I was interested in seeing what is the most popular of the three major guitar companies-Fender, Ibanez, and Gibson. Which one generally has the best look, sound, feel, tradition, use by artists, etc. the list could go on. I was sure that I liked Fender the most, but I looking at some stunning axes Ibanez turns out today. Whats everyone's opinions?
It only matters what you like... it's not a popularity contest!
I think Fender has the highest sales numbers, but that doesn't really mean much to a guitar player.
FWIW, I like Fender strats and teles. I also like Mahogany bodied guitars w/ humbuckers.
-Bizarro
Google is your friend
I like Gibson's personally out of those three. I just like the Tone and I dunno... girth they bring to the table. I'm also partial to the Studio style. I don't know why, I always have been.
Moi.
I seem to like Fender for the fact that the strats have that classic 50's and 60's body style that I love. Thats why I also like some of those amazing Ibanez electrics. But I also like a few Gibsons, the really sleek black ones with the metal volume/tone controls. I originally liked Fender because I learned that some of the classic artists, Hendrix and Clapton primarily, used strats. But it is based on what your style is, not a popularity contest.
i owned a h*ll of a lot guitars over the years. different qualities - all kind of brands.
i just bought and sold that stuff, but somehow those fenders always stayed.
couldn't imagine beeing a guitar player without havin a fender - no matter which one.
for me magicaly those guitars stand for all there is in rock'n'roll. i know gibson is rockin' as well, but when i think guitar, i think fender.
maybe because my first heroes where playing strats.
that strat guitarshape is perfect - and if i sleep and dream about a guitar, it is a stratocaster.
I've always thought guitar players generally come in 3 flavours. You've got your Fender-lover (in here include people who love the super-strat type guitar, Ibanez etc.), your Gibson-lover (who usually like tele's but despise strats, I'm in this one) and everyone else.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, playing a guitar is a purely personal experience and therefore your choice of guitar should be dictated by what you feel comfortable and your own sense of style. There's nothing wrong with any guitar, whether they're your cup of tea or not!
I've always found the Gibson scale length provides immense playability, particularly as I only have little hands. However I'm sure there's other people around who would say the same about the Fender scale lenght. It all comes down to personal preference and your own influences. All my personal heroes have used Les Paul's (Slash, Page et al.) and that's probably where a lot of it comes from also. And now I finally own my own Gibson (60's neck Goldtop Standard) and it's by far the most playable thing I've ever used, it's light years ahead of the Epiphone model despite them being identical for all intents and purposes. I just wish the damn thing didn't weigh so much!
Be strong, go with what you like and what you feel comfortable playing. Get down to your local guitar shop and try them all out!
I like gibson the best. The tone, the feel you have on this guitar, the loudness, its just incredible. I never really was into Ibanez stuff, i try some of them but they all sound to thin or not loud enough, anyway for my taste. Fender is good also, nice tone and playability, but for what i play (i play mainly Metal/Blues/Rock) i prefer the gibson.
I bought my first gibson (SG gothic) a few years ago and completely fell in love with it.
In my head theres PRS, then Gibson, then Fender and then Ibanez. But again it´s all down to personal taste,
thats a good point koala! i forgot about PRSi love the look of the single cutaway model (go figure, what with me being a gibson nut
) and would love to give one a try, i'm just not so keen on the price, i thought my gibson was expensive!!!
I think any guitar company with a good luthier could build you the guitar of your dreams, just a question of money!
So in that respect they´re all good, they just have different images to keep.
In fact I know that many of the far east guitar models come from one and the same factory, they just have different stickers on ´em.
Don´t get fooled by the industry!
For me with guitars it's the same as with amps. Whereas with amps it's Marshall or Fender (and some Boogies), with guitars it's Fender or Gibson.
In terms of guitars, I think they just nailed it and made the best and most timeless designs. If I look at a Strat, Tele, Les Paul, SG, ES-175, ES-335 etc I wouldn't know how to improve on it and it still amazes me that these guitars-designs are already 40 years old or older and still look so fresh.
All other companies are only doing variations (albeit some good ones) of the original Fender and Gibson themes.
i like ibanez the most out of them, but overall i'd have to probably say gibson. they have alot more different styles of guitars (LP, Explorer, V, etc.), which means that pretty much anyone can get a guitar to suit their playing style.
how about musicman, they make some pretty darn good guitars, the petrucci custom with piezo *drool* custom steve morse is pretty cool as well as the ......axxiisss is it? im not sure but its the one EVH used for a while. personally i have a fender, one issue with the lower fenders is the annoying absence of the 22nd fret!
Jackson guitars rule (or at least they did until they were bought out by Fender- on the last Jackson I bought the trem arm sheared off- and you can't get replacements in the UK!). I've played the same Dinky since I was 14 as my main guitar (I'm 29 now!).I've played a number of strats but think they lack power, though they have a unique tone. I also own an SG that I'm in love with- the build quality is great. The Jacksons are more versatile tonally though- the same is probably true of Ibanez.
What.. we're not going to leave Carvin off the list are we? As far as the big three are concerned, IMO the Strat is the most versatile and "best all round" guitar that there is. I've never owned one and chose to throw down over 2000$ for a JEM that I never play. Rock, Jazz, Funk, Country, Metal.. you name it, you can do it on a strat.
________
LIVE SEX
Last edited by Vilesilencer; 08-24-2011 at 08:31 PM.
Posting Permissions
