Why is Fender better than Gibson?

[LarryUK]

Which is better? It's personal choice.

That's what makes it great. Wouldn't it be boring if we all had the same guitar?

It's like White or brown bread.

Skimmed or full fat milk.

Everything has it's place.

 

Be greedy. Buy both.

[retrosurfer1959]

Got to love these old post that get resurrected, especially the ones that didn't make sense the first time they were posted. But heck I'll play along so like David Letterman used to do here is the top ten reasons Fender guitars are better than Gibson.

 

I think Fenders especially Strats are a great guitar for all the guys that are approaching middle age and feeling like they missed out on the rock dream as teens and now have the disposable income to go buy a "real" guitar that they will never really learn to play but it will look cool and thay can feel great when there friends see it. I mean just think of the benefits

 

10. They are instantly recognizable to most people that grew up in the last forty years

9. They come painted all kinds of cool colors that sound really rock and roll and bring back memories of surfer movies with Annette Funicello

8. They are less expensive then a Gibson so it doesn't cost as much to pretend

7. The poly lasts forever so even if you leave it on a cheap guitar stand for years - no PROBLEM

6. Easy to repair and work on so even if you abuse the poor thing and leave in in the wrong place even if the neck warps - so what you can bolt a new one on.

5. You can even get Road Worn like a real rockstar so people will think you were a wild Rock and Roll star that wore your guitar out and heck you get it that way and don't have to pay extra to have Tom or somebody else make it well worn.

4. The double cutaway makes it really easy to hold on your lap when your taking your christmas picture with your trophy girlfriend and your new leather jacket.

3. There easy to mod and buy accessories for so when people don't believe you own a guitar you can't play you can dazzle them explaining all the cool mod's you did to make it sound just like Blackie or SRV depending on what part of the world you live in.

2. If your housekeeper knocks it off it's stand dusting it no worries just more MOJO to tell your friends about that time you were playing in a roadhouse and ...

1. And the number one reason that Fenders are better than Gibson is John Mayer, when you start dating a girl half your age chances are good she won't know who Les Paul or Warren Haynes or Peter Green are but she'll know who John Mayer is since she was crushing on him in grade school when she really hoped her "Body was a Wonderland", so when you say you have the same guitar she'll think your so cool it won't matter if your just a balding dork posing as a guitar player.

[Versatile]

For Rock, I don't think anything can beat the raw power of a Les Paul or an SG plugged through a Marshall stack... for blues however, a 62 Strat is way better than any Gibson, ES-335s come close but it's just not the same.

 

Sorry to have to 're-educate' you, particularly on a Sunday

but

They are Both Equally Fabulous

 

 

I rest my case.

[bluesguitar65]

Lets get serious about this.

 

Lets use the most common PRS (IMO) the Mccarty guitar.

This is a very nice looking guitar, but it can only really handle rock and blues. Im trying to get those smooth jazz tones out of the SS amp (cube 60) i played with it but it doesn't seem to really work out(Joe Pass warm tone you know?). Now i plug it into a Marshall and once the gain knob goes past 5 it starts sounding really muddy, no problem just mess around with EQ right? Nope! Still got muddy tones, id expect more from such a famous guitar.

 

Now lets play an SG std! OK straight off the bat we all know this can handle blues and rock and anything else. Lets try Jazz eh? OK plug it into a Roland cube 60...mess around with it and...BOOM the warm tone i was searching for. Just gotta play with that tone knob you know? Now lets talk metal! The SG pups i would say are medium output just like the ones on the PRS...so why should this be any different? Good question, i dont really ****ing know! So plug it into a Tiny terror (the Marshall for the PRS was the KK amp) and boom, nice stoner metal tones that even Sleep would raise their hat offs to.

 

Gibson 1

PRS 0

 

Next? Any suggestions? Ill take offers!

 

A sample video supporting your findings would probably suffice, but comments presented as facts without sufficent support are merely "OPINIONS" and should be taken with a grain of salt.

[bluesguitar65]

Ok. I've got it. Umm, and the winner is, Uhh, let me get back to you.

 

 

 

 

 

Your collection isn't complete without a Les Paul

[Andre S]

Hello Kitty Squier vs the Epiphone Pirates of the Carribbean SG.

 

GO

 

Its Caribbean.

One r.

[Laaz]

 

[Versatile]

Which is better? It's personal choice.

That's what makes it great. Wouldn't it be boring if we all had the same guitar?

It's like White or brown bread.

Skimmed or full fat milk.

Everything has it's place.

 

Be greedy. Buy both.

 

Skimmed milk...brown bread...every time.

[Shnate McDuanus]

Hubert Sumlin sounded just as righteous with a Strat as he did with a Les Paul.

