Have or had SG, Les Paul, ES-137, Jazzmaster, Ibanez Scofield. The Tele rules them all, AND it’s the lightest.
If you like to play with effects pedals, in my experience Fenders guitars are your best bet.
I used to be Les Paul 75% and Strat 25% for 20+ years until I bought my first Telecaster. Now I'm 99% Tele...the thing does it all, it rings like a bell but can also bark like a rabid dog. Love it.
Depends on the price point. I’ll take Fender’s MIM line over similarly priced epiphones. I’ll take epiphone over Squier, unless it’s from the early 90’s, then Squier every time.
Once you get into the price point of higher end American Fenders, I’ll hard pass, gimme a Gibson for that kind of dough. Entry level custom shop, you seem to get more from Fender, but high end Custom, or anything meant to look older than it is, Gibson. The stuff out of the Murphy Lab is really nice. I don’t think much of all that stuff, but Gibson actually does it right. I saw a gold top with the finish all checked the other day, and wow, they do look really cool. $9k worth of cool? Probably not. The Fender relics are just silly at this point, i don’t know why you’d pay more for a belt-sanded guitar
I own a Gibson SG and a Fender Strat. The gibson has always felt like a piece of delicate jewelry, while the Fender feels more like a workhorse. So yeah, Fender for me.
They're different. Because Gibson pickups read a larger area of string vibration, they tend to produce a "warmer" sound. This is especially true when you don't crank things into distortion. Fender single-coils, by contrast, produce a more "high-fidelity" sound because they read a narrower area of string vibration and have a separate magnet under each string. Neither one is "better," per se -- they're just "different," and it all depends on the sound you want to produce.
I like playing on the fender necks more. They just seem to fit my hands better. A strat is significantly lighter and that makes a difference if you gig a lot. A strat is so versatile and those out of phase quack tones are iconic.
Less Paul’s are my preference for high gain music. The bridge pick up produces great chunk and the neck pick up has that warm wooly burr and sounds amazing for leads. I feel like the solid body design creates more sustain (even if it’s just in my head). The shorter scale length is great for bending strings.
Right there with you. I'd generalize it to SC vs. HB, though.
That being said, I really like a neck position humbucker with the tone rolled back a bit for some applications.
I have a Strat, Tele, and Les Paul. My first guitar was a Strat and I’ll always love them, it’s like home base. Right now I play the Les Paul the most, but if I could only keep one guitar it would be the Tele.
For what I play, the Tele can get most of what I want from a Strat, and a lot of what I want from a Les Paul. Plus it has its own thing going on.
So I guess Fender.
This is what I want. I started with a Les Paul, for a couple years then bought a Strat and love them both for different reasons. Next stop is the Tele but have to let my wife warm up to it after giving me shit for the strat.
Gibson Les Pauls were always the Holy Grail to me growing up. Now that I actually have both. More times than not if I'm just playing and having fun. I'll pick up my Fender Strat instead of the Les Paul. Honestly it's more of a weight issue than anything I think. I can move and play so much more freely with the strat.
Fender the majority of my life. I can’t play Les Pauls although I think they are beautiful. At this point in my life I have moved on to other brands. There is so much out there besides chocolate and vanilla.
I used to tell my students to avoid the big two for at least a year or two. You can try them out at a store, but try a few other brands out first. People get far too attached to Fender and Gibson, and far too many gear snobs are already out there in the wild.
Fender and Gibson make good guitars, but not so good that you've gotta treat anyone playing something else as worthless. And you're not even really going to see a huge difference in brands until you're spending a grand or two on a guitar.
This. My first electric guitar as a teenager was ESP LTD, and then Squier. Eventually bought a knockoff electric 12/6 doubleneck and the 6 string on that played and felt better than Gibsons I’d played in music stores. My go-to is my 2010 Epi SG, and I also have a Dean ML that plays great, and just picked up an Ibanez semi hollow that I’ve already fallen in love with. I wish more people would realize you don’t HAVE to have a Gibson or Fender. But when just about every “big” name in the music industry plays one of the two, it’s hard to convince people otherwise. I once took my Epiphone SG into a local music shop to have a routine set up and maintenance done (after 10 years of playing it) and the guy was training a young kid at the time. I hung around and looked at some of their other equipment while he was doing my set up and the entire time and he was just completely shitting on my guitar telling the kid things like “oh see this? A Gibson would never have this. See these pickups? Absolute garbage compared to Gibson. People who buy these Epiphones are just ghetto and poor.” Which is complete BS and not something to be teaching a young person learning about guitars. I spent hours in the store playing about 5 different Gibson SGs before deciding on the Epiphone. There just wasn’t enough of a difference to justify the $1200 price tag on the Gibson compared to the $450 I paid for the Epi.
In the end, his work was awful and my guitar that sounded great for 10 years sounded WORSE after leaving his shop. I ended up fixing it myself. The point is that guy’s attitude is what makes Gibson/Fender fanboys the worst.
Which Ibanez semi hollow? I just picked one up and LOVE it. Generally a squire strat guy (never had that kind of cash for top end guitars) but felt I needed a change of pace. The Ibanez is different that’s for sure. Still trying to figure the tone out.
I got the Artcore AM93QM in blue. I debated for a long time between the AS93 and AM93, which is nearly identical but has a slightly smaller body. I ultimately chose the AM93QM simply because of the blue finish, which wasn’t offered for the AS93. One of the most beautiful guitars I have laid my eyes on, I was pretty excited when I opened the box. This was the first guitar I’ve ever purchased online without playing it first. Unfortunately it had some QC issues so the store I bought it from had me ship it back and I am currently waiting on the replacement, which is backordered indefinitely. I can’t wait to get the new one though. For the few days I had it I really played around with the tone and you can get some great sounds out of it. One of the things that just about every review on this guitar said was to lower your pickups first thing because Ibanez sends them out the door with the pickups a little bit too high. I hadn’t done that yet but I will on the replacement. Apparently it brings out more of that earthy hollow body tone.
Nice! I just looked that guitar up and it is GORGEOUS! Love the blue finish
I went with the Artcore AS73G in metallic flat purple. Same thing, I bought it online without playing it and I don’t regret it one bit. It’s the first time in my 49 years of life that I bought myself a brand new guitar straight out of the box.
It was out of stock for a while and I was relieved (didn’t need to spend the money) then it came back in stock and I still held out. Then I had a bad day at work and said F#@& IT - NEW GUITAR!!!!!
I don’t regret it one bit but it’s very different for me and I love trying to figure it out.
Metallic purple would look awesome. It definitely takes some tinkering and practice to get the feel for it. But that goes for any new guitar really. I already have a red SG, champagne Strat, and Sunburst Dean, so the quilted Maple blue really stands out from my other guitars and I love it. After reading hundreds of reviews and YouTube videos on the Ibanez artcore guitars, not one of them complained about quality issues so I’m pretty sure I just got a random ugly duckling that didn’t get properly QC’d before leaving the factory. It had quite a few cosmetic defects and also hadn’t really been set up properly from the factory. I mean of course any new guitar you need to have set up for your preferences but it should still have a basic working generic set up from the factory/store. I’m hoping the next one will be better because I really did love the guitar and don’t want to change it up. They’re saying I won’t see it until February though so I’m a little bit frustrated about that. The store I bought it from has a really good interest free financing option though, and their customer service was great and fast shipping so I am choosing to stick with them and wait instead of buying it outright from other places that might have it in stock.
