What's The Difference? Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG VOS VS Gibson USA SG Standard 61

[@frankdardano3182]

Whoa mama, you dont mess around, you covered EVERYTHING salient to the SG. Your effort is astounding considering all aspects of this particular guitar.Its fun and easy to talk guitars, but we need important facts that will help us decide what is best, and price, options etc. Thank you for your output, lt counts to many!

[@tonyhills2112]

Thanks for the comparison! I ended up picking up the Standard ‘61 for less than half the price but I can appreciate the Custom is a beautiful instrument. I upgraded mine with Lollar Imperials, 50’s wiring with better pots & caps, the double ring Klusons and yes, the Les Paul truss rod cover! Not quite a custom shop but maybe somewhere in between and saved a few $. Looking forward to the sound comparison!

[@ocelotl23]

Same, I went for the standard 61, for that it offers i just couldn't justify the price of the CS,Ñ.

[@E33574]

great rundown

[@leadstrat]

I really enjoyed your video. I ordered my CS 61 several hours before I watched and now that I have it, I agree. It is the best playing SG I’ve ever played. I got a ridiculous deal on it and am very impressed with it. It’s so balanced. And light. It’s only 6 lbs 5 oz and it does not neck dive. Which is a first for me. It’s probably the least expensive way to enter the Gibson Custom world, but it truly an exceptional instrument. I haven’t seen the first bad review on it.

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

Congrats!! The '61 along with the '64 are BY FAR the best SGs I have ever played! The VOS stuff is just a completely different level! Cheers -Ryan

[@artotian]

honestly both sound great. i had a gibson sg 61 standard - traded it with 2 more guitars for an r9.. been missing one ever since. now have a custom on its way to fill the void haha.

[@marcospintor1333]

Does the Gibson USA come with Chrome or nickel? I love the look of the slightly aged and cloudyness of the Custom Shop hardware. Can you theoretically age the USA sg to make it look like the custom shop? Or it not possible because it’s chrome

[@jhwk1970]

That’s interesting. I bought an Original Series side trem 61’ SG the first morning they were released. It passes the critical test of them all-I really like it. Back in 61’ I was an 8th grader and my Dad matched my lawn mowing savings money and we bought a brand new SG Standard. I played it until it was stolen when I was a junior in college. This new one captures the mojo of my original.

[@brianseneca3546]

sorry to hear about that! what did you pay in '61 do you remember? Your story is VERY similar to mine, only 22 years later. My Dad did the same thing and met my halfway from my lawn mowing/snow shoveling money in 1983 when..... I was in 8th grade! By mine was the new then Les Paul Studio. I was a little short but Dad saved the day. I miss him more than words can say.

[@jhwk1970]

@@brianseneca3546 i think it was $295.00 with hard case or right around that. I had actually saved enough to get the white Custom. The fall Saturday that we headed off to Lyon Healy in downtown Chicago they had no Customs in stock. They had just received a new red Standard and we bought that. They unboxed it while we were standing there. Dad was happy it was cheaper and I was just excited to get a new Gibson…..even if it wasn’t the dream white one. I eventually did play a Custom and discovered the center pickup was in my way. I quickly bonded with my red Standard so it all worked out fine. I soon learned to never touch that side trem arm. Memories. Here I am 76 and still talking about my Dad. That’s how important he was in my life.

[@MikeRay1978]

I mess with my switch and dials. But I always end up bridge pickup on kill eventually lol

[@TommySG1]

Hey man, I dig your feeds, very cool stuff. I’m an SG guy, I love them and I currently own three of them. None are a custom shop and I love all three of them, I’ve checked out a handful of the customs and sure, they were nice. For me, it just wasn’t enough to justify the CS cost. I’m not saying I’ll never get one either, maybe one of these days but the Standards and the Special I own now just play real nice so I’m good 🤙

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

That’s the point. You don’t need a custom if you bond with the Gibson USA. That’s awesome! Cheers -Ryan

[@TommySG1]

@@Crypticmaskguitar precisely man 🤙 And thanks again for the cool feeds.

