I paid 950$ for a Gibson SG Faded 2005!!!

[MR D]

I got a 2022 SG Standard in cherry finish. The frets are indeed immaculate. The frets are all perfectly level with a neck relief of .005 to .006 .

Fret ends perfect with the nubs over the edges, and the crown of the frets are the nearly flat crown that Gibson as traditionally done.

It was set up perfectly and the intonation and nut slots were perfect out of the box. I just opened and Inspected it, and plugged it in and played.

Yo BOLT, ain't it just frikkin GREAT when GIBSON USA sends you a Guitar that is actually set-up perfectly 'Out-of-the-Box' ? MASSIVE !!!! I just got a 2022 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow w/Wraparound Stop-Bar/Tailpiece and it was IN TUNE when I opened the box, ICFBI ! and the set-up was actually perfect for my prefs...Neck Relief was set @ .005" @ 9TH Fret, just about perfect...

I hear/see a lot of players bad-mouth GIBSON...I know they aren't perfect, but just about nothing is.....BUT, IGTY, I LOVE THE SOUND THEIR GUITARS MAKE....and that is why I only play GIBSON Guitars....the old 1980's-1990's GIBSON USA ADVERTISEMENT "Only a GIBSON IS GOOD ENOUGH !" is one I have lived my entire guitar playing life by........

 

[billiesupertramp]

I got a 2022 SG Standard in cherry finish. The frets are indeed immaculate. The frets are all perfectly level with a neck relief of .005 to .006 .

Fret ends perfect with the nubs over the edges, and the crown of the frets are the nearly flat crown that Gibson as traditionally done.

It was set up perfectly and the intonation and nut slots were perfect out of the box. I just opened and Inspected it, and plugged it in and played.

@3bolt79 Congratulations! I heard some people complain about Gibson's QC. I actually don't know if it's true or not since I'm very new to this brand.

But man, I need to save up for the SG Standard Ebony Finish while enjoy playing my SG Faded.

Keep rocking!!!

 

[billiesupertramp]

OK BRO, You have the guitar you always wanted, right ? Next, you have got to get a Hard Shell Case to protect it...DONT TAKE IT ANYWHERE until you get one, right ?

Next, set that BAD-A$$ UP ! Neck Relief is all important (not more than .005" @ 9th Fret) and string height at the 1st and 12th frets too,,,,,,,,

Do you have a CAPO ? Get one and put the capo over the dot at the 3rd fret (in between the 2nd and 3rd frets)....observe: Do the strings clear the 1st fret (closest to the NUT) ? With the capo in place as instructed, The strings should clear the 1st fret by a whisker...this is known as the 'TAP TEST' in luthier circles as when you press up and down on the strings w/capo in place....you will hear a little 'TAP' as the strings bounce off of the 1st fret...if the strings are NOT clearing the 1st fret w/Capo in place...you need to get a new NUT....but not to worry if you do not do it right away.

string clearence @ 1st fret is crucial: I use the following string heights at 1st fret: Low 'E': .022", 'A' .024", 'D' .026", 'G' .018", 'B' .015", High 'e' .012".(all string heights can be within .002" +/-)..these heights at 1st fret will produce DEAD-ON INTONATION @ 12TH FRET, AND IF YOU GET THE 1st fret HEIGHT RIGHT (WITHIN .002" ON EACH STRING) THESE 1st fret string heights will even produce DEAD-ON RINGING OPEN 'A' 'D' and 'E' chords in the 2nd Octave, as long as the bridge is set to GIBSON Specs (5/64"THS Low E @ 12th Fret, 3/64"THS High 'e' @ 12th Fret) and the saddles are correctly placed.

I wish I was back over there, I miss the beaches/babes.....give me 30 minutes with that guitar and it will play like the CHAMPION GIBSON that IT surely IS !

@MR D I did what you have instructed. All the strings are clear except the G string and I've noticed that the G string is buzzing while playing an open string. I don't dare to do anything to it, because I might screw it even more. Please tell me how to fix it. Thanks.

