Feature:
The only included accessorie was the gig bag. It's pretty nice as far as gig bags go but for the price I think they could've thrown in a decent case. I only rated it 5 because of the gig bag, I don't know what other "features" people expect to get when buying a guitar. It lacks a bound neck, trapazoid position inlays and nice headstock inlay, but thats kind of expected for the price. The fancier inlay work, prettier finish and a 498t in the bridge is just about all that seperates the faded from the standard, which costs about twice as much.

Quality:
Mine is fantastic. Frets are beautiful, well trimmed and groomed. The tuners are great. Hardware was exceptional. The electronics are perfect, no noise switching pick up position. I have to agree with others about the looks of the pick-ups, if this were my first guitar I would think they were junk based on the looks. The tape doesn't look good on close inspection but I understand that this is not a $1700.00 guitar and can live with that. covers can be bought for $15 or so if you can't live with the look. The finish was smooth and even, no runs, pooling, bubbles or debris in it. The neck has a few rough spots that are in the hard to sand areas, which I think is typical and usually masked by thicker finishes. Someone mentioned it dings easily, well thats not so much a quality issue, it's the nature of the wood and with such a thin finish on it, there really is no protection for the wood. So expect dings if your careless. I would have given this product a 10 in quality had the pick ups been cleaned up better.

Value:
I'm giving this a 7, had it come with a hard case and better bridge pick up, despite how ugly it might be, I would have rated it a 10. It's definately worth the price if your like me and just have to have a real Gibson SG.

Desirability:
It's a Gibson SG! The worn "satin" finish gives it alot of character and to actually feel the wood grain, in my opinion, makes it even better. Honestly if I could get this finish with the same bound neck and inlays of a standard, throw on some chrome pick up covers and it would be a perfect 10.

Sound:
This Guitar sounds great. Only complaint is the 490t in the bridge seems a bit thin and "tingy". They should have included a 498t, the same bridge pick up found the "standard". The price of the 498t bought off the shelf is only like $20.00 or so more than the 490t.

Ease of Use:
I love the way this guitar feels, your hand glides over the satin finish rather than tacking to it. The knobs and switches are pretty obvious how to use and are in the right spots. This guitar is so light! It really is a joy to play.

Support:
I cannot answer this question. Have had zero issues with the guitar and hence no need to contact customer support.

Overall:
I love this guitar, have owned it for 3 years and it already has sentimental value. I would and will probably end up buying another or more guitars but it would only be because I love guitars. I would only replace it if it were broken in such a way that it couldn't be fixed.

• User: a customer from pacbell.net
• Submitted: 8/5/2008
• Style of Music: mostly rock
• Location: California

Feature:
could have done with the neck being way more smooth, also could have done with beter strap holders

Quality:
ive owned this guitar for 1 1/2 years, it wont break, i know, ive played 10 gigs with it, the finish ages very fast, but that adds to the look, as far as the tape around the pickups go i dont know what these people are talking about, it hasnt came off mine and shows no signs of coming off, and my friend has the exact same guitar and the tape hasnt came off his! i think it depends wether or not you get a good one of these, i have a good one, but clearly there are some bad ones out there, so be carefull

Value:
not alot of guitar, but it just wont break! if you want a guitar that will last you buy a gibson

Desirability:
its an sg, they are a generally sexy guitar

Sound:
this guitar is built for classic rock, there is no point buying it for anything else, you probably wont like it if you dont play classic rock, if you do then its a great guitar

Ease of Use:
its a guitar without a floyd rose or any other type of tremolo, and is therefore easy to restring, you need to set it up to your personal taste when you buy it, but all in all pretty easy to use, but the sound can be restrictive...

Support:
havnt had to deal with gibson, probably never will, i presume they would be pretty good though

Overall:
not alot of guitar, but great value as it lasts, also its a gibson so in like 20 years it will probably start to go up in value

• User: a customer from hotmail.co.uk
• Submitted: 3/2/2008
• Style of Music: thrash metal
• Location: lurgan, Northern Ireland

Feature:
The features are just right; it is what it is (as the coach says). Dual volume and tone controls are ideal; plus a three way switch.

Quality:
As noted above, sharp corners on the nut and poorly finished frets do not reflect careful craftmanship. I played a more expensive SG special while in the store, and the frets closer to the body were also sticking out, although the frets near the headstock were ok. Hmmm, is Gibson quality declining??