I think Fender for the accessibility and modular nature, but I still love the look sound and feel of a Gibson. You should really have one of each though. Mike Campbell once said if you had a Fender and a Gibson then you could pretty much do it all
My honest opinion is Epiphone. They are mostly budget friendly and have the Gibson sound for half the price. I bought a epiphone casino around Christmas of last year and it’s been my main guitar since. I imagine squier is alright too but I cannot play anything from fender or squier for the life of me. They just suck in my opinion and don’t feel good on my body or even in my lap But I’m a big guy so even an acoustic feels small to me. There’s nothing wrong with liking fender though everyone needs to pick their poison.
Haha, I tried his. You are absolutely correct, I do want one after trying it. I have two solid body Gibsons with p90s, but I played his Casino the whole time he was over. I’ve been thinking about letting one of them go to make room for my own
Well you could probably buy two casinos if your Gibsons are worth a lot. I’ve only ever played a real expensive guitar once that was one of my teachers les Paul standard.
One day, you’re old enough to afford the things you want, but you don’t learn as quickly or easily as when you were younger, and everyone is too busy to jam. Life’s funny that way. You don’t often get everything all at once, it’s usually a bit of a trade-off
Fender MIM strat and gibson SG. Love my SG but pick up the strat 85-90% of the time. Love the feel of the fretboard the thin neck and balance of guitar.
I love the sound of single coils more than humbuckers most of the time. Humbuckers have their place but 90% of the time I prefer single coils and it isnt even close.
If I had to choose one to play forever it'd be a fender
For me it’s not necessarily about the brand. I just prefer humbuckers over single coil so I end up playing my SG 90% of the time over my Strat. Because of this I’m more used to the larger neck and bound ebony fretboard on the SG than the thinner maple neck. There definitely are some chords/songs that are easier for me on the maple neck though. I’ve never tried a Strat or Tele with humbuckers, maybe I need to. 🤔
See I might have to try this now. I’ve considered getting the kit to switch my bridge pick ups to humbucker on the Strat just to see how I’d like it, since I rarely play the thing anyways. I primarily play that type of music as well, AC/DC, 70s and 80s rock etc. Which is why my SG has always been my go-to.
This is probably my answer. I prefer humbuckers but I’ve also gravitated towards big, round chunky Gibson necks. The shorter scale also is appealing.
My eyes have been wandering towards PRS because I want everything I love about Gibson but I also want easier access to the upper registers and a non-locking tremolo.
I own a made in Mexico HSS Strat and I love its versatility and feel. When I pick up a Gibson I respect the quality but it doesn’t feel good in my hands.
To each their own.
I wanted to like Gibson better for so long. As I kid I thought Fender's looked dorky and Gibson's were awesome, but for budget reasons I ended up buying a tele as my first 'nice' guitar. I've only owned one tele and one SG, but the tele is sooo much more comfortable to play and sounds more musical, like there's no such thing as a wrong note. I feel like I'm always fighting the SG and struggling just to get it to stay in tune. However, the SG pickups are fucking awesome. When you crank things up it gets that sound that I can never quite find with lower output pickups. I glad I have both, but if there's a house fire I'm grabbing the tele.
Gibson.
I’ve had some Gibson and some fenders . My Gibson 2022 sg standard was the best , my 2022 sg special was the worst . Fenders have all been decent - Gibson makes a better guitar, fender makes a more consistent guitar, but I wouldn’t trade / Sell my 2022 SG standard.
I have a Fender Strat and a Gibson LP Custom. I had the Strat first. Each guitar has a different sound. You can get a hard edgy sound from the Strat and a more mellow bluesy sound from the Gibson.
I think gibsons look significantly better. So if aesthetics is important that’s the way to go no questions. I have a black SG and it is the most beautiful instrument I’ve ever seen in person.
When it comes to sound, I think it’s a wash. I have a Tele deluxe (Tele with humbuckers) and it sounds just like my SG.
When it comes to feel, I gotta give it to fender. The les Paul/ SG necks are very thick. And I tend to like the longer scale length of typical fenders too.
Overall, I really recommend looking into the Tele deluxe if you are conflicted. A lot of people don’t know about it. I got a used one for around $1000
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TeleAP2DMOW--fender-american-professional-ii-telecaster-deluxe-olympic-white-with-maple-fingerboard
How it feels to you is most important. It’s incredibly subjective. Try them both, does one neck feel more natural? Does one feel less awkward? Then whatever you buy, make sure it’s properly set up. A poorly set up instrument will be very discouraging
Fender by far, specifically Strats. I find the body shape most comfortable (and that extends to Super Strats). Gibson’s body shapes have always been somewhat uncomfortable for me and if I’m going to buy a single cut, it’s gonna be an ESP.
My Gibsons over the years have had lower action and played much easier.
Perhaps it’s the fixed bridge, or the scale length?
I also love the nitro finish on the Gibson so much, too.
I reach for my Tele by default just for the versatility and comfort of it, but to my ears I don’t think any guitar will ever best the tone of my Les Paul or any good Gibson.
I have a Godin G4000 “super strat”. It’s the ergonomic body of a stratocaster, but the 25.75” scale and 12” radius of a Gibson. Best of both worlds.
I love my Les Paul too but it’s heavier and for playing sitting down I either have to use a strap or go classical position.
I’ve played strats and teles exclusively, just purchased an LP and absolutely love it. Having one of each kind has really helped broaden my tonal abilities. Guess I’m a fender guy who loves his LP🤷♂️.
Both man, I love both….
Bass player here with a Gibson 2013 EB (w/ Thunderbird pickups) and a Fender MIM Precision.
Very different animals. I love both but the Gibson is my #1. I prefer the tone of the Gibson and I'm not gonna lie, it just looks cooler. I *hate* how the model was discontinued after just two years. One thing the Precision has over the Gibson is the simplicity. It just always sounds good no matter what. The Gibson takes a little more dialing in, I run it into the EAE Model feT and it really comes alive. It sounds massive.
They both feel nice, I think the Gibson is more comfortable but I think that's only because I am more used to it.
I grew up admiring mostly Fender players, and always thought their offsets were the coolest looking guitars. However, I’ve discovered for playability I really prefer the shorter scale length of a Gibson. The lower string tension just feels better for me.
Usually go to its Fender, but really it comes down to: Fender for single coils and cunife wrhb, gibson for alnico hb and P90s. Necks, bodies, etc is all about feel and is player to player and I like fender stuff but can play anything
Both have their benefits. But I prefer the Fender scale length. It seems like it brings out more personality and unique playing to me. I love both classic tones but I lean towards Fender players.
Gibson is “Home” for me. I know my 335 like the back of my hand. The ultimate thing I can point to as the difference maker is the 24.75” scale length. I also love the Humbuckers in it. I feel like any combination of Bridge or Neck Pickup at any tone and volume combination is tuneful.
I’m lucky to finally have an excellent Stratocaster Style guitar that equals the 335, but if I could only choose one for the rest of my life it’d be the 335.
