Swapping between Gibson/Fenders

Adamski

I've no idea how anyone can play 7.25 radius! Feels so cramped and unnatural, especially when bending the high E. I am a Fender man though, although 9.5 Fender. Whether that actually makes me a true Fender man or not I guess is up for debate! 

Cant get on with Gibsons as the overal body shape/neck feels too substantial. I switch between a couple of CS Fenders and PRS (w/t and w/f) and everything is gravy. 

TTBZ

People complaining about the ergonomics of Gibsons, there's more to them than the LP. To me the SG is the comfiest guitar going, way better than a strat.

I just can't get used to the longer scale length of a fender. Makes everything feel harder to play and I dont subscribe to the whole "I like a bit of fight in my guitar" bollocks.

peteri

I used to struggle a lot - to the point that I sold my first Les Paul because it felt like a ukulele!

Now I don't even notice it, as others have said - play both a lot, and practice changing, so play a couple on a strat and then switch to a Gibson etc.

Very quickly you'll not notice any difference

photek

I have the same problem Ronnie, main guitar is an R8 (10's) and swapping to a Fender (fat neck strat with 10's) mid gig takes a lot of concentration and a fair few clams for a couple of song. I haven't found a simple solution other than lots of practice with both guitars.

ESBlonde

Typical gigs for me feature a 76 strat, an AVRI52 Tele and a Gibson ES335. At first the Gibson with the flat radius and flat 'c' shaped neck was the problem and took me a long time (many months) to get comfortable with, I'm glad I stuck at it. Nowadays the 7.5" radius of the Tele seems to be the difficult one.
I do have dedicated straps for each guitar (albeit on detachable locks) and find having the correct length/playing position is important. Live I swap guitars on average every 4 numbers so the struggle is real.

Jeremiah

It seems to be string spacing at the bridge/picking area that I struggle with. When I switch from a guitar with narrower spacing like a TOM to one with wider spacing like a typical Strat tremolo, I find myself missing strings with the pick.

professorben

Solution is get 2 PRS customs then you can get any sound you want (virtually) and no hassles with changing around. 

NelsonP

Don't swap?
Solution 1 - Les Paul, ES335, Fender Cyclone
Solution 2 - Tele Deluxe, Starcaster, Strat

fandango

NelsonP said:

Don't swap?
Solution 1 - Les Paul, ES335, Fender Cyclone
Solution 2 - Tele Deluxe, Starcaster, Strat

Solution 2 - Tele Deluxe, Starcaster, Strat and a Gibson Nighthawk.

Blueingreen

I used to be a Gibson guy but switched to Strats, which I found easier than I expected.  Now I dabble a bit in both.  I prefer Gibson scale length but find Strats have a wider range of sounds I like.

My main issue is that while I can play just about any style on a Strat, I struggle to get clean or touch-of-breakup rhythm sounds on a Gibson that I like and will cut through in a live mix.  I know it can be done, I hear other guys doing it, but I can't get happy with it myself.

Voxman

professorben said:

Solution is get 2 PRS customs then you can get any sound you want (virtually) and no hassles with changing around. 

Why 2 PRS'?? One Cu24 will do it - h/b and single-coil tones in one guitar.  However, whilst I like my Cu24, and it's a very versatile guitar, it's a compromise because it has its own tonal character that doesn't sound exactly like a Strat nor exactly like a Les Paul. Sometimes it's fine, but other times only a Les Paul and a Strat will do.

Voxman

Blueingreen said:

I used to be a Gibson guy but switched to Strats, which I found easier than I expected.  Now I dabble a bit in both.  I prefer Gibson scale length but find Strats have a wider range of sounds I like.

My main issue is that while I can play just about any style on a Strat, I struggle to get clean or touch-of-breakup rhythm sounds on a Gibson that I like and will cut through in a live mix.  I know it can be done, I hear other guys doing it, but I can't get happy with it myself.

There are a few ways to help a LP sound a little 'tamer' for cleaner/touch of break-up tones:
1. Lowering the p/up heights
2. If your amp has both Hi & Lo input impedance options, plugging into the Lo input
3. Rolling off the guitar volume a little to help clean your tone.
4. Using a boutique pedal to 'pseudo' coil-tap your guitar.  I have a Quasi Tap pedal that does this very well.

thebreeze

In truth they're usually both lovely instruments to play.  At times when I catch myself inwardly complaining about one or the other I try to think about what someone like JJ Cale or Lightnin' Hopkins might say/think.  Not too much I don't think.  I think they'd just get into playing and enjoying whatever the guitar had to offer.  They're different types of guitar for sure but both are highly useable and enjoyable.

thebreeze

Voxman said:

Blueingreen said:

I used to be a Gibson guy but switched to Strats, which I found easier than I expected.  Now I dabble a bit in both.  I prefer Gibson scale length but find Strats have a wider range of sounds I like.

My main issue is that while I can play just about any style on a Strat, I struggle to get clean or touch-of-breakup rhythm sounds on a Gibson that I like and will cut through in a live mix.  I know it can be done, I hear other guys doing it, but I can't get happy with it myself.

There are a few ways to help a LP sound a little 'tamer' for cleaner/touch of break-up tones:
1. Lowering the p/up heights
2. If your amp has both Hi & Lo input impedance options, plugging into the Lo input
3. Rolling off the guitar volume a little to help clean your tone.
4. Using a boutique pedal to 'pseudo' coil-tap your guitar.  I have a Quasi Tap pedal that does this very well.

Watching that makes me want to get a LP

Blueingreen

Voxman said:

Blueingreen said:

I used to be a Gibson guy but switched to Strats, which I found easier than I expected.  Now I dabble a bit in both.  I prefer Gibson scale length but find Strats have a wider range of sounds I like.

My main issue is that while I can play just about any style on a Strat, I struggle to get clean or touch-of-breakup rhythm sounds on a Gibson that I like and will cut through in a live mix.  I know it can be done, I hear other guys doing it, but I can't get happy with it myself.

There are a few ways to help a LP sound a little 'tamer' for cleaner/touch of break-up tones:
1. Lowering the p/up heights
2. If your amp has both Hi & Lo input impedance options, plugging into the Lo input
3. Rolling off the guitar volume a little to help clean your tone.
4. Using a boutique pedal to 'pseudo' coil-tap your guitar.  I have a Quasi Tap pedal that does this very well.

Yeah interesting.  I have other solutions - I have a DGT and a Les Paul Axcess with Bareknuckes and coil tap features and of course I can bring a Strat.  It still frustrating when I see a guy like that bloke in Jools Holland's band and he plays a 335 and covers everything short of loud rock including funk and swing.  I struggle to get useable funk sounds out of my 339/336 and anything with a bit of hair on threatens to get lost in the mix unless it's at a volume that's not appropriate for some styles.  Sometimes I wonder if it's all in my head though - I really want to hear something Stratty and convince myself that the humbucker sounds wrong when it's actually doing the job perfectly ok.

My current frustration is I'm playing in a retro band where a Gibson semi really looks the part better than a Suhr or DGT but doesn't sound the as good to my ears.

Miscusername

I switch between many Les Pauls, Strat, Schecter, G&L Asat (Tele) and never really have much of an issue with blind position shifts.
If I neglect the long scale ones for many months I might struggle going from the fat end to the dusty end unsighted for a few minutes.
Biggest upset was getting the Kobain Jag. I was at sea on that without watching the fretboard!!