Value:
I thought it was too expensive in the first place - Gibson just raised the price on their faded SGs from $579 to $699, but it was a lot cheaper than an un-faded Gibson; but now with the evident quality issues, I don't think I would pay even $400 for it. I would have to choose my instrument very carefully before making the purchase.

Desirability:
Did want it; don't want it anymore. Finding multiple examples with quality issues (small issues, but they effected the playability of the instrument) cured me of Gibson for a while.

Sound:
The sound is superlative; I have other issues with the guitar. See other comments

Ease of Use:
Here's where I had a problem. I played a faded cherry SG in the store and the nut had a sharp corner that bothered my palm. I played another faded cherry and it had a similar problem. They had a faded brown SG, which did not have this problem, but I didn't want brown. The salesman then got a new faded cherry SG in a box, and it had a nice rounded nut, but..... the frets stuck out too far and could actually abraid your left hand when you moved it up and down the neck. He had three more new ones in boxes, but I gave up and bought the thin-line tele I've always wanted. Not the same sound as the SG (but I have a Les Paul so that's not critical), and the maple neck on the tele is so sweet, and I have enough electronics to get almost any sound out of it anyway, plus I have an Ibanez "shredding" guitar for making the real heavy sounds. I was surprised and disappointed by this Gibson experience, and I probably won't look at Gibson's again for quite a while.

Support:
Never needed support. I had a SG special which I bought in 1965, believe it or not (I'm getting old), which I played in a rock/blues band, and I never had a lick of trouble with it. Or with anything I owned for that matter, except having to change tubes in my big fender amp fairly often. But that was the nature of tube amps back then.

Overall:
Love the sound; have real concerns about quality - would have to find the perfect one on display without any evident wear; and display guitars are often well worn.

• User: Prefer to withhold
• Submitted: 2/6/2008
• Style of Music: blues/rock and toying with some other genres
• Location: Maryland

Feature:
Tuners are the green keys and I love them. Both LPs and my ES have them. The only disadvantage to the faded finish is that you can plainly see the one piece that runs from the neck down to the strap button instead of being blended into the two side pieces. Frets are large, well finished, but very large.

Quality:
Depends on how picky you are. The action was very high out of the box. The bridge pickup was set just as high. After lowering both the guitar was set. No need for anyone to setup the instrument. Intonation was perfect as was fretting. Finish? It is smoothed and pore filled mahogany. I worry less about this guitar than any of my others. It is robustly made - made for playing. This will last as long if not longer than any of my others including the oldest being the 1969 ES 345.

Value:
I paid $579 shipping included. Value? A Gibson for under $600 and it's not a crappy import? I am loathe to give anything a "10" but this guitar is very close.

Desirability:
Ever since Woodstock when I saw the Dead, the Who and Santana all sporting SGs, I knew I had to have one.

Sound:
How do two humbuckers sound? Like a Gibson. This guitar sounds as good as any other Gibson I have played or heard. I do notice the pickups being any "hotter" because of the lack of covers. I play Fusion - loud jazz. This guitar is more versatile than my ES 345 TD, varitone and all. I play though a Fender amp and a Marshall. They both compliment the humbuckers beautifully.

Ease of Use:
The neck is amazingly fast - I don't think I want another nitrocellulose neck again. And I find myself constantly going past the last fret - access is that easy. Rolloff on the tone controls is fairly linear. Weight distribution is fine - the neck is not too heavy for the body. Learning curve? Sure - playing the guitar is nothing BUT a huge learning curve ;) Very easy to get started on this guitar.

Support:
No opinion yet.

Overall:
I have nothing but high praise for this guitar. I thought I would be disappointed with the "finish." I am not. I heard "stories" about frets not being dressed properly or strap buttons being less than average, or tuners not holding pitch. None of that was true.

• User: a customer from hotmail.com
• Submitted: 2/1/2008
• Style of Music: Jazz
• Location: SoCal

Feature:
Just basic Gibson. Familiar layout that does what you want it to do. Nothing fancy from the factory but customizing is easy and fun if you have the dough.

Quality:
I bought mine used but not used much. I've had a lot of expereince with Gibson products through the years and I think they still make good guitars. I had to set it up but I do that with all guitars. Kluson deluxes are now Sperzel locking tuners.

Value:
In today's dollars this is an outstanding value. I like the worn satin finish. I have brown.

Desirability:
Looks are in the eye of the beholder. The SG is a classic shape, copied by many. It enables high register playing and is lightweight unlike a Paul.

