Fender Vs. Gibson

The ever-raging question, Fender or Gibson? Who is the king of guitars? Which company (or their design) is better? Whose cuisine reigns supreme? (Wait a minute, that last one's from Iron Chef... sorry). But all FoodTV shows aside, a very significant portion of guitars out there today are based off of one of Fender's or Gibson's designs. So, as we delve into the deeper aspects of this matter, keep an open mind if you are set on one company or another.

One point worth noting before I continue is that Fender and Gibson are not the only companies out there. There are plenty of good guitar makers in existence, like Ernie Ball/Music Man, Paul Reed Smith, Ibanez, ESP, and Gretsch, among the others. The reason why I’m comparing Fender and Gibson here is that they are the two most popular companies, and they vary so much. Also, this is a long-standing debate between the two.

I'm not going to go into the histories of each company (as my history on Gibson is a little foggy at the moment, hope that'll change soon), but basically, to understand and compare the companies, I will take note of all the prominent instruments made by each company, as well as their tonal characteristics.

Let's start with Fender, as they are first alphabetically. Today, the two most prominent guitars are the Stratocaster and the Telecaster, with the bass line consisting mainly of the Precision and Jazz basses. Fender also has classics of older models, like the Jaguar and Jazzmaster. Gibson, on the other hand, offers it's famous Les Paul, SG, Flying V, Explorer, Firebird, Electric Spanish (ES), and the Melody Maker. Both have a custom shop, as well as derivatives and classics of each model. Fender's tone has that famous, treble-y bell tone that is commonly associated with the Stratocaster as well as single coil pickups. Gibson, on the other hand, has a mellower tone highly related to humbucker tone, clearly exemplified in the Les Paul. Various elements go into the differences in timbre, such as the pickups, tone woods, body shape, and other various design differences. Gibsons are known for their warmer, crunchier (especially when distorted) tone whereas Fender has the bright, famous bell-like tone (the now famous “Fender tone”) achieved by single-coil pickups.

Fender's tonal qualities are mainly dictated by their body woods and the single coil pickup. Fender most commonly uses ash and alder, both of which give a medium, slightly bright tone as it is. Both woods are fairly light, producing Stratocaster bodies of about four to five pounds, adding to its appeal to Fender. Plus, both woods are commonly found in America and fairly inexpensive, making them ideal for production. The single coil pickup has the infamous 60-cycle hum (which oddly enough I've come to love as part of a vintage tone; I don't know why, it's just so cool) yet emphasizes brightness on Fender's guitars. The tone is best described as, once again, bell-like, and is the sound Fender is famous for. Stratocaster bodies were originally designed to compete with the Bigsby vibrato system, as well as add comfort with the body contours. Telecasters were derived from Leo Fender’s original Esquire model, which had a single-coil in the bridge slot.

On the other hand, Gibsons are quite different. Gibson uses mainly mahogany for their bodies. Mahogany is a denser wood, offering darker tone and thick, warm, crunchy sound often loved by many guitar players. The Les Paul is quite possibly the epitome of the electric guitar, being the longest-made production model; Gibson began producing the guitar in the ‘40s. The SG came along in ’61, as a custom version of the Les Paul. Because of it’s small body, Gibson named it the “Spanish Guitar” (hence, “SG”). Gibson at first used the P90 design, which is basically a single-coil pickup, though it’s not as bright as a standard single coil. P90s offer a much darker, smoother alternative to the standard single coil. Incidentally, Gibson developed the humbucker at the same time as Gretsch, and implemented said humbucker in 1957 with the Les Paul. Since then, Gibson’s name has often been associated with America and classic rock n’ roll tone. In fact, Geddy Lee of Rush once told guitarist Alex Lifeson that the only guitar he should ever play is a Les Paul, because it offers the best rock n’ roll tone, in his ears. The ES model has made its place in music everywhere, from blues to jazz to classic rock; it offers slightly snappy tone and resonance with a hollow body, along with the mellow Gibson tone. The Explorer, although ahead of its time at first, has become a favorite among metalheads, and the Firebird and it’s space age curves were designed by an automobile engineer.

So, finally, which is better? I’m going to say again what I have continuously said in the past. Which one is better is always subject to one’s personal tastes. Whatever you like should be the one you should choose. If you like the classic bell-tones of Fender, choose them. Or, if you want that thick rock tone, follow Gibson.

Between the two, though, Fender has my vote. It’s not only the tone, which I’ll get into later. Whenever I see a Fender, even if it’s not mine, something strikes a chord (no pun intended) inside of me; I feel inspired, and go to an intellectual place not attainable with another instrument. Whenever I pick up a Gibson, I don’t get the same feel. Inspiration, to me, is key in choosing an instrument; if you don’t feel that the guitar will portray what you want it to do, then chances are it’s not the right axe. Although, I will admit that I sometimes do crave the Gibson tone, and that the Explorer is one of the most comfortable guitars I’ve ever played. But that’s later in the article.

The Fender tone, to me, is uplifting and amazing; I love the clarity and brightness in a Stratocaster. If you look at any famous guitarist, chances are they either play or own a Fender. Also, my affinity for Fenders may come from my influences; when I first started playing, I was (and still am) into Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and The Edge (of U2).

There is a longing in me, though, that begs for the mellower Gibson tone at times. There has been more than one occasion where I wished I were the owner of an Explorer because of the feel and the classic Gibson PAF-tone. It sounds amazing where necessary, and can truly sing.

