History Of The Gibson SG Guitar

The Gibson SG guitar is one of the most coveted guitars in history. Many musicians over the years have fallen in love with the SG and have remained loyal to Gibson. Here is a bit of the history of the SG for you to enjoy.

Around the year 1960, the Gibson guitar makers were suffering through a sales slump. Not that the Les Paul was not selling, as it was and very nicely. The trouble was that music was evolving and musicians were looking for a sound, or tone, different from what the Les Paul offered.

David Platter

So in 1961, Gibson radically altered the body shape so it was now thinner, more lightweight and now featured a double cutaway neck area that permitted deeper access to the higher frets. The neck took on a heavier construction and the neck joint was raised approximately three frets higher. This was done in hopes of competing with Fender's Stratocaster model, which was gaining popularity then.

History Of The Gibson SG Guitar

The new design was marketed with the "fastest neck in the world" and this was largely a fact. The neck had a thinner profile (from the side) and with the higher neck joint, the heel was no longer an obstruction, as was the case with the Les Pauls.

Another name was sought because the guitar looked nothing like a Les Paul. Since the guitar was it's inventor's namesake, Les Paul (the inventor of the electric guitar and the Les Paul design) asked that his name removed from the new design completely.

So, the good people at Gibson brainstormed and called the new model an "SG". Ironically enough, this was simply short for "solid guitar".

The Gibson factory had an abundance of plastic "Les Paul" nameplates in stock. So even though Les Paul's name was removed in 1961, Gibson continued to manufacture SG's with the nameplate between the topmost pickup and the fret board until the end of 1963. Finding one of these early SG's with a Les Paul nameplate would truly be a valuable collector's item.

Since the SG was introduced in early 1961, numerous variations have been made carrying the SG name. There was a standard model (SG Standard) as well as a junior model (SG Junior). Then the top of the line Gibson SG Custom made the scene. Curiously, the SG Customs manufactured from 1961-63 did not say 'SG' on them, yet they did have a Les Paul signature plate under the fret board, as did all Les Paul's.

From 1961 to early '63, the truss rod cover on the SG Standard was engraved with "Les Paul". The SG featured a small pick guard on models made between 1961 and 1965. Then, in 1966, another slight redesigning took place. Now the SG had a different type of neck joint and a batwing-shaped pick guard appeared on models from 1967 upwards.

The design was firm until around 1970 or so. The year 1971 saw the release of a new version of the SG with a floating pick guard reminiscent of the Les Paul. Also the control plate was mounted from the front to decrease construction cost.

A variety of quality tailpieces were offered as options as well. Notable ones were the "Maestro", the "Lyre Vibrola" and the Bigsby vibrato tremolo arm. A few new designs were brought into play with the new tailpiece design. A few of these were the SG 100 (a low end version that was more affordable) and the SG 200 (with two single coil pickups). On the higher end of the SG spectrum were the SG Pro and the SG Deluxe models.

Gibson returned to the original design of the SG in 1973. The pick guard went retro to the small original pick guard and the controls were moved to the rear again and the neck was set deeper into the body with a joining point around the twentieth fret. But by the end of that decade, all the SG models reverted mostly to the old design. Current models are now made with 1967-1969 constructions, the larger LP style pick guard that encases the pickups on the SG body. Variations are still available with the small pick guard. Re-issues of the SG are common and popular.

These guitars resemble their 1960's brothers except that a stop tailpiece is now standard. Models of the SG with a vibrato tailpiece are now a custom item or a special edition model.

The first SG that had active factory pickups was introduced in 1980. Gibson tested an SG model with the same active Moog electronics that were being used (or had been used) in a previous model called the RD Artist. This experimental SG sported a thicker body due to the extraneous added circuitry. This model was lovingly nicknamed the "Gibson SG-R1".

The SG-R1 was made of solid mahogany with a black glossy finish. It had no pick guard, the fret inlays were "dots" opposed to original trapezoid shapes and it featured transparent barrel knobs for the treble and bass controls ranging from "0" to "+5" or "-5" instead of "1" to "10". There was also an extra switch to activate a "boost" on the bridge pickup.

The SG-R1 had a fixed bridge with a tremolo/whammy bar standard. Gibson renamed the SG-R1 the "SG Artist" circa 1981 and subsequently discontinued it. Of these SG's, there were only about 200 ever made.