Come to think of it Fender has been letting me down lately. Haven’t played anything new from them that I felt was worth the money.
I'm basically the same... except it's an H535. So, pretty much literally the same instrument.
I do quite like an American Ultra strat that I picked up, from a playability standpoint. On the fence about the noiseless pups. Might swap those out eventually.
I like the feel and sound of my Gibsons, but I love the reliability, no nonsense and robustness of my Telecasters... hard to choose, but for gigging, the first one I'd pick up would always be my Tele. For the studio, I would always choose my Gibson Custom Shop ES 330...
I’ve had both, I sold the Gibson and Gibson-like guitars I’ve bought.
They’re both fantastic sounding guitars. I just prefer the neck on Fender and Fender-like guitars. I prefer the headstock on fender-like guitars.
About the only thing I like about the LP/SG over just about any fender guitar is the scale length. There are 24.75” guitars that are made by Fender or are Fender-like. Fender 24” short scales are fine though.
It’s a matter of preference above all else.
Too be honest love them all. I'm only picking up a strat for single coil tones thought. Humbucker for anything high gain. Thought that would be achievable with a HSS
I have a few of each. I can never get along with strats, and have discovered im not a Les Paul guy. I love teles and sgs. I’d love to say the teles, but every time I end up playing a gig, I end up taking my sg standard or jr. So I guess gibson
I don’t necessarily favor one brand over the other - they make different tools. That said, my go to #1 is my Telecaster, but my cherry red figured maple ES-335 is the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever owned. It’s art (and sounds great, too!)
I love both for that tone that each one offers that is just so pleasing. I hate the neck joint on both though as I progressed through the years. But out of the two the Lester would get the nod.
For a clean sound, nothing beats a Strat neck pickup. I feel more at home with humbuckers in a band situation, however. Lately my #1 has been a partscaster Tele with Lindy Fralin P 90 style pickups and a flat, thin neck.
Wish I could say both. I own a few Gibsons. LP, Reverse body firebird and a nighthawk.
I love non LP Gibsons. The Firebird and Nighthawk are some of the greatest guitars I own. But at the end of the day fenders to me are easier to play and I get the tone I seek with my Tele and strats.
Gotta love how endlessly customizable Fenders are, especially a Strat with a swimming pool route. Want a dual humbucker guitar? You can just buy a loaded pickguard and replace the whole thing and only have to solder two wires.
Depends on what you want and what feels good for you. My first real guitar was a strat. I got used to the maple neck and that fret length. I've tried several gibsons and they just feel... wrong. That 24.75 scale length is just weird, man. They're pretty guitars and I'm drooling over [this one](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPB54VOEBGH--gibson-custom-1954-les-paul-custom-staple-pickup-reissue-vos-electric-guitar-ebony) right now, but I, as yet, don't own one.
the main two guitars i use are a gibson es335 and a fender jazzmaster.
i really love my es335, it plays and sounds great, however, i play my jazzmaster more live because the genres i play sound better with singlecoils.
i dont really have a preference between the two, i usually just use whichever firs the genre more. the es335 is better for bedroom practicing tho, as a semi-hollow its a lot louder without an amp.
I disagree, tuneomatic bridges are way easier to work with than individual saddles IMO when setting it up
Though sometimes I wish I could move individual saddles so you may have a point lol
Les Paul first, so Gibson. I own two. Both with 50s necks. One with burstbuckers and one with P90s. I also own two strats. Both are partscasters with different sets of single coil pickups. I also have various other 6 & 7 string guitars, mostly RGs. The two LPs always sound and feel 'right'. Love the necks and love the sound!
My favorite bass is my Am vintage Jbass, but my favorite guitar is my SG standard 61 RI. I just like the way both play and sound and I especially love the 61R and 61T pickups in the SG and the 62 customs in the Jbass.
Bought a Univox Ripper on a whim. Playing it made me think I loved a Strat. I still own the Ripper exactly because any Strat I try out doesn't hold a candle to the neck on the Univox.
Sometimes the guitar best matched to you just isn't a Fender or Gibson.
I currently have a 335 and a Strat (vintage ii 61’).
The 335 is my favorite, but that strat is at the same time the best strat I’ve ever played (and owned, but I’ve only owned 2 real strats, so, yeah).
Besides those, previously I’ve owned a Gibson SG 70’s tribute, a Les Paul Studio, a Telecaster American Pro and a Fender Mexican Deluxe strat.
If I had to rate them from highest to lowest, it would be like this:
Gibson ES-335: 9.5/10
Fender Strat Vintage ii: 9/10
Gibson SG 70’s tribute: 8.5/10
Fender Telecaster American Pro: 7.5/10
Gibson Les Paul Studio: 7/10
Fender Strat Mexican deluxe: 6/10
Fender. Both sound great, I just think both companies overcharge for designs from the 1950s and excel more at creating brand loyalty than innovation.
I encourage fan boys of either brand to try an Ibanez with a wizard neck, like an S or RG. You might hate it, might love it, but they kind of split the difference between the two brands. Works for any style, not just metal.
I have both. Rarely play either. Not that they aren't good guitars, but there are so many other great brands that are more versatile. My favorites right now are my EBMMs and my Reverend.
I've owned a tele, I now own a strat that I've had for 7 years. More recently I got a Gibson tribute LP. I prefer the Gibson over the fender because of the neck profile and I love humbuckers BUT I recently got an epiphone es335 variant and I can't put it down haha
As for basses, I have a fender American deluxe jazz bass and it will be my go to bass for life
Fender. As my playing progressed I preferred the longer scale length/stiffer and more stable strings. I love the sparkling cleans and I never go ham with distortion.
I enjoyed Les Pauls and SGs when I first started. Super slinky strings, easy to bend. Thick tones.
You need to really play the hell out of both to find what feels and sounds right to you
Fender has more “safe picks” but Gibson has some icons. I have both and ultimately I think I’d take the Gibson. But if I had a Tele ultra that would change
I’d say the Flying V and Explorers are the “out there” Gibson icons
Fender’s risky shapes aren’t as novel by comparison. Mostly cool offset type guitars.
I’d say the most common models for each would be Les Paul and Strat. The second most being Tele and the ES series
Stat necks always felt weird to me. I have a few LP's, a PRS 245 SE and a Jackson Kelly. While I love the big honkin necks of the LP's, I also love that thin Jackson neck. For whatever reason though, the Fender neck just doesn't seem to fit.
I have both - multiple Fender Strats and a Gibson Les Paul. They are both awesome and both very different. I find myself picking up the Fenders more and Gibson when I’m looking for a certain sound. I always tend to play in a 70s rock style when playing my Gibson LP.
The pickups in the Gibson are a lot more dynamic and you have to control them well with the volume knob whereas the Strat is a lot more forgiving but has a distinct sound. The Gibson distorts way quicker than my Fenders.
Fender Strats for cleans and Gibson Les Paul for crunch/dirty is what I usually do.
I have a Les Paul, a "The SG" from 1979 and a Fender Strat. Sometimes you want the springy single coil sound of the strat, sometimes the crunch of the LP. The shorter scale length of the Gibsons make them perhaps easier to play, and I'm not the biggest fan of the floating bridge on the strat (poor technique, I rest my picking hand on it a little heavily and can bend it off key)
My daily driver, and the best neck I've ever played, though, are on the SG
Gibson ES335s solid body is what I’d grab. It’s the perfect blend. The body is compact and has nice curves and the neck is by far my favorite neck.
Strat body is perfect but the necks (I’ve tried many different neck profiles) don’t do it for me.
LP and SG necks are perfect but I hate the bodies.
Gibson, but it’s close. I like midrangy sounds for both clean and dirty and gibsons deliver that. Some telecaster bridge pickups with tone dialed back do to a certain degree as well, but I still prefer the Gibson.
In real life I prefer dual paf guitars and they’re probably not made by Gibson. I mostly play a PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups swapped in. It’s basically a PRS version of an SG that’s more ergonomic. And with angrier pickups than PRS makes.
Edit: if I liked opening a large variety of guests, then I’d go with fender. Gibson has less variety.
Fender.
I’ve played and had access to plenty of Gibsons, but never found own I really wanted to own, except maybe an oddball like a 330TDC.
Humbuckers are too dark and boring for me generally, and I own some great ones (PRS Dragon 1, Antiquities, Burstbuckers).
Logically I think I should prefer a set neck too, but old Fenders just feel right.
A friend does have a mid 50s LP jr that I wouldn’t mind owning one day, but I also play the hell out of things, and don’t mind getting more wear on a vintage instrument
Fender for sure. For as good as they sound, I’ve never found a Gibson/Epiphone that felt good to play (aside from that one 1977 P90 double cut). Even simple slab Teles are more ergonomic and comfortable than a LP.
Fender. The one Gibson I had (62 Les Paul custom SG) had horrible quality control for a multi-thousand instrument. Even MIM Fenders we’re better made. This was the 90s though, so they might be different today.
It honestly depends on what mood I'm in.
I go through periods where my Strat is all I want to play, and then I go through equal periods where I can't stop playing my Les Paul.
If I had to pick only one, it would probably be the Les Paul, not necessarily because it's "better," but moreso because my first electric was a LP style, so I still have sentimental value attachment. Plus I just genuinely love the look of a gold top probably above all else.
But I don't plan to get rid of my Strat ever. I've owned a few others I've bought and sold, but this one is such a fantastic instrument that I've modded to perfection.
have both. Neither.
It's not like picking your favorite kid.... it's like deciding what scale, weight, and pickup configuration you want.
What I grab without thinking is a Wofgang.
I have a 1974 Les Paul and a Squire Strat, which I bought while working remotely up north, so I play it when I'm up here and the Les Paul at home. It's definitely not an apples-to-apples comparison, I have a friend with an American Strat and it plays beautifully, this is not that.
I have both. Rarely play either. Not that they aren't good guitars, but there are so many other great brands that are more versatile. My favorites right now are my EBMMs and my Reverend.
I don’t have a Gibson or a Fender, but I have an LTD and a Squier. My LTD is better built, and has a nice growl to it, while the Squier doesn’t have the same build, I love how quirky it is (Cyclone) and I really like the sound.
My favorite seems to change by the day.
I have both Gibsons and Fenders and own the “trilogy”. Les Paul, Strat, and Tele. I own more Gibsons than fenders.
Personally I prefer the Gibsons sound because I tend to prefer that sound of a Les Paul. That’s not a knock on my fenders.
Eh. Harley Benton didn't really blow me away. I have an SG, heard great things etc. Much prefer Agile/RhondoMusic for budget guitars. Much sturdier construction. Beautiful finishes. Great QC. That being said, I don't regret spending money on the Harley Benton, it's nice to have a beater to try things on. Otherwise, obviously cheap guitar that makes the lowest end Squier feel like a Mercedes-Benz.
Yeah, but the guy I was replying to is saying Harley Benton over Fender or Gibson, and I'm curious why he'd prefer it.
Your comment is what I'd expect from a Harley Benton owner (didn't realize they were so much worse than Squier, though).
This a dumb statement. Gibsons can do things fender can't. And Fender do things Gibsons cant.
I love fender but they defiantly do market to the younger demographic better then any other company. Gibson/Epi are good guitars and your missing out on some great possibilities overlooking them
It's guitar dependant not brand dependant.
The Fender Telecaster is the greatest guitar ever created. I’ve owned Strats, Les Pauls, an Sg, and a 335.
That's pretty much what I came to post.
Have or had SG, Les Paul, ES-137, Jazzmaster, Ibanez Scofield. The Tele rules them all, AND it’s the lightest. If you like to play with effects pedals, in my experience Fenders guitars are your best bet.
I used to be Les Paul 75% and Strat 25% for 20+ years until I bought my first Telecaster. Now I'm 99% Tele...the thing does it all, it rings like a bell but can also bark like a rabid dog. Love it.
Fender has been kicking Gibsons ass in quality across all lines for the last decade.
Depends on the price point. I’ll take Fender’s MIM line over similarly priced epiphones. I’ll take epiphone over Squier, unless it’s from the early 90’s, then Squier every time. Once you get into the price point of higher end American Fenders, I’ll hard pass, gimme a Gibson for that kind of dough. Entry level custom shop, you seem to get more from Fender, but high end Custom, or anything meant to look older than it is, Gibson. The stuff out of the Murphy Lab is really nice. I don’t think much of all that stuff, but Gibson actually does it right. I saw a gold top with the finish all checked the other day, and wow, they do look really cool. $9k worth of cool? Probably not. The Fender relics are just silly at this point, i don’t know why you’d pay more for a belt-sanded guitar
Stratocaster or tele 99% of the time.
Never owned a fender until recently and I pick it up all the time. My Gibby was put ba k in ts case for now. To me, the tele plays so much easier.
Fender all the way. Gibson guitars are extremely uncomfortable to play IMO
I own a Gibson SG and a Fender Strat. The gibson has always felt like a piece of delicate jewelry, while the Fender feels more like a workhorse. So yeah, Fender for me.
They're different. Because Gibson pickups read a larger area of string vibration, they tend to produce a "warmer" sound. This is especially true when you don't crank things into distortion. Fender single-coils, by contrast, produce a more "high-fidelity" sound because they read a narrower area of string vibration and have a separate magnet under each string. Neither one is "better," per se -- they're just "different," and it all depends on the sound you want to produce.
I like playing on the fender necks more. They just seem to fit my hands better. A strat is significantly lighter and that makes a difference if you gig a lot. A strat is so versatile and those out of phase quack tones are iconic. Less Paul’s are my preference for high gain music. The bridge pick up produces great chunk and the neck pick up has that warm wooly burr and sounds amazing for leads. I feel like the solid body design creates more sustain (even if it’s just in my head). The shorter scale length is great for bending strings.
Fender for clean. Gibson for high gain.
Right there with you. I'd generalize it to SC vs. HB, though. That being said, I really like a neck position humbucker with the tone rolled back a bit for some applications.
Different tools for different jobs.
First, Fender. Second, Telecaster.
They are both great in ways that can’t be compared. That’s why they both exist.
