SmellGibson Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 Clapton found a rack of relatively cheap Fenders (in Nashville, I think) and shipped them back to England. I think he gave Harrison one and then made his own composite from three of his favorites. From then on he was a Strat guy, which suited his country direction. If he had never found that rack .... Plus, tour with a Gibson when you aren't exactly a physically robust individual and an ergonomic alder Strat gradually becomes more and more alluring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 A different example, "Strat to Strat," regarding amp tone...is on the DVD of John Mayall's 70th Birthday Celebration, recorded in Liverpool, several years ago. Buddy Whittington (with John Mayall), and EC were both playing Strats. Granted, Buddy's was a custom made version, to his specs, but still "Strat tones!" The biggest difference in his tone, verses EC''s (discounting "style" of course) was his amp! EC was using a Cornell (open back Fender '57 Twin clone), and Buddy was using a Dr. Z piggy back (closed back cabinet). There was a definite difference! Some viewers preferred Buddy's fatter "richer" tone. But...EC's tone, perfectly fit his "style," too. Interestingly, Mick Taylor, was using a Les Paul Standard, on that same concert, and a "red knob" Fender Twin Reverb. Still sounded like a "Les Paul!" But, don't get me wrong, I love LP's SG's, and ES-thinlines, as well. Just for their specific tone(s). Amps, to me, make more difference, even with the same guitar model/brand, than the actual guitars. But, that's just me... ;>) CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 Hey CB.. Isn't that red knobbed twin called the "Evil Twin"? What a clever name huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 Clapton found a rack of relatively cheap Fenders (in Nashville' date=' I think) and shipped them back to England. I think he gave Harrison one and then made his own composite from three of his favorites. From then on he was a Strat guy, which suited his country direction. If he had never found that rack .... Plus, tour with a Gibson when you aren't exactly a physically robust individual and an ergonomic alder Strat gradually becomes more and more alluring. [/quote'] If I remember correctly, he bought six Strats for $100 each. Three of them became Blackie, the other three were given to George, Pete Townshend, and Steve Winwood. That rack probably didn't make a difference, though - he played Brownie for three years before he started using Blackie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 I guess i'm in the "older" category now, i'm 46. I have, and play, Gibsons, Epis, a Tele(Fender), an Agile LP, and even a bargain basement SX SJM'57 w/P-90s. Some prefer to use 1 or 2 guitars, and "color" their sound with their amp, or a pedal collection. I go the other route, I use a simple tube amp, and plug straight in, sans pedals, effects, etc. All of my guitars are adjusted (p'up height & tuning) to maximize that particular guitars tone, no 2 of them sound alike. I'm not concerned with fretboard mat'l or radius, or even neck profile.......mine run the gamut, and having played for over 35 yrs. I can handle each equally well, the real reason I have diff.style guits is purely for tonal difference. I agree with CB on the point of making a Fender sound very Gibson-like, If I drive my Tele hard enough, and de-tune to D-D, it can be difficult to tell from a Lester, BUT, this is the exact opposite of what I do. I love my Tele, because it twangs like a TELE. In the early 90s I "single tapped" the bridge p'up (a Bill Lawerence circuitboard) on my GLP and guess what.......it sure sounded like a Tele to me. Live & let live.........play 'em ALL like you stole them ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 14, 2010 Share Posted March 14, 2010 CB - I agree on the amp thing. And I also think that if I could get a Gibson neck on a Tele, it still sound like a Tele which is good for certain stuff. But "Bender," heck you're still young. As in, I'm old enough to be your Dad. $#%$#%#%@#$%$#%#%#$%$%@# m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Thanks... Well, we all have our preferences, and experiences. As I said, it's all good! I was just stating my experiences, over the years...that's all. :>) I love ALL my guitars...even if I have "too many" of them, anymore. But, like "Bender," none of them sound alike, they all have the full gamut of neck profiles, and fingerboard materials, and radius, as well. I actually enjoy, those differences, and going back and forth, between the various Fender. Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch, and Rickenbacker models. Fun stuff! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Hey CB.. Isn't that red knobbed twin called the "Evil Twin"? What a clever name huh? Yeah, I think it may have started there....but I know they refer to the Red Knob Twins, as just "Red Knob Twins" too. The Fender "Pro line" 100 watt Twin Amp (as opposed to being monikered "Twin Reverb") was always referred to as the "Evil Twin" because of it's higher wattage, and being able to dial down (via a back dial) the output wattage, too. So, that's the one "I" think of, when they say "Evil Twin," as opposed to the Red Knob, version. They're All Great! LOL! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Wow, I didn't expect to find so many replies when I got back here. I guess that individual taste has the most to do with it in the end, as well as the lightness and sometimes more ergonomical designs, I know because I've had the occasional guilty pleasure of playing some Strats which were absolutely terrific. Still, it seems like aforementioned artists don't realise that they want to play Fenders until later in their career. Taking Townshend as an example once again, during the earliest days of The Who he used to play Strats for quite som time. He then switched to mainly Gibsons and stuck with them for a good couple of years (although he's been known to use Gretsches for studio work), only to go back exclusively to Strats now in the last 10 years... Seems to me that he should've done it earlier, since it's still the same music being played as some thirty years ago. If he decides to use other guitars again, I'd