So...Why do People Hate on Gibson and Fender Again?

[Rap Hat]

This got me thinking about the ERG hate from the old Gibson and Fender fogeys. It always gave me a chuckle, we could be having a good conversation about vintage Gibson hollowbodies and I'd bring up my main guitar is an 8 string, all of a sudden I'm a dumb youngster who needs to learn how to play the guitar. It's not something you can really take personally - like a lot of things, nostalgia and longing for youth tends to come with age. These guys are distrustful of change in the guitar world, and are more than content to let you know.

Funny thing though... They'd always be up to talk about the old Danelectro 30" scale baritones (tuned E1 like an 8 string). Those are okay because they're vintage!

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

Why do people hate TOM bridges so much?

Personally, my muting technique is terrible with them.
Seriously, hand me an axe with a TOM bridge and it's almost painful how bad I sound. Anything strat-derived and it's gravy.

Also, you can't adjust them for intonation as much as a bridge with individual saddles.

 

[flint757]

Yeah, they aren't very adjustable, but once you get it set it is solid. I think they make some low profile versions as well though. My muting technique is atrocious on pretty much anything else.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Why do people hate TOM bridges so much?

I don't hate them. But I think that's because I've been playing one for over half of my time as a guitar player.

 

[Given To Fly]

When it comes to Gibson and Fender, I usually feel you can get something else thats better for the same price. They make good guitars (Squire has stepped up their game recently too!) but the way they do business and market their products doesn't impress me very much. Everything from the proliferation of "Relic" Strats to Gibson's ridiculous signature model list almost feels like they really aren't trying very hard.

Having said that, for some reason I love Fender Telecasters. I think it might be because they are the complete opposite of what I normally play.

 

[knifefightintheor]

When it comes to Gibson and Fender, I usually feel you can get something else thats better for the same price.

*cough* Gibson J series. Jackson X Series. Fender American Special series.

Once again, these guitars serve their purpose well. Better for other genres at the same price? Sure, but the quality in even the lower end Fender MIM series of guitars can be astonishing at times. I've played a lot of MIM that can definitely hold their own against their MIA counterparts.

Look at the Epiphone guitars too - I've never been short of impressed at how well they match up to their Gibson big brothers.

I like that out of the box I can get some amazing sounds from most Fender, Squier, Gibson and Epiphone guitars. If price is an issue, consider that there are Ibanez guitars bearing the Prestige name that almost warrant an immediate pickup swap, which in my opinion is unacceptable for a $1000+ guitar.

There is a lot of bias in this thread and I get that - but it has to be understood somewhere along the line that Fender and Gibson guitars are fantastic for what they're geared towards - Blues, Rock, Country and so forth, the same way other manufacturers such as Ibanez and ESP are geared towards speed and heavier music.

Not to mention, Fender owns Jackson as someone previously said - So it wouldn't be in their best interest to expand their market to reach metal players when they already have a pretty big stake on that side of things. One of the BEST values for the money right now in my opinion is the Jackson X Series, so the value is definitely there, then you have Charvels Desolation series, so it's safe to say that Fender/Jackson/Charvel have all grounds covered at any price point.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

The thing I see is that people ONLY think Gibson only makes $2000+ guitars. As I've said before, they have over 100 sub-$2000 models.

 

[knifefightintheor]

You and I definitely see eye to eye.

When I was young I started on a strat, then saved up and bought an Epi LP Custom for $750 or whatever they usually run for, while a buddy of mine eventually shelled out for the MIA LP Custom. Aside from a couple very minor details, I was still proud of MY guitar, and from there I never had a bias towards country of origin, place of manufacture, etc.

It's not that they don't have affordable instruments, it's just that they employ different marketing strategies - and like you said, there are heaps and heaps of affordable Gibsons! Hell, look at Melody Makers! You can get a base model Gibson, made in America for what, $500? Or get a fully decked out Epi for under $1000!

 

[geoffshreds]

If Gibson made their flying v alot stabbier i would get one... always wanted an explorer. Havent really ever been a fan of Fender body styles or their sound, but now that Fender owns Jackson i guess most of my guitars are fenders? lol

 

[ASoC]

I feel like Gibson is very gimmicky and they use their name as a justification to jack up prices. I'm sorry, but a Les Paul custom is just not worth $4000 to me. They just aren't designed well IMO

"Ok, lets make a guitar. Lets give it an uncomfortable bridge with little room for adjustment. Whoops, that requires a neck angle... ok we can do that. Lets angle back the headstock too to keep the strings in the nut, but don't bother with any reinforcement. Ok, now lets make it really heavy for the toanz! Cool! Now if it falls, the headstock is coming right off"

And as others have said, Gibson addressed the headstock thing in the past, but now refuse to do so.

I just feel like there are many things that are designed better for less money. (Fenders for example) I actually love stratocasters and teles

 

[Hyacinth]

Fender and Gibson are great brands, don't get me wrong, but 85% of the people on this forum play metal. On top of that, they play 7 or 8 string metal, and Gibson and Fender don't make 7s or 8s, so people are naturally going to hate on them because they're missing one or two strings.

Nowadays its seems like if you're going to be a metal guitarist, you need at least a 7 string guitar, and a lot of people don't give a shit about the oldest and most trusted brands like Gibson and Fender.

In the end, there's nothing wrong with ANY guitar as long as you as a player can get along with it and it's comfortable/plays nicely. Brand shouldn't matter in the least so long as you're happy with your guitar and it does what you need it to do.