Though, there is always a part of me that will always love Fender, no matter what.

So who wins the battle? It’s up to you. I say that you should go with what you feel, and for me that is Fender.

by Nikhil Deshpande

Comments

[wbk666]

i dont think there is a simple winner as it depends on what style of music your playing. Both are equal in my opinion. sorry

[dimebagsmygod]

Fender win in my opinion. I don't know why it is but I just hate using Gibsons. I'd like to use a Les Paul so I can look cool like slash and zakk wylde but the bridge is just to high making it imposible to do some stuff you can other wise do on fender.

[slash6464]

fender will win hands down when it comes to basses, gibsons suck ass, and the j bass and P bass are amazing!

but i do like gibsons guitars better

[slash6464]

EY i heard SG stands for standard guitar, cos they wanted to make it a cheap version, that most ppl would buy, (kinda like what a strat is now, the most comon)

[POP_MUZIK]

fender are awesome peices of music but wen u look in2 fender there is an arguement called "STRAT VS TELE" and lets not go down that path but dime is right u can do anything on a fender and gibson have to be made right i love gibsons but the only one of there peices that is any good is the x-plora cos its such a work of the neck its like they finaly got it right and they like les pauls better!

seriously tho fender are the best u cant compair em to gibson its like compairin the queen of england to a homeless dude(homeless dude being gibson)

[ninjakarl]

sg.. the spanish guitar?
correct me if i'm wrong but isn't it solid guitar? wikipedia seems to agree with me
other than that, your article is very good. not too biased and pointing out pros for each company, good work =)

[tmd9314]

Personally I love the sound of the stratocaster hss because it has a mahogany body ( good for the crunchy tones) and it has both a humbucker and 2 single coils giving it a mix of the good ol fender tone and the unmistakable crunchy gibson tone.

[lefthandman9876]

gibsons are overpriced poorly made and have a very poor lefty range (which particularly annoys me), fender quite the opposite but still give me a 67 vee over a strat anyday

im quite partial to a nice tele though...

and fender make beautiful amps i love my hot rod deluxe =D

[Mortigi Tempo]

fender is better i never really liked gibsons theyre really overpriced too

[thunderinblack]

i wouldent say either of them are the best guitar make the quality of both makes has gone down after there take overs out of the two its quite hard to say gibson are better quality but realy over priced fenders are more versitile and alot better value for money for the quality and price but at the end of the day its all down to preference i prefur stock gibsons as they have a bigger sound but fenders when modded are hands down better

[.:Darkness:.]

Because i like rock im of course going to be bias to Gibson but i wouldn't personally buy a Les paul from them. They are overpriced and i liek the feel of other guitars better.

[Greg Harper]

wbk666 wrote:

i dont think there is a simple winner as it depends on what style of music your playing. Both are equal in my opinion. sorry

Idiot, that's the point! Both are the most versatile brands in music yet poele still say this. It's a chiche used by people who think they know but don't. My opinion? Gibson. Why? Gibsons are much more reliable due to personal experience.

[frigginjerk]

wow... SG = SOLID GUITAR

it was designed as a custom Les Paul, but Les Paul the guitarist, who the axe was made for, disapproved of the design. Gibson had already named it the SG, so they change the meaning to solid guitar.

[E V H 5150]

I play on a Peavey. But if I could I would own a Fender. Gibsons aren't made for whammy bars, and Fenders are easily customized. I also like the Strat shape.

[Zapfire]

I have a Strat and a Les Paul and personally I think I can get better distortion from the LP and better clean from the Strat. Also the strat sounds much better in drop d.

[Pumpkins4Life]

I can play faster on my strat, my strat is more versatile and the v neck is a lot more comfortable, i dont like gibson bridges. les paul bodies are too small for me also. the only thing i dont like about strats are the output jacks

[deafening]

biased

also, hendrix had that SG too didnt he? hmm

[Fredde_]

I like gibson Les Paul.I like the fealing and the sound. And i realy like the bridge on gobson guitars

[bproducts]

both are good, just not today, both made poor. if you can get you hands on either companys older stuff they are both about the same(Great)(epis and squires are to hard to tell the difference from gibson / fender, at least for me when going to the store and plugging in to a good amp), today though i would go with the other makes

[dudeman_andy]

nice article, for me its all about fender, guitar and amps. I love the feel of them.

[T.Rextacy]

Never played a real Gibson, i tried a Tele and it was pretty cool. I own an Epiphone and it's good enough for me the LP shape is cool

[SiaanKaan]

i have played both guitars and went with a fender
(i own a Dean now)
i do like the distorted feeling of a gibson but in my opinion they are heavy and the neck is quite bulky

the fender strats are light and have more slender necks. i prefer then for a cleaner sound and tone aswell.

[Shaned]

dude isn't SG solidbody guitar? whatever but i know this really doesn't count but i'd go with gibson just because they have more insane guitar shapes. A stratocaster gets old fast but if you have like a Flying V, damn it looks great and it has some appeal to the metal community. And, i'm a metal guy so humbuckers are the way to go unless you hot rod a strat with some seymour duncan hot rails or something. Gibson and Fender both rule their own seperate empires.

[gazaa]

differences in tone arise primarily because of the differences in scale length. if you stuck single coils in a lp and humbuckers in a strat they would still sound more like a lp and a strat, respectively.