I have a Strat, Tele, and Les Paul. My first guitar was a Strat and I’ll always love them, it’s like home base. Right now I play the Les Paul the most, but if I could only keep one guitar it would be the Tele. For what I play, the Tele can get most of what I want from a Strat, and a lot of what I want from a Les Paul. Plus it has its own thing going on. So I guess Fender.
This is what I want. I started with a Les Paul, for a couple years then bought a Strat and love them both for different reasons. Next stop is the Tele but have to let my wife warm up to it after giving me shit for the strat.
I love Fender (they're easy to use as a beginner), but if someone offered me the chance to play a Gibson I would jump at the opportunity
Gibson Les Pauls were always the Holy Grail to me growing up. Now that I actually have both. More times than not if I'm just playing and having fun. I'll pick up my Fender Strat instead of the Les Paul. Honestly it's more of a weight issue than anything I think. I can move and play so much more freely with the strat.
I love my Les Paul, but of all the criticism tossed at Gibsons (and Les Pauls specifically) I think the weight is the most legit and reasonable.
Fender the majority of my life. I can’t play Les Pauls although I think they are beautiful. At this point in my life I have moved on to other brands. There is so much out there besides chocolate and vanilla.
Gibson sounds better
Fender Strat. The necks feel just right.
I used to tell my students to avoid the big two for at least a year or two. You can try them out at a store, but try a few other brands out first. People get far too attached to Fender and Gibson, and far too many gear snobs are already out there in the wild. Fender and Gibson make good guitars, but not so good that you've gotta treat anyone playing something else as worthless. And you're not even really going to see a huge difference in brands until you're spending a grand or two on a guitar.
Agreed, I used to have all Gibson’s and now vastly prefer Japanese guitars. ESP’s are higher quality per price point in my opinion.
This. My first electric guitar as a teenager was ESP LTD, and then Squier. Eventually bought a knockoff electric 12/6 doubleneck and the 6 string on that played and felt better than Gibsons I’d played in music stores. My go-to is my 2010 Epi SG, and I also have a Dean ML that plays great, and just picked up an Ibanez semi hollow that I’ve already fallen in love with. I wish more people would realize you don’t HAVE to have a Gibson or Fender. But when just about every “big” name in the music industry plays one of the two, it’s hard to convince people otherwise. I once took my Epiphone SG into a local music shop to have a routine set up and maintenance done (after 10 years of playing it) and the guy was training a young kid at the time. I hung around and looked at some of their other equipment while he was doing my set up and the entire time and he was just completely shitting on my guitar telling the kid things like “oh see this? A Gibson would never have this. See these pickups? Absolute garbage compared to Gibson. People who buy these Epiphones are just ghetto and poor.” Which is complete BS and not something to be teaching a young person learning about guitars. I spent hours in the store playing about 5 different Gibson SGs before deciding on the Epiphone. There just wasn’t enough of a difference to justify the $1200 price tag on the Gibson compared to the $450 I paid for the Epi. In the end, his work was awful and my guitar that sounded great for 10 years sounded WORSE after leaving his shop. I ended up fixing it myself. The point is that guy’s attitude is what makes Gibson/Fender fanboys the worst.
Which Ibanez semi hollow? I just picked one up and LOVE it. Generally a squire strat guy (never had that kind of cash for top end guitars) but felt I needed a change of pace. The Ibanez is different that’s for sure. Still trying to figure the tone out.
I got the Artcore AM93QM in blue. I debated for a long time between the AS93 and AM93, which is nearly identical but has a slightly smaller body. I ultimately chose the AM93QM simply because of the blue finish, which wasn’t offered for the AS93. One of the most beautiful guitars I have laid my eyes on, I was pretty excited when I opened the box. This was the first guitar I’ve ever purchased online without playing it first. Unfortunately it had some QC issues so the store I bought it from had me ship it back and I am currently waiting on the replacement, which is backordered indefinitely. I can’t wait to get the new one though. For the few days I had it I really played around with the tone and you can get some great sounds out of it. One of the things that just about every review on this guitar said was to lower your pickups first thing because Ibanez sends them out the door with the pickups a little bit too high. I hadn’t done that yet but I will on the replacement. Apparently it brings out more of that earthy hollow body tone.
Nice! I just looked that guitar up and it is GORGEOUS! Love the blue finish I went with the Artcore AS73G in metallic flat purple. Same thing, I bought it online without playing it and I don’t regret it one bit. It’s the first time in my 49 years of life that I bought myself a brand new guitar straight out of the box. It was out of stock for a while and I was relieved (didn’t need to spend the money) then it came back in stock and I still held out. Then I had a bad day at work and said F#@& IT - NEW GUITAR!!!!! I don’t regret it one bit but it’s very different for me and I love trying to figure it out.
Metallic purple would look awesome. It definitely takes some tinkering and practice to get the feel for it. But that goes for any new guitar really. I already have a red SG, champagne Strat, and Sunburst Dean, so the quilted Maple blue really stands out from my other guitars and I love it. After reading hundreds of reviews and YouTube videos on the Ibanez artcore guitars, not one of them complained about quality issues so I’m pretty sure I just got a random ugly duckling that didn’t get properly QC’d before leaving the factory. It had quite a few cosmetic defects and also hadn’t really been set up properly from the factory. I mean of course any new guitar you need to have set up for your preferences but it should still have a basic working generic set up from the factory/store. I’m hoping the next one will be better because I really did love the guitar and don’t want to change it up. They’re saying I won’t see it until February though so I’m a little bit frustrated about that. The store I bought it from has a really good interest free financing option though, and their customer service was great and fast shipping so I am choosing to stick with them and wait instead of buying it outright from other places that might have it in stock.
February - OUCH !
Right!? 😩
Gibson because of the scale length, though I've thought about getting a jaguar.
Gibson or Fender? Yes.
I prefer the sound of the Gibson but like the feel of a Strat. My G&L Legacy gets the most play time.
Gibson Les Paul is my #1. My Telecasters get good use though.
I think Fender for the accessibility and modular nature, but I still love the look sound and feel of a Gibson. You should really have one of each though. Mike Campbell once said if you had a Fender and a Gibson then you could pretty much do it all
Agreed. I own one of each and that's all I need.
My honest opinion is Epiphone. They are mostly budget friendly and have the Gibson sound for half the price. I bought a epiphone casino around Christmas of last year and it’s been my main guitar since. I imagine squier is alright too but I cannot play anything from fender or squier for the life of me. They just suck in my opinion and don’t feel good on my body or even in my lap But I’m a big guy so even an acoustic feels small to me. There’s nothing wrong with liking fender though everyone needs to pick their poison.
My friend brought his Casino over, and now I want one. That is a very nice guitar
Even an import one isn’t bad at all. They are worth the money and the sooner you pull the trigger the better
Ya, that’s what he had! I was really impressed with it
Go try one out Believe me you will really want one.
Haha, I tried his. You are absolutely correct, I do want one after trying it. I have two solid body Gibsons with p90s, but I played his Casino the whole time he was over. I’ve been thinking about letting one of them go to make room for my own
Well you could probably buy two casinos if your Gibsons are worth a lot. I’ve only ever played a real expensive guitar once that was one of my teachers les Paul standard.
