Gearank

Gearank Recommendation

The Epiphone SG Special appeared on our recommended list for Solidbody Electric Guitars Under $200 from August 2016 until April 2019.

Overview

The SG (Solid Guitar) was originally meant to be a re-design of the Gibson Les Paul and Gibson gave it the same name. Les Paul wasn't involved in the redesign and asked that his name be removed and so Gibson obliged and renamed it the SG.

The new design was meant to boost sales because the original was fading in the market, and it worked with more than 6,000 units sold during the first 3 years after the 1961 launch - more than 3 times the number of the original Les Paul Standards sold from 1958 to 1960.

Gibson said in 2009 that the SG Standard was their highest selling guitar of all time.

Legendary SG players include Angus Young from AC/DC and Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath.

If you're a fan or classic rock and metal, then this is the budget guitar for you if you can still find one for sale. If not, then check out our guide to The Best Electric Guitars Under $200.

Specifications

• Body: Mahogany
• Finish: Cherry (pictured), also comes in Ebony
• Bridge: LockTone Tune-O-Matic
• Pickups: Bridge 700T humbucker, Neck 650R humbucker
• Neck: Hard maple
• Scale Length: 24.75”
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Fingerboard Radius: 12”
• Number of Frets: 22
• Nut Width: 1.68"
• Controls: 1-master volume, 1 master-tone with KillPot
• Pickup Selector: 3-way

Demo

Here is AC/DC featuring Angus Young playing the riff and solo on a Cherry Red Gibson SG: