• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: fender and gibson why

why
FENDER & NOT GIBSON
WHY GIBSON & NOT FENDER
A lot, but really a lot have played on a fender strat or tele, and or Gibson.
Fender better? don't buy one becaue your guitarhero has one---> clapton, who's real name is just simple eric CLAPP, or for gibson ---> Jimmy Page. The way I try a guitar: sitting on the amp, like you will sit on a horse: same volume, same tone and the vibrations, well they from an open little hole between the legs, to the head, passing and giving a feeling in the stomach regio. What I mean, you have to FEEL the guitar. My first choice is PRS.
I just heard about the typical distinguished gibson sound, are the character of the wood, and they use heavy stuff. At the same time they told me that the humbuckers are "Directly in contact with that wood" and this should be the reason WHY a gibson sound is very typical, resonance effect on the wood.
There is one thing about GIBSON: difficult to keep them in tune.
Best choice: probably NOS 59 reissue.
I have also fenders, 1 all original 1964, I really don't know, why those prices are so high, even being amazed like a kid when I play on it. Question is it normal to pay 20.000$ for an old guitar?I have no right to complain, I own it. Got the strat and a gibson 67 or 68 custom, anyway the first year they started again producing customs (black), I did change the humbuckers by P-94's singles, You can blow away everything, and for a while I had a BFG gibson, humbucker bridge single neck, I should change again.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: fender and gibson why

gitaardocphil wrote:

why
FENDER & NOT GIBSON
WHY GIBSON & NOT FENDER

I just heard about the typical distinguished gibson sound, are the character of the wood, and they use heavy stuff. At the same time they told me that the humbuckers are "Directly in contact with that wood" and this should be the reason WHY a gibson sound is very typical, resonance effect on the wood.
There is one thing about GIBSON: difficult to keep them in tune.

(edited for reply by Bootlegger 9.51 am pst. 5-27-07)

First of all let me say that this is not to Flame Gitaardocphil for his post but for educational purposes. I have come to know Phil abit and respect him. So please do read anything negative into the response below.

1#, Why Gibson & not Fender: That's easy F comes before G in the alphbet just like bacon and eggs. One brand is no better than the other it is personal preference and the sound you are trying to achieve. What one are you most conforatable playing?

2#,"Directly in contact with the wood" Not a true statement since the pickups are held up by a pickup ring so you can adjust the height of the pickup in relationship to the strings. A true direct mount pickup is set at a height determined by the neck pocket angle and the scale of the neck, in Gibson's case usually 24.75" (inch imperial) from the nut to the bridge. The pickups are then screwed directly to the body. (Go to www.michaelkelly.com and check out the Patriot and Valor custom series for an example).

3# "There is one thing about Gibson: difficult to keep in tune." That is because they are set neck guitars and the type of bridges they use t.o.m (tune-o-matic) bridges. Because of the top mount bridge there needs to be a 3 dergee angle cut in the neck pocket (which Gibson does) to intonate the guitar. With the t.o.m's you can not adjust the single bridge saddles up and down like a Strat bridge only back and forth for intonation. You can raise the complete bridge up and down but that will also rase every string since the t.o.m is one piece. Also they usually the only fretboard radius is 12" because you cannot raise or lower the saddles. You can buy estra saddles and with a radius gauge cut them to what ever radius you want but it is a job for the unexperienced and an expence for it to be done. Check your intonation and the straitness of your neck that could be part of the reason with your tuning problem.

Bootlegger.

  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: fender and gibson why

I think it's about personal preference...some of the world's best and well known guitar players use Fender and Gibson and use them for a reason. There are many other brands out that are just as good or maybe better...Each has it's own sound and considering that there are hundreds of variations in the Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Pauls then it's amazing. Eddie Van Halen set the rock world afire with a home built guitar from scrap parts...I suspect that if you give him a Gibson, Fender, PRS or a Squire import...he would still be impressive...

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.
  • From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Re: fender and gibson why

And yet on Led Zeppelin I and IV Jimmy Page almost exclusively used a Fender Telecaster. Electric guitar voices are not as distinctive as you might think (hmm... idea for web page quiz, 'Name That Axe') particularly when overdriven and tweaked with effects. In a sense Fender and Gibson's sound is very similar it's instruments like Gretsch Falcons or Epiphone Casinos that have a truly distinctive tone. Likewise the Telecaster and Stratocaster could be from different planets, but both are Fender. To me if you're trying to emulate a sound (like say a tribute band) then go for the 'signature' instrument but if you want your own sound then you'll get it from pedals/amp etc given a reasonable axe (like wasn't Copeland playing a Strat in the Police Reunion sound-check/rehearsal not the hot-rod Telecaster he has just allowed Fender to recreate as a replica).

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • From: Pico Rivera, Calif. U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2006-10-26
  • Posts: 785

Re: fender and gibson why

Cytaina,
You mentioned above "Go for the signature instrument" (paraphrased to reply by bootlegger 6-1-07). Alot of the guitars played by the above mentioned players are actually made by "Ghost builders" custom made instruments by luithiers with the Name brands on them not production guitars. But it is all about the econimics, If it has a famous name then the kids will want their hero's guitar. It works how many dime bag darrell Dean's are sold a year? It's not to say that production guitars are bad.

Your sound will come from effects and the amp as you said. Jimmy Page also used a Danelectro to do studio recordings.

Bootlegger.

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: fender and gibson why

The problem friend bootleger is, and I am glad you start to know me, contact you later, is so complicate like cytania tells, in 75% of Keith Richards playing : stratocaster.
I do agree and want to add that a lot of this guitars, return a lot of money to the company. Didn't the same thing happened more or less with paul reed smith & carlos santana?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website