Fender vs Gibson

[chrisramguitarman]

Welcome to the fender vs gibson fight!!have your say, which is better?? Are either of them any good? This is looking to be a good match. So which do you think's more superior?
ROUND ONE!!(ding ding)

[James]

Sounds like a good topic. can I make one suggestion and kind of narrow this to strat vs. les paul? Since they both seem to be the flagships of the respective companies. I'm interested in knowing what the main differences are myself.

[Elmo45]

If only a LP can sound like a Strat(sometimes!) and if only a Strat can sound like a LP!
They are THE two essential must have guitars. Each have thier own traits and tones.
I guess what it comes down to is the player that likes the playability of either axe over the other, in that sense, I would have to say the Les Paul narrowly is cooler.
I have seven guitars and the option to sell one came up to fix my car, guess what, taking the bus isn't so bad! he he
Peace

[Zeppelin]

actually i think that SG is the best gibson model,
and i think it's better than any strat, cause it's has better sound than the fenders

[chrisramguitarman]

as we start our fight it seems Fender and Gibson are neck and neck, especially in the les paul and strat fields.
Your Reply could change it all!!!

[Robbie10000]

well i hardly think my reply is gonna change crap, because there isnt a "better" to choose there both great guitars... unless you send them to hell a few times or the a cheapie-noname, and even them, sometimes are ok..(yeah rite) but it really depends on your taste... there both great in my opinion... toodles, rob

[Elmo45]

....but alot of times I prefer my Telecaster to my Strat!! he he (Sometimes!)

[Joseph]

When it comes to playing guitar, whats important to me is how it sound and how it feels. I love to just sit back for hours and plasy whatever comes to mind without any restrictions, with the Fender stratocaster I can not only achieve the classic sound that I love, but I can also play incessantly without straining myself. Overall, when it comes to finding the right instrument for you, despite popular demand, or what your favorite musicians are playing, do your best to figure out whats best for you, dont be a snob. I have a no name acoustic guitar which Ive had for years, it my primary recording instrument, not because its familiar, but because its just enough.

-Joseph :)

[Elmo45]

I say we close this topic and call it a tie!

[chrisramguitarman]

Guys..... this is only light hearted fun, If you prefer both, you prefer both, if you dont, you dont. Say what you want, but I'm quite happy playing my fernandes revolver, I just think it would be interesting to see which was more preferred, If I offended anyone i'm sorry.
anyway, the fight must go on!

[Raskolnikov]

well, in the spirit of blowing up a dead whale, I'll venture my opinion:
I think both the classic "Fender" and "Gibson" have their places. Both have destinctive tones (for the destinctive paradigms they put forth). Personally, I'm more comfortable w/ the Fender paradigm, but I'll eventually end up owning Les Paul, ES and SG type guitars eventually.

[Elmo45]

....Gibson and Fender aren't the only ones making good stuff out there.
Does anyone have any other brand favorites?
I like the Carvin stuff!

[Raskolnikov]

of course they're are other brands, but we find two basic schools of thought (so far as solid body electrics are concerned). Of course with the Parkers, and other new start ups, this is changing, but the vast majority of people play an instrument that's based on the generic strat design, or the generic les paul/ SG design.

[chrisramguitarman]

My favourate gibson would have to be an SG because of its fantastic shape.
Who likes ESP's, I especially like explorer range.
Takamine?

[Elmo45]

I tried a couple of those Explorer ones and they were pretty kewl.
I have a Takamine acoustic that is a beauty and plays really well.

[Rat520]

i would take a gibson over a fender any day, mainly because i like to play jazz and gibson make some of the best jazz guitars around.

[chrisramguitarman]

Anyone know whether Takamine are a good make? ( acoustics). Just that my mates buying one in 7 years. Thats when he'll have the money.heh

[Elmo45]

Takamine has a decent acoustic out, G-330-S. It's a solid Spruce top acoustic, not like the lower end ones which aren't. I got mine for under 3 bills and it's way kewl.
Takamine makes better ones but I can't foot the prices they command.

[RAC5150]

As Robbie said on page 1, my opinion probably won't change anything, but here it is. In my opinion, there is no better all around guitar than the Les Paul. They just come in so many different forms, different types, and custom builds. For those you didn't know, the SG WAS a Les Paul at one point. But, there is no better blues guitar than the Strat. I personally play an Ibanez, and an Ovation Celebrity. I love them and wouldn't give them up for anything (except a Gibson Moderne =) or an original 1957 Gibson Flying V.). Another awesome guitar (if only for solos) is the Flying V. I haven't heard anyone mention that guitar. And what about companies like Paul Reed Smith and Carvin? Or Parker for that matter? A PRS Standard is a beautiful sounding guitar. Well, thats my opinion, do with it as you please.

[Lordathestrings]

Gibson and Fender were pioneers who took two different roads on their way to fame and fortune.

The LP was based on traditional acoustic guitar-making techniques. The result is a hard-to-build, labor-intensive (expensive) guitar. The fact that it sounds as great as it does is thanks to the co-operation between Gibson and Les Paul. (Yes, he's a real live person; he still plays in New York).

The Strat was born of Leo Fender's 'clean page' design approach. The result is a guitar that is very easy to build in a production environment. It sounds as great as it does because Leo got advice from a lot of working musicians while he was developing his design. That's why this instrument is relatively light, and the contours make it comfortable to play either sitting or standing.

Both companies got 'locked in' to their early design choices by their success.

You won't see a Les Paul with a Strat-type bridge because then the neck would have to be positioned parallel with the body, and then you'd lose the 'wrap-around' effect that brings the neck to your fertting hand when the forearm of your picking hand is resting on the guitar body.

You won't see a Stratocaster with a high bridge (which would get the strings away from the body where they're easier to get at), because then the neck would have to be angled back, and that's a tricky proposition for a bolt-on.

The Gibson SG was their shot at a low-bridge straight-neck. They screwed it up big-time, because there is not enough 'meat' between the neck joint and the pickup. This area is so weak that the guitar is hard to tune. Any tension change on one string causes the other five to wander off.

All of the Gibson line has another weak spot in the transition from the neck to the headstock. Repair shops stay in business because Gibson's "lose their heads" so often.

I suggest some open-mindedness is in order. The music is the main consideration: everything else comes down to making it happen. If you play complicated jazz chords, you need a relatively short scale length, and the Gibson may be a good choice for you. If you have large hands, or you spend a lot of time at the high end, the Gibson scale length is likely to cramp your style.

If you like a particular sound, shut your eyes and let your ears do their thing. I've owned 'Pauls, an SG a '62 Strat, and a Jaguar. I haven't kept any of them. I still play the Yamaha SBG-1000 I bought back in '77 (for 1/2 the price of a Les Paul Custom). I've put DiMarzio pickups in it, and it sounds so good that when I was short of rent money, I sold my '62 Strat, and kept the SBG. I've also got an old Washburn A-20. It looks plug-ugly, but I don't see much of it when I'm playing it, and it sounds so good, I don't care what it looks like.

'Nuff said

[stratman42]

Hey Chris!

Personally i'm not that bothered. In my opinion the stratocaster is the most versatile guitar available, but the gibson has an advantage with the humbuckers. It is great for psychadelic rock/blues (Hendrix, Floyd), but is also used in heavy rock/metal (Iron maiden). The Gibson is also quite versatile, but is used mainly in heavy music. Iron maiden use SGs and Strats at different times to get different sounds. Both can be used for rhythm or lead, and they are probably both as popular as each other. I think the (Squier) Strat is the best guitar for anyone who is just learning to play, but it can also be used by more advanced players. I personally prefer the strat (because i have one!) but like i said they have different sounds, and in the end its down to how they feel to and your taste in music. I don't care really. In fact, just to complicate the issue, I say that their both copies of each other, and that each has evolved along with the other. Without one, the other wouldn't be what it is today. I also say "What about Rickenbacker?" The first actual electric guitar ever made was in fact a Ricky, and I think Fender, Gibson and all other guitars owe a lot to that company. In fact, why doesn't this pathetic argument stop right here and everyone just listen to me and make peace?

PS

If you think that one's better than the other, PROVE IT!!! ;)

[Elmo45]

We're just a bunch of Guitar nuts making opinions.
:]

[duker665]

I have a 92 American Strat, and just bought a new Standard SG. Both are nice guitars, but 2 weeks into having both, I am leaning toward the strat, however I have played it for 4 years so this may change.

http://www.cell-stuff.net

[Tele Master]

Instead of fighting between the two, I just bought a Telecaster and a Les Paul. Each has their own sound and sometimes one sounds better than the other for different songs, but I love 'em both.

[PonyOne]

The SG originally had the Les Paul name on it, but it wasn't his design; they wanted a less expensive, lighter retaliation to the Strat, and made the claim that it would sound "bigger" due to the mahogany body, which is actually quite thin. Les Paul never liked the SG, because of its fragile neck joint; he'd signed a contract with them though, and so they had the legal right to smack his name on whatever they wanted. They changed the name to "SG" (for "Solid Guitar") in '64 when his contract lapsed. Gibson had actually thought of discontinuing the Les Paul models at one point and replacing them entirely with the SG and other solid bodied instruments.

I don't think it's entirely valid to use the pickup argument; Strats come with humbuckers as well, and they can be used for metal and hard rock just as well as a Jackson in these cases (a bolt neck Jackson with an HH, HSH, or HSS config is pretty much the same thing structurally as a Strat with the same layout). Put a Floyd on or make the strat a hardtail and it's even closer. Alternately, you can use a Les Paul to play the blues, just like you can use a Strat... you can use pretty much any guitar for anything as long as you're good.

Gibsons are definitely better jazz axes, tit for tat; but not Les Pauls so much as ES335's and and other semi- or hollow bodied models. Also, kep in mind that most of the more jazzy models of Gibsons use the dreaded, brighter-sounding 25.5 scale neck which I prefer. My Kramer is a semihollow with a set 25.5 and it's an awesome sounding axe. Absolutely love it.

[Fenderalltheway]

Well, as other people hopefully know, I am totally Fender.(my name...)But, I really do hope to get a Les Paul one day, and like many people said, it's different types of music. Both great brands, so...ya

[damaged]

I would say fender :confused:

But Ibanez and esp is way better imo, then again can we count jackson as "fender"?

[PonyOne]

But Ibanez and esp is way better imo
............
............
....

what?

[magicninja]

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c375/magicninja_/gibson001.jpg

That's all I have to say.................

[Polera]

Fender strats nothin sounds better then someone who can play with a fender strat.

[PonyOne]

this shoulda been a poll

[aschleman]

Fender Strat... I own two... I will own many more before I die...

Gibsons are great guitars too I guess... To each his own... but no one should have to pay 3 thousand dollars for a F'n Gibson Les Paul... Buy a Paul Reed Smith. Better sound, better workmanship... better looking... Gibsons are overpriced, overrated, and by-and-large.... poorly made. I think you'll find that the stock of Gibson will be steeply declining in the next 5 years... mostly because PRS won the lawsuit to produce its own Single cut design guitars... which are muuuuuuuuuuuch better looking IMO.

So... I guess a better question would be PRS or Fender??

I would say PRS... but there is no better value out there than a Fender Stratocaster... Great guitars for all genres... versatile as all get out... highly customizable... and super playable... and for a quarter of what you would pay for a dual humbucker three way switch LP...

[Andrew Sa]

just to add to that, I think most of you guys would be surprised at how nice a single coild tone you can get with a Prs...my custom 22, has a three way toggle, and a push pull pot (rather than the usual 5 way rotary pickup selector) and with the neck pickup set to single coil, or the bridge pickup set to single coil, you get the same great sounds as you do from a strat...all you're missing is that warm sound you get from a single coil at the bridge with a single coil in the middle position...that is an awesome clean sound, but I think I prefer my Prs with the pickup selector in the middle and the push/pull pot pulled.

[SGuitar34]

with fender you cant make it sound the way you want it sometimes because of the way you can only have tremble, rythem or inbetween. but with gibson guitars witch have 4 knobs you can have tremble, ryhthem or maybe alot of tremble and a little ryhthem or a little tremble and alot of rhythem or you can mix it around in so many ways to get it to sound the exact way you want. you can do this because of the 2 volume nobs (1 for each setting) and the 2 tone nobs (1for each setting) and the toggle switch. YOU CANT PROVE WITCH ONE IS BETTER BY SAYING WITCH ONE LOOKS BETTER !!!. to end this you can fix that flaw on fender guitars by getting a guitar modulator. that way you can get a fender or gibson to sound the way you want it to.

[elklandercc]

with fender you cant make it sound the way you want it sometimes because of the way you can only have tremble, rythem or inbetween. but with gibson guitars witch have 4 knobs you can have tremble, ryhthem or maybe alot of tremble and a little ryhthem or a little tremble and alot of rhythem or you can mix it around in so many ways to get it to sound the exact way you want. you can do this because of the 2 volume nobs (1 for each setting) and the 2 tone nobs (1for each setting) and the toggle switch. YOU CANT PROVE WITCH ONE IS BETTER BY SAYING WITCH ONE LOOKS BETTER !!!. to end this you can fix that flaw on fender guitars by getting a guitar modulator. that way you can get a fender or gibson to sound the way you want it to.

Its not a flaw, its the way they are. Fenders aren't made to have a thick sound that a Gibson puts out. A Fender is more for blues and other twangy stuff while Gibson is more for rock. They still go both ways though.

[Krunek]

It is a matter of personal preference... I never played Gibson. Played epiphone, though. It is harder to play than Fender... Wider neck and so. But, if I was to say which one is better, I"d say strat. Because it is much more versatile, at least I think so. But, that is the only reason that makes me put strat ahead LP. Apart from that, those are great guitars.

[Taylorfan]

Fender Strat... I own two... I will own many more before I die...

Gibsons are great guitars too I guess... To each his own... but no one should have to pay 3 thousand dollars for a F'n Gibson Les Paul... Buy a Paul Reed Smith. Better sound, better workmanship... better looking... Gibsons are overpriced, overrated, and by-and-large.... poorly made. I think you'll find that the stock of Gibson will be steeply declining in the next 5 years... mostly because PRS won the lawsuit to produce its own Single cut design guitars... which are muuuuuuuuuuuch better looking IMO.

So... I guess a better question would be PRS or Fender??

I would say PRS... but there is no better value out there than a Fender Stratocaster... Great guitars for all genres... versatile as all get out... highly customizable... and super playable... and for a quarter of what you would pay for a dual humbucker three way switch LP...

I always thought that the Strat would be great if you were stuck in a boat needing a paddle. To me, they're just planks of wood. Look at an ES-335 in flame maple and tell me about workmanship.

[z0s0_jp]

Gibson.........tone. Fender does blues and country....Gibson can do it all :cool:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/scleppe/guitars.jpg

[guitarzany]

Welcome to the fender vs gibson fight!!have your say, which is better?? Are either of them any good? This is looking to be a good match. So which do you think's more superior?
ROUND ONE!!(ding ding)

I have 2 Teles, a Les Paul jr, an es-335, a Taylor T5-12, and a Washburn dc-60. Each of these guitars has given me hours of playing bliss and each has it's place in my repitoir of covers and originals. To say that one brand of model is superior to another would be, to me, like saying I prefer one of my children over the other.

That having been said, if I could keep only one it would be my LP jr and my youngest daughter...LOL

[moosh101]

Hi everyone. Gibson Les Paul's tend to have a deeper mellow tone whereas Fender Strat's tend to have a sharper more treble sounding tone. Humbuckers vs single coil pickups. I hope this helps :)

[guitarfromhell]

Fender Strat... I own two... I will own many more before I die...

Gibsons are great guitars too I guess... To each his own... but no one should have to pay 3 thousand dollars for a F'n Gibson Les Paul... Buy a Paul Reed Smith. Better sound, better workmanship... better looking... Gibsons are overpriced, overrated, and by-and-large.... poorly made. I think you'll find that the stock of Gibson will be steeply declining in the next 5 years... mostly because PRS won the lawsuit to produce its own Single cut design guitars... which are muuuuuuuuuuuch better looking IMO.

So... I guess a better question would be PRS or Fender??

I would say PRS... but there is no better value out there than a Fender Stratocaster... Great guitars for all genres... versatile as all get out... highly customizable... and super playable... and for a quarter of what you would pay for a dual humbucker three way switch LP...
*** Wow you think PRS is good? U r saddly mistaken since gibson is the face of guitars and is the leading company in the industry.***

[Sasuke199]

I'm sorry, but I am not a fender fan at all. In my opinion, Gibsons are the guitars by which all others are judged. Gibsons are the best overall in sound, quality and playability. Any style of music that can be played on a Fender American Stratocaster can be matched or bettered by a Gibson Les Paul or a Gibson Sg.. Pleaaase note that this is just MY opinion :)

[Sasuke199]

Gibson.........tone. Fender does blues and country....Gibson can do it all :cool:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b80/scleppe/guitars.jpg


Holy crap... Nice setup man. Killer amp. I prefer the Explorer in black though.