agree that he just felt like playing Strats for a while, but it might have to do with his Fender endorsement. Well, I don't know if there's anything really coherent in there. I just kept on writing some fragments of ideas that kept popping up. All I know is that I couldn't blame anyone for playing different guitars, since a Strat is a possible future investment for myself, but do all gravitate towards them when we've played for a while? And why, in that case? EDIT: Sorry for the huge wall of text, holding back is one of my weaknesses. Oh well, food for thought and discussion I guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwness Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I will jump on the amp train and state through my Orange the Tele can play any heavy rock you want just like a LP. They put the knobs on the amp for a reason. To adjust tone. If I want a country sound I have a red knob fender Power Chorus and the Tele sounds country. Turn the bass, mids down, treble up the LP sounds country. The list that has switch to Fender is pretty impressive. Could it be they just like the way the play and sound. I believe it's something just that simple. I just live the small neck on my Tele you can just rip on it. I believe I'm converting. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I really want a strat-ish guitar myself: 1) Single coils sound better than humbuckers (of course, this is a matter of opinion - but to me the hum canceling process compromises the tone and the picking response) 2) One volume control near the right pinky 3) Better balance than a neck heavy SG with higher fret access than an LP 4) Built in whammy bar 5) Very comfortable contoured body On the other hand: 1) I prefer a 14" radius fretboard and you can't get that on a Fender So I'm really gassing for a Carvin Bolt right now, but I just bought a new saxophone so my GAS money is like the gas tank in my car, running on empty ;-) ? Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lespaulj45 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 2006 Les Paul Std 2003 J45 MC Its in the effects pedal...in the old days the players were relying on the skill and guitars. Nowadays everyone has a pedal board with multiple pedals-why carry a 10 lb Lester around when you can use a light weight Fender and leave the tone to the electronics guy with the mixer board-also take a look at the 4 tractor trailer loads of eqmt they use as they tour-personally I prefer the humbucker sound,but some songs take a single coil tone-gotta love that angry tone...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG fan 420 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Good discussion guys, I like all guitars, Fenders, Gibbys, even Deans and Jacksons. I own one of the nicest Squier Strats i've ever played, plan to get an American Standard or Clapton sig one day. I just can't se me sticking to just one kind. With that said, i'm still in my SG phase, and will be for the forseeable future[biggrin] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've come to notice that quite a few recognised guitarists' date=' such as Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton just off the top of my head (although I know for sure that there are quite a few more), usually start out with Gibsons or similar guitars, to wind up with a Fender. Does this imply that Fenders are guitars for the elderly, or is there some other weird reason as to why they slowly turn into Fenderists?[/quote'] Interesting question. I'm not sure, if moving to Fender guitars as one grows older is always the case, but if so, here's one exception: Mark Knopfler started out playing Strat's and Strat-clones. Now he plays a Les Paul a lot. Maybe Mark is getting stronger in his old age... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I thought it was because they wern't selling as many records so they needed to go cheap. You know you can buy 2 or 3 good fenders for the price of an average Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I'm 28 and have always preferred my Fenders simply because I feel they can take more abuse. I love my Gibson but I don't think I would tour with it. I'm sure there is an interview where they answered that question. Google it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I'm 28 and have always preferred my Fenders simply because I feel they can take more abuse. I love my Gibson but I don't think I would tour with it. I'm sure there is an interview where they answered that question. Google it. That's exactly what Townshend said in the interview someone linked to - he was smashing guitars during the destruction bit at the end of the show, and the Strats could take it. The necks never broke, and it was a lot easier to glue those bodies back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 That's exactly what Townshend said in the interview someone linked to - he was smashing guitars during the destruction bit at the end of the show' date=' and the Strats could take it. The necks never broke, and it was a lot easier to glue those bodies back together.[/quote'] WIN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanbeastie Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 I have a telecaster and an sg special.. both sound completely differen and feel different. the sg is a more attractive guitar and has more oomph and sustain. the tele sounds great for country and middle of the road kinda stuff. its down to taste, strats may sound good but they are pretty unapealing to me to look at Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loneguitar Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 As stated Clapton has been playing fender strats for years, I think somewhere around '69-'70. Where are you getting your observations from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 17, 2010 Author Share Posted March 17, 2010 As stated Clapton has been playing fender strats for years' date=' I think somewhere around '69-'70. Where are you getting your observations from? [/quote'] Well, I was mostly thinking of Cream and such. But I guess Strats are more associated with Clapton since he's been using them for a longer time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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