 

Jim McCarty kicked *** with a Les Paul and a Strat in Cactus--and kicked *** with a Byrdland with Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels (and say what you will about them--they were one hell of a band.)

 

Johnny Winter tore it up with a Gibson Firebird, a Fender XII (strung with six strings), an Erlewine Lazer, a Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Gibson ES-125, a Fender Stratocaster, a Gibson SG, a Fender Mustang, an Epiphone Wilshire, a Gibson Flying V, a Gibson Super 400(!) and plenty of other guitars.

 

If you're good, you can sound like it regardless of what you use (as long as it's something you're comfortable with, I think.) In fact...if you're average or even "bad," you can sound like it regardless of what you use--this I know from personal experience.

 

But yeah, I think Gibson, Fender, PRS, so on and so forth, are really all just as good as one another. Just for different people and at different times.

[Hall]

I agree! Everyone "needs" an LP, a Strat, a Tele and a 335.

 

 

 

And a, Reinhardt 18.

 

 

Steve

[sparky scott 29]

Is one really that much better than the other??

I say that they are different, and I prefer a Gibby, but, both are great guitars..... From Page to Gilmour, is there really a better guitar???

[lazarusvt84]

The Gibson/Fender debate will continue long after our youngest member here is finally not playing any more yet the debate will continue. The two camps are totally different and the thing I love about the different camps is different tones, the guitars are different etc... With my Gibsons (LP/SG) you have tone and sustain for days and everything appears to happen so easily. With my Tele's and Strats you have to work for that note; at least in my experience. One thing I love about my Ibanez RG and Prestige guitars is they have what would appear to be best of both worlds, the growl of the humbuckers and the quack of the single coils.

 

Back in the late 80's early 90's I did a cross over from the Fender/Gibson camps to a the Ibanez camp due to the pup configuration on the guitars and what I was forced to cover as a gigging guitar player. In the late 80's the heavy metal, big hair scene was coming to a close and the newer mixed guitar tones became more of the norm. Since I have been playing over 30 years now the scene has appeared to come full circle again with most of what is being played now requires a humbucker equipped guitar with a closed back combo or half stack for that in your face tone.

 

At least this is what works for me...

BINGO...you said "

The two camps are totally different and the thing I love about the different camps is different tones, the guitars are different etc..."

 

Just like women and shoes....we should REJOICE that Gibson/Fenders/PRS/etc ARE so different (and great), otherwise, how do you convince yours spouse that you NEED one of each?!!

[milod]

First off, I agree with duane v's comment that I've never played a Fender that felt comfortable - although I'll admit I like the tele sound for some stuff and have great respect for somebody like Roy Buchanan who could use his for about any style of music.

 

To me it's mostly the neck and neck radius.

 

I guess I'm less enamored with the idea of a specific "sound" because with any electric guitar there's so much variation with settings on the guitar and with the amp one uses - and that's just for a "clean" sound.

 

For a solid body the SG shape and neck "works" for me largely because it does have a great deal of versatility in sound a a lotta access to the higher frets if that's where you wanna go.

 

The point made here too about the Gibson electric, even the SG, being evolved from the flattop and archtop designs is an excellent one in comparing it to the more banjo-like bolt on neck concept.

 

m

[bluesguitar65]

Is one really that much better than the other??

I say that they are different, and I prefer a Gibby, but, both are great guitars..... From Page to Gilmour, is there really a better guitar???

 

 

I think the confusion here lies in the word "BETTER". What does "Better" mean to each of us? The term has not been defined so its too general. I do not subsribe to this as IMHO Fenders and Gibsons have very disntict tones that are more favorable to each musician's ear. You may like the tone of a Tele on one day and then prefer the tone of a Les Paul the next day. Many pro guitar players often change guitars and would play the same guitar for years and then switch to another. For example, Jimmy Page was a big Telecaster user when he was with the Yardbirds and then played mostly Les Pauls with Led Zeppline. This goes for Eric Clapton as he has gone through different guitar phases in his musical career from Les Pauls, 335s, SG and Strats. Jeff Beck is the same, from a tele, a strat and a Les Paul. In fact, Jeff Beck has his own signature strat and tele as well as his own signature Les Paul. He is endorsed by two rivaling guitar makers!!! Now how do you figure that? No Conflict of interest there? That would be Like Micheal Jordan being endorsed by Nike and its rival Reeboks.

 

So IMHO Gibson is not better than Fender nor is Fender better than Gibson. It just depends on what tone you are craving at this particular moment. Which is better blondes or brunettes?

[DMC59]

 

You've never seen one before? It's hilarious

There's a recent thread in the Epi Forum by a guy who has that guitar.

[FirstMeasure]

It's funny, I'm just the opposite of Duane and Milo. I found the Strat to be the most comfortable guitar out there. Still haven't found a body shape that rest so perfectly in playing position. Keep the neck rifgt where I want it. With Gibsons (especially LP's) the neck tends sink to low.