[@SisGuitarGAS]

Great video - thank you! I’m currently restoring a Gibson USA 1992 61 reissue that somehow sits between the two (it has a one piece mahogany body, a fairly deep red colour and lovely dark rosewood board but otherwise the specs are very similar to today’s USA standard). Lovely guitars

[@SisGuitarGAS]

Oh and I too clearly need to get a LP truss rod cover as I too am a nerd

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

Nice! The 90s SGs were quite nice! Most usually had the wider horns as well. Most USAs even then were 2 piece mahogany, but I have a USA Maestro that I cannot for the life of me trace the seam. Gibson USA are experts at hiding seams. Cheers -Ryan

[@samnewton5959]

Nice video, well done! One thing you did not seem to go into is the difference in the sound of the pickups (Custombuckers vs Burstbuckers)

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

Yes. As stated in the video… I’m a nerd haha! Cheers -Ryan

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

You changed your comment completely. My response doesn’t make sense haha. I have a Sound Comparison video that I had done separate from this one. There I show 5 Different Amps/Settings and then at the end I talk about the differences between the two guitars feel and sound wise, including the pickups. Cheers -Ryan

[@samnewton5959]

@@Crypticmaskguitar Sorry about that, I realized later on you noted you had purchased the aftermarket bell cover. I will check out your other vid. Thanks!

[@brianseneca3546]

Always been a Les Paul guy. Sold Gibson at Wray Music in Lemoyne Pa in the late 90's early 2000s. Never owned one but played a lot in the store, just never pulled the trigger as I was only a LP guy. My buddy who works BCR Music also in Lemoyne said "take this home and see if you like it, I may sell it." Its the 61 USA Standard with the tremelo. I AM OBSSESSED with it!! So much I have considered going Custom Shop, because I own several R9's and R8's and there IS a difference! I came here for that very reason, but I am not hearing a noticeably difference tonally? May just stay with my USA

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

The pickups are sweeter in the top end rather than overpowered like the 61R/T. The biggest thing is going to be feel. I have the ‘64 VOS with maestro vibrola and it’s night and day to the USA. Different neck size as well. It has the R9 neck. Cheers -Ryan

[@oscarvestee]

Is it worthy to pay the extra $$ for a custom shop??? I do have the Gibson USA 62 Marstro vibrola and very happy with it! I do use the volume knobs a lot.

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

It’s all up to your preferences. I find the differences night and day. To me and for me it is well worth the money. But everyone is different. Cheers -Ryan

[@bryancollins6796]

The cherry on Custom Shop will fade in sunlight to brown as the originals did. The USA version won't fade out like that. Some USAs do have single piece bodies, but that's more of an exception.

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

Yes, that is part of the charm of VOS finishes. The 58-59 Bursts were technically all the same colour but faded differently depending on sun exposure and type of sunlight. Single piece bodies are a rarity for USA Models... most of the "Single Piece" bodies are actually 2 pieces, but, Gibson is ridiculously good at hiding seams. But they certainly do exist. I might have one in my Maestro Standard... but I'm not totally convinced. Cheers -Ryan

[@birdman316]

man you had me fooled haha!!! i was sure the darker fingerboard one was ebony... they both are sweet guitars tho! i got a epiphone SG traditional pro in gold on sale for 329USD....reg price 500USD...traded a couple of minty/new strat style ones plus a bit o cash...took a bit of a pounding on the trade value but emerged bight-eyed bushytailed n happy! wild thing is the amp i chose to check the SG out on was a nice marshall tube one yay yaaa!!

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

That’s awesome! Yeah the dark rosewood can be a bit deceiving at a distance. Cheers -Ryan

[@FrankMacDonell]

The difference in appearance is like how cookie dough looks in an oven after a minute. The VOS BEVELS and horns look slightly melted and rounded. I have owned both.

[@brunoantony9257]

VOS=Vintage Original Spec

[@Crypticmaskguitar]

For most, yes. But VOS for Gibson custom is meant to indicate the finish type. VOS is Vintage Original Sheen as opposed to Murphy Lab finish. Very quick to verify that on Gibson’s website. But otherwise VOS (any other company) would be Vintage Original Spec. Cheers -Ryan

[@parandersson6541]

A young Robert deNiro?

[@kaan8296]

2500 euros