Gibsons and Fenders

JCP · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:54 pm Post subject: Gibsons and Fenders

I'm surrounded in my home studio by Gibson guitars. In 30 years, Gibsons, or "Gibson style" guitars have been my axe of choice in greatest measure.

Recently, I decided that there were a couple key guitars that I wanted to add to the collection, and that one should be a Stratocaster. Long story made short, it came, I didn't like it, sent it back, and payed the extra $$ to upgrade the order to a LP Studio. (Hadn't owned a LP in years, since my old silverburst)

There is no question that nothing else sounds like a Strat, or Tele, for that matter. For 99% of the music I play, the Gibson "growl" is my sound.

I have an 80 G&L F100, which could be argued to be more of a Fender than any Fender made since Leo sold the co. But it has a Gibson-radius neck, and so it felt more familiar and comfortable from the start. It's humbuckers preclude that Strat single coil "quack" and shimmer, however.

I have a friend back home who is a "fender man", and remember one time he came to a band practice and handed me his maple Strat. I put down my 345, and tried that thing for a couple of tunes. It felt so foreign in my hands I was tempted to try blowing into it...

I also belong to the Fender forum, mainly looking for advice in refurbing my blackface Deluxe, but also sought out advice on a choice of Strats. I found those guys seem to have equal distain for Gibsons as is found here many times for Fenders.

It seems, in great degree, one is either a "Fender man" or a "Gibson man" (or gal). Most of the moden companies seem to either base their models around the characteristics of one or the other, altho, some combine the two, like Gibson-style humbuckers in a Strat-type guitar.

So, my question is, you guys who own both; do you not find it difficult to transition back and forth between the two brands? If not, what's the secret? I often hear the guys on the Fender forum saying that they like a guitar that "fights back". I find my own limitations to be sufficient challenge without the instrument smacking me around, but have dug back and really gotten into Robin Trower again, hence the interest in a Strat.

mattyN · Newbie Alert Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 4

i'll go on the record as liking both gibson's and fender's.

i suppose i am more of a gibson man myself. i played a 71 SG almost exclusively throughout my twenities. but she is now retired.

IMO the quality of american strats is quite good right now -- better than it was in the 90s. although their new made in china stock cases set whole new levels of suckitude.

as for secrets for moving between the two - my biggest suggestion to give it a little transition time.

for instance, i am a snowboarder. sometimes i ride my long board (a 168) and sometimes my short (a 152). i like them both but when i switch from one to the other it feels odd for awhile. then i adjust. i can also do totally different things with each board (thus completing the metaphor).

herb · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:17 pm Post subject:

My response will be all over the road. Basically, I am a Gibson guitar man. I grew up and played for years with my '61 LP/SG Standard. That set the tone and feel standards for me. I can't stand st-RATs, they feel like toys to me. I have a Tele, I like it pretty good; and it makes a sound Gibson can't make. For my st-RAT sounds I have a Carvin; the best playing guitar I have ever played. I also have an original '58 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman with original "small" frets, and a slanted fret Rickenbacker 12 string. I have played them all so much and so often that switching back and forth between any of them doesn't bother me.

95strat · Cobra Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 489 Location: Canada

JCP · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:20 pm Post subject:

Herb, does your carvin have strat-type sigle coils? Always heard great things about Carvin as a company.

I can somehow see being a Strat player and transitioning to a Gibby occasionally, rather than vice-versa, if that makes sense. For the years I played the G&L as a main guitar, I'd pick up a Gibby and think "this thing plays like butter".

I've thought of building a "frankenstrat" with premium parts. Warmoth offers a miriad of choices in terms of woods and options...

herb · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:10 pm Post subject:

This is my all koa Carvin DC200T:

It is coil tapped (the st-RAT sound) and has an out of phase switch. Once I thought that no one could make a humbucking pickup that was coil tapped that would do both sounds justice. This guitar put an end to that thought. Carvin's pickups are excellent.

PBRStreetGang · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject:

Well I've got both, a selection of different Les Paul styles, and a Firebird for the Gibbys; for the Fenders I've got a Telecaster and a Strat (new addition and yes I know, I'll arrange the public stoning myself). If I could only keep one guitar it'd be my LP Standard.
My Strat has a 7.25 radius and the Tele has a 9.5 and honestly the transition is pretty easy going to/from any of my guitars. The only excuse there is for not being able to comfortably slip on another guitar is that you simply haven't played it enough. Once you get use to 'em and get 'em broken in a bit they feel just like home. Cool

JCP · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:36 pm Post subject:

PBR, I think you nailed it, and I plead guilty. At this point in my life, I don't get enough playing time in to be comfortable with that transition. At least, that's what I believe at the moment. I plan to try another Strat, as it's just one of those icons of rock history, and I seem to be, at least according to my wife, on a mission to own one of everything!

I work with a pro musician, and that work is deadly serious. My own playing these days is for one purpose, stress relief and my own entertainment. So I like picking up a guitar that feels immediately familiar.

Herb, that Carvin is beautiful! And if they've figured out how to coil-tap a humbucker and make it sound just like a Strat, that should be on the evening news! Even Leo didn't figure that one out, as my G&L has a coil tap, but sounds nothing like a Strat when tapped.

Thanks, guys, interesting replies.

SAguitar · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject:

I grew up as a Les Paul guy. That was my first electric guitar and really all I played for the first 20 years of my career (except for a very short period where I owned a Telecaster). Eventually, I got the urge to follow Clapton, and get a Strat, and I did. At that point, it was a very strange feeling instrument to me, and the longer scale length was a challenge. After some time I got more used to it and was able to gig with it. But it would still take me some adjustment time to go between the two.

Then along came my Ebay years, and I started buying and trying lots of different guitars, keeping some, and selling others. That had a beneficial effect on me to where I now can pick up any of my guitars and be comfortable on them pretty quick. I do have to reset whatever amp I'm running through, though, because their output is very different.

I have two Fender Strats (MIJ), but the one I have that gets the most playing time is my Carvin Bolt-T. IMHO, it puts all the Strats I've ever played in their place. Then I have two other Carvins that are just incredible instruments in their own right. And Herb is right, the Carvin I have with two humbuckers makes some great Tele tones with the pickups split, and the other two, with a hummer in the bridge, sound great when one coil shorted out.

billybuck · Little Goldfish Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 53

I play both and love both companies products - if any two got it absolutely right, then it's Gibson and Fender, though my feet are a little more in the Gibson camp - i've got a Fender Custom shop NOS Nocaster and a Custom Shop NOS '56 Stratocaster in blonde. They are both great guitars and I have no problem swapping. I always take a couple of guitars out on gigs and it's usually one from either company.

The Nocaster, however is by far my favourite - I think it's the best guitar that Fender makes. A very cool guitar.

95strat · Cobra Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 489 Location: Canada

billybuck · Little Goldfish Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 53

Sorry, i've only just read your post.

Here's my Fender gang - a bit strange posting this on a Gibson forum, but hey.......

- '04 Custom Shop NOS '56 Stratocaster
'99 Custom Shop NOS Nocaster
'53 Champion Lap Steel - mint!
'94 Blues Deluxe
'99 Custom Shop Vibroking
'03 '65 Twin Reverb RI

SAguitar · Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:22 am Post subject:

That's a very nice selection, BillyBuck! Cool

95strat · Cobra Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 489 Location: Canada

Nice stuff man! That's a cool pic.... I think I gotta copy you and get a pic of all my Fender amps and guitars together. That's cool!

sebcat · Little Guppy Joined: 14 May 2005 Posts: 39

Okay, I guess we'll call this Fender lite. I've discovered I'm not too big on Fenders. This is the only one left. An Eric Clapton model with a birdseye maple neck, zircote finger board and vintage 69 hand wound pups. Nitro.