Gibson SG in church?

Is anyone using a Gibson SG? I had one years ago, my first quality guitar, and thru the years I've used so many different Fenders, a Peavey, Les Pauls, and others. Now I'm itching to idea try the SG again. If I'd kept mine from 40 years ago, I probably could have been using it all along. You know how we all like to try different guitars, different sounds, different looks and styles. I think the trusty SG might be a good choice again. Thoughts?

:idea:

I did once, but a lot of people didn't like it. I don't know what they had against it, must have been the look of it. It sure did sound good though. I ended up trading it for a MIA Standard Tele.

I did once, but a lot of people didn't like it. I don't know what they had against it, must have been the look of it. It sure did sound good though. I ended up trading it for a MIA Standard Tele.

Devil horns. It was the Devil horns

Haha yeah the devil horns :p it would be. Good guitar for the style though.

Not devil horns. Angel wings!

Ever hear of Sister Rosetta Tharpe?

Watch and learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player.

I played an SG in church for a number of years and it worked really well. I use a tele now but sometimes I still miss that SG. Some people didn't like the horns but that doesn't last long. They get over it quick. Now it's my guitar licks they complain about:razz:. I say go for it.

What would be another guitar that gets an SG tone, mahogany body, humbuckers, neck through, but does not look like an SG in body shape. That might be the ticket.

I use my Gibson S.G. in church pretty often. It sure brings something different than my Telecaster.
I don't like strumming chords on the S.G.. They kind of crunch together from the humbuckers. But it really sings. My amp needs to be louder with the S.G. to keep the tone together.

The Tele sure does twang and sizzle more. Nicer on chords too!

I love them both.

People are silly about stuff like that... Just buy an SG if you want one. I know a couple of guys who play them and it works for what they do.

I sometimes use an SG Classic with P90's and have never received a negative comment about it. Here, I used it one weekend when another electric player used an Ibanez Jem and I wanted my guitar tone to be different than his so that we could stand apart in the mix.

http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk239/avmusician/Guitars/DSC_0515.jpg

Not devil horns. Angel wings!

Ever hear of Sister Rosetta Tharpe?

Watch and learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player.

+1

I used my old SG Classic when ever I needed slide licks in the set. I had it set up with a slightly higher action than my other guitars and with the double cut away I could get where ever I needed on the strings. I liked the way the P-90's sat between the humbuckers in my LP and the single coils of my strat. The only issue was when I wasn't playing slide the SG was just dark enough sounding that it didn't cut through the mix in the way the W.P. liked. So, I mostly play the LP or strat now.

I have a Les Paul Classic that works well for a lot of church songs. Not an SG, but still a dual humbucker guitar. If the song needs humbuckers, a SG will work.

Nobody has ever given me problems with any guitar I've played in church. I think the most radical guitars I've used are a Peavey Wolfgang and a Jackson Dinky Stone. No issues at all. Heck......Stryper is a Christian metal band. I had one of Oz Fox's guitars for a short time. I considered playing it at church, but opted for the Jackson instead.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r127/Jackffr1846/100_0742.jpg

How about your SG through a Marshall? That would be crazy...

Our church is slowly getting around to more modern worship. A couple of years ago they were strictly piano. Now, just over 2 years later we've got keyboards, drums, bass, acoustic guitars, and occasionally electric guitar. 2 Sundays ago I was playing my Gibson LP and we played "Today is the Day" by Lincoln Brewster. Most of the worship band wanted the guitar solo. Some didn't. I asked why there's no problem with piano solo's or violin solo's (we had one that morning), but the minute it's an electric guitar it's controversial.

Anyway, play your SG and enjoy the sound. If it's what you want, who cares what it looks like and if it is an "acceptable" shape / style. In the end, it's an instrument and it makes a noise. The guitar and the sound are a tool you use to get a result. Whether it's good or bad will be a result of how you use it and what you do with it. Not what it looks like...

I asked why there's no problem with piano solo's or violin solo's (we had one that morning), but the minute it's an electric guitar it's controversial.
..

That is a great point and one I've made befor

Our church is slowly getting around to more modern worship. A couple of years ago they were strictly piano. Now, just over 2 years later we've got keyboards, drums, bass, acoustic guitars, and occasionally electric guitar. 2 Sundays ago I was playing my Gibson LP and we played "Today is the Day" by Lincoln Brewster. Most of the worship band wanted the guitar solo. Some didn't. I asked why there's no problem with piano solo's or violin solo's (we had one that morning), but the minute it's an electric guitar it's controversial.

