Want a Tele, but am thinking '61 SG Maestro

Try to find a 61 Les Paul jr. in an SG shape. Mind blowingly good. I had one on loan as I would not sing without a guitar. That's the guitar to get IMHO.

 

Love my 61SG ri...think mid 2000s year
Not sure about tailpieces..I dont like
anything that make take it out of tune
even though they are vintage looking.
If you need the vibrola I guess go for it.
ps..make sure has 57classics in there.

 

An Esquire would be nice as well as cost efficient.

 

My buddy ( note: a Vintage/ Vintage- style guitar, bass, and amp collector- but I seem to play his stuff more than he does) owns a '61 SG RI with 57 Classics and through a '68 Super Reverb, this combination sounds amazing, clean and overdriven- no pedals, just guitar Volume ( and Tone) controls, and of course amp volume ( which does really play into guitar response)- a Super is just a great amp, for any guitar

To compare buying ' either/or' a Tele or an SG is just something I can't process-

These are 2 wonderful yet completely different guitars ( neck attachment, scale length, body wood, pickups

What do YOU want to hear, want to play?

 

Thought the op still had a tele.
Well of course tele, then all others. (*lol)
Sort of like you need a toolbox then
you can get screwdrivers and hammers, etc.

 

I don’t own one but am having gas also
I think those new sgs look awesome

I can’t decide between a maestro Or sideways vibrola

 

I'm a sucker for the sg with a maestro, have most the parts for a build when I finish our house renovation. If you use light trem I think they sound great and arent too bad with tubing issues. The 61 with a sideways on the other hand... cool sounding trem but aweful to get used to.

 

The SG is a cool guitar but it is very different than a Tele. These are completely two different animals. If you want a good Tele there are ways to get one that was made by a small luthier and get around the high fender prices... I also highly recommend on Logan Guitars. He specializes in building teles and his prices are very reasonable for what the guitars he make. I have one of his guitars and it's truly singing..

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

If you really like Telecasters, why not get something like a Squier Classic Vibe Tele ( with a really good set-up) and then just save your money for that dream guitar down the road? Fact is, you may be so happy with the CV that you forget it doesn't have that "status" decal on the headstock, and you just focus on PLAYING....

 

Get both.

 

You've played SGs, you've played Telecasters.

Don't settle. If you know what you want, don't waste your money trying to make substitutions work. If that means the SG now and the Telecaster later, what's the rush?

 

One of each is a good thing. Here is my #1 and #2

 

Having had an SG with a Vibrola, they vary in break angle of the strings over the bridge. Make sure that the specific one you acquire has enough of a break angle to hold the strings in place as you play. Mine didn't - the strings barely bent over the bridge, and the guitar would only play properly when I replaced the Vibrola with a stop tailpiece.

I have played SGs with Vibrolas which had enough string break, they were glorious.

 

I have a 2019 Standard special edition in pelham blue, which is basically the 61 with different tuners (grovers) and white binding (not cream). It's a beautiful guitar. The only thing that could make it better is a maestro trem.

 

I have a Tele.
I have a Junior.
I tried to have love for an SG, but they feel awkward in my hands.
Get what you love most.
It'll keep you happy longest.

 

I'd get the SG and then sometime in the future the tele, as someone said before, get the SG and a used Classic Vibe, that way you'll have both worlds.

 

Having both would be great. (I do.) My SG ('87 reissue '61 Les Paul/SG Custom... the 3 PU one) has become my go-to guitar even in competition with several other spiffy, pricey instruments. I find that mine has really wide-ranging voices (I have Frampton-style wiring that makes the middle PU really useful) as well as phenomenal action. It's quite a surprise, really, since so many SG players go for P90s or other fairly one-note setups. In my opinion, Clapton was at his best on his SG; Zappa. While many SG models are one dimensional (though great) it can absolutely be a versatile guitar and the good ones hold their ow alongside anything. As for vibrolas, though, they all simply suck. You can maybe get a setup that is not a disaster, but I would not myself ever, ever buy a SG w/ anything but a stopbar. And as versatile as a good Tele is, and I used one as my main player for a long time, I'll take my SG, thanks. Really good humbuckers -- mine has Shaws -- nail it.

 

I have a 2012 '61 RI Les Paul/SG w/the sideways trem.

Even though Gibson says that it was "Re-engineered" it's not any better than the original.

I hard-tailed mine, no more tuning issues!