[Nickman3000]

When it comes to bass, gibson doesn't come close to fender when it comes to orignality and playability.
The two promenent gibson basses (EB and Thunderbird) were carbon copies of their 6-string bothers (SG & Firebird). Same can be said for the Percision, but, that guitar came with the famous split coil were the gibson used bass adapted humbuckers.
When it comes to playability fender are just so much better, especially on the fretboard, going from my first bass to a fender improved me exponentially and i improved more in a week with the fender then i had in about a year of playing beforehand. As for gibson playability, i picked up a thunderbird and hated after 5 mins of playing it. As said in the article, it wasn't inspiring picking it up and just didn't feel right.

But enough about bass, here's my opinion of the 6-strings.
Don't get me wrong, fender is my preferred 6-string, but, i consider it as the beginners guitar. This is mainly thanks to it's amazing playability on the fretboard and ease of bending. I also call it the beginners guitar because of the tone it offers, mentioned above. Coming from a dense rock n' roll background, i've always enjoyed the sound that comes from a gibson over the fender, it's just the grunt and quality of distrotion that comes from the humbuckers. I have also realised that several rock guitarist's more often move from fender to gibson than the vice versa (eg. Jimmy Page, The Edge, Jeff Beck), most likely searching for that gibson rock n' roll tone.

So that my opinion, take or leave it, but dispite that above said, my waepons of choice are the Fender Percision and the Fender Stratcastor.

[Dave Gilmour]

I think Fender, no questions asked. I couldn't agree more with this guy's opinion in the article. It was a great read!

[linkinwayne]

Agree with Greg Harper. And 'If you look at any famous guitarist, chances are they either play or own a Fender' That's exactly what I would say about Gibson.

[otherkid]

I stopped reading after he said SG stood for Spanish Guitar. Because I remember reading on the Gibson site that it stood for "Solid Guitar" and it was first produced as as competition to the Stat's access to higher frets. But it was also called the Les Paul, but because of name issues and at the time Les Paul was going through a divorce, they changed the name.

[otherkid]

Nickman3000 wrote:

When it comes to bass, gibson doesn't come close to fender when it comes to orignality and playability.
The two promenent gibson basses (EB and Thunderbird) were carbon copies of their 6-string bothers (SG & Firebird). Same can be said for the Percision, but, that guitar came with the famous split coil were the gibson used bass adapted humbuckers.
When it comes to playability fender are just so much better, especially on the fretboard, going from my first bass to a fender improved me exponentially and i improved more in a week with the fender then i had in about a year of playing beforehand. As for gibson playability, i picked up a thunderbird and hated after 5 mins of playing it. As said in the article, it wasn't inspiring picking it up and just didn't feel right.

But enough about bass, here's my opinion of the 6-strings.
Don't get me wrong, fender is my preferred 6-string, but, i consider it as the beginners guitar. This is mainly thanks to it's amazing playability on the fretboard and ease of bending. I also call it the beginners guitar because of the tone it offers, mentioned above. Coming from a dense rock n' roll background, i've always enjoyed the sound that comes from a gibson over the fender, it's just the grunt and quality of distrotion that comes from the humbuckers. I have also realised that several rock guitarist's more often move from fender to gibson than the vice versa (eg. Jimmy Page, The Edge, Jeff Beck), most likely searching for that gibson rock n' roll tone.

So that my opinion, take or leave it, but dispite that above said, my waepons of choice are the Fender Percision and the Fender Stratcastor.

Very true points at the end, but think of it this way, Hendrix and Clapton bothed used Gibsons, but are very well know as Strat players, both of their weapons of choice are Strats

[Oli-The-Strange]

Lol, gibson FTW

But something funny i noticed in the comments is that loads of people like the fenders more than gibsons but nearly everyone prefers playing a gibson to a fender, even after saying they are poorly made

[dimebagsmygod]

Oli-The-Strange wrote:

Lol, gibson FTW

But something funny i noticed in the comments is that loads of people like the fenders more than gibsons but nearly everyone prefers playing a gibson to a fender, even after saying they are poorly made

Gibsons look cooler to play but fenders are easier to play!

[CobenBlack]

that just seemed stupid, i mean orite, it was well written, but why did you bother?

[Nebblacktip]

Man, i don't like fender basses at all (prepares to be lynched by other basses) but i like Gibson ones even less. Still, i'm in the process of shopping for a new 6-string, and thus have been going to my local guitar stores alot and trying out various models. And after trying Tele's and Strats (and mockingbirds, and some Schecters too) i Really love the New Gibson Les PAul BFG. And actually, it's not quite as ridiculously gibson overpriced as most guitars.

Does that mean i think Gibosn is the best? No. Actually, if i had the cash to buy two guitars, i would easily buy the dual humbuckers Tele. But i need a new bass too...

[guilty]

I'm with Gibson Les Paul. I feel more comfortalbe when I play with it. But usually use Ibanez RGT42BP.

[insurgentsteve]

Too bad this is such a poorly written article, otherwise I might have actually liked to read it.

[brewstercraven]

what an entirely pointless article.

[soilworker3]

FENDER: Blues

GIBSON: Good for just about everything else

If I was in a rock band, I would not be caught dead with a Fender. They just can't produce a good, heavy distorted sound for chords and open notes.

[jakewynnrocks]

ninjakarl wrote:

sg.. the spanish guitar?
correct me if i'm wrong but isn't it solid guitar? wikipedia seems to agree with me
other than that, your article is very good. not too biased and pointing out pros for each company, good work =)

wikipedia in NOT a reliable source. its user created, nothing in it is proven. and plus, i will always like gibsons better...