Bear,

Have you noticed if that change affected weekend attendance either way?

Gary

I's all what's in your heart , praise him and let him shut the mouths of those who look at those silly things.

Bear,

Have you noticed if that change affected weekend attendance either way?

Gary

I wish I could tell you either way, but I went on vacation the next day and missed the following Sunday. I will also be away next Sunday, so after playing the big guitar solo, I will have missed the next 2 weeks. However, I have not heard back any negative feedback from the worship leader. And a few weeks earlier when I also played electric guitar (minus any solo's) she said she got the most positive feedback she'd ever received.

Back to the question about playing an SG in church, I've always found it funny that going to church should be one of the most encouraging places to be, but instead it seems to be a place of too much controversy. Outside of church I don't think any other music venue would think twice about what type of guitar is being played or if there is or isn't any guitar solo's. I'm not slamming church, it's just always annoyed me that we turn too much 'stuff' into big issues.

I played a (non-Gibson) red SG for quite a few years in church. Yes, through a Marshall. I ended up trying a tele and realising that my tastes had changed towards the feel of Fender-style guitars. But that SG did the job well. It probably helped that the humbuckers could be tapped.

I've played my tele, my gretsch and my LP in church. I don't think it matters what you play. Just be there every week and make a joyful noise.

Sent from my iPhone using TDPRI

I've played my tele, my gretsch and my LP in church. I don't think it matters what you play. Just be there every week and make a joyful noise.

Sent from my iPhone using TDPRI

Amen. Preach it! Haha

I've played with an Ibanez AGS83 (semi-hollow), RG560 (purple and blue with marvin the martian on it), S420 (black), a telecaster, a red back routed strat, a black PRS se, an Epiphone Explorer, Les Paul Special (2 p90), ART500 (les paul styled Ibby). Yea.... Just play your heart out, that's what it's asked for anyways. Then again... people in my church knows that i'm the really weird, over-the-top guy... so maybe that's why no one complains :D

Amen. Preach it! Haha

It also says "make a loud noise", and there's no better way to do that than with a humbucker-equipped guitar now is there? :mrgreen:

What would be another guitar that gets an SG tone, mahogany body, humbuckers, neck through, but does not look like an SG in body shape. That might be the ticket.

My main electric for worship is the Yamaha SG 1500 - it does the Gibson thing better than Gibson's of the day and has the option of splitting the pups with push-push knobs that also give me Tele and Strat type sounds if I need them.
This is an earlier 80s version, and Yamaha has recently reissued some models. Very versatile, tone, and sustain for days.
It would suit your description perfectly, with bonuses.

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac284/nrand_photos/Yamaha%20SG1500/Sg15001.jpg
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac284/nrand_photos/Yamaha%20SG1500/SG1500Headstock.jpg
http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac284/nrand_photos/Yamaha%20SG1500/SG15004.jpg

I've played my 335, my Strat's and my Tele's. I played a Flying V once also that I borrowed from a friend. Its all in how you worship the Lord. If you are up there shredding like a nutcase... then you will stand out. Make it about the Lord. That is what is important, if its distracting, I wouldn't play it. I repainted all my guitars (Fender style) i custom colors. I wanted them to be more festive. I even get to hang on my Bigsby every so often.

When I first started playing at church, my only guitar was an SG. I play a Suhr S1 now, which is kind of a modern style strat with a hb in the bridge, and it's right on. I borrowed a Korina Explorer in one service

Nobody has ever given me problems with any guitar I've played in church. I think the most radical guitars I've used are a Peavey Wolfgang and a Jackson Dinky Stone. No issues at all. Heck......Stryper is a Christian metal band. I had one of Oz Fox's guitars for a short time. I considered playing it at church, but opted for the Jackson instead.

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r127/Jackffr1846/100_0742.jpg

stryper:razz:

too dark sounding (humbuckers/p90s). I love mine for other things.

I use a white SG at church occasionally and have received complements for the tone.. I don't recall anyone making comments about the look, however.

Heaven forbid!
Couldn't you find a nice Gibson Dove, or Gospel?
Moserite made a Gospel model, too.

