New Gibson SG Supremes

stonevibe

Is it just me, or are they ugly as sin?

timmypix

No, it's just you that's ugly as sin 

Sorry, too easy.

I prefer the split diamond inlays on the original '00s SG Supremes, but I don't think these are too bad - certainly not like the mid 2010s SG Supras and Deluxes which were a bit OTT.

Thicker body means a side-mounted jack which is nice, but I'm not keen on the strap button on the horn.

Philly_Q

I don't think they're ugly, objectively speaking, but all that frippery looks wrong on an SG.  An SG's a chunk of mahogany with a scratchplate.

Philly_Q

Offset

The black one with 3 pups looks cool but yeah - fancy tops on an SG is kinda missing the point.  Side mounted jack is definitely a good move.

stonevibe

I think they look like a dog's dinner. Not enjoying that AAA top or the 24-fret neck join. 

Grumpyrocker

They look right up my street. But not right up my bank account.

nacnudnai

Apart from the strap button on the horn, it all just looks fine to me. Just a fancy SG - we've seen them before, and we'll see them again.

Musicman20

I'm gonna ask...prices? I'm intrigued, not that I want one. They look like a late 80s/early 90s PRS take on an SG.

strtdv

Never liked the SG supreme.
24 fret neck and thin SG body means that the neck joint will flex like crazy, and I suspect will mean the neck pickup is moved down from it's sweet spot and won't sound as good.

Also goes against the basic premise of the SG as a stripped back rock guitar

Loobs

Doesn't upset me so much 

stonevibe

Loobs said:

Doesn't upset me so much 

I think it is me. I hate flame tops on guitars. 

elstoof

strtdv said:

Never liked the SG supreme.
24 fret neck and thin SG body means that the neck joint will flex like crazy, and I suspect will mean the neck pickup is moved down from it's sweet spot and won't sound as good.

It’s basically the same neck joint and pickup position, they just extend the fretboard instead of covering up the tenon with a wedge pickguard on 22 fret guitars. They did the same thing on the Double Cut Standard, the extra frets are there mainly to cover up an otherwise ugly blob of tenon on a figured top with no scratch plate

Philly_Q

strtdv said:

24 fret neck and thin SG body means that the neck joint will flex like crazy, and I suspect will mean the neck pickup is moved down from it's sweet spot and won't sound as good.

No, the two extra frets just fill the space where the tenon cover would normally be on a 22-fret SG.  The neck pickup is in the normal place, near as dammit, and the neck joint is no weaker or stronger than it always is.

(Edit: @elstoof said pretty much the same thing whilst I was typing)

timmypix

elstoof said:

strtdv said:

Never liked the SG supreme.
24 fret neck and thin SG body means that the neck joint will flex like crazy, and I suspect will mean the neck pickup is moved down from it's sweet spot and won't sound as good.

It’s basically the same neck joint and pickup position, they just extend the fretboard instead of covering up the tenon with a wedge pickguard on 22 fret guitars. They did the same thing on the Double Cut Standard, the extra frets are there mainly to cover up an otherwise ugly blob of tenon on a figured top with no scratch plate

I've had my SG for 3 years now and still expect it to have two extra frets - the space is there, the pickup's in the right place, but no, just the tenon cover.

All SGs should be 24 frets if you're putting the pickup there anyway and need to cover the tenon; might as well cover it with something useful.

stonevibe

Can't say I've ever required the two extra frets on my SG in the last 20 years.

Philly_Q

stonevibe said:

Can't say I've ever required the two extra frets on my SG in the last 20 years.

Maybe not, but they could've squeezed them in, and then you'd be free to ignore 'em.

stonevibe

Philly_Q said:

stonevibe said:

Can't say I've ever required the two extra frets on my SG in the last 20 years.

Maybe not, but they could've squeezed them in, and then you'd be free to ignore 'em.

Visually, I would be disgusted though, so... 

Philly_Q

stonevibe said:

Philly_Q said:

stonevibe said:

Can't say I've ever required the two extra frets on my SG in the last 20 years.

Maybe not, but they could've squeezed them in, and then you'd be free to ignore 'em.

Visually, I would be disgusted though, so... 

I don't entirely disagree.  I've got an SG Standard 24 and although the two extra frets are a "bonus" I do still think it looks a bit odd.

stonevibe

Exactly.

I own RG550s and Custom 24s, they all look fine with the extra couple of frets. The SG looks a little off with them though (to me at least) 

timmypix

stonevibe said:

Exactly.

I own RG550s and Custom 24s, they all look fine with the extra couple of frets. The SG looks a little off with them though (to me at least) 

Much as I've bemoaned the tenon cover, or the gap between the pickup and the neck on a batwing, it's definitely one of those little details that helps define the overall look of the guitar, even though nothing else changes when you swap it for extra frets.

And SGs do look a bit odd without a pickguard, too.