Jake E. Lee has given Yungblud's signature guitar his seal of approval, revealing he's added the affordable Epiphone SG Junior to his collection.
“I bought a Yungblud [Epiphone] SG [Junior],” the former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist reveals in the latest edition of Guitarist. “It’s good, but I had it refretted because it had these skinny frets and I like jumbos.
“I prefer aluminum bridges, too, especially when it’s a one-piece tailpiece like that, because aluminum sings a bit more. But I can’t swap it with the Yungblud SG because they use a tailpiece that’s slanted and cut specifically to that guitar. But it’s a really good guitar, especially for the price.”
Add that to the list of Ozzy connections that now link Lee with the rock 'n' roll torchbearer. Both Lee and Yungblud played at Ozzy's farewell show, Back to the Beginning – an experience that famously highlighted the close bond that Yungblud had with the late Prince of Darkness.
As for Lee's newest guitar, the smartly styled SG Junior – which retails for $599 and is currently sold out on the official Gibson site – takes inspiration from the Grammy-winning artist's original 1964 Gibson model.
It boasts a Classic White colorway, one Dogear Epiphone P-90 Pro – wired to CTS volume and tone potentiometers – and a compensated wraparound Lightning Bar bridge. It's an attractive offering for Yungblud fans and Gibson/Epiphone aficionados alike – and, apparently, Jake E. Lee. Guitar World gave it a tidy four star review.
“Guitars and rock music have always been a fundamental part of my life,” Yungblud said upon the launch. “Literally, my education, I grew up on the counter of a guitar shop, and I’ve been dusting them since I was three years old.
“The reason why I play a White ‘64 SG Junior is because growing up, musicians that were important in my life were Angus Young and Billie Joe Armstrong. This SG Junior is entirely my own, and it already looks fucking iconic,” he concluded.
And, speaking of Yungblud, the British breakout star recently revealed why he will never join a band – despite collaborations with Aerosmith and the Smashing Pumpkins.
For more from Jake E. Lee, plus new interviews with Robben Ford and Kim Gordon, pick up issue 535 of Guitarist from Magazines Direct.