[yam]

jakewynnrocks wrote:

ninjakarl wrote:

sg.. the spanish guitar?
correct me if i'm wrong but isn't it solid guitar? wikipedia seems to agree with me
other than that, your article is very good. not too biased and pointing out pros for each company, good work =)

wikipedia in NOT a reliable source. its user created, nothing in it is proven. and plus, i will always like gibsons better...

it is proven.....its sourced. check the footnotes.

[.smudged.]

SG= Spanish guitar? Do some research

[Gab_Chris]

fact: right now, shecter guitars are the ones that have the most sales in america (although fender strat is still the n.1 guitar sold in world)

[comrade_NC]

inless you in the band "coldplay" or "rascal flats" do u need a fender telecaster hahaha

[Sean-Man]

frigginjerk wrote:

wow... SG = SOLID GUITAR

it was designed as a custom Les Paul, but Les Paul the guitarist, who the axe was made for, disapproved of the design. Gibson had already named it the SG, so they change the meaning to solid guitar.

yeha buddy

[Sean-Man]

i find stratocasters have really good playability, but hot damn that LP Tone is a killer

[Bellz06!]

fender is good but gibson win for me

[Cobalt Blue]

comrade_NC wrote:

inless you in the band "coldplay" or "rascal flats" do u need a fender telecaster hahaha

clearly your unaware that Page used a tele on the first Zeppelin album... thats one of the factors that turned me to want a tele (don't have one yet though)

i'm a fan of Gibson, just like the design and sustain... but i've never really played a great strat in my experience.. mostly lower end ones.

[MrGtD]

I'm an Ibanez man, myself.

[Desh627]

Okay, okay... one error... Sorry, SG is solid body, it was late at night, I was thinking of the ES, or Electric Spanish model...

Those of you questioning my Gibson history, the SG was introduced in 1961 as a Les Paul "custom" model. Though, many users wanted the old shape of the Les Paul back, so they kept the SG line as the... well... SG... and replaced the Les Paul with it's original shape.

And please, finish the article... those of you complaining how I chose Fender over Gibson, saying I'm biased... I tried to give an unbiased view, and if you read towards the end, I specifically stated that neither is technically better than the other, it comes down to personal choice.

And about Jimi Hendrix, He also owned a black Flying V, in addition to that SG. But, it should be known that he went on tour with at least 13 strats... it's what he's known for.

And for the guy who's saying most guys switch over to Gibsons, you've listed The Edge and Jeff Beck (in addition to Jimmy Page, who I'll give you). Funny enough, the Edge stated in an interview that there's a certain sound that comes from a vintage Fender that you just can't get anywhere else, he loves it. He also does love Gibsons for their tone and the classic rock sound, but he uses both, he has no specific preference.

As for Jeff Beck, yeah, he used Gibsons a while back. But, if you go to Fender's website, I think you'll be surprised to notice that he has his own signiature model, as well as a custom shop signiature model. Hell, he has his own pickups! (The Hot Noiseless model... they're amazing by the way)

[whitebluesboy]

Well I have them both. Fender Strats have a much nicer clean tone and work excellent for blues or soft rock. For anything else though I would have to say Gibson Les Pauls dominate. You can't play hard ball biting rock and roll on a guitar with a thin body and single coil pickups. It just doesn't work.

[HLrocker]

I've had both a strat, and a LP....I personaly like the LP better, I love the tone, and just the feel of the guitar, not to mention it's looks....fenders a great brand, it's just not for me.

[pariah452]

Just get a Jackson or Esp. Fender definitely wins though.

[Zoso68]

completely depends on the material, i have both styles and love both, but only if im playing the right stuff of each

[Shredder Guitar]

SG stands for "Solid Guitar," not "Spanish Guitar." This article was alright, but there's quite a bit of false info. i give it a 6.

[Sound_Garden_X]

I play both, I mainly use my Strat since im a funky blues guy and the tone for that style is great. But there are some things my strat can't do so I use my friends les paul, both great but if I had to pick one Fender.

[Serjem]

i use fender when i play clean and solo stuff...
and i use gibson when it comes to any "hard" music... rock and punk mainly

[waranghira]

GTFO, newfag!

it depends on the song one's playing

[troyponce]

I don't dig on fenders, personally. The guitars sound too thin for me, and the basses have too much pop to the tone. If I'm playing funk, I'll be all over a J again, but I honestly don't like either Gibson or Fender basses. I like Gibby guitars more, and if you swap out the pickups and run it through a Maxon OD808 into a 5150 or Krankenstien... beautiful. That being said, my personal tastes for guitars goes to Schecter, but that's not what this article is about.

[Glennjoe]

what a stupid column, whatever ur looking for soundwise, end of.

[GuitarManNick]

both of them suck.

[KerSkater]

neither, I would much rather have a Dean than a fender or gibson, Deans have the sicest designs and they play very well, but my first guitar was a fender squier but never played a gibson so I'm not sure which of the 2 I would pick if I had to choose

[keavader]

KerSkater wrote:

neither, I would much rather have a Dean than a fender or gibson, Deans have the sicest designs and they play very well, but my first guitar was a fender squier but never played a gibson so I'm not sure which of the 2 I would pick if I had to choose

Oh yes ! I love my Dean, especially more than an overpriced Gibson and Fender. I mean, if I HAD to choose between the two, probably Fender, but thet's probably just me. But the thing with Gibson is you can get basically all their guitars cheaper from Epiphone, and that's kind of crappy. But again, maybe that's just me.

