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Some random musings here....
How much does the name on the headstock REALLY matter to you?
I have to say that I've long got over (or maybe never had to get over) Gibson - just doesn't have any cachet for me, not sure why. If there's a better option out there for a Gibson style, I'll gladly have it.
However, I'm a huge Fender fan and wouldn't dream of owning a Strat type guitar without Fender on the Headstock.
But, I'm not so sure these days, my head could probably be turned. The Strat and Tele is pretty much old enough to be public domain, and you could say that John Suhr is more valid in building Leo's guitars than a bloke from Nike. I'm also not convinced Fender are making the best guitars at the moment, bland in the low and middle, and over-priced in the Custom Shop. My more recent Custom Shop purchase is a great guitar no doubt but I'm not sure it's quite as sharp in the build as my 8-year old CS.
Then I was in Guitar Guitar recently and a young (or youngish!) guy was noodling very nicely indeed on a shell pink Suhr Classic S - something about it seemed so right for that guy, whereas a relic Fender would have somehow looked sad and try hard. A subtle difference but notable, and yes, I'm overthinking this!
There was talk recently (probably in THAT Gibson thread) whether the next generation would have the emotional connection with Fender and Gibson - well the new "stars" (i.e. people who pop up on YouTube) don't really seem bothered, I see most rocking alternative or boutique versions of Strat's / Tele's / LP's - think Ariel Possen / Joey Landreth / Josh Smith / Kirk Fletcher. etc. etc.
So, are we all obsessed with uncool Grandad guitars? Discuss.
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Comments
I’m less bothered about Gibson though. The longest I’ve owned a Gibson is 15 years - a year of birth 335, which I sold earlier this year. The decision was more about finances and a desire to own fewer things, than any short-comings it had as an instrument.
I’ve replaced it with a PRS DGT - so not a ‘cool’ brand - but an epic guitar. Ive just completed some recording with it and it sounds fantastic in the mix. Anyone listening to it would almost certainly assume it’s a Gibson - and probably think it’s a Les Paul.
Which probably adds nothing of value to the thread, except that I’m also inconsistent with brands....
I have no problem with Fender-*inspired* guitars with a different body and headstock shape, or substantially different hardware etc, and in fact I own one. On the other hand since it was made in 1984 it's probably also an uncool grandad guitar by now!
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Last guitar I bought was an EVH Wolfgang, not because of the brand but because of the spec.
I'm currently looking at a Harley Benton because it has the Gibson scale which I've played for years, and the Wolfgang is obviously Fender scale.
All attachment to brands stopped for me when I had an R7 and I couldn't deal with having 2 grand tied up in a hobby guitar.
I've also got right past colour, shape, "authentic", etc etc. I had to check the headstock on the Wolfgang to remind myself what it looks like and what's written on it. It plays great, that’s me happy
My Aria is different from a Strat by about the same degree as the PRS is from a Les Paul, if it matters - very clearly derived from one, but different in every detail other than the hardware.
A more difficult hair-splitting question is something like a Blade RH4 - Strat-shaped, but with a different bridge and more advanced electrics, so you could argue that they're functionally different. On balance, I'm *just* OK with them, but it's a very close call.
It is a bit of a conundrum for me, because I think it's almost certainly true that without the likes of Tokai and other blatant copies, Fender would never have received the mighty kick up the backside that they needed to make good guitars again after the 1970s.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
That said, I'm currently in the market for a Strat type thing & have been offered a nice looking G&L Legacy Tribute... However I keep returning to Fender because of THAT logo on THAT headstock.
So to summarise: no, I'm not fussy about brands
Saying that I have lusted after an 'Epiphone Casino' for 20 years (John Lennon fan) and I don't think an Ibanez or other alternative would scratch the itch for me.