I'm considering...

Recently, I started looking at an alternative for my old strat which I don't seem to enjoy playing all that much these days. I've come prefer the ergonomics on my Les Paul (something I never thought I'd say), particularly for my picking hand. The Gibson style bridge just feel more comfortable.
 
I'm happy w/ Les Pauls but I thought it'd be nice to add something to my collection which would combine a bit of both the strat and the LP's strengths. Meaning a set neck, a tune-o-matic bridge and that big sound coupled w/ better access to higher frets and a smoother body shape. So the most obvious option is an SG. Admittedly, I'm a fairly "classic" guy.
 
As far as I can remember I've had a strange relation w/ SG's. I love some things about them but some other things just put me off. One very basic thing was that, I never saw one the worked for me on an aesthetic level, one that caught my eye and made me go "wow". The classic red is fine, but nothing to write home about I felt - and a bit too common, maybe. I don't know. All black doesn't work either, much to my surprise. I've seen a few natural. Not bad, but again, not necessarily anything that would turn my head.
 
So two days ago I was in bed trying to catch some sleep and I started thinking about my favorite color scheme for guitars - black and ivory, just like my LP. I'd never seen a SG like that, but I figured it should be pretty simple to buy a black one and just replace the plastic parts. I woke up the next day and started looking for pics on the internet and found this one:
 

 
Replace the knobs w/ my favorite amber top hat ones, and that's relatively close to the guitar I'm thinking of.
 
So that's an idea I'm toying w/ as my birthday is getting closer. Buying a little Epiphone G400 Pro and modify it.
 
 
The one thing that potentially wouldn't work w/ that is that the pickguard and the plastic piece between the neck and the pick up on the G400 are two individual pieces, unlike the one above w/ the smaller pick ups. Anyone, so far, I couldn't find a pick guard similar to the one above, w/ that extra part.
 

 
 
It's easy to find replacement for the pickguard, but not so much for the part between the neck and pick up. Off to Google "little plastic part between neck pick up SG"... :P Worst case, I could keep that part as is and replace the rest. No biggie. 
 
Anyway, that's one option.
 
I've also checked the "faded" series. That's a twist on the traditional cherry and natural finishes that I could dig. And even if I dig the classic look, I may actually prefer the Grover tuners on the faded to the Wilkinson tulips on the regular G400.
 
Unfortunately, there seems to be lots of changes from one year of production to another and I'm not sure the currently available ones are the best yet.  They seem to have lost the binding on the neck on the cherry one - which I loved. The color itself is now much closer to natural than cherry. At that rate, I might as well pick up the natural one.
 
All in all, I'm really considering this would be like a secondary guitar, next to my LP. Otherwise, I might have waited a bit and grabbed the Gibson SGJ for $600, which look awesome - the white one looks terrific -  but that's not the kind of money I want to or can spend on a second guitar. When I put the money on a Gibson, hopefully, it'll be a genuine Les Paul. 
 
I know I seem to put the focus on looks - but it'd be hard to discuss playability, that's something you see when you actually play the guitar. My Epiphone LP was actually the first Les Paul I felt comfortable playing - moreso than any Gibson I've played. As for sound, well. not only is it a matter of taste but there are so many variables - plus, you can switch those pick-ups anyway...
 
Anyway, I guess I ain't got any particular question, though any feedback from SG owners or even SG haters is welcome. If anyone has a name for that little plastic part, feel free to let me know. :P

The SG is one of the few classic models I've never owned...tho my best friend had one back in the seventies that had the skinniest neck I'd ever felt on a Gibson that I dearly loved and coveted. Natch...he wishes he had it back now too. I always heard that for road worthiness SGs were problematic due to neck joint instability. Could be just a wives tale. I mean, look what Angus did with his.

Actually I think I wait until the 2014 models start to come out  (when around Sept. - Oct. ??).

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EDTHSBNH3/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ENCTSBNH/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EGG6TSNH3/

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EGGPEBNH
 
And actually I do not know what you want in a guitar, and the choice is up to you.
TV Silver - now there's something different.
 
I guess I left one out:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ENCTTSNH3
 
Anyway I like the Les Paul Black-Silver one the best. But many other guitars there also or around on the Internet.
Bunches of guitars.

 
 

DO IT!!!

Rain
Wife seems to like the black one and the idea of making a few cosmetic changes, so that pretty much settles it I think... ;)

Perhaps a blood-red pick guard?  Hehe...

The thin body is a thing that I keep in mind and which could potentially work against it, at least initially. In fact, that was another thing rolling in the back of my head while I couldn't sleep - if only they made thicker SGs... 
 
That's the next step - trying a couple of them and see how they feel. Who knows? I have this little LP Junior which is pretty thin and I still dig it. 

Funny you mention that because I just sent my wife a link to a little SG Bass minutes ago! She wants to play bass - she isn't really into learning guitar.

 
She dropped by Guitar Center on her way back 2 days ago and came this close to grabbing a short scale Mustang, but her mind wasn't 100% made up.
 
I'll be playing it too, and personally, I'd also like to consider those Ibanez that a few folks around here suggest. In terms of playability, as I mentioned earlier, my favorite bass ever was a Gibson SG so that would have been my potential first choice - but sonically, back then at least, I wasn't totally convinced by that single neck pick up. I'd probably hear it differently these days, but still, I'm not sure it'd be as versatile as I'd want it to be. Because I am thinking in terms of recording.

Why do I think that "dark sounding" won't be a drawback for Rain or his wife?

Here you  may find out, although being there is different.
 
Get a Nighthawk, well, I don't think Epiphone makes one as of yet. ?? Don't know, did not see it.

http://forum.gibson.com/

http://www.sweetwater.com...php?s=gibson+nighthawk
 
Maybe a used one perhaps.
 
Epiphone Genesis Reissue
http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/81917-epiphone-genesis-reissue-review-demo/
 
??
 
Maybe just joking also.
 
 
 

spacealf
Here you  may find out, although being there is different.
 
Get a Nighthawk, well, I don't think Epiphone makes one as of yet. ?? Don't know, did not see it.

http://forum.gibson.com/

http://www.sweetwater.com...php?s=gibson+nighthawk
 
Maybe a used one perhaps.
 
Epiphone Genesis Reissue
http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/81917-epiphone-genesis-reissue-review-demo/
 
??
 
Maybe just joking also.
 
 
 

I've seen both the Genesis and the Nighthawk by Epiphone.
 
To be honest, I've always been more inclined to buy 20 of the same model than one of each. It's pretty wild and daring for me to even think about trying something other than a Les Paul, but I'm just too curious to try an SG. 
 
But maybe someday I'll be brave enough to take it one step further and try other models like the Nighthawk. I also thought of a Flying V - as impractical as they can be.
 
In such a case, it's very likely that I'll try to find one that's black and ivory. I really have a fascination for duplicates and series.
 
 
Drew - thank for the info! I'll look that up. Who knows - maybe I'll stumble upon a deal on a second hand short scale/non-L EB-3