[ricfrusciante]

i think the fender is the best guitar for all types of music

[acoustic87]

I have a Strat and I had a Les Paul. As versatile as the strat is, nothing can compare to my '89 RG560. Two singles coils and a humbucker in the bridge. To me it's all an opinion and this is mine...

[cashewchaching]

FENDER!!!!

[FRDesign]

spanish guitar????

[blues-guitarist]

this has to be the most pointless debate ever...both make good guitars and have different sounds and a different feel...it's like comparing randy rhoads to andres segovia...they were both great but different genres

[Jackolas]

Fender all the way here; MIA Strat + Hot Rod Deluxe user.

[Jackolas]

blues-guitarist wrote:

this has to be the most pointless debate ever...both make good guitars and have different sounds and a different feel...it's like comparing randy rhoads to andres segovia...they were both great but different genres

+1

I think this is a bit of a silly discussion really.

[randomthoughts]

SG stands for SUPER GUITAR!!!!!

[Donkey Fly]

To be honest in my opinion, Ibanez and Jackson are just as good as Gibson and Fender if not better.

[nikeskater1991]

fender= blues and classic rock
gibson= metal and classic rock
i have a strat and a lespaul and the les paul kicks the fenders ass

[-heartbreaker-]

this is not a good article and not a very good topic to choose the write on.....spanish guitar? what the ****?

anyways, I'm a Gibson Man, but I love a lot of Fenders (P+Jazz Basses, Jaguars, Teles, Mustangs)
but I think Gibsons are way better.
c'mon, dont tell me Gibsons are too pricey and by default Fender wins. Fenders dont have a massive one piece mahogany body ($), a flamed maple cap ($), big pearl inlays ($), nickel/gold plated pickups ($), and big metal bridges+tailpieces

their designs are totally different and in no way comparable.
both have highs, both have lows

[joshua029]

dimebagsmygod wrote:

Fender win in my opinion. I don't know why it is but I just hate using Gibsons. I'd like to use a Les Paul so I can look cool like slash and zakk wylde but the bridge is just to high making it imposible to do some stuff you can other wise do on fender.

+1

[led_zep_00]

Because of it’s small body, Gibson named it the “Spanish Guitar” (hence, “SG”).

Nah SG stands for solid guitar.

[guitarsolo_17]

GuitarManNick wrote:

both of them suck.

wow dude....im sorry, ..you just lose a family member, or a girlfriend or something?

[Dead_End]

I used to have a Les Paul, but after playing a Fender i'd personally choose a Fender, although the Gibson seemed to take abuse better than my Fender does =/

[olliemo]

Id take a Gibson anyday

much better sound

and look

[the1leftbehind]

Between the two, I'd have to say that Gibson has my vote. I've played a Fender and a Gibson before on several occasions and the latter always seemed better to me. The 'bell-tone' of a Fender just doesn't have that dark tone that I like in songs from artists like Black Sabbath and Megadeth.

[dirtymexican863]

I'm not into single coils, so for the most part, I don't like using fender guitars. As far as gibson, they're SOO overpriced. But if I had to get one, I'd get an SG or an LP. I'd shoot myself before I got a classic 3 coil strat.

[matias_espina]

I'd take Gibson too... Fender is all about the Stratocaster, 0% Originallity...

Les Paul is my favourite guitar... Although Fender guitars are used for Funk, Punk, and Heavy (Flying V too, but I'm talking specially about the Stratocaster), Telecaster is useful too for playing Classic Rock or some Bloc Party song ;D, but I hate it's design...

[Striketalonx]

I play a lot of stuff, but at heart, I'm a shredder at heart.

I love Fender Strats. They play wonderfully in my hands, and honestly, I dig the sounds of neck/middle single coils when you are pushing them with thick saturated gain. They just have a "feel" that surpasses humbuckers.

That being said, I do dig humbuckers in the bridge.

My perfect guitar? Either a Jackson Soloist (which is produced by Fender) or a Charvel Strat (again, Fender production).

[GuitarGod610]

Apples and oranges...I'll say it again.
Apples and oranges.

[GuitarManNick]

guitarsolo_17 wrote:

GuitarManNick wrote:

both of them suck.
wow dude....im sorry, ..you just lose a family member, or a girlfriend or something?

haha no. just that i prefer jacksons and esp/ltd's
coz i hate fender and gibsons theyre both overrated pieces of shit.

[Heat-13]

Ibanez & ESP FTW

[tijsus]

coz i hate fender and gibsons theyre both overrated pieces of shit.

it think it's true, the brand makes the price I always say.

[big-boy-mike]

gibson all the way! spanish guitar? its STANDARD guitar u moron. fender r good for blues n country, but otherwise gibson rock the world. X-plorer is unbeatable!

[RiddY]

Fender is better hands down.

[Dvnc]

ricfrusciante wrote:

i think the fender is the best guitar for all types of music

fender strat for death metal?!?
wtf

[RiddY]

Plus Gibson worries about their design more than sound...
Which the designs are cool but Fender has the sound.

[Deathrow_Saints]

fender's may be easier to play but then wouldn't it make you a better guitarist if you could do all the #### people are doing on strats on a les paul? and besides fender makes beginner ####, playing them will tell everyone your not dedicated to your art and you suck. Gibsons are the only answer.

