Newbie Question; quite possibly dumb.

[Brian]

O.K., how would you describe the difference between an SG and a Les Paul in heft, feel, tone, special quirks etc. As a Fender bender, I know that there's a world of difference between a Tele & a Strat. Is it the same with Gibsons?
Thanks for any enlightenment.
Brian :roll:

[Paul G.]

Les Paul and SG more different than say a Les Paul and a Tele.

Weight--SG: 6-7 lbs., Les Paul 8-11 lbs. I wouldn't touch an LP weighing more than 9 lbs. A medium weight LP will balance and hang better than an SG.

Tone--SG: Great rock tone, Neck pickup very full, Bridge pickup has tons of midrange. Think Angus Young. LP: more top, more bottom, more note definition. Think high-fi. As a result an LP is more versatile and can sound great on more different styles. If you are a rocker, the SG gives nothing away.

Feel--Totally subjective. A Les Paul feels "conventional". If you play a Tele, you're right at home on one. An SG has its own thing going. Some love it, some hate it. You have to try for yourself.

P.

[dbudda]

The main difference is the wood and the feel. A LP stays put when you play while an SG tends to move around. I like the top mounted selector on a LP as I find it easier to acesss. Soundwise, pretty similar, but a LP does display more clarity at high volumes thanks to its construction. I feel that a LP is a much more stable design. A SG is thin and fragile but works well for those to weak to wear a LP for 3 sets and still want that rich Gibson tone.
d'budda

[astro]

They hang completely differently also.

The other guitar player in my band can play Duo Jets which look like LP's but not Lp's. He can play SG's too. The selector switch is a good point also.

I can play teles and LP's but find SG's uncomfortable although I do like the tone. They are definitely more midrangey and a little more buzzy than LP's

[TexGoneNW]

The Les Paul is serious weight. I played a heavy one (even for a Les Paul) when I was in great shape in college, and for a four-hour gig, these things could turn you into Quasimodo. That being said, there is no more solid tone.

THAT being said, pickups make the character.

I never could get an SG of any kind to *cut* like the LP did, even a LP with P-90's would kick it better than the SG.

I got better results with an SG with an old SG Jr. I had. There is a HUGE difference in stability and sustain (IMHO) when you don't have a route for a pickup right there where the body joins the neck. Loved that SG Jr, but had to get rid of it to get the LP. I didn't have the $ then, so I'm glad I made the decision I did.