 

[Hyacinth]

I feel like Gibson is very gimmicky and they use their name as a justification to jack up prices. I'm sorry, but a Les Paul custom is just not worth $4000 to me. They just aren't designed well IMO

"Ok, lets make a guitar. Lets give it an uncomfortable bridge with little room for adjustment. Whoops, that requires a neck angle... ok we can do that. Lets angle back the headstock too to keep the strings in the nut, but don't bother with any reinforcement. Ok, now lets make it really heavy for the toanz! Cool! Now if it falls, the headstock is coming right off"

And as others have said, Gibson addressed the headstock thing in the past, but now refuse to do so.

I just feel like there are many things that are designed better for less money. (Fenders for example) I actually love stratocasters and teles

I'm with you on Gibsons being overpriced, and Fender for that matter, too. Maybe that's the reason people give them so much shit. They make a good guitar, but charge twice the price of other guitars made just as well because they have a big name.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Nowadays its seems like if you're going to be a metal guitarist, you need at least a 7 string guitar, and a lot of people don't give a shit about the oldest and most trusted brands like Gibson and Fender.

On this forum, maybe, but there's still a LOT of 6-string metal bands.

 

[Grand Moff Tim]

I'm with you on Gibsons being overpriced, and Fender for that matter, too. Maybe that's the reason people give them so much shit. They make a good guitar, but charge twice the price of other guitars made just as well because they have a big name.

Someone. Please. PLEASE.

PLEASE point out another company that makes guitars in America and sells them for half of what Gibson and Fender charge for their MiA offerings. Hell, I'll do you one better and ask to point out another company that makes MiA guitars and charges the same prices as Gibson and Fender. Keep in mind there are a fair number of guitars from both companies that are less than $1500, with some Gibsons going as low as $5-600 brand new. Go ahead. I'll wait.









Back? Did you find any?




It's dumb that I have to point this out again, but do people really think American Fenders and Gibsons cost more than Schecters, Ibby Premiums or LTDs because of what they say on the headstock?


Can you get a Schecter for $1k that's nicer than a Gibson you'd get for the same price? Sure (if you like Schecters, that is ), but guess which worker draws a higher salary: The American who made the Gibson, or the Korean who made the Schecter? Guess which factory costs more to run: The Gibson factory in Memphis, or the factory in Korea that makes Schecters (and LTDs, Deans, and several Korean brands, all in the same factory)?

Quality aside, guitars cost less to make in countries where the cost of living is lower, and those savings are passed on to Western consumers. It has very little to do with Gibson and Fender being more famous and charging out the ass just because they can.


Now, are the ultra high-end Gibsons and Fenders worth what they charge for them? That's another story entirely . I don't see myself ever paying $4k+ for a guitar no matter what name is on the headstock.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Also, speaking of a brand "using their name" to jack up the prices...

Ibanez charging nearly $1000 for an Indonesian guitar. I'm not trying to bash Indonesian guitars, but why is it bad for Fender and Gibson to overcharge for their guitars, but not Ibanez?

 

[joebalaguer]

I think some of the hate comes from the build quality inconsistency over the years. I have played quite a few les pauls that did not warrant the price tag, but my 1973 Gibson ES150D is the best guitar I own and have ever played. The new LPJ is a great guitar, especially for the money. I definitely think their QC has tightened up over the past 5 years. Just my

 

[rythmic_pulses]

I love Gibson and Fender just as much as the other, when I started playing guitar, I wanted a Fender real bad, and now I've been playing the guitar for almost 9 years now, I'm starting to get that Fender urge again, I'd want a Jim Root Tele personally, maybe even a Jazzmaster, Jaguar or even an H-H Strat, the sky is the limit as far as my Fender craving goes.

There is this in my local guitar store and I feel it would be my main workhorse for almost anything I'd want to do:

Apart from the most overused pup combo (JB & Jazz) it's £750, looks awesome and plays like a dream too, Tele elitists won't agree though
With it having the "wrong" tailpiece, humbuckers & a set neck.

I do have a 7 string (Schecter) and a Fernandes Revolver Pro as my main workhorses at the moment, but none have the same "I'll last you a lifetime" feel of a Fender, because Fender's are rugged as all hell most of the time, you can treat them like dirt but they'll still love you in the end, that's why I want a Fender, cause I'd use for as long as I live.

 

[DarkWolfXV]

No hate from me, well mostly, i like LPs and Explorers, rest Gibson shapes aint pointy enough or good looking enough to me. Fenders look nice, Jon Levasseur uses a modded strat, so thats a plus. I probably wouldn't buy a LP or Explorer, rather a LP or Explorer shaped guitar, because most of time they have better specs. I would probably buy a strat and mod the fuck out of it, but i dont have money

 

[DjentDjentlalala]

I dont like both,aside from some jazzmasters,teles,and double cut gibbies.

 

[knifefightintheor]

Also, speaking of a brand "using their name" to jack up the prices...

Ibanez charging nearly $1000 for an Indonesian guitar. I'm not trying to bash Indonesian guitars, but why is it bad for Fender and Gibson to overcharge for their guitars, but not Ibanez?

Lets also consider the Kerry King Wartribe 6 and 7.. Which are crafted in China.

BC Rich Kerry King Wartribe 6 String Warlock Electric Guitar