311splawndude
Well-known member
Congrats my man!
I'm not an SG style guy per say but that is one hot looking git
I'm not an SG style guy per say but that is one hot looking git
TheBiggestJerk
Well-known member
They’re night and day difference from an SG. Heavier, different balance, thicker. An SG is like a toy in comparison.Congrats my man!
I'm not an SG style guy per say but that is one hot looking git
Smash
Hack
Been awhile since i had the clean mounts..which i prefer, but you can put the spring assembly backwards to be able to adjust the height on a clean mount without doing the rings
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
Good info, didn't know that. Thanks Smash. Hope you are well bro.
Smash
Hack
I am a fucking disaster of testosterone and thickheadedness. Aside from that, i am killing it. Hope you got shit goin your way also
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
Agreed. SG's are nice but I was looking for something a little different and the Viper definitely delivers. I can see why metal guys love them but it's gonna make a sweet blues machine too.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
Everything is going well here. I can't really complain about anything. I am definitely a disaster of thickheadedness though. It takes me like 90 minutes to figure stuff out that everyone else gets in a few seconds. My brain is moving a little slower these days I guess....
TheBiggestJerk
Well-known member
They do metal well!
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
This thing has as much chugga-chugga inside as my LP copy. I run thinner gauges so it knocked down some of the bass response but it is definitely LP like on the bottom end. Thick and aggressive.
acceptance
Well-known member
Congrats on the new axe! I wasn't expecting that direction based on the last thread but I guess they're related. I've never tried a viper but I agree about not preferring the SG body profile and weight. And I dig the clean mounts. Hope you can figure figure out adjustability without resorting to rings.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
I've played SG's before. They are nice. Though this kind of has that same general shape, it's more like tele/strat thickness so it's different. It kind of has the top end of a SG or strat/tele, a bit more bite and pluckiness maybe, but the low end is like a LP, powerful. Not quite the treble string sustain of an LP but not as short as a strat or tele would be. It's a nice compromise. And well executed. The stable 3 piece neck, Gibson scale, ebony board, tone pros bridge and stainless frets are stuff that are big selling points to me. I was looking for something that put me at odds with my local blues police. I probably have a warrant out for my arrest now.
TheBiggestJerk
Well-known member
If a guitar has any neck dive I’m immediately turned off. I just can’t. My SG dives, my jr. dives, and my Viper is right on the edge of diving.I've played SG's before. They are nice. Though this kind of has that same general shape, it's more like tele/strat thickness so it's different. It kind of has the top end of a SG or strat/tele, a bit more bite and pluckiness maybe, but the low end is like a LP, powerful. Not quite the treble string sustain of an LP but not as short as a strat or tele would be. It's a nice compromise. And well executed. The stable 3 piece neck, Gibson scale, ebony board, tone pros bridge and stainless frets are stuff that are big selling points to me. I was looking for something that put me at odds with my local blues police. I probably have a warrant out for my arrest now.
acceptance
Well-known member
I'm interested in checking one out. I have always liked the SG shape but not the thin body. As for the naysayers:I've played SG's before. They are nice. Though this kind of has that same general shape, it's more like tele/strat thickness so it's different. It kind of has the top end of a SG or strat/tele, a bit more bite and pluckiness maybe, but the low end is like a LP, powerful. Not quite the treble string sustain of an LP but not as short as a strat or tele would be. It's a nice compromise. And well executed. The stable 3 piece neck, Gibson scale, ebony board, tone pros bridge and stainless frets are stuff that are big selling points to me. I was looking for something that put me at odds with my local blues police. I probably have a warrant out for my arrest now.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
As is mine, it starts to dive very slightly but then stops once it's horizontal. It's still a little unsettling. I made the mistake of letting an otherwise killer guitar that had really bad neck dive go once. I put lighter tuners and heavier metal knobs on, no dice. I should've just thrown a bigsby on there for a counterweight but that was about 2/3rds of what the guitar cost me. After owning a bigsby equipped axe I realize I shouldn't have let it go cause bigsby b7=easy string tension. If it becomes an issue here I will do what it takes to get rid of it cause the guitar is awesome. I don't think it'll need a bigsby but a gold B5 horseshoe would be cool nonetheless.
None of the big box stores had one in stock from Austin to San Antonio so I had to roll the dice. Lot's of EC1000's but no Vipers. I've had good luck buying guitars sight unseen for the most part. I can't imagine not being able to find one to try in your general area. IME the stores have more inventory up there. Then again Mars music is no longer, that store was mind-blowing, and it's been 20+ years since I've been up in your area so maybe things changed. Might pay to check GC website local inventory or make a few calls beforehand.
TheBiggestJerk
Well-known member
I have thought of sewing a small leather pouch with strap button slit, that I can fill with fishing weights and attach to the lower strap button as ballast.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
You could always get some tape weights and put them in the control cavity. I have a 100lbs of lead left from my bullet casting days. I could probably figure out a mold and cast a small insert, drill it, and mount it in there. I'd probably just get a bigsby before I went to all that trouble. Massive hunks of gold hardware are awesome.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
There are some USA Vipers up on Sweetwater right now. You can see the top detail on them. That sucker is impressively thick. Like thicker than maple LP cap thick to accommodate those contours. Couldn't get the Sweetwater pics to post. Here's a photo from Chuck Levin's, you can see it if you look close.
Then I found the pink, er, "raspberry" model.
Then I found the pink, er, "raspberry" model.
napalmdeath
Well-known member
How's the pickups? I've looked at these several times. I really like the see-through cherry, and the open core Fishmans are great pickups. I never pulled the trigger on one because I like a wider neck at the nut. I'm more at home with a Gibson.. I'd love to maybe pick up an SG Modern. Those are thicker with the mahogany body/maple top - more of an LP vibe.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
The pickups on mine are the SD Sentient/Pegasus combo. For my usual max treble EQ on my Twin the Sentient seems too bright, probably because they geared it for high gain and I'm doing blues stuff with this guitar. "Dial back the treble", well, the maxed treble setting is ideal with a 57 classic and this needs to work without messing with the EQ since I plan on gigging it as a secondary, if not primary, instrument.
I'm waiting on some rings I ordered and plan on replacing the pickups and adding concentric vol/tone controls so I can get good in between/middle position sounds. I have a Lollar DB for the bridge and a 490r on the way for the neck. I know I should probably give the Sentient another chance but I'm not gonna dink around. The Sentient is gonna go in an LP copy that I'm ripping the Lollar out of so it'll at least get some testing.
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VonBonfire
Well-known member
BTW @napalmdeath I like a wider nut also but strangely the Viper feels wider than I expected, especially as you get towards the 12th, which I attribute to the thin U shape. In your hunt you might want to check out an SG Supreme as they have a maple cap also and pricing isn't totally insane.