 

[Decadent Dan]

@MR D I did what you have instructed. All the strings are clear except the G string and I've noticed that the G string is buzzing while playing an open string. I don't dare to do anything to it, because I might screw it even more. Please tell me how to fix it. Thanks.

Fret the g string at the 3rd fret and check clearance at 1st fret. The nut slot might be too low. That’s one cause.
Maybe just raise the action very slightly at the bridge if nut slot isn’t the problem.

 

[3bolt79]

@MR D I did what you have instructed. All the strings are clear except the G string and I've noticed that the G string is buzzing while playing an open string. I don't dare to do anything to it, because I might screw it even more. Please tell me how to fix it. Thanks.

You might try letting the truss rod out a little. Put a little more relief in the neck is what I mean.

 

[MR D]

@MR D I did what you have instructed. All the strings are clear except the G string and I've noticed that the G string is buzzing while playing an open string. I don't dare to do anything to it, because I might screw it even more. Please tell me how to fix it. Thanks.

SURELY........OK, so you put the Capo between the 2 & 3rd frets......the strings clear the 1st fret by a whisker/C-Hair, except for the 'G' string, yes? OK, no biggie....if you can find some BONE dust or hav an extra NUT laying around..scrape the extra NUT so as to make a tiny pile of DUST, ok? then add a tiny drop of super glue to the tiny pile of BONE DUST and then stir it up and get that li'l concoction into the 'G' string NUT Slot......U C, all you need to do is fill in the G String NUT slot so as to make the string sit a little higher, OK? Do you have NUT SLOT FILES (You can use a correct size Guitar string as a file as well, G string for G NUT slot etc etc) ? U kno, in case you put tooo much in the slot and need to file it down, u kno? The thing you do not want to do is go tooo low with the NUT SLOT when you file it....U can always file down a slot that is too high, but once you go too low...U R in **** CITY !!!!! and either need a new NUT or ya gotta do what I just described (which is a really tedious exercise !)......

Do you have a string action gauge ? OK, GREAT ! I like to set the NUT slots so as to have string heights at the 1st fret of 'Low 'E'=.022", 'A'= .024", 'D'=.026", 'G'=.018", 'B'=.015", High 'e'=.011"...all heights within .002" +/- either way will not be a big dealio, we are talking about thousandths of an inch here, u kno? If you get those string heights @ 1st fret and the bridge is set up to specs (Low 'E' @ 12The Fret 5/64Ths, High 'e'@ 3/64Ths, w/relief @ no more than .005" @ 9TH Fret) you will see that , not only is the 12Th Fret Intonation DEAD-ON but also OPEN 'A', 'D' and 'E' chords RING DEAD-ON in the second Octave........and that is what i call a really well intonated guitar....AND I KNOW (and now you do too !) that any Short-Scale GIBSON solid body electric can do this ! AND it is one of the reasons I LOVE GIBSON Guitars...I wish I was there, give me half an hour w/that axe and I'd make that BITCH SCREEEM....OH YES, I SURELY WOULD...w/nice tight set-up.....YEAH MAN !!!! I love doin that, and handin the guitar back to the person who brought it to me and say..."TRY IT NOW !".... "Li'l better, eh ?"........some things ya just can't buy..........

A new NUT would be ideal but if its only the G string that is not clearing the 1st fret, no need.....Hope this helps Bro.......Give my regards to PHNOM PHEN......

WOW, that was a long one !

 

[MR D]

Both together

WOW, that BROWN one looks BAD-A$$....I gotta get another one of those...w/grain patterns visible...best of the BEST !

