Fender or Gibson?

[Keef]

Many a fine guitarist has used the Fender strat over the years, and I am no one to argue with the likes of Jeff Beck. BUT, I hate the feel of them, and am not keen on the sound. Gibson Les Paul every time for me, and SG's are nice too.

Think I just like that very fat, bottom heavy sound the Les Paul has, and find Fenders a bit tinny. Oh, and Slash uses Gibsons!

Discuss.

[reggie]

tempted to reply but am not allowed to play guitar in the drawing room..gotta play it in the lounge

[HonaloochieB]

Ian Hunter has favoured SGs.

And in the Mott The Hoople song One Of The Boys, the lines

'I borrowed a gipsy Gibson just to show them, but now I'm a rock 'n' roll star I don't want to know them.

If they want a Slade, they better go out and grow one, I'm one of the boys...'

And so on and so forth.

[Mick Mac]

Angus young also uses a Gibson SG keef so say no more..?

[????]

..yeah, and he still wears his school shorts

[Andystar]

Tough one!!!

I'm a Les paul fan, they totallly rock

http://http//www.aofsound.fi/WebRoot/aofsound/Shops/aofsound/Products/Gib_00020/gib_lp_stand_fad_tb.jpg

However, i love Jaguars too, this is on my wishlist:

http://http//www.dagexpress.com/incEngine/sites/dagexpress/products/Fender/229117.jpg

[Brendan]

Gibson.

Next.

[Brendan]

Although Fender do make better Stratocasters

[Brendan]

You can?t beat a BC Rich with crackle finish and flames on the neck for bit of honky-tonk down the Constitutional Club of a Friday night but a Les Paul will do as long as it has a sticker of a skull and/or the silhouette of a naked lady on it.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Been listening to Peter Green this morning, so it has to be Gibson - very mellow sound.

Tomorrow is another day...

[Keef]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Stickers on guitars are wrong!

A mate of mine used to have a guitar with a tiger stripe finish. Awful!!!

[The Chair]

Keef, you are in danger of lounging yourself.

--------------------------------------------

Severe upright chair

[Jeremy]

It's not such a simple question.

Of course if you're playing rock music with plenty of distortion, Gibson is the one to go for. The lack of a humbucker from the standard strats and teles means that they were never a natural choice for rock.

But if I was playing funk or soul or something, I'd go for the brighter, "twangier" sounding strat every time. Or for country (god forbid) the sharp, "cutting" tone of a telecaster would be ideal.

Of course this whole debate is a moot point when the best guitars are made right here in the UK:

http://www.gordonsmithguitars.com/products/category.php?id=1

[Brendan]

Oh blah, blah, blah. The important thing is whether or not it?s going to make women want to sleep with you.

Note to chair: This is not off topic it is a fundamental part of why teenage boys start to play electric guitars in the first place.

[macroban]

In the vain hope....

Is it ethical to buy a Mexican Strat?

[Brendan]

Yes, why shouldn?t it be?

You should probably offset the air miles though by smoking home-grown weed while you?re playing it.

[Keef]

Yeah, why not?

Or are we talking labour costs and stuff?

[Jeremy]

OK Brendan, what is the ultimate "pulling" guitar? Perhaps one of these:

http://www.deanguitars.com/electrics.htm

It gets funnier and funnier as you scroll down.

Macro, what's the ethical issue with mex strats? I don't think the factory is a sweatshop or anything like that...

[Brendan]

In the interest of debate. Would any ladies like to comment on which of these guitars would make you more inclined to sleep with the player? Assuming it was the same person playing the same song the same way.

A- http://mos.musicradar.com/images/Guitarist/Issue%20309/gibson/gibson-les-paul-2008-460-80.jpg

or

B - http://www1.mipa-award.de/2008/winner/e-guitar_fender_american_standard_stratocaster.jpg

I?ve used a Les Paul and a Strat because let?s face it they are the guitars that we picture when people mention Gibson or Fender.

[Keef]

http://www.coconutgrovemusic.com/instrumentsGibson/74lpdeluxe-6.jpg

Beautiful.

Aaaaanyway, I want to hear from some Fender players.

Agree Jeremy, that it very much depends on what music you're playing, and I suppose the fact I'm a rock boy who grew up idolising Slash, or Zakk Wylde (Les Pauls), or Tony Iommi (SG), means I was always going to be a Gibson kind of guy.

I also loved Randy Rhodes, but was never going to play one of these

http://www.capitasnowboarding.com/files/u3/RANDY-RHOADS_jpg.gif

[Jah Lush]

"Give me any guitar and I'll make it sound like me." - Keith Richards.

Personally I'd be happy with a Gibson Junior or Gibson Melody Maker let along a Les Paul (black one please) on the other hand I'd like a Telecaster and a Stratcaster too and a Dan Armstrong and a perspex see-through Dan Electro. I've no real preference because I'm crap at playing guitar but I could hang them on my wall and just admire them.

[Moos]

"Give me any guitar and I'll make it sound like me." - how interesting. To what degree is the musician defined or even constrained by the quality (or qualities) of his instrument?

[Jeremy]

You'd probably need to replace the pickup on a LP jr or Melody Maker, Jah... but apart from that, they are perfectly servicable instruments. And possibly nicer to play than a proper Les Paul as they're a bit lighter.

[Keef]

Moos, the equipment used by guitarists definitely makes a difference. Slash user a particular type of Marshall Amp and a Les Paul guitar. Change either, and his sound would be a bit different, even though his style would remain the same.

[Jah Lush]

I guess any guitar player strives for his own style/sound and Keith Richards is renowned for his rhythmic opened tuned riffage is one example I could make dear Moos.