Today the Gibson SG guitar is still as popular as ever and is used by some of the top guitarists to ever strap on an axe. Some of Gibson's loyal users are Angus Young (AC/DC), Hank Williams Jr, Jeff Tweedy (Wilco), Marilyn Manson, Nic Cester (Jet), Pete Townshend (The Who), Shakira and Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath).

History Of The Gibson SG Guitar

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12 Ways to Cook a Steak

Sometimes we get in a rut and eat the same thing over and over again. Well, if you've been fixing steak for the past few years in the same old ways, it's time for your taste buds to come alive with flavor. It's time for your spirit to soar with joy when you stimulate your new taste buds in very different ways. Here are some ideas for you on different ways to fix steak.

1 Add a Touch of the Ocean

David Platter

Cut a slit in a steak that's one and a half inches thick and stuff a raw oyster in it. Skewer the slit shut with a toothpick. Grill the steak in a skillet and then place the steak on a warm plate. Use the pan drippings to sauté scallions and garlic. Add a little oyster juice to the mixture, warm briefly in the pan and pour over the grilled steak. Warning: This one may be good for the sex drive!

12 Ways to Cook a Steak

2 Simplicity is Often Best

Brush steak with melted butter before grilling or barbecuing. Right before serving, add salt and pepper.

3 Garlic Lovers Will Love This One

Cut garlic cloves in half. Rub garlic cloves on both surfaces of the raw steak. Cook steak over fire until done. Add sautéed onions, garlic, and parsley on top of steak when finished.

4 Papaya Rubs Tenderizers the Meat

With ripe papaya strips in your hand, rub the fruit into both surfaces of the steak before cooking. Use the fruit side, not the outer peel side. Set the steak aside at room temperature for 10 minutes. Repeat process two additional times. Then cook. This one helps improve digestion.

5 Mushroom Stuffed Steak

When your heart tells you to fix a steak as a comfort food, mushrooms may help.

With a big 2-inch t-bone steak or porterhouse, make several slits into the meat large enough to stuff a teaspoon of mushroom into the slit. Soak fresh button mushrooms in water for 20 minutes, then drain and dice. Add a sprinkle of herbs such as basil, oregano, dill, and rosemary. Mix together. Spoon into the slits. Close slits with a toothpick. Cook steak. Serve with mushroom gravy or mushroom soup on top steak.

6 Breakfast Steak

While steak is grilling in the broiler or in a skillet, fry an egg in clarified butter in another small skillet. Use clarified butter; you've probably been using regular butter all these years! Cook the egg sunny-side up. When the steak is finished cooking to your preferred doneness, transfer it to a warm plate. Add the egg on top. With a little salt and pepper, you're ready to go.

7 Cowboy Style Outside on the Range

With all the ways to fix a steak, cowboys loved to fire up the campfire and add dried cow manure to the fire. After the fire is at the right temperature, add the steak to the grate about 4 inches away from the heat source. Salt and pepper to taste. One cowboy reported that he wasn't too thrilled about the preparation method until he tasted the steak. There were no leftovers that night!

8. Shake the Steak With Herbs

Get a plastic bag or ziplock bag. Add 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, a few tablespoons of olive oil, a half cup wine, and herbs such as 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano, summer savory, thyme, lemon pepper and salt. Just shake the herbs into the bag into a surprising combination. Add the steak to the bag. Shake, thus coating the steak with the mixture. Remove steak from bag and grill. This steak will be filled with flavor. You'll want to call all your friends and tell them how this one tastes.

9. Shake The Steak with Herbs and Flour

There are so many variations of how to fix steak it would amaze even your grandfather. This time, get another plastic bag. Add 1/2 cup white wine, a few tablespoons of olive oil, a few tablespoons of flour, and herbs such as 1/2 teaspoon basil, oregano, summer savory, thyme, lemon pepper and salt. Add the steak to the bag. Shake, thus coating the steak with the mixture. Remove from bag and grill. Serve with a bottle of wine.

10. Love Anchovies? Fix a Steak with Them!

Fix your steak as usual, grilling it, broiling it or barbecuing it. When it's finished, add a salty topping of diced green olives with red pimento and anchovies.