[Kevin Taylor]

My reasoning is simple and the main reason I've always used Gibson.
Fender volume and tone knobs are directly below the pickups and I keep smashing my knuckles on em... so I've always bought Gibson.

Although I've always missed the whammy bar :)

[Lordathestrings]

My reasoning is simple and the main reason I've always used Gibson.
Fender volume and tone knobs are directly below the pickups and I keep smashing my knuckles on em... so I've always bought Gibson.

Although I've always missed the whammy bar :)

I rewired my Strat to a simple Master Volume, Master Tone configuration, removing the control nearest to the bridge. Problem solved.

But I still prefer my Yamahas and Washburns, so I sold it when I needed rent money. Still got the others.

[sphefx]

I'd go for Gibson, for one simple reason:

Tone

[Fenderalltheway]

As if my name doesn't say it all....

Gibsons are awsome, and especially for the stuff I listen to ( Zeppelin, AC/DC) but then again, for what I listen to, so are Fenders. (Radiohead, Chili Peppers, Pink Floyd)

But truly, I think that a Strat can do it all. A les paul? It gets close. You can play Jazz, Blues, Metal, country, Pop, and funk, by only pressing a button on your amp.

[Phil62]

I own a Les Paul Classic and I love it but I now have a hard on for a Fender Classic Player 60s Strat. A beautiful sounding guitar to say the least!
It has that great Hendrix/Robin Trower sound due to the classic 69 pick ups.
While fooling around at Guitar Center I also came across a Schecter C-1 Classic for about $750. Don't shy away from something off the beaten path because this is a great guitar that gets little fanfare.
I was blown away by the tone, feel and workmanship on this guitar! It comes with Seymour Duncan humbuckers: JB at bridge, SH-2N Jazz pickup at neck and I would love to add it to a Les Paul, 60s Strat, Schecter trio as my personal collection.
Some day.... some day.

[GibsonBoy1993]

Obviously from my Name you can tell I love my Gibsons but my favourite guitar at the Moment is My Synyster Schecter.

[Nynvolt]

I picked Gibson SG over Fender Strat. I currently own a SG special "faded" and a SG standard. I used to have a Squire Strat, loved the way the body of the guitar felt but being the bottom end of the Fender line the electronics and workmanship left ALOT to be desired. However the American Standard was very sweet.

I will eventually own a Strat of some sort, but for now I'm happy with my choice in the Gibsons.

Reasons I chose the SG over the Strat.

Sound.

The SG sounds really very nice with the stock pick-ups but those can easily be changed on any guitar. The body resonates, from the tip of the neck all the way through the body. The set neck offers a sustain level thats unparalelled by bolt on neck designs. To me it just has a better, sweeter sound than the Strat.

Playability.

The Strat is heavier. The SG is so light and comfortable to strap on. It makes it much more fun when your comfortable and can play as long as you want without any discomfort. The one big disadvantage is the SG tends to be neck heavy. It takes a bit to get used to it and requires a decent strap, preferably leather, that will stay in position better because it kind of clings to your shirt.

The frets are fairly high on the SG and combined with a 12" radius fret board makes bending really easy and precise.

The medium scale length makes it easier for me to reach frets and the wide, meaty neck fits my hand better than the Strat.

Now it's a given that SG's are prone to having the neck break it they are dropped or mishandled. This is because the headstock bends 17 degrees and Gibson crafts the necks out of a solid hunk of wood, rather than a thinner slab of maple like a Strat. But given proper care there shouldn't be any problem, it's not going to just pop off one day out of the blue.

As for the tuning issues, I haven't had any with either of my SG's. I don't know how long a guitar should stay in tune, but as long as the weather/humidity has been consistant I never have to retune from day to day. I have an amp with built in tuner so I check tune each time I plug it in and it's rare that I need to do more than a minor adjustment on one or two strings.