 

Even my beloved Nighthawk needs a Strap Lock or it falls off the strap (poor Strap Button Placement).

 

When it comes to tone, there's no comparing them.....I mean that, you just can't compare a Fender to a Gibson. It's like comparing a '72 Ford Bronco to a '72 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. You may have a preference, but there's no way to compare them.

[Hall]

Try a 335 while seated.

 

Fender has Quality Control.

 

Custom Shop, either company, is only way to go now days.

 

Light the fires.

[RichCI]

Neither is better; pick the right tool for the job.

[Shnate McDuanus]

Neither is better; pick the right tool for the job.

 

 

If one guitar was objectively better than all of the others, then there would only be one type of guitar in production.

[milod]

All kidding aside, I think a lot has to do with two factors: What sort of guitar/geometry one began playing and one's physique.

 

I've had a number of female guitarists especially bring out that point and not always for what might seem most obvious. Arm length is one, for example, as well as length of torso and breadth of shoulders. Frankly it seems to me that woman guitarists are more picky if possible when it comes to a purchase, at least especially with acoustics.

 

I know one lady bass player, for example, who at 5-2 and tiny hands felt better with a full-size Precision than with a short scale I prefer. But then, she has about a 4-6 inch longer arm reach than I do.

 

And as I've noted, a lot is the balance and what one has become accustomed to. E.g., a small full hollow such as an ES175 is very comfortable to me; an LP is not. A Strat feels horrid but somehow the SG doesn't.

 

My own preferences, though, do really have more to do with how I feel with an instrument rather than specific tone issues. That's partly because almost everything I do with even an acoustic is "electric." And it's partly because I'm a grouchy old man who likes to play a guitar he's comfortable with kinda like an old pair of boots that still is comfortable in spite being re-soled two or three times.

 

m

[PartsPvt]

I guess I can't imagine not having a Fender along with my Gibsons. There are sounds and feel from the raw nature of the Fender that I only feel when using a Strat. I have had both ALWAYS..and regret selling my Gretsch..Guild and Mosrite..and Travis Bean..they were like a Hareem to me..

I'd fondle each in a different way..each makes those intimate sounds that express my desires..

 

I bought my first "real" guitar..(non-Silvertone or Kay) when I was 15..Fender Jaguar..then added a Strat. When I was 17 I added a Les Paul..then a 1959 Gretsch 6120. Added the 355 I now have when I was 18...then my Dove and J200..then my ES175..

Had other along the way..but these covered the sounds that meant me..

 

I sold Fenders..used them for sound..the Gibsons felt more like works of art..and the sound was gorgeous. I always kept one Fender..but recently gave my daughter my 67 Strat.

 

Sooo..I am building a 70 body I have had in a box since 1972 or so..

 

Wish I had that Gretsch too. You can build a Fender..get great sound. You can't build a LP..or a 355..or a 175

Only Gibson can build that piece of art..

[heymisterk]

I can't speak for a Fender as I don't own one, but I am in agreement that Gibson needs to do a better job with quality control. My '06 SG Classic was great, but I have seen others - and comments at Harmony Central have confirmed this - that were just a joke. I mean if you are shelling out between $1,000-and God-Knows-What, you have a right to expect excellent quality and craftsmanship right out of the box.

 

About a year ago I was at Neo's Favorite Corporate Guitar Chain (don't blame me; it's the only one around) a guy showed me his '08 LP Standard that he was having work done after having bought it new online...he showed me a badly cut nut and some fret work that left much to be desired.

 

Really, Henry: What's up with that?

[damian]

Fender makes guitars? When did they start doing that? Just kidding. I own some, they make good paperweights and cutting boards. They also hit baseballs better than bats do. Kidding once again..In reality, if you have a fireplace and run out of wood, they burn for a long time.. Still kidding... I do own a handful of Fenders, and they are good...

[milod]

Okay, look at Gibbie complaints this way perhaps:

 

A big chain buys 1,000 guitars. They go in a warehouse unopened. They may or may not sit a while, they may or may not be in the same climate conditions as when they left the factory. Then they ship them to purchasers who talked to a sales person somewhere else.

 

I'd be surprised - no, shocked - if there were not major complaints. Sweetwater brags about their checkup of guitars before they ship them and that's not a bad "brag." I'll wager their percentage of unhappy guitar-buying customers is just about zip.

 

Also, I think the very "art" of a Gibson and Gibson-style instrument makes it more likely to have climate condition sensitivity than a couple of dense semi-tonewood boards screwed together on some other brands - or even the lower end Epis that do have bolt-on necks.

 

m

[BigKahune]

I know it's close to Halloween,

 

but this thread has come back from the dead

 

twice!

 

 

Scary