Saiichi Sugiyama Talks about the Gibson SG in "The SG Sound"

Four instruments sit at the head table in the pantheon of solidbody electric guitars that defined and continue to define the sound of rock ‘n’ roll and related genres: the Fender Stratocaster; the Fender Telecaster; the Gibson Les Paul; and the Gibson SG. Saiichi Sugiyama, in his Modern Guitars column, Vintage, chronicles his relationship with the Gibson SG: “The SG Sound.” Says Sugiyama: “Someone told me that Carlos Santana played “Samba Pa Ti” on his early ’60s SG Special. The harmonics on my SG sounded, to my ears, not dissimilar despite the obvious P-90 colouring of that tone. Eric Clapton said, when we were doing the research for the Christie’s 2004 catalogue, that the March 1968 “Crossroads” on Wheels of Fire was played on his cherry-red 335 - but, to be honest, I am not convinced. To my ears, it sounds like a mahogany guitar – his Firebird or more likely the painted SG known as The Fool.”