[Mudvayne_LP]

JACKSONS FTW!!!!!

[muse-ik]

Paul Reed Smith Clearly wins, he combined the two, and any PRS guitar plays and sounds better than any Gibson or Fender. PRS pwns. (ps i have a fender, have a PRS SE series [nicer than the fender], and have tried alot of gibsons. PRS wins)

[jesuswalked2008]

i have one of each.
love them both.

[manmanster]

I have a strange feeling Mr. "Unregistered" may in fact, be part of a promotional fender program. You know, like the kind that post blogs, posing as people who love playstation or sony products, and compel others to buy it. Or in forums, where they hire people to argue for their product and swear by their product when people ask. that sort of thing. I don't trust this article one bit, especially since fender and gibson are both supremely overrated and expensive instruments. I don't want to pay for the name, I want to pay for the product.

[manmanster]

muse-ik wrote:

Paul Reed Smith Clearly wins, he combined the two, and any PRS guitar plays and sounds better than any Gibson or Fender. PRS pwns. (ps i have a fender, have a PRS SE series [nicer than the fender], and have tried alot of gibsons. PRS wins)

Yeah, PRS is about the same price as many gibsons and fenders, and its a much better guitar for the price. The 513? Awesome. The Se's? Awesome. Don't really like the singlecuts though, they don't play like a Les Paul, and their tone is a little funky.

Deathrow_Saints wrote:

fender's may be easier to play but then wouldn't it make you a better guitarist if you could do all the #### people are doing on strats on a les paul? and besides fender makes beginner ####, playing them will tell everyone your not dedicated to your art and you suck. Gibsons are the only answer.

Lol, no guitar is easier to play. The reason many people pick Gibson over a Fender is because they find the Gibson easier to play, and vice versa.

Dvnc wrote:

ricfrusciante wrote:

i think the fender is the best guitar for all types of music

fender strat for death metal?!?
wtf

Fenders can use HH, HSH, HSS, and other combinations.

The author should have mentioned the Jaguar and Jazzmaster. Those guitars rock and have a huge cult following.

[mn8b]

"The SG came along in ’61, as a custom version of the Les Paul. Because of it’s small body, Gibson named it the “Spanish Guitar” (hence, “SG”)."

i thought it meant "solid guitar"?

[XnaySaturo]

All I gotta say is that ESP MH = Les Paul construction in a Strat body. Can't beat that

[fender_man_tom]

great article,
i have both a Gibson and a Fender, fender was my first,
i must say that each have their very high points and some not-so-high points like some gibsons are heavy but the sound kinda makes you forget about the wieght. and fender sometimes feels fragile in my hands, but makes up for it when i start playing some heavy riffs.
both guitars are great but my choice, Gibson(the ES-335 or Dot is my dream)

[saad_nirvana]

good comparison but cheesy jokes and comments ruin the article.

6/10

[hxcmetalman]

gibson is the king of guitars because most fenders feel like toys. when u pick up a gibson u feel the real deal like power in your hands.

[2lazy2getbetter]

personally i prefer the the sound/look/feel of gibsons more. but fenders do certainly have an undeniable place in the guitar world, and can do things that gibsons can't, and vice versa. however i don't really like the feel of the les paul neck. my favorite gibson is definetly landmark nighthawk which is sadly no longer in production =[. oh what i would do to get my hands on one of those...

[naza07]

ibanez is the best

[Anarion614]

That was one of the most pointless articles I've read, honestly. It did have some nice info on Gibson's and Fenders though, so whatever.

[the boogieman]

im not a huge gibson fan.....or fender fan

g&l ftw, prs ftw

[fLYinGV23]

tony iommi is practiclly always seen with a gibson sg, but around the begining of sababth's first record he used a fender strat but the pickup blew and had to use the SG.

[I am punk "BF"]

gibson guitars look more professional

[Dudewithanaxe]

sg= Solid Guitar

other than that, great column.

[fLYinGV23]

tony iommi is practiclly always seen with a gibson sg, but around the begining of sababth's first record he used a fender strat but the pickup blew and had to use the SG

**sabbath's

[Captain Insano]

If your talking vintage instruments they're equal.

If your talking new instruments, Fenders are much better then Gibson because of there total crap quality control.

[deadspoken]

guitars... ehhhh equal. i personally perfer a nice fender, butits really about you and your style of play. However, Fenser wins 100% of the time in basses. Nothing beats the feel of a nice deluxe jazz bass in you hands, not even the also nice (but not as good!) Tunderbird.
Peace.

[rocketman1010]

Well, I can't afford either guitar, so I just buy knockoffs. I know I'm gonna piss SOMEBODY off, but I'm gonna say it anyway.

I love the Hagstrom Swede. It cost me $700 for the case, guitar, and a slight repair (should've bought a strap lock). Its white and looks identical to Frank Iero's (My Chemical Romance) alpine white Gibson Les Paul.

I don't like the look of Fender guitars, I'm sorry. I just prefer the original Les Paul look. They may be ridiculously heavy and expensive, but I love the look and sound more then that of the Fender.

Canada Rocks.

[davey1272250]

I`d like both please - & i`m halfway there, lol!

[dutch5367]

I like both Fenders and Gibson, but really depends what type of music you like. I would play both... but I like Gibsons a little better in my personal pref. I'd be happy with either if I didn't have a choice.

