Vintage Gibson Sonex

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Fri May 04, 2012 2:48 am

Not familiar with this model, Sonex, but it looks pretty interesting, and a nice price for vintage Gibson.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1981...64125987547657

JJLipton · Post by **JJLipton** » Fri May 04, 2012 4:32 am

My friend has one, honestly i thought it was a piece of crap.

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Fri May 04, 2012 4:41 am

I agree with JJ, I'm a gibson fan but hear that these are mediocre

Billy3000 · Post by **Billy3000** » Fri May 04, 2012 5:12 am

One of my student's parents have one. It's REALLY HEAVY! It feels like the body is made out of concrete and lead. I've never heard it plugged in before though because my student plays acoustic. The weight alone would be enough to make me never want to play it though. It's probably almost twice as heavy as any Les Paul I've ever picked up.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Fri May 04, 2012 8:06 am

I've always liked the look of them, but hear horror stories about the laminate/composite body construction. The dirty fingers pickups aren't to everyones taste either, and some of the finished (black ones mainly) are prone to discolouration and cracking.

NickS · Post by **NickS** » Fri May 04, 2012 8:15 am

That's this but just check for gibson sonex, there are more than a couple on ebay right now.

Here's another Gibson I hadn't heard of, suggested by ebay.

dub · Post by **dub** » Fri May 04, 2012 9:33 am

Cheapest, and probably the heaviest gibsons ever made.

I've got one of the upper tier ones with the dirty fingers and an ebony/maple neck. It's a piece of shit, but the first 'nice' guitar I ever owned, and is so comfortable and worn in from thirty years of abuse. It sounds plenty ferocious too, although I have a love hate relationship with the DF, they're unpredictable pups.

The resin over wood bodies are rock hard, although maybe if you get them wet they melt... aha The paint rubs off soon as you look at it. I think it reacts with sweat. They really cut some corners with the Sonex.

Some extra flattering shots taken on the smokers' balcony at my old apartment:

► Show Spoiler

cooter · Post by **cooter** » Fri May 04, 2012 10:39 am

dub wrote:Some extra flattering shots taken on the smokers' balcony at my old apartment:

► Show Spoiler

It looks sexy. If I had one I'd want it to look just like that.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Fri May 04, 2012 11:21 am

Never played one, but when I started playing (back in the early 90's) there was a guy who used to busk in Glasgow; doing Pink Floyd covers with one of these and he got some excellent gilmour tones out of his...

dub · Post by **dub** » Fri May 04, 2012 11:31 am

Yeah, I've always had the horrible suspicion that it plays a bit like a strat.
Maple bolt on neck, pg-mounted pickups over a huge swimming pool route.

The only 'professional musician' I've seen with one is Jimmy Bower from Eyehategod, and one of the guys from Hammerhead.
oh, I think I spotted one in the background of a Hank II interview too, not sure if it was his.

johnnyseven · Post by **johnnyseven** » Fri May 04, 2012 11:57 am

Is the Sonex the guitar that the guy from Harvey Milk plays?

Zack · Post by **Zack** » Fri May 04, 2012 6:28 pm

I think the guy in harvey milk plays a marauder.

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:50 pm

Harmony Central Forum "The Gibson Sonex" thread circa 2009:

"those 2 ( sonex and Marauder) were some of the worst guitars Gibson ever made"

http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/gr ... luxe_1.jpg

Still want this Blonde one At Lavonne Music in Savage MN cuz I got a thing for blondes.

[youtube][/youtube]

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:16 pm

Lol look at the back of the neck joint. It's so fucked. Not straight

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:51 pm

robroe wrote:Lol look at the back of the neck joint. It's so fucked. Not straight

But the guitar looks not straight

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:57 am

Hahah looks like the neck is pointing down like 10Ã‚Â°

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Wed Feb 26, 2020 3:58 am

Can confirm the Sonex sucks. Tried one at Real Guitars in San Francisco. Heavy af, pieced together from some weird material, didn't care for the sound. Would recommend avoiding at all costs.

gusman2x · Post by **gusman2x** » Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:14 am

dezb1 wrote:Never played one, but when I started playing (back in the early 90's) there was a guy who used to busk in Glasgow; doing Pink Floyd covers with one of these and he got some excellent gilmour tones out of his...

Yeah, the guy in St Enoch square? Wow, remember him well.

kingkiller · Post by **kingkiller** » Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:54 am

ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s like one of those LPs with single coils that Epiphone put out in the toothpaste colors that everyone loved but no one could find anywhere, except with humbuckers and mojo finish. That sounds more disparaging than I mean it to, IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢d definitely play one if the consensus wasnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t a resounding Ã¢â‚¬Å“ASSÃ¢â‚¬Â� (and if I could find one)

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Wed Feb 26, 2020 8:08 am

I'l tell you where you can find one Thursday