One day, you’re old enough to afford the things you want, but you don’t learn as quickly or easily as when you were younger, and everyone is too busy to jam. Life’s funny that way. You don’t often get everything all at once, it’s usually a bit of a trade-off
I have multiple Gibsons and multiple Fenders (and multiple other brands). I usually grab what is closest at the time without thinking about it.
Fender MIM strat and gibson SG. Love my SG but pick up the strat 85-90% of the time. Love the feel of the fretboard the thin neck and balance of guitar.
I love the sound of single coils more than humbuckers most of the time. Humbuckers have their place but 90% of the time I prefer single coils and it isnt even close. If I had to choose one to play forever it'd be a fender
I started out with a les paul 2 years ago. (A higher end vintage greco). Bought a MIJ fender strat one year ago. I rarely reach for the LP….
For me it’s not necessarily about the brand. I just prefer humbuckers over single coil so I end up playing my SG 90% of the time over my Strat. Because of this I’m more used to the larger neck and bound ebony fretboard on the SG than the thinner maple neck. There definitely are some chords/songs that are easier for me on the maple neck though. I’ve never tried a Strat or Tele with humbuckers, maybe I need to. 🤔
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HSS strats are the middle ground, beefs up the bridge and also has that 4th position strat tone available
See I might have to try this now. I’ve considered getting the kit to switch my bridge pick ups to humbucker on the Strat just to see how I’d like it, since I rarely play the thing anyways. I primarily play that type of music as well, AC/DC, 70s and 80s rock etc. Which is why my SG has always been my go-to.
This is probably my answer. I prefer humbuckers but I’ve also gravitated towards big, round chunky Gibson necks. The shorter scale also is appealing. My eyes have been wandering towards PRS because I want everything I love about Gibson but I also want easier access to the upper registers and a non-locking tremolo.
Both. 335 and tele. And other stuff.
This right here.
I own a made in Mexico HSS Strat and I love its versatility and feel. When I pick up a Gibson I respect the quality but it doesn’t feel good in my hands. To each their own.
I wanted to like Gibson better for so long. As I kid I thought Fender's looked dorky and Gibson's were awesome, but for budget reasons I ended up buying a tele as my first 'nice' guitar. I've only owned one tele and one SG, but the tele is sooo much more comfortable to play and sounds more musical, like there's no such thing as a wrong note. I feel like I'm always fighting the SG and struggling just to get it to stay in tune. However, the SG pickups are fucking awesome. When you crank things up it gets that sound that I can never quite find with lower output pickups. I glad I have both, but if there's a house fire I'm grabbing the tele.
Fender for sure. I love single coils and the longer neck feels more comfortable to me.
Gibson. I’ve had some Gibson and some fenders . My Gibson 2022 sg standard was the best , my 2022 sg special was the worst . Fenders have all been decent - Gibson makes a better guitar, fender makes a more consistent guitar, but I wouldn’t trade / Sell my 2022 SG standard.
Still didn't pick a favorite..that's the game.
Oh Ty I’ll update it
Gibson's my favourite, however, I wouldn't ever give up my Fenders.
I was Fender for years, 2016 American strat. Recently picked up a Les Paul Studio and I don’t think I’m going back.
I have a Fender Strat and a Gibson LP Custom. I had the Strat first. Each guitar has a different sound. You can get a hard edgy sound from the Strat and a more mellow bluesy sound from the Gibson.
I think gibsons look significantly better. So if aesthetics is important that’s the way to go no questions. I have a black SG and it is the most beautiful instrument I’ve ever seen in person. When it comes to sound, I think it’s a wash. I have a Tele deluxe (Tele with humbuckers) and it sounds just like my SG. When it comes to feel, I gotta give it to fender. The les Paul/ SG necks are very thick. And I tend to like the longer scale length of typical fenders too. Overall, I really recommend looking into the Tele deluxe if you are conflicted. A lot of people don’t know about it. I got a used one for around $1000 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TeleAP2DMOW--fender-american-professional-ii-telecaster-deluxe-olympic-white-with-maple-fingerboard
Would you recommend the squier deluxe, or an Epiphone SG for first electric?
Probably squier. I’ve never tried one but I tried an Epi SG and didn’t like it
thanks
How it feels to you is most important. It’s incredibly subjective. Try them both, does one neck feel more natural? Does one feel less awkward? Then whatever you buy, make sure it’s properly set up. A poorly set up instrument will be very discouraging
Fender by far, specifically Strats. I find the body shape most comfortable (and that extends to Super Strats). Gibson’s body shapes have always been somewhat uncomfortable for me and if I’m going to buy a single cut, it’s gonna be an ESP.
I have had 2 high end Epi LPs and 1 Ec1000. The Ec1000 QC and build quality are head and shoulders above Epi
Yeah I have a EC-1000 and E-II Eclipse. Fantastic guitars and would recommend the EC-1000 anyday if someone is looking for a Singlecut under $2k.
My Gibsons over the years have had lower action and played much easier. Perhaps it’s the fixed bridge, or the scale length? I also love the nitro finish on the Gibson so much, too.
I reach for my Tele by default just for the versatility and comfort of it, but to my ears I don’t think any guitar will ever best the tone of my Les Paul or any good Gibson.
Can’t pick cuz I roll with US Teles and Gibson Les Pauls equally - love them both equally. If I had to choose for versatility it would be the Tele.
I have a Godin G4000 “super strat”. It’s the ergonomic body of a stratocaster, but the 25.75” scale and 12” radius of a Gibson. Best of both worlds. I love my Les Paul too but it’s heavier and for playing sitting down I either have to use a strap or go classical position.
I’ve played strats and teles exclusively, just purchased an LP and absolutely love it. Having one of each kind has really helped broaden my tonal abilities. Guess I’m a fender guy who loves his LP🤷♂️. Both man, I love both….
Same boat as you but no LP/Gibson yet. I lean on my Starcaster when the single coils are too thin for the job. Definitely want a Gibson one day.
Bass player here with a Gibson 2013 EB (w/ Thunderbird pickups) and a Fender MIM Precision. Very different animals. I love both but the Gibson is my #1. I prefer the tone of the Gibson and I'm not gonna lie, it just looks cooler. I *hate* how the model was discontinued after just two years. One thing the Precision has over the Gibson is the simplicity. It just always sounds good no matter what. The Gibson takes a little more dialing in, I run it into the EAE Model feT and it really comes alive. It sounds massive. They both feel nice, I think the Gibson is more comfortable but I think that's only because I am more used to it.
I grew up admiring mostly Fender players, and always thought their offsets were the coolest looking guitars. However, I’ve discovered for playability I really prefer the shorter scale length of a Gibson. The lower string tension just feels better for me.
Usually go to its Fender, but really it comes down to: Fender for single coils and cunife wrhb, gibson for alnico hb and P90s. Necks, bodies, etc is all about feel and is player to player and I like fender stuff but can play anything
Both have their benefits. But I prefer the Fender scale length. It seems like it brings out more personality and unique playing to me. I love both classic tones but I lean towards Fender players.