Sound:
Sounds like a Gibson should--fat, with more treble edge than a Les Paul. Surprisingly resonant. Really exceptional for this price point. Picups are just right for me. Turn down for cleaner styles, turn up for rock. Takes pedals well.

Ease of Use:
Again, what could be easier than two pickups, a three way switch, volume and tones for each pickup?

Support:
I've never had to deal directly with the company but I imagine they would stand behind an obvious defect.

Overall:
It's a keeper.

• User: a customer from yahoo.com
• Submitted: 1/26/2008
• Style of Music: Rock, country, jazz
• Location: Lebanon , PA, USA

Feature:
Very good, what you would expect from a gibson at this price range. I personally like the tune o matic bridge some may disagree but I love it. And the chrome looks pretty sick. The only thing that would make it better would be trapezoid inlays, but oh well.

Quality:
Its a Gibson... what more can you ask for.

Value:
Best deal you can get for the price by far, Its good for any skill level from beginners to pros. I'm sure many people would pay more for this than its selling for.

Desirability:
Everyone tells me I have the sexiest guitar lol. I've always loved the look of the SG. Its one of the most badass looking guitars ever.

Sound:
It has all around great sound, great for the price anyway. The pickups are pretty versatile you shouldnt be dissapointed.

Ease of Use:
Very nice. I love the 50's rounded neck makes it very easy and comfortable to play. It also keeps a tune way longer than my Fender.

Support:
Havent needed it. but its Gibson so I'm sure its great.

Overall:
One of the best guitars out there, especially for the price. Looks, feels, and plays great. What you would expect from a Gibson. Defiantly a must have.

• User: a customer from yahoo.com
• Submitted: 1/14/2008
• Style of Music: Basically any kind of rock, From classic Rock to Punk to Metal I play it all.
• Location: Massachusettes

Feature:
I'm not going to even go there haha.

Quality:
This is where i lost it. The parts on this guitar are really cheaply made. For example the pickups look like they are just stuck in a hole and on top of that are wrapped with electric tape, not good at all. Body is very fragile and the slitest little bump will cause indents or even scrtaches. Overall just the feel of the guitar makes it feel like you're playing something very cheap, trust me do not by this guitar if you're looking for something a little nicer. I recommend getting an ibanez or something.

Value:
This guitars value will decrease over time, it's harder to keep it in shape when it's so fragile and cheaply made. Basically you are paying for the name of the guitar, gibson seems reliable, but this guitar isnt so.

Desirability:
When I first was willing to buy this I got hyped up about it. First time I actually played it though I couldn't help noticing how cheap it felt. It looked good though when I saw it online at first, guess I waqs wrong.

Sound:
The stock pickups arent that great at all, I suggest getting some new ones because the stocks have a very dull sound. Maybe dimarzios?

Ease of Use:
The neck on this guitar isnt good at all, definatley not gibson's best. I would find myself sometimes struggling to get the strings to stop twanging every once in awhile also.

Support:
Didn't really call them for anything.

Overall:
Overall I expected a lot more from this guitar than I actually got. If your a beginner looking for semi-good guitar for a way expensive price go right ahead. But for an experienced guitar player I strongly urge you to spend your money on something better, not this.

• User: a customer from hotmail.com
• Submitted: 12/29/2007
• Style of Music: Rock, Metal, Metalcore, Hardcore, etc.
• Location: Visalia, California, United States

Feature:
Hand rolled neck is baseball bat-like on mine. Very easy to play. The Gibson humbuckers sound great. I've owned three Les Pauls and I prefer this simple guitar. Kluson tuners and the same hardware that you would find on a $2000 Gibson.

Quality:
The tape that surrounds my pickup coils is very uneven and crooked which is proof that the part are hand made. Its the only potential QC issue. The real nitro finish looks great.

Value:
Same pickups and hardware as a $2000 guitar - made is USA. Fantastic value.

Desirability:
I'm middle aged...I probably dig the look more than a younger player. Classic cool. I like it.

Sound:
The guitar sounds very harmonic when it's not plugged in; bright rolling harmonics. Nice. Plug it in and you have a very edgy and organic sounding guitar. Dynamics from your right hand really come through. Great response to your technique.

Ease of Use:
Two humbuckers and the tradition Les Paul control layout. Simple.

Support:
On line warranty registration with instant confirmation. Several approved repair shops in Milwaukee.

Overall:
I won't sell it. It's staying in the wood pile. The Les Paul faded guitars are no longer made. I'm keeping my faded Gibson.