 

[3bolt79]

SURELY........OK, so you put the Capo between the 2 & 3rd frets......the strings clear the 1st fret by a whisker/C-Hair, except for the 'G' string, yes? OK, no biggie....if you can find some BONE dust or hav an extra NUT laying around..scrape the extra NUT so as to make a tiny pile of DUST, ok? then add a tiny drop of super glue to the tiny pile of BONE DUST and then stir it up and get that li'l concoction into the 'G' string NUT Slot......U C, all you need to do is fill in the G String NUT slot so as to make the string sit a little higher, OK? Do you have NUT SLOT FILES (You can use a correct size Guitar string as a file as well, G string for G NUT slot etc etc) ? U kno, in case you put tooo much in the slot and need to file it down, u kno? The thing you do not want to do is go tooo low with the NUT SLOT when you file it....U can always file down a slot that is too high, but once you go too low...U R in **** CITY !!!!! and either need a new NUT or ya gotta do what I just described (which is a really tedious exercise !)......

Do you have a string action gauge ? OK, GREAT ! I like to set the NUT slots so as to have string heights at the 1st fret of 'Low 'E'=.022", 'A'= .024", 'D'=.026", 'G'=.018", 'B'=.015", High 'e'=.011"...all heights within .002" +/- either way will not be a big dealio, we are talking about thousandths of an inch here, u kno? If you get those string heights @ 1st fret and the bridge is set up to specs (Low 'E' @ 12The Fret 5/64Ths, High 'e'@ 3/64Ths, w/relief @ no more than .005" @ 9TH Fret) you will see that , not only is the 12Th Fret Intonation DEAD-ON but also OPEN 'A', 'D' and 'E' chords RING DEAD-ON in the second Octave........and that is what i call a really well intonated guitar....AND I KNOW (and now you do too !) that any Short-Scale GIBSON solid body electric can do this ! AND it is one of the reasons I LOVE GIBSON Guitars...I wish I was there, give me half an hour w/that axe and I'd make that BITCH SCREEEM....OH YES, I SURELY WOULD...w/nice tight set-up.....YEAH MAN !!!! I love doin that, and handin the guitar back to the person who brought it to me and say..."TRY IT NOW !".... "Li'l better, eh ?"........some things ya just can't buy..........

A new NUT would be ideal but if its only the G string that is not clearing the 1st fret, no need.....Hope this helps Bro.......Give my regards to PHNOM PHEN......

WOW, that was a long one !

Yeah, you and I have something in common. I love to work on guitars as much as playing them.

I have bought a lot of tools in the past few. years. I won’t use a greasy automotive tool on any guitar. Cars and guitars each get their own tools.

I have done much working on instruments of friends for beer. But I work on all my guitars. I have a couple or Ibanez Roadstar II’s that are projects.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

@MR D Gibson is hard to come by here in Cambodia, perhaps it's considering as a superior guitar brand, I don know. But you can make a pre-order which sometimes made you pay almost double price of an actual MSRP. There's a lot of Epiphone and Mexican Fender here, they are cheap here. Sometimes cheaper than the MSRP I don't know why, and those are authentic guitars.

By the way, I'm really glad that I found this forum. I thought I made a bad decision buying this guitar, but turned out to be the other way around. I will never sell this guitar, it's my first Gibson guitar. I'll take care of it. Just like my other guitars. Thank you for being so supportive.

We are glad you found us too. Col Mustard was one of the the first, if not the first to greet me here.

I knew right off that he was a smart and easy to like player. My Brown Faded could have easily been a Midtown Custom I picked out and bought for nearly 3x what I paid for my Faded SG. The store I went to had the SG and the Midtown. After I had the Midtown home for a few days, I still felt the pull of that humble brown SG. I returned the Midtown, got my refund and put it back into the SG and then took home enough to add a P90 SG too. Not that I would not have loved to have kept the Midtown as well. It was a beaut.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

WOW, that BROWN one looks BAD-A$$....I gotta get another one of those...w/grain patterns visible...best of the BEST !

Here ya go, Mr D

I always did like a nice backside.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Now I am extra glad you got your Faded. You will never NOT want an SG now that you have it.

Glad you said you will never sell. And like Mr D said. Probably a rare rare guitar over there in Cambodia.
YOU did it Sir.