Fit and finish/quality

I'd hesitate to say Fender or Gibson is better than the other. Fender has an advantage that their guitars are more or less "modular" since they are two seperate pieces. The body and the neck. Both finished seperately and indipendant of one another. So if one piece is substandard it's much easier to swap out. Once a neck is set and glued in, it would require alot of work to remove either part on a Gibson. Also Gibsons require alot more hand crafting. Actual people sanding and finishing the bodies and necks, not machines. Thats part of the reason they can be pricey and why you can find some quality issues on some Gibsons that may not be as comon on a Fender.

For what it's worth, playing blues (my personal favorite music to play) on a Gibson is absolutely possible and sounds fantastic. You can't always go by what artists are playing, they get their guitars for free. There is also the ability to coil tap humbuckers to get a single coil tone, if thats your thing. And you can buy Strats with Humbuckers. So thats more of a personal taste. There are a pleathora of pick up variants out there that you can swap out and fit to any guitar.

In my opinion you really need to play them and see which is better for your personal tastes. I also really like the classic good looks of the SG and the Strat. Both are classics. I'm not a huge fan of the Les Paul style bodies, they are beautiful guitars but look too upscale for me.

By the way, most of my favorite guitarists play(ed) Strats, or Strat style guitars. But there's just something about a gibson SG.

[veershah]

Hi,

I currently play the Ibanez Guitar. GIO series. Its a very basic model and I am currently looking to buy a new guitar.

The thing is, I dont know which guitar to buy.

Even though I have learnt a lot of theory and practiced most of my favourite songs and jammed with friends, Im pretty clueless on what guitar would be best suited for me.

By word of mouth, I do know that the Fender Strat and the Gibson Les Paul are the 2 most popular guitars, but I play songs that are influenced by both guitars, and more..

The bands that influence me most are, Metallica, Megadeth, Pink floyd, Guns N Roses, Pearl Jam, Iron Maiden, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Goo Goo Dolls, AC DC and so on.

So you see, I don't know whether to go in for a Fender Strat, Les Paul, Jackson, a better Ibanez model, ESP Ltd or something else.

Is there any guitar that produce sounds that is more a less compatible with most of these songs?

Will buying a good processor help get the sound of Comfortably Numb- Pink Floyd on a Gibson? Or Playing Master of Puppets on Fenders?

Looking forward to your replies.

Thanks

Veer

[fredhe12]

I have one of these:

http://erikguitars.com/catalog/images/FenderStratSunburst95NOS.jpg

And now I want one of these:

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/regular/4/7/8/492478.jpg

Can't wait to own both so I can find out myself and put a stop to this debate :D

[jwb72]

Hi,

I currently play the Ibanez Guitar. GIO series. Its a very basic model and I am currently looking to buy a new guitar.

The thing is, I dont know which guitar to buy.

Even though I have learnt a lot of theory and practiced most of my favourite songs and jammed with friends, Im pretty clueless on what guitar would be best suited for me.

By word of mouth, I do know that the Fender Strat and the Gibson Les Paul are the 2 most popular guitars, but I play songs that are influenced by both guitars, and more..

The bands that influence me most are, Metallica, Megadeth, Pink floyd, Guns N Roses, Pearl Jam, Iron Maiden, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Goo Goo Dolls, AC DC and so on.

So you see, I don't know whether to go in for a Fender Strat, Les Paul, Jackson, a better Ibanez model, ESP Ltd or something else.

Is there any guitar that produce sounds that is more a less compatible with most of these songs?

Will buying a good processor help get the sound of Comfortably Numb- Pink Floyd on a Gibson? Or Playing Master of Puppets on Fenders?

Looking forward to your replies.

Thanks

Veer


How about something with humbuckers with a coil tap option? I don't have these, but from my understanding it's the best of both worlds. :)

[JeffS65]

I have one of these:

http://erikguitars.com/catalog/images/FenderStratSunburst95NOS.jpg

And now I want one of these:

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/regular/4/7/8/492478.jpg

Can't wait to own both so I can find out myself and put a stop to this debate :D

Know what you're gonna find out when that happens? That you can't live without either. My first guitar was a Les Paul but now long gone. I currently have a Strat and love it -but- I'm gonna be gettin' me another Les Paul this year. Fortunately guitars are not like girlfriends or wives in that you can cheat on them all the time and the other one doesn't mind ;)

[RoggerCallen]

Fender, Fender!!! :)

:D
-Rogger

[xnrgx]

I am a guitar noob. Just started a few months ago. But... I have 3 Guitars so far. A fender Strat HSS and Gibson Les Paul studio are my electrics. I realy don't know much, just what I like so far for learning/practicing. I love both for sound. You can't compare each other I would say in sound, would be like saying do you like Piano or Violin. I think both sound awsome.

