Head to head
Four Sg-style beauties with classic rock credentials
In terms of playability, the Gibson, Yamaha and Guild guitars have a similar feel. Only the LTD bucks the trend with its ultra-skinny effort. Upper fret access on all four contenders is great thanks to the deep cutaways. Big frets equal easy stringbending. The flattish fingerboards help too from the Gibson-approved 305mm [12"] radius on the, er, Gibson and Guild to the even flatter ‘Super Strat’ feel of the LTD and Yamaha.
Plugging in, you can hear why the mahogany/ humbucker partnership has been so enduring. All four guitars have an agreeable level of jangle when run clean. That’s especially prevalent in the bridge Seymour Duncan JB on the Viper. That pickup - usually nicknamed ‘the Jeff Beck’ -has bags of midrange punch. Think of it as a great all-round classic rock pup that sparkles clean yet likes to scream when you pile on the filth.
Speaking of the heavy stuff, we love the grunt of the Guild’s humbuckers. If you like your dirt fat, thick and intense - like Soundgarden for instance - you’ll get off on these things.
The SG feels alive in your hands before you even plug it in. It pumps out an impressive level of sustain. It’s also brighter than we expected. That could be down to the stiff maple neck but whatever the reason for it, we like it. As with the other guitars on review here, the SG’S neck pickup comes over warm and jazzy but it’s the bridge pup that takes you on a sonic journey from mid-60s George Harrison to 70s Angus.
Given that three of these guitars have all-mahogany bodies and full-blown humbuckers, it’s left to the Yamaha RS620 to offer some different voices. For a start, the maple top adds a frisson of treble to the mix. Kick in the ‘dry switch’ and there’s your authentic single-coil tones. That extended tonal palette might just be enough to push it ahead of the competition for you.
if you like your dirt fat and thick you’ll love the grunt of the guild’s humbuckers