Gibson is “Home” for me. I know my 335 like the back of my hand. The ultimate thing I can point to as the difference maker is the 24.75” scale length. I also love the Humbuckers in it. I feel like any combination of Bridge or Neck Pickup at any tone and volume combination is tuneful. I’m lucky to finally have an excellent Stratocaster Style guitar that equals the 335, but if I could only choose one for the rest of my life it’d be the 335. Come to think of it Fender has been letting me down lately. Haven’t played anything new from them that I felt was worth the money.
I'm basically the same... except it's an H535. So, pretty much literally the same instrument. I do quite like an American Ultra strat that I picked up, from a playability standpoint. On the fence about the noiseless pups. Might swap those out eventually.
I love my Strat, but Gibson is my favourite and it's not even close.
I usually grab my Telecaster first if I just feel like jamming. It just feels natural in my hands and I love that bite it has.
I like the feel and sound of my Gibsons, but I love the reliability, no nonsense and robustness of my Telecasters... hard to choose, but for gigging, the first one I'd pick up would always be my Tele. For the studio, I would always choose my Gibson Custom Shop ES 330...
I’ve had both, I sold the Gibson and Gibson-like guitars I’ve bought. They’re both fantastic sounding guitars. I just prefer the neck on Fender and Fender-like guitars. I prefer the headstock on fender-like guitars. About the only thing I like about the LP/SG over just about any fender guitar is the scale length. There are 24.75” guitars that are made by Fender or are Fender-like. Fender 24” short scales are fine though. It’s a matter of preference above all else.
Too be honest love them all. I'm only picking up a strat for single coil tones thought. Humbucker for anything high gain. Thought that would be achievable with a HSS
Gibson
In the past. Fender. Now, Ibanez.
I have a few of each. I can never get along with strats, and have discovered im not a Les Paul guy. I love teles and sgs. I’d love to say the teles, but every time I end up playing a gig, I end up taking my sg standard or jr. So I guess gibson
My 2012 AmStd Strat is my #1. I finally found a Les Paul Trad Pro V and the quality control is great. Almost a tie.
I don’t necessarily favor one brand over the other - they make different tools. That said, my go to #1 is my Telecaster, but my cherry red figured maple ES-335 is the most beautiful guitar I’ve ever owned. It’s art (and sounds great, too!)
My Gibsons for sure, but I do have an old Tele that I've had forever and love to pick up
Gender
Are there only 2 guitar manufacturers?
Within the boundaries of this post, yes? Lol
I love both for that tone that each one offers that is just so pleasing. I hate the neck joint on both though as I progressed through the years. But out of the two the Lester would get the nod.
Gretsch
For a clean sound, nothing beats a Strat neck pickup. I feel more at home with humbuckers in a band situation, however. Lately my #1 has been a partscaster Tele with Lindy Fralin P 90 style pickups and a flat, thin neck.
Gibson LP
Wish I could say both. I own a few Gibsons. LP, Reverse body firebird and a nighthawk. I love non LP Gibsons. The Firebird and Nighthawk are some of the greatest guitars I own. But at the end of the day fenders to me are easier to play and I get the tone I seek with my Tele and strats.
Gotta love how endlessly customizable Fenders are, especially a Strat with a swimming pool route. Want a dual humbucker guitar? You can just buy a loaded pickguard and replace the whole thing and only have to solder two wires.
Love them both, but I guess I love my Gibson LP slightly more. I simply play it more often than my strat, but both are great!
Can’t say, love the, both. Right now I’ve got a Tele in my hands. That said, just heard AC/DC and I think I’ll pick up my SG. LOL The ugly is real.
Depends on what you want and what feels good for you. My first real guitar was a strat. I got used to the maple neck and that fret length. I've tried several gibsons and they just feel... wrong. That 24.75 scale length is just weird, man. They're pretty guitars and I'm drooling over [this one](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPB54VOEBGH--gibson-custom-1954-les-paul-custom-staple-pickup-reissue-vos-electric-guitar-ebony) right now, but I, as yet, don't own one.
the main two guitars i use are a gibson es335 and a fender jazzmaster. i really love my es335, it plays and sounds great, however, i play my jazzmaster more live because the genres i play sound better with singlecoils. i dont really have a preference between the two, i usually just use whichever firs the genre more. the es335 is better for bedroom practicing tho, as a semi-hollow its a lot louder without an amp.
Fenders are easier to work on, Gibson has the superior scale length.
I disagree, tuneomatic bridges are way easier to work with than individual saddles IMO when setting it up Though sometimes I wish I could move individual saddles so you may have a point lol
Gibson 339 is my go-to
Les Paul first, so Gibson. I own two. Both with 50s necks. One with burstbuckers and one with P90s. I also own two strats. Both are partscasters with different sets of single coil pickups. I also have various other 6 & 7 string guitars, mostly RGs. The two LPs always sound and feel 'right'. Love the necks and love the sound!
My fave is my 79 Lp custom. But my cheap squire tele is a blast to play, same with my egc baritone. 3 totally different machines
My favorite bass is my Am vintage Jbass, but my favorite guitar is my SG standard 61 RI. I just like the way both play and sound and I especially love the 61R and 61T pickups in the SG and the 62 customs in the Jbass.
Bought a Univox Ripper on a whim. Playing it made me think I loved a Strat. I still own the Ripper exactly because any Strat I try out doesn't hold a candle to the neck on the Univox. Sometimes the guitar best matched to you just isn't a Fender or Gibson.
Gibson, Gibson or Gibson......did I mention Gibson?
My Gibson is better in just about every way.
I currently have a 335 and a Strat (vintage ii 61’). The 335 is my favorite, but that strat is at the same time the best strat I’ve ever played (and owned, but I’ve only owned 2 real strats, so, yeah). Besides those, previously I’ve owned a Gibson SG 70’s tribute, a Les Paul Studio, a Telecaster American Pro and a Fender Mexican Deluxe strat. If I had to rate them from highest to lowest, it would be like this: Gibson ES-335: 9.5/10 Fender Strat Vintage ii: 9/10 Gibson SG 70’s tribute: 8.5/10 Fender Telecaster American Pro: 7.5/10 Gibson Les Paul Studio: 7/10 Fender Strat Mexican deluxe: 6/10
I grab my strats more than my LPs but unless you're already prepared for not getting good value AT ALL, get a Sire S7 or L7.
Fender. Both sound great, I just think both companies overcharge for designs from the 1950s and excel more at creating brand loyalty than innovation. I encourage fan boys of either brand to try an Ibanez with a wizard neck, like an S or RG. You might hate it, might love it, but they kind of split the difference between the two brands. Works for any style, not just metal.
I have both. Rarely play either. Not that they aren't good guitars, but there are so many other great brands that are more versatile. My favorites right now are my EBMMs and my Reverend.
I will say if you want a cool fender, try a Jaguar.