• User: a customer from aol.com
• Submitted: 11/18/2007
• Style of Music: Pop - Fusion
• Location: Near Milwaukee

Feature:
the features are the ones you need if you want other pikups i sugest it ... i really expected more features but its ok..

Quality:
i love the look its a super clasic look from the sg ..... for the price i imagined more expensive but the sound is not to great

Value:
the value is worth it !! get it now before they change their minds !

Desirability:
i have it but if i didnt i would whant it :P

Sound:
the sound is good but not too good i dont know if it was the amplifier or the gibson that sounded a little crapy in case of metalic tones but with blues tones sounds great !! i own one but my parents give it to me until dicember .. -.-

Ease of Use:
very easy to use i love the wood the only thing i dont like is the back .. it looks kind of simple..

Support:
the support was very good with me the offert me instead of a 570 dolar price they lowed it to me for a 525 dolars price i aprishiate it ..

Overall:
this overall i think it will be satisfied for maybe 14 years or less

• Submitted: 11/4/2007

Feature:
This guitar is pretty straight forward in features. I like the simplicity, and the seperate volume and tone knobs for each pickup give you a very versatile guitar. The pickups are not very good however.

Quality:
As expected from a high-quality manufacturer like Gibson, everything works and feels great. The frets were filed down perfectly. The faded finish is absolutely amazing.

Value:
I don't quite see how they manage to sell these things so cheap.. I think that people would easily pay alot more for this wonderful instrument. In my opinion, it is one of the better buys out there.

Desirability:
I gave this an eight, simply because of the poor presentation of the pickups. Everything else looks top notch. I also wish it had the fretboard and headstock inlays, but it doesn't matter that much. Pickups are awful looking though.

Sound:
This guitar sounds really good for the price. My friend and future bandmate owns one. I played it through my Marshall mgmszw, and it sounds great. The pickups are really ugly though. I would change them as soon as possible if I purchased this guitar.

Ease of Use:
Very easy to use and play. The faded finish gives you a completely non-stick neck (if you know what I mean). The action on his guitar was set perfectly, and it was easy to do tapping on. The tuners look and work great. String changes couldn't be any easier with the TOM (tune-o-matic) bridge.

Support:
wouldn't know, I don't own it.. I suppose Gibson has great service though.

Overall:
It's a great buy, and looks great. I would definitely change the pickups though, so expect to pay more.. Plays like a dream, and sounds good too. Not a total metal machine despite popular belief. Haas a great clean tone, and the blues tone is good too. All around wonderful.

• User: a customer from aol.com
• Submitted: 11/2/2007
• Style of Music: Early metal, all types of rock, and blues.
• Location: North Carolina

Feature:
Not much flair to this guitar at all. In fact it looks kind of boring compared to all the quilted maple top guitars available today. I will say this though. You just can not beat Gibson's tune-o-matic bridge for ease of operation. String changes and setting the intonation are very easy.

Quality:
Mine was finished really very nicely. All the frets were done superbly. No file marks or sharp edges. The inlays on the fret board were also done very nicely. I would have to say though that Gibson should do a better job of setting up its guitars before the get shipped. I was a little dissapointed mine was'nt set up that well when i got it.

Value:
Less than a thousand bucks for a Gibson? are you kidding? This 1 - 10 scale should have an 11 on it just for this guitar.

Desirability:
I never have been a big fan of SG's (call it the AC/DC stigma)but for this kind of money, you could do alot worse.

Sound:
The sound is what you'd expect from a full bodied Gibson guitar with humbuckers. Don't go overboard on the distortion, and you'll be very pleased with it's overall tone and voice. I also own a Epi LP standard and a PRS custom se. I find it hard to tell them apart as all 3 of them sound very similar.

Ease of Use:
see above

Support:
Not yet needed, but Gibson does have a really cool web site.

Overall:
I have owned several imported guitars. None of them have been as nice as this Gibson. No flaking paint. No noisy electronics. No sharp edges on the frets or loose fitting parts. I do wish they would take the price of the gig bag (dust cover?) out of the guitar. I could do with out it. If you have a budget of about $600.00 and you want a really nice, American built guitar, You really should consider one of these. I would guess in the long run that this guitar would hold its value better than any Korean built import. How many of you spent 5 to 6 hundred on an Imported guitar then try and trade it in within a year and find out its worth $150.00? I dont think this would happen with this guitar

• User: a customer from yahoo.com
• Submitted: 10/30/2007
• Style of Music: classic rock
• Location: newy york