Gibson SG Derek Trucks Signature 2014

I figure I can legitimately review this now that it's no longer for sale.
I've owned it since 2014 (bought it new). 
I play mostly rock, blues and a little indie and country for good measure. I tend to go for clear cleans and bright-ish low to mid gain drive sounds. I'm mostly a Fender guy although I've been broadening that over the past couple of years.

This replaced a 2007 American Standard Tele that wasn't getting used.


Features the obvious Gibson SG spec (24.75" scale, slim mahogany body and neck, rosewood fretboard, 22 frets, twin humbuckers, 2x volume, 2x tone controls, ABR1 bridge and stop tailpiece).

Differences between this and an SG standard are : 

Different shade of cherry, emphasises the grain more.
Body bevel is slightly different to a standard SG.
Higher grade mahogany and rosewood, on average the Derek Trucks tends to weigh a little less due to the lighter mahogany.
The neck shape is a little different than standard too, it's more of a D shape than a C shape, very comfortable IMO and not too slim.
Faux lyre tailpiece, which may or may not be to your taste. I quite like it.



The Good:

-Neck is more comfortable than the usual slim one on SGs IMO
-Fit and finish are excellent
-Colour is beautiful in the flesh
-Light weight (under 7lbs despite the extra tailpiece weight)
-No neck dive
-One piece body (on the 2014 models, 2015 and later are 2 piece I believe)
-Really resonant lively guitar
-Comfortable to play sitting or standing


The Bad:
-SGs (particularly 61 style ones like this), have the neck pickup a bit closer to the bridge pickup than other Gibsons (say a Les Paul for example) due to the need for a strong join between the body and neck in the thin SG body. This means the neck pickup isn't as full sounding as it is on other similar guitars with the neck pickup where it should be (like my Les Paul Special Doublecut).

-In my opinion (although see my sound preferences above) the 57 Classics aren't a good match for the guitar, it needs something with more bite.

-The bridge falls off when you change strings. Sounds silly, but Fenders don't do this and it would require very little effort for Gibson to change this.


The Better:

I put a set of Oil City HB sized P90s in the guitar, and they make the guitar really great.
SG's are a bit tricky to set up right. I find having the neck pickup much lower than you usually would have (nearly flush with the pickup rings) makes it sound more like a neck pickup, but once you get used to this it's a very versatile guitar, it's very well made and it sounds great.

I've also changed the wiring to 50's style, which makes the volume controls more useful IMO.
ABR1 changed for a Tonepros AVR2 (which locks in place), tailpiece changed for a lightweight aluminium Faber one.


I like it as I'm primarily a telecaster player, so this provides a completely different sound, but at the same time a 2xP90 guitar can get surprisingly tele-like in the middle position.
Would I buy another one? Difficult to say, as my Les Paul Special DC covers a lot of the same ground and has a better sounding neck pickup, but isn't as nice to play and doesn't sound nearly as good in the bridge position, and doesn't give the same feeling of quality that this guitar has. Probably yes, although I'd get it second hand.
Robot Lords of Tokyo, SMILE TASTE KITTENS!
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Comments

  • strtdvstrtdv Frets: 2355
    edited February 2016


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    Robot Lords of Tokyo, SMILE TASTE KITTENS!
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  • strtdvstrtdv Frets: 2355
    edited February 2016
    Excuse the sloppy playing. I should point out these are with the stock pickups and wiring.

    Through a Matamp First Lady with delay in the loop


    Dry through the Matamp




    Robot Lords of Tokyo, SMILE TASTE KITTENS!
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    Not mad about the lyre tailpiece but the light cherry finish is a thing of beauty.
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  • GadgieGadgie Frets: 96
    I really liked this guitar when you had it on sale. Nice.
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