[nasadm]

I wanna know why you think fender can't get a good distortion noise... mine sounds awesome I have a fender squire and it sounds awesome with a grunge pedal by digitech

[dutch5367]

If I have the choice to buy one I'd get a Gibson and that is what I did, but I think Fenders are also great guitars. I wish I had both because they each have their strengths.

[swampthing1117]

wait, let me get this straight, fenders have a bell-like tone?

Seriously, this was the worst article i've ever wasted my time reading. Your writing is amateurish at best and you repeated the same points, well, repeatedly. Well past the point of redundancy. The entire premise of your "article" is which is better, fender or gibson and then towards the end you say:

"So, finally, which is better? I’m going to say again what I have continuously said in the past. Which one is better is always subject to one’s personal tastes. "

If that's the case, why'd you spend the time writing the stupid article you idiot?!?!?!

You can't compare guitars and say which is better it's ALWAYS about personal taste.

Checked.

[xxthermadorrrxx]

i like gibsons and im saving up for a V but i gotta say i do love the fenders clear treble tone its very uplifting but i wouldnt say gibsons are dark and crunchy but has a more smooth mellow tone compared to fenders

[SMterminator]

WTF! You cant just say one is better than the other, good on you for pointing out good and bad points but you just cant say one is better.

Waste of an article really...

[Paperclipz]

Ive got a gibson les paul and its tone is so clean and smooth, you just cant get that out of a strat. Gibson is more about the quality.

Gibson all the way!

[deaththrashcore]

Whichever one can come out with a decent Metal guitar first, I'd say is the best.

[fretsonfire74]

i bet this still wont put a stop to the countless threads on this.and it says that gretsch is another good guitar brand.arent they made by fender?

[SaintsinneR82]

i think they're both INSANE guitars,played em both liked em both...but for me my style is gibson..something bout Sg's and lp's and even the occasional explorer...whats really better?cant really say...but yea i def like gibsons jus a bit more...

[guitarfreak222]

i have a fender strat cause i cant afford a gibson les paul i like and i thought the strat sounded awsome but when i went to ma friends houses and i played their gibson les paul strandard i thought it sounded better than ma strat so i think gibsons r better

[Blackskall]

fenders will always suck in my book... gibsons kik ass tho

[FghtFfYrDmns]

Rickenbacher all the way

[Alex The Red]

It all depends on what you find the most comfortable.

What fits your hands the best and what hardware you need and what you don't need.

I love strats, but the body wood they use on it , alder is a bit too bright for most styles of music, and the single coils aren't the best for anything above light/medium gain.

Then again Gibson's make some nice looking guitars, but they'r a bit dark and muddy sounding in comparison and feel clunky once you've gotten used to how comfortable fenders are.

[americablanco]

Now then. Who will win: Squier or Epiphone?

[rebreh]

Fender all the way, cheaper prices and better quality

[ramones1]

epiphone are horrible
even thow i`m not a fan of fender
Squires are at least useable
epiphone would make a good lamp stand

[dann_blood]

Ibanez FTW!!

[appetite4gnr]

I'd Kill to own Either...

[gigosai]

I love Ibanez, Esp, and Jackson. Even though I believe this, I also believe that Fender is totally the best guitar company. No one is comparable to Fender.

[iamsocool]

i think gibsons are way better sounding and looking. ive always hated the look of fender especially the telacaster and the sound out of my les paul is amazing but when i play on my friends strat it just doesnt have the kick that i want

[archangelseren]

epiphone is fine there just below gibson. nothing wrong with them, squire are ok but yea.

there 50/50 gibson and fender, not one is better then the other i think. depends what you want

[Zargward 5]

So-what flavour of shit is prefferable? Cat? Dog?
Neither fender or gibson have made a decent axe for 30+ years-if you want a nice strat buy a levinson or a schecter-if ye want a nice Les paul buy an old jap copy-if ye have imagination buy BC Rich an if ye have brains an taste buy a nice Aussie gitbox-Thornton & Parsons make a nise 1( or is that Parsons & Thornton?)

[RadioMuse]

Telecaster > ES (335) > Strat > SG > Jag/Jazzmaster >>> Les Paul > Explorer > Flying V.

Fender wins in my book though I do like Gibson hollows I prefer Rickenbackers and Gretschs myself. SGs are pretty alright too, love the high fret access.

[The_lizard_king]

I hate the common misconception fender is only used for classic rock and country? Those guitars can be used for classic rock, blues, hard rock, alternative and what not and same with the gibson. Both great guitars great feel great sound.

[PerpetualBurn]

Ibanez has made way better knock offs of strats and LPs than Fender or Gibson have ever made of real models.

Innovative? Sure...But who cares once you start slacking...

All I know, is that the party isn't at Gibson or Fender anymore, it's at Agile.

[TheMagicStump]

I think Fenders give a nice sound. But dude, when you've got a gibson with Humbucking pick-ups instead of single-coil, it rules. Gibsons are kind of overpriced but I love 'em

[taz12345]

gibsons for guitar
fender for bass
but i like'um both

[ckyozzy]

When it comes to bass, it's definitely no contest. Fender makes much better basses than Gibson.

With guitars, though, it's a totally different story. It really depends on personal taste. Gibson typically makes 22-fret, humbucker equipped guitars with set-in rosewood fingerboards, whereas Fender is known for 21-fret single coil equipped guitars with bolt-on maple fingerboards. There are two many differences between the two to crown an undeniable best.