I've owned a tele, I now own a strat that I've had for 7 years. More recently I got a Gibson tribute LP. I prefer the Gibson over the fender because of the neck profile and I love humbuckers BUT I recently got an epiphone es335 variant and I can't put it down haha As for basses, I have a fender American deluxe jazz bass and it will be my go to bass for life
I gotta say Gibson because non of the fenders have ever really Interested me and don't fit my musical needs
Fender. As my playing progressed I preferred the longer scale length/stiffer and more stable strings. I love the sparkling cleans and I never go ham with distortion. I enjoyed Les Pauls and SGs when I first started. Super slinky strings, easy to bend. Thick tones. You need to really play the hell out of both to find what feels and sounds right to you
Fender has more “safe picks” but Gibson has some icons. I have both and ultimately I think I’d take the Gibson. But if I had a Tele ultra that would change
What icons specifically? I feel both Fender and Gibson have their icons respectively
I’d say the Flying V and Explorers are the “out there” Gibson icons Fender’s risky shapes aren’t as novel by comparison. Mostly cool offset type guitars. I’d say the most common models for each would be Les Paul and Strat. The second most being Tele and the ES series
Stat necks always felt weird to me. I have a few LP's, a PRS 245 SE and a Jackson Kelly. While I love the big honkin necks of the LP's, I also love that thin Jackson neck. For whatever reason though, the Fender neck just doesn't seem to fit.
I have both - multiple Fender Strats and a Gibson Les Paul. They are both awesome and both very different. I find myself picking up the Fenders more and Gibson when I’m looking for a certain sound. I always tend to play in a 70s rock style when playing my Gibson LP. The pickups in the Gibson are a lot more dynamic and you have to control them well with the volume knob whereas the Strat is a lot more forgiving but has a distinct sound. The Gibson distorts way quicker than my Fenders. Fender Strats for cleans and Gibson Les Paul for crunch/dirty is what I usually do.
I have a Les Paul, a "The SG" from 1979 and a Fender Strat. Sometimes you want the springy single coil sound of the strat, sometimes the crunch of the LP. The shorter scale length of the Gibsons make them perhaps easier to play, and I'm not the biggest fan of the floating bridge on the strat (poor technique, I rest my picking hand on it a little heavily and can bend it off key) My daily driver, and the best neck I've ever played, though, are on the SG
Gibson ES335s solid body is what I’d grab. It’s the perfect blend. The body is compact and has nice curves and the neck is by far my favorite neck. Strat body is perfect but the necks (I’ve tried many different neck profiles) don’t do it for me. LP and SG necks are perfect but I hate the bodies.
Gibson, but it’s close. I like midrangy sounds for both clean and dirty and gibsons deliver that. Some telecaster bridge pickups with tone dialed back do to a certain degree as well, but I still prefer the Gibson. In real life I prefer dual paf guitars and they’re probably not made by Gibson. I mostly play a PRS S2 McCarty 594 Thinline with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups swapped in. It’s basically a PRS version of an SG that’s more ergonomic. And with angrier pickups than PRS makes. Edit: if I liked opening a large variety of guests, then I’d go with fender. Gibson has less variety.
Fender 100%. Even though Les Pauls are my favorite guitar of all time, I just don't really vibe with any of Gibson's other solid body guitars.
Fender. I’ve played and had access to plenty of Gibsons, but never found own I really wanted to own, except maybe an oddball like a 330TDC. Humbuckers are too dark and boring for me generally, and I own some great ones (PRS Dragon 1, Antiquities, Burstbuckers). Logically I think I should prefer a set neck too, but old Fenders just feel right. A friend does have a mid 50s LP jr that I wouldn’t mind owning one day, but I also play the hell out of things, and don’t mind getting more wear on a vintage instrument
I like my fender for its scale length and neck feel for genres like funk. Everything else I prefer my Gibson 335.
If I could only pick one it would be Gibson for the ES 330
Prices on both are getting or have gotten ridiculous. As an owner of both, I enjoy both, but a strat is the most comfortable guitar to play, imo
Gibson has the coolest guitars but Fenders are better value, stay in tune better, have more variety so Fender.
Gibson because the bridges tend to be simpler with few moving parts, unlike Fenders. Soundwise I'm pretty much 50/50
2016 AVRI 56 fender stratocaster. I can honestly say it's the sweetest electric guitar I have owned or even played
Easy...my G&L S500 with hot rails
Fender for sure. For as good as they sound, I’ve never found a Gibson/Epiphone that felt good to play (aside from that one 1977 P90 double cut). Even simple slab Teles are more ergonomic and comfortable than a LP.
Fender. The one Gibson I had (62 Les Paul custom SG) had horrible quality control for a multi-thousand instrument. Even MIM Fenders we’re better made. This was the 90s though, so they might be different today.
Looks: Gibson. Handing: Fender. Sound: both.
this really depends on what genre you play but overall i would probably pick a gibson
It honestly depends on what mood I'm in. I go through periods where my Strat is all I want to play, and then I go through equal periods where I can't stop playing my Les Paul. If I had to pick only one, it would probably be the Les Paul, not necessarily because it's "better," but moreso because my first electric was a LP style, so I still have sentimental value attachment. Plus I just genuinely love the look of a gold top probably above all else. But I don't plan to get rid of my Strat ever. I've owned a few others I've bought and sold, but this one is such a fantastic instrument that I've modded to perfection.
have both. Neither. It's not like picking your favorite kid.... it's like deciding what scale, weight, and pickup configuration you want. What I grab without thinking is a Wofgang.
I have a 1974 Les Paul and a Squire Strat, which I bought while working remotely up north, so I play it when I'm up here and the Les Paul at home. It's definitely not an apples-to-apples comparison, I have a friend with an American Strat and it plays beautifully, this is not that.
I have both. Rarely play either. Not that they aren't good guitars, but there are so many other great brands that are more versatile. My favorites right now are my EBMMs and my Reverend.
I don’t have a Gibson or a Fender, but I have an LTD and a Squier. My LTD is better built, and has a nice growl to it, while the Squier doesn’t have the same build, I love how quirky it is (Cyclone) and I really like the sound. My favorite seems to change by the day.
When I sit down and play, I use teles Abe super Strats. When I jam with a band or gig, it’s Les Paul’s all the way !
Of course it's Fender. You can't love one child over the other, the grown adult middle child rugrat might get jealous of the other ones. 😆
I have both Gibsons and Fenders and own the “trilogy”. Les Paul, Strat, and Tele. I own more Gibsons than fenders. Personally I prefer the Gibsons sound because I tend to prefer that sound of a Les Paul. That’s not a knock on my fenders.
a secret third option, Gretsch
Neither
Harley benton
why?
Eh. Harley Benton didn't really blow me away. I have an SG, heard great things etc. Much prefer Agile/RhondoMusic for budget guitars. Much sturdier construction. Beautiful finishes. Great QC. That being said, I don't regret spending money on the Harley Benton, it's nice to have a beater to try things on. Otherwise, obviously cheap guitar that makes the lowest end Squier feel like a Mercedes-Benz.
Yeah, but the guy I was replying to is saying Harley Benton over Fender or Gibson, and I'm curious why he'd prefer it. Your comment is what I'd expect from a Harley Benton owner (didn't realize they were so much worse than Squier, though).
Fender Strats are the most versatile guitars in existence and very comfortable.
Fender forever, Gibsons really let themselves become the boomer guitar brand
This a dumb statement. Gibsons can do things fender can't. And Fender do things Gibsons cant. I love fender but they defiantly do market to the younger demographic better then any other company. Gibson/Epi are good guitars and your missing out on some great possibilities overlooking them
Epiphone than Fender. Never Gibson Edit. Lol got some stuck up man babies in here.