Put a cross on it
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cross-WS-Fret-Markers-Inlay-Sticker-Decal-Guitar-/150881195189?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item23213854b5

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cross-Rose-BP-Inlay-Sticker-Decal-Guitar-Bass-/150883947834?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item232162553a

As long as you don't pull an Angus Young, you should be OK. Play to an audience of One (above).:grin:

If you are worried about shape, try the SE series PRS guitars my only suggestion is put put on some pickup covers or change out the pickups because it just looks like something's missing without them covered.
I have one of the Tremonti SEs and it plays great, the bridge PU can sound a little thin at times though. I currently have 8-38s on mine from when I played a lot of metal but I have a set of 10-46 to put on it whenever I get around to it so that should thicken the tone up. IMO its quite versatile without the price tag of a real PRS.

I play LP and SG, occasionally acoustic, but I always play with moderate to heavy OD and power chords with some bluesy Angus style solos, soooooo.... who cares what the church members think about you, they shouldn't judge, God isn't gonna strike you down for plating a guitar that has angle wings.

One of the guitarists in the worship team of our church plays a green SG with gold hardware, no problem at all :-)

Frankly, I never made a connection between the SG shape and anything sinister until someone suggested it. I am pretty sure God is more interested in the sounds we make than in the shape of our tools.
If we become preoccupied with the physical nature of our things, then I kind of wonder if we risk being susceptible to something else . . . . .

If you are worried about shape, try the SE series PRS guitars my only suggestion is put put on some pickup covers or change out the pickups because it just looks like something's missing without them covered.
I have one of the Tremonti SEs and it plays great, the bridge PU can sound a little thin at times though. I currently have 8-38s on mine from when I played a lot of metal but I have a set of 10-46 to put on it whenever I get around to it so that should thicken the tone up. IMO its quite versatile without the price tag of a real PRS.(my emphasis)
:shock: Wow! What sort of metal did you play with them?!!!! Not the kind that involves any drop tuning, is it?! Blimey! Would love to hear some metal with those strings I tells ya! Did it still bring teh br00talz? :razz:

(Sorry, joking aside, I'm genuinely interested in hearing if you were able get some heavy sounds out of it. Normal protocols involve much heavier gauge strings and drop tuning, you see...)

i think whoever designed the sg did not mean it to be a satanic/rock guitar. probably was only associated with the horns when Tony Iommi of black sabbath and angus of AC/DCplayed it and became popular. if i could have an sg that would sound good in worship, i'd play it. i think the sg could be a very versatile guitar for me: double humbucker sound of the les paul and the double cutaway access of the strat.

To extend the logic:

1. People see what they want to see.
The five pointed stars on many national flags also have similarities to pentangles.

2. People hear what they want to hear:
Rock music was once not considered acceptable in any context - mainly by church people like us mind you - and often labelled as the 'devils music'. People in those days [the 60s] felt that worship music should not have a beat, due to connotations of tribal music and perceived immorality that comes from having too much fun.

Personally as the son of Baptist missionaries, I can tell this one, which many of you may have heard:

Q: Why don't [insert denomination of choice here] have sex before marriage?
A: Because it might lead to dancing.

There is alot of scewed doctrin popping up. Ultimately do you take away the focus. Is the attention turned to you instead of worship. If it doesn't have an affect on it, its not a problem. The kind of music you play is not important. How the Spirit guides you is what is important. I play bass and electric guitar for worship. So I was going to make a double neck. We, as a team talked about it, and came up with that may be a bit much. They would get used to it I'm sure. However for new people coming to the church and the initial shock of it. It would take away from what I'm doing up there in the first place. We are all ministers and we should minister to the congregation. You have to put pride aside and be a servant to the church. In a nutshell, first pray about it (He will give you insite) and if people are making a big deal, switch guitars, if not, play it.

I've never played p&w with an SG but I've played in a few praise bands where another player used one to good effect.

I don't really see why it should be a problem. I don't think it should be. But if I had one, used it in a p&w setting, and found said use to be a distraction to others, I'd use something else.

T-C

It's a tough one.. If people are going to get their panties in a twist over the shape of a guitar, then it's probably a maturity lacking on their part. (Show me where it says no pointy guitars in church), and I'd almost want to do it to challenge someone's mindset. On the flip side though, the Bible does talk about stumbling blocks for others...and if that's one of them, then I guess it's smart to be sensitive to that.

-Rob

..

If Sister Rosetta Tharpe could do it then so can you.

Lincoln Brewster has 66. http://youtu.be/JC9Og7K5K9M