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Gibson SG vs. ESP Viper


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The emg pickups can really only be used for metal. Terrible blues sound from the emgs.

 

 

Really? Hmmm. I get a very solid blues tone from the neck pickup on my Viper.

 

Suggestion: I believe you can get the LTD Viper 400 with Seymour Duncans, perhaps resulting in more versatility.

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What are your opinions on the Gibson SG vs. the ESP Viper?

Why would you choose one over the other?


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vs.


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This is a no-brainer--if you have the bucks. The sound of the SG is just awesome, especially when distorted. I own both an SG and an SG copy; both are good for various reasons, but the Gibson sounds really sweet!

 

cheers,

 

jwhite

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Really? I didn't know GM uses EMGs. His sig model LP (now discontinued) was set up with Burstbucker 1 & 2 combination, so I would have figured him for more of a PAF man.

 

 

 

 

Here's a clip of him using 'em.

 

From what I know, he has a holy {censored}ton of guitars.

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  • 3 years later...
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tried sg standard & viper standard 1996&2005. found sg more ergonomicplayable (it's very light indeed) and esp with emg's too agressive (though a great tone).

so.. imho the older viper with bolt-on maple neck (sd '59sd invader) is the best one, still having an agressive bridge-pickup and succulent neck-rock sound. (esp still makes bolt-on vipers for japanese original series "esp vp-m", but the price isn't affordable for me).:rawk:

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I've had a couple of Vipers (they come with Seymour Duncans too people) and I've also had a couple of Vipers for a while that I got for other people. Great guitars. I love Gibson LP, Explorer, 335, etc. but I don't really like the SG.

 

Also...the EC400 may not be 'close enough' to a Les Paul but the EC400 AT is.

 

LTD Viper 400...did I mention about $350 used?

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I've never really been an SG guy... had a Dillion, had a Gibson, had an LTD Viper 100 currently have a Viper 400. HECK of a nice guitar for pretty cheap. Mine was used and the owner stripped and refinished the neck with Tru Oil so that really hurt resale. And he'd converted it to a Jr of sorts. I think I got it for $180 including both pickguards and a Duncan Invader.

 

I've played several ESPs, but never a Viper. The difference between the LTD EC1000 and the ESP ECs is pretty noticeable so I'd imagine the ESP Vipers are impressive as well.

 

This is a very old thread by the way. :lol:

 

I initially put a Dimarzio 36th Anniversary in my 400, then put my BG Pure 90s in it when I sold the Viper 100.

 

DSC_6628a1.jpg

 

DSC_6901a1.jpg

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This is a very old thread by the way.
:lol:

 

Oh the double-edged sword that is a functioning search feature. On one hand, we now have access to a lot of information that we can read through to save us from rehashing the same old crap again and again. On the other, you get random, first-time posters bumping the crap out of old threads for no reason.

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Oh the double-edged sword that is a functioning search feature. On one hand, we now have access to a lot of information that we can read through to save us from rehashing the same old crap again and again. On the other, you get random, first-time posters bumping the crap out of old threads for no reason.

 

 

Yep, but if old threads aren't getting bumped, a new one that's just a rehash of an old one pops up. We're like dogs chasing our tails sometimes.

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I think that some of you may be basing your opinions on intuition rather than fact. The LTD Deluxe Series is very close to the ESP Standard Series in terms of build quality and materials used. In fact, ESP has paid a lot more attention to their LTD Deluxe Series by frequently adding new models and features like Tone Pros locking hardware and Earvana compensated nuts. You won't find those upgraded features on the pricier ESP Standard guitars.

 

I love my SG Standard and SG Classic. I gig with them a lot and they are excellent guitars. They stay in tune, are easy to play, and sound great through a Marshall amp. I don't like the OEM 490/498 pickups though. They were a compromise designed during the dark days of Gibson when the company was too cheap to source 42AWG wire because it was $1 more per spool than the cheaper, thicker stuff. Just about any PAF style pickup is a major improvement.

 

You might want to consider the Eclipse style ESP. It looks like a Les Paul copy, but the body is a lot thinner and nicely contoured. Both the ESP Eclipse II and the LTD EC 1000 are extremely lightweight, and you can get them with either Duncan pickups or EMG's. My ESP Eclipse II feels a lot like an SG, but it has a slimmer, more comfortable neck. The Gibson SG Standard has a pretty hefty 50's neck that some players don't like.

 

I think you can tell from this photo how slim the Eclipse body is. The EC 1000 is identical.

 

esp2.jpg

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I'm going to agree with Docjeffrey. The difference between higher end LTDs and ESP isn't that great. I've had my EC-1000 for 6 years now. I bought an ESP ECII a few weeks back. I won't lie and say that they're the same, but they were damn close in quality to each other. I actually returned the ESP as it didn't really bond with me. I'm still looking for another to come along though.

 

As for the people who complain about EMGs, have any of you tried the 18v mod? It took 10 minutes to do, brought out a thicker sound, gave the clean sound a much better headroom, and slightly raised the output.

 

That being said, the Gibson's not a bad guitar either. Good luck to you in your search!

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  • 7 months later...
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I've owned both. My first guitar was an SG standard, and I owned three over the years. I took an ESP Viper standard on a trade a few years ago, (figured I would sell it for a profit) and it made me a convert to ESP. It is better built, more comfortable to play, better balanced-even moreso if you put the strap button on the horn. It also made me a convert to EMG pickups having only used passives.

 

And I play all genres with it including country. If you have an amp with a lot of headroom and you aren't afraid to use your EQ instead of diming everything, the EMG 81 does spanking chicken pickin leads. The combo with the 85 is also good!

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Funny how people's thinking is -- the Gibson better suited for classic rock? WTF?

SGs are one of the mainstays of metal in the past and to this day. You want to hear some heavy ass stuff, listen to
Down or COC
for instance. Huge numbers of doom bands use SGs, and there is little else that is that heavy on this planet as say Electric Wizard or Devil to Pay (who play SGs). Can't forget even the new Sabbath stuff. Hardly classic rock. Lots of the more modern bands are using SGs as well.

 

But....Pepper Keenan uses an ESP Viper..... :p

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SG GT, SG Supreme.

 

They recently made an anniversary model which is kinda like a 61 re-issue with 24 frets....Can't remember the name....Std 24 or something? It was on the cover of Guitarist magazine over here a couple months ago...and it looked sexy as FUCK! :love:

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