Les Paul vs. SG: Which Gibson Reigns Supreme?

When someone says, “Les Paul,” the images that likely appear in your mind are a sunburst Standard, maybe a Goldtop, or a Custom Black Beauty. “SG” may conjure the thought of a cherry Standard, a black Special, or a 3-pickup white Custom with gold hardware. All of these are iconic images, each with its own, individual reference points: artists, songs, photos, etc. Did you know that the SG body shape originally debuted in 1960 as a new Les Paul? It was created because the popularity of the traditional Les Paul was waning... wait, what?!

The SG’s Humble Beginnings

The SG body shape debuted in late 1960 as Gibson’s double-cutaway guitar. It was an answer to the thinner-body, double-cutaway craze that was mostly the result of Fender and Gretsch guitars in the late 1950s. The traditional Les Paul shape was becoming “outdated.” Tell that to the folks who own ’59 ’bursts!

Compared to the traditional Les Paul, the new guitar had a slimmer neck that joined the body higher up the fretboard, and the shape of the cutaways allowed easier access to the upper frets. The thinner, contoured body shape was not only lighter, but it also did not have the maple cap that Les Pauls from the late 1950s are now famous for. It bore the Les Paul name but was a completely different instrument in feel, look, and sound. In 1963, the SG (Solid Guitar) name was established and featured a family of instruments including the Junior, Standard, Custom, TV, and Special.

With a little background, let’s get into why you might choose one over the other. From the perspective of someone who has played a huge variety of Les Paul and SG guitars, including a few magic ones — IYKYK — I can say that there are a number of differences between the two in feel and sound.

Les Paul Love

After playing multiple varieties of Les Paul, including weight-relieved, chambered, models with no maple cap, models with different pickups and bridges, I can safely say that I am rather a traditionalist when it comes to Les Pauls. I prefer a lighter mahogany body with a maple cap, a wraparound bridge or Tune-o-matic with a stop tailpiece, two medium-output PAF humbuckers, four knobs, a 3-way switch, and a ’59 neck shape with a rosewood fretboard and jumbo frets, something very much like this Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1959 Les Paul Standard. 

It offers an unmistakable sound and feel. I love the bite of the bridge pickup that snarls and roars as you add more gain, and the smooth sustain of the neck pickup sings in any setting. The versatility lives in the middle selector position, where both pickups are active, and blending the volume and tone controls yields a huge color palette. The feel of the neck shape and the way the guitar hangs on your body with a strap are substantial. It’s not about weight; it’s about ergonomics, design, and the response of the instrument. From a whisper to a shout, a Les Paul demands a lot but will give back everything that you put into it.

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SG Mojo

The SG was designed to be fast and light — a guitar that invites you to play effortlessly and endlessly. Additionally, the slim body and neck with a double cutaway that offers easy access to upper frets creates a sound that’s distinct from a Les Paul. It’s interesting because, even with similarities such as wood, scale length, and electronics, the SG is articulate and immediate but not at the expense of depth or nuance. The SG can be musically heavy, think Tony Iommi or Angus Young; dynamic, any Gary Clark Jr. or Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House”; and incredibly expressive, Frank Zappa or Derek Trucks. So far, I’ve mentioned traditional SG players, but the simple design invites a lot of modification of pickups and tremolo bridges, so the sonic possibilities are vast.

As for me, I prefer a traditional 2-pickup Standard, preferably mid-’60s with a Maestro Vibrola tailpiece, like this Gibson Custom 1964 SG Standard Reissue with Maestro Vibrola. Of the originals and reissues I’ve played, my favorites have always had the Maestro. It obviously has something to do with the tone and feel. Additionally, a good SG that is set up well will not have tuning issues despite the chatter on various internet forums. The “magic” SGs have a full, clear voice that responds to whatever you play, and the feel of the instrument keeps you playing.

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Which One to Choose?

The depth of the Les Paul or the immediacy of the SG; the only clear choice is both! Each has its place as a useful tool in your guitar collection, and both are easy to coax a bunch of inspiring sounds from, albeit different sounds from each other.

Whether you prefer a Les Paul or an SG, Sweetwater has a wide variety of options to choose from. Be sure to check out our amazing selection at Sweetwater.com or reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 for expert advice and personalized recommendations.
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