11. Kiwi Peach Steak

Of all the ways to fix a steak, this is my favorite. Take one very ripe kiwi and one very ripe peach and dice into very small pieces. These fruits should be very juicy. Mix in a nonmetallic bowl. Use this as your marinade for the meat: add the steak to the bowl, covering the steak with the mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 6 hours. Then when you're ready to cook, wipe off the fruit from the steak and place on grill. Great flavor. Serve with peach pudding when you're feeling fruity!

12. Soy Sauce Standby

Use soy sauce as a marinade. Add up to 1/2 cup wine and kitchen herbs to the marinade. Soak steak in mixture for 30 minutes prior to cooking. Makes a very tasty steak.

12 Ways to Cook a Steak

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Manchego Cheese - Serving Suggestions For the Best Spanish Cheese

Manchego Cheese is an ancient and delicious Spanish cheese which has been made since well before the birth of Christ. We'll give you some background on this great cheese before getting down to business - novel and delicious Manchego cheese recipe suggestions.

Ever heard of Don Quixote? You might remember his tilting at windmills. He's the hero of one of the greatest novels of all-time, written by a man named Miguel de Cervantes. This was all set in the La Mancha region of Spain -- we mention it because it's also the only place in the world where real Manchego Cheese can be made.

There's a board in this pretty region in central Spain which keeps a close eye on the cheese-makers, certifying that the Queso Manchego is made from the milk of the Manchega sheep and aged for 60 days or more. Only then can they put the special D.O. sticker on it certifying that it's an authentic and tasty Manchego.

Manchego Cheese - Serving Suggestions For the Best Spanish Cheese

This whole regulation process has only existed since the early 1980s, but Manchego Cheese has been made in this area for much longer than that. Cervantes mentions it in Don Quixote, which was written in the very early 1600s, so it's at least that old. Or much older -- historians say that there's evidence that very similar cheese was made in La Mancha well before the birth of Christ, so in fact the cheese is thousands of years old! You can't actually buy a thousand year old cheese, though, and probably just as well! Manchego comes in three varieties, depending on how long it's been aged for (in a cave, no less):

A Manchego Fresco is a white, fresh variety of the cheese aged for only a couple of weeks. This is hard to get outside Spain and is not technically a real Manchego, but still has a great smooth, rich flavour. You'll just have to make a trip over there to eat it! Most common is the Manchego Curado which gets between three and six months of aging. It's semi-solid and a yellowish-white, with a mild, nutty taste and a smooth, creamy texture. It's an excellent melting cheese and very complementary to all kinds of flavours. My favourite, however, is the Manchego Viejo. This is aged for up to a year and so is a bit more expensive. The colour is a rich yellow and the cheese is much more solid, with a complex flavour -- an intense, peppery body with a sharp edge to it and the characteristic sheep's milk aftertaste. It's a main course cheese, as you'll see...

Now that we've whetted your appetite, how do you get hold of a delicious Manchego? Most gourmet supermarkets or delicatessens should have some for you to choose from - but look closely to make sure you're buying real Manchego. Make sure that you see the herringbone pattern on the rind, the wheat ear pattern on the top and bottom of the wheel, and most importantly, the official D.O. tab on the back which gives you confidence that it's real. And now it's finally time to make a meal! There's no limit to the versatility of these cheeses, especially if you can get hold of multiple types, but here are some Manchego serving suggestions which work well for us:

First, Spanish tapas platter: a strong Manchego Viejo works perfectly in the middle of a tapas platter, surrounded by gorgeous Spanish Jamon, green olives, crusty bread and dulce de membrillo (a sweet quince paste). This should be your first option for Viejo. For a Manchego Curado, you have infinite options. Apple and Manchego Salad is easy -- a salad of tart Granny Smith apples, smooth Manchego Curado cheese, chives, smoked almonds, olive oil and apple cider vinegar. How about a Manchego Hot Dog? It's a hot dog variant with a Spanish touch. A crusty bun with deep red chorizo sausage, rocket and Manchego Curado. Italian fusion Manchego Pizza: take a good thin pizza base, cover with tomato passata mixed with paprika, add slices of fresh tomato, sweet green olives and top with grated manchego curado - simple yet so effective!

Think carefully about how you serve this beautiful cheese and you'll be rewarded.

Manchego Cheese - Serving Suggestions For the Best Spanish Cheese
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David runs a site all about manchego cheese because he loves it! He's always adding more serving suggestions for queso manchego, so keep an eye out over there if you like what you've seen.