it with my Les Paul Trad, and as you would imagine, they're different animals, and that's a great thing. I have a feeling that even after the honeymoon period, I'll be playing this a lot. Keeper.

    It's more blue to me than these photos show.






    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  12. #12
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    As alluring as a HS prom queen's thighs but not nearly as risky......

    I rate it "G". For gorgeous!
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  13. #13
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by phantomman View Post
    As alluring as a HS prom queen's thighs but not nearly as risky......

    I rate it "G". For gorgeous!
    Ha ha. Thank you.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  14. #14
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    What a looker!
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  15. #15
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Thanks. I’m loving it. Went home for lunch and played it, then back to work.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  16. #16
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Play it like you stole it!
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  17. #17
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    I'm amazed at how light it is and how versatile it is. I'm glad the weekend is coming up so that I'll have some time to really run it though it's paces. I'm going to crank up the Deluxe and hear how it sounds when I push the amp.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  18. #18
    Forum Member BobbyMac's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    That's a great looking guitar! If I ever buy an SG, it would have to be a Special! Congrats!
    Born in Fullerton, California in 1952

  19. #19
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by BobbyMac View Post
    That's a great looking guitar! If I ever buy an SG, it would have to be a Special! Congrats!
    Thanks. I like the looks of most SG models, but I really love the Specials.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  20. #20
    Forum Member blackonblack's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Where did you find this?
    Mark

  21. #21
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Quote Originally Posted by blackonblack View Post
    Where did you find this?
    I got it on Reverb for a great price. A re-box with a couple of minor minor issues in the finish. Not b-stock and certainly nothing you notice unless you’re giving it a lower G-I.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  22. #22
    Forum Member Tele-Bob's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Love the color.

    There's nothing like the thick, woolly sound of a thin mahogany body. Love the sound of an SG!
    If you're bored, you're not groovin'.

  23. #23
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    It’s a wonderful sound. I’ve yet to crank the Deluxe up to natural break up levels. Poor neighbors might get a short concert tonight.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  24. #24
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Wonderful SG, Willie. Seeing it and being currently in a Doors tribute band make me miss my own SG, which I sold years ago. Mine was a 61RI but there’s something special about Gibson Specials and JRs that some players like Keef Richers enjoy and praise, so do I. If I ever buy a Gibson again it’ll be one of those.

    P90s are very cool. Some guys get killer tones out of them.

    Check this out:


  25. #25
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    This SG is a good number, I like the Vintage Cherry:



  26. #26
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: SG Special, Pelham Blue

    Beautiful.
    Quote Originally Posted by Hectoplet View Post
    This SG is a good number, I like the Vintage Cherry:


    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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