I personally prefer Gibsons, though I dislike Les Pauls (I've got an SG). I'd give a nut for a nice Highway One Tele though.

[LedDaveZeppelin]

Gibson for me man. but i dig both.

[Godsmack311]

imo gibson pwns fender any day

[stjimmy86]

i like the sound of a gibson but the feel of a fender

[Fyreswing]

Coincedently, Geddy Lee of Rush uses a Fender Precision Bass... hahaha

[ramones1]

Torch make a strat copy
and it`s better
stupid american companys droped their guard
and the Japanese smashed em

[The_Man_IV]

CoolDudeMorgasm wrote:

What was the point of this article?

And to you sir? What was the point of that comment.


I have to say I lover th Feeling and playability of Gibson i have never really tried a real old vintage fender myself and right now i play Deans next probuly gonna be a ibanez...

I think tho Gibson is ovverpriced.... Alot of good guitars are out there for cheaper... i Can understand Orginal gibsons but even the newer series ones are $3000...meh

[The_Man_IV]

ramones1 wrote:

Torch make a strat copy
and it`s better
stupid american companys droped their guard
and the Japanese smashed em

???
The Japs came out with Ibanez

Nothing huge big tone fans and oldies still pick the Goodold USA made -Fenders,Gibsons, etc.

[LasPlagas]

I get the same feeling described in the article, but towards Gibson. When I see the Gibson on the headstock I get this feeling of being spurred on. I've got nothing against Fender, just Gibson always has that edge for me.

[chisel man]

i perfer the Fenders, all the fenders i have played were lighter, had better action and a more rich tone than the gibsons. but its all personal preferance

[ramones1]

who the hell puts The Edge in the same quote as
Page or Hendrix and Beck
The Edge should step off the edge.....of a cliff

[ramones1]

Yes Man-IVF
Ibanez is jap, some of us might know that
and thats my point ,their copies are better
than the real ones
Would you be a Yank ,defending Goodold USA?

[Dark_Adict]

I'd take a Gibson over a Fender anyday.

[jim_nor]

I have a paul,sg tele and strat and i use my strat mostly (i'm a lead guitarist in a local band)And my opinion is the strats are the best hands down.

[jim_nor]

I play in a local band and have been since the 80's I've used les pauls sg's tele's and strats and no matter what i always go back to a strat (better feel)

[Schmeg Junior]

By the way, bud, SG means "Solid Guitar". It got that name from it's good balance of size, weight, durability, tone and versatility. And, truthfully, this is a really dumb question. It all depends on what sound you want, what size neck you like, and the wieght you prefer. And, especially in younger players, the size of the person themselves.

[Schmeg Junior]

One other thing, it's not just guitar. It's alot about how it fits into your signal chain. As far my strat goes, but I've got mine set-up in an extremely odd config, but the strats seem to be more versatile with different signal chains. But I really think that the best comparison from the two companies would be the Strat vs. The SG w/ P-90's, P-100's, or any type of humbucking pickup. Allthough, you must take into consideration that the new Sumarium Cobalt ( I think, not exactly sure on my spelling) is an extremely powerfull single coil from Fender.

[Schmeg Junior]

I personally really think Kramer or Charvelle Jackson are some of the best for their prices. I really like Ibanez as well, but they don't make necks for guys with huge flippin hands ={. O well, I play whatever I feel like, depends what you want.

[SLVRSTN+HH4LIFE]

"The SG came along in ’61, as a custom version of the Les Paul. Because of it’s small body, Gibson named it the “Spanish Guitar” (hence, “SG”)."

it was actually called the "Solid Guitar"

[blade_shredder]

SG is short for Solid guitar, not Spanish Guitar. Its on the Gibson site.

[Goat27]

GIBSON ALL THE WAY
fender guitars all look the same
Gibson has so many designs
GIBSON EXPLORER!!!! is the best!!

[JohnRzeznik221]

I think that for looks gibson definatly reigns as the winner. with the beautiful LP and rocking flying V gibson has a guitar for anybody. But as for sound, I think fender reigns as winner because they just, i dunno, have a finer sound. I mean gibsons have a the humbuckers which make for a muddier sound. If gibsons had single coils on them then they would totally be the best but they don't, they have double coil humbuckers on them so i'm gonna say fender reigns best overall because of their sound and they look pretty decent.

[JohnRzeznik221]

JohnRzeznik221 wrote:

I think that for looks gibson definatly reigns as the winner. with the beautiful LP and rocking flying V gibson has a guitar for anybody. But as for sound, I think fender reigns as winner because they just, i dunno, have a finer sound. I mean gibsons have a the humbuckers which make for a muddier sound. If gibsons had single coils on them then they would totally be the best but they don't, they have double coil humbuckers on them so i'm gonna say fender reigns best overall because of their sound and they look pretty decent.

and o yeah i forgot if gibsons were also lighter it would make a difference in my decision too.

[kennethdave]

Ibanez in my opinion...they feel awesome and are quite versatile...

[no1flyhalf]

sg= solid-body guitar

that just what i read somewhere.

[cnemi22]

i do believe that fender and gibson are equally great...players such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Mark Knopfler and various others back this up, since they have used both gibson and fender with most if not all of their great songs/albums. I think its a great toss up between Gibson and Fender, NO king can be crowned on this one. Thats just my opinion...I cant wait to read the NEGATIVE comments some of you immature egotistical forum readers will leave. Comment on...