 

[MR D]

Here ya go, Mr D

I always did like a nice backside.

WOW, (the top one, WOWOWO !) RIGHT AGAIN, Chili ! Can't get enuff of those beautiful backsides !!!

 

[MR D]

Yeah, you and I have something in common. I love to work on guitars as much as playing them.

I have bought a lot of tools in the past few. years. I won’t use a greasy automotive tool on any guitar. Cars and guitars each get their own tools.

I have done much working on instruments of friends for beer. But I work on all my guitars. I have a couple or Ibanez Roadstar II’s that are projects.

YEAH, greasy guitars ain't too happenin' !!! The ROADSTAR's ROCK, I have to hand it to Ibanez...they give a good product for the $$$$......they make GIBSON's look WAAAAY over-priced.
U kno, I started working on cars/guitars out of necessity...just like points/iginition systems and carbuerators on cars...I could not afford to have anyone work on my cars or guitars so I had to learn 'how to'...... was finally really good at setting GM 350 CI & 400 (396) C.I. engines up to run like RAPED APES...and GM goes and throws away the ignition/fuel systems.....FFS !!! I got really good at it too... the 4 barrel 'ROCKET' 350/400 Oldsmobile engines I favoured ran like fuckin all hell.......12 second 1/4's...5,000 lbs. cars running like the wind...Delta 88's, Electra 225's and the Olds 98's...all of hose cars were...IMO......the $#!T !!! and I could make 'em fuckin' ROAR ! 100% STOCK !
Same with Guitars, ALMOST everyone I bought a guitar to in late '70's & early 80's was a thieving scumbag, I had to learn to do the work myself...WITHOUT THE INTERNET TOO........I'm glad GIBSON did not throw away their design like GM did...35 years later, and not bragging either...... I can do the **** standing in playing position...... in my sleep.....settin up a guitar for someone who is clueless and has a nice guitar that is way out of whack...when I hand it back...I say.......'Give it a run now...', LOVE IT !!!

 

[MR D]

We are glad you found us too. Col Mustard was one of the the first, if not the first to greet me here.

I knew right off that he was a smart and easy to like player. My Brown Faded could have easily been a Midtown Custom I picked out and bought for nearly 3x what I paid for my Faded SG. The store I went to had the SG and the Midtown. After I had the Midtown home for a few days, I still felt the pull of that humble brown SG. I returned the Midtown, got my refund and put it back into the SG and then took home enough to add a P90 SG too. Not that I would not have loved to have kept the Midtown as well. It was a beaut.

Yo CHILI, Now that you mention the 'MIDTOWN', GIBSON has stopped making them???.... I THINK ? IDK for sure but IIRC the new lineup POST-Bankrputcy dropped the MIDTOWN ? That model was on my radar for a few years...never ever played one but always was intrugued by those...bein from 'MIDTOWN' Manhattan I kinda wanted one...that and the ES Les Paul...I did find one of the ES Lesters @ a GC in NYC and I had been looking for one for a few years and finally found one around 2015 ????......and IDK, when I picked it up...I just did not like it...it felt really clumsy and I remember not liking the neck at all..plus the price tag at the time was , of course, ridiculous...almost bought it but then thought..."I Might end up hating this guitar'......and i remember thinking if I am buyin a Les Paul.....its gonna be a STANDARD.....I think GIBSON stopped making the ES Les Paul's too......after the Bankruptcy? "Curly" did the new lineup with all the changes...Original/Modern series etc......

BUT I gotta tell ya, I never get sick of playin an SG, its like down home day, every day !!! and it never matters they always have that FEEL, that RING..... when set up right......of all the GIBSON's I have owned...its always those BAD-A$$$ SG's I love the most.......always !!! FLYING V's a close second after I finally got one !