But for a nice crisp sound. I think the fender sounds so awsome. It's also not as heavy, so when I practice several hours at a time, I don't seem to get so tired holding it.

The Gibson Les Paul Studio I have sounds wonderful also. It isnt as versitile as my Fender in sound, the HSS Strat has a wide range. Like I said, I am a noob, so bear with me. But, the Gibson has such a sweet sound. The Gibson seems easier to pick, if this makes sense, The strings are higher off the body for some reason that makes a difference for me. Makes it easier. The strat has so many pickups I get messy with them (Does that make sense?) I know its just cause I am new. But both are different in design and sound, how can anyone compare them?

I have read alot about which is better, So I forked out lots to get both and have to say I love them both so far. But I will probably play the Fender more, just because its not as heavy to lug arounf for hours on end. I am 51 and my wife and I decided to start playing an insturment so... Me Guitar and her Piano... I have to say I practice about 3 hours a day so far.

Both look great, I got a fireburst color on both. The Gibson though does look awsome. As time goes on I am sure experiance may let me judge better. But for now. It's like a "Coke vs Pepsi" argument.

That is it from, my notes from the noob...

[guitarplayer196]

I have one of each as well - 1996 Amer Fender Strat Plus and a 2006 Gibson Les Paul Standard - Both are completely different animals and fit different situations. Both have a characteristic sound. I do however feel the Gibson's are a lot of hype for what you get - You definitely pay more for the name.

[poly6006]

This may be the wrong forum for this....

I never got details but have heard about a lot of troubles at Gibson. Rated as a very bad place to work and then the raid at the factory about wood. It appears the CEO is not such a good leader for such an iconic brand.

How has the quality of the guitars been effected by all this?

[xnrgx]

I have to say, I love them both. I own a Fender (Telecaster and Stratocaster), and a Gibson Les Paul and would not part with either. The Tele has such a bite to it, it just grabs my attention when I want it to. The Les Paul (I was just playing it on a Peavey Tube amp and it's about 2am) It sang me to that peaceful place that will let me have a great sleep. I say, for me... I would never give either up. Both are wonderful and both are well worth playing. I have to admidt, I love my Tele and Les paul but could kind of leave the strat for days without playing (Perhaps I need different pickups). But you all have to admit; it also depends on the amp and pedals. Just don't switch guitars, It's a marriage that has to be done right for the mood and style. ANYONE that trashes one over the other just hasn't found that sweet spot yet and sadly... probably never will...Just my opinion. Dare to seduce both and love the difference. Now if I could just afford a Dr. Z tube amp my dream would be complete.

[guitarium]

The main reason why I would NEVER play a les paul is because the pick up selector is placed in the farthest possible and most inconvenient spot on the guitar. :)

Not to mention that the guitars are way too highly priced and give you nothing in return (other than the bragging rights) for $2500 price tag.

That beign said, I don't like Fender either, mainly because it’s a dated design. Why would anyone buy a guitar with less than 24 frets these days?

Of course that's just my opinion, but personally, I say Schecter FTW!

[Razbo]

It's funny, when I picked up the electric a little over a year ago, I was pretty much anti-Fender. I kind of hated or scorned them. Not for any good reason, either, but just because.

Of course, I eventually had to have a Strat just to have it, then it just kept growing on me. I complained a lot about the knobs being in the way, bridge is too low, etc, but still couldn't leave it alone. Now my Strat is pretty much my main guitar. Can't say what it is, it's just something undeniable.

As far as the number of frets, I felt a bit the same way when I had my Squier, and it only had 21 frets. My Strat has 22, and my Gibson L6 has 24. I thought every guitar was inferior if it didn't have 24 frets.

Then I observed many famous players using guitars with only 21 frets and I came to realize something. I know people that, with a single brush and a few colours can create some great art. But you could hand me 57 brushes and all the colours of the rainbow, I'd create something that looked like a child's finger painting.

As usual, it ain't the tools, it's what you can do with them. :)