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Yo CHILI, Now that you mention the 'MIDTOWN', GIBSON has stopped making them???.... I THINK ? IDK for sure but IIRC the new lineup POST-Bankrputcy dropped the MIDTOWN ? That model was on my radar for a few years...never ever played one but always was intrugued by those...bein from 'MIDTOWN' Manhattan I kinda wanted one...that and the ES Les Paul...I did find one of the ES Lesters @ a GC in NYC and I had been looking for one for a few years and finally found one around 2015 ????......and IDK, when I picked it up...I just did not like it...it felt really clumsy and I remember not liking the neck at all..plus the price tag at the time was , of course, ridiculous...almost bought it but then thought..."I Might end up hating this guitar'......and i remember thinking if I am buyin a Les Paul.....its gonna be a STANDARD.....I think GIBSON stopped making the ES Les Paul's too......after the Bankruptcy? "Curly" did the new lineup with all the changes...Original/Modern series etc......

BUT I gotta tell ya, I never get sick of playin an SG, its like down home day, every day !!! and it never matters they always have that FEEL, that RING..... when set up right......of all the GIBSON's I have owned...its always those BAD-A$$$ SG's I love the most.......always !!! FLYING V's a close second after I finally got one !

You and I are almost twins.

Here is my current ES and my Washburn ES copy

 

[MR D]

WOW,CHILI..... that ES Lester is the SHIZZLE Bro, does it have the MHS Pickup's? they are BAD A$$$, I got them in an ES 335 and they RULE !! or, IIRC, GIBSON put '57's in those ES Lesters for a few years? the Brown Burst is BAD-A$$-ERY !! WOW, if it had been that one I picked up in GC it would have come home with me right then and there ! The one I almost bought was a Yellow Burst, did nothng for me...But that BROWN ONE, WOW OW OW !! if it sounds as good as looks , better yeah ?

If Imma gonna get any more Guitars they are gonna have to be something exceptional....SG Standards w/Natural finish seem hard to come by out of the factory these days...maybe I aint looked hard enough?

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

WOW,CHILI..... that ES Lester is the SHIZZLE Bro, does it have the MHS Pickup's? they are BAD A$$$, I got them in an ES 335 and they RULE !! or, IIRC, GIBSON put '57's in those ES Lesters for a few years? the Brown Burst is BAD-A$$-ERY !! WOW, if it had been that one I picked up in GC it would have come home with me right then and there ! The one I almost bought was a Yellow Burst, did nothng for me...But that BROWN ONE, WOW OW OW !! if it sounds as good as looks , better yeah ?

If Imma gonna get any more Guitars they are gonna have to be something exceptional....SG Standards w/Natural finish seem hard to come by out of the factory these days...maybe I aint looked hard enough?

iT IS ACTUALLY an ES 135 not the Lester version.

Although the shop I got the 135 from a few years ago, had one of those Lesters a few month ago.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

My ES 135 has the 57's in it. Some versions had P100's too.

 

[MR D]

iT IS ACTUALLY an ES 135 not the Lester version.

Although the shop I got the 135 from a few years ago, had one of those Lesters a few month ago.

NO $#!T ? LOOKS JUST LIKE THE ES LES PAUL.....the ES Lester you spotted in the shop was used, yes ? IIRC, GIBSON has stopped making the ES Les Paul....2016, maybe, was last year for it ? BUT, I could be wrong....

I've yet to hear the '57's in a hollow/semi-hollow GIBSON but I bet they sound GREAT in a ES Model...... Those '57's are up there with the best Pickup's I've ever had on any guitar...the GIBSON MEMPHIS 'MHS' pickups are pretty ROCKIN too....and ,of course, the Burst-Bucker PRO's are 'Top-of-the-Food-Chain'...IMO N E Way...I'VE ONLY EVER SWAPPED OUT A GIBSON PICKUP TWICE, on two different SG's.....GIBSON is pretty good at puttin the right Pickup's on the right guitars

 

[papagayo]

I paid 400$ for this great 2004 SG Special Faded, a very good deal. I upgraded the pickups with Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1.