Though many consider Gibson and Fender to generally have been neck and neck in competition, both have had moments where they surpassed the others. One of Fender’s greatest victories over Gibson was in simple solid-body guitars. Light and durable, Fender’s Stratocaster and Telecaster were proving to be major thorns in Gibson’s side, and by 1963, Gibson had decided that was enough. But how to get ahead of Fender at their own game? Well, Fender had used automotive paints to much success, so why couldn’t Gibson take the car styling even further?

Enter Ray Dietrich. Previously a Chrysler employee, Dietrich had established himself through working with LeBaron coachbuilders. There, he’d designed classic Lincoln and Packard car models before retiring to Kalamazoo. Gibson approached the retired car designed and asked him to design them a guitar. Dietrich’s influence fell upon the ill-received Explorer, and he drew in the lines as well as curved the sharp edges. The most notable addition was the neck-through design he suggested. Pioneered by Rickenbacker, this meant that the neck and raised center block were all cast from one piece of wood. This increased sustain greatly. Mahogany wings were added, and the “reverse” look was completed with a flipped Fender-style headstock. Dietrich and Gibson also added banjo-style tuners and nonadjustable mini humbuckers. 

The result was a guitar both striking and comfortable. It was heavy, but sat well on the leg and the body and neck balanced well. The sound was also somewhere between Fender and Gibson. The mini-humbuckers gave a chime and shine to the guitar that was quite brighter than the normal humbuckers Gibson used, yet the mahogany and walnut construction still gave the instrument a bit more warmth than normal Fender guitars produced at the time.

Unfortunately, Fender took exception to the design, and brought a lawsuit against Gibson. This, coupled with the guitar’s lack of popularity with the public upon release resulted in the development of the “nonreverse” Firebird. This version was much more standard looking, with a top horn that was longer than the bottom, a traditional set neck design, and a large scratchplate that held the electronics. Unfortunately, this design was also shunned by the public.

Despite the initial hardships, the Firebird saw a major resurgance once guitarists such as The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards and blues master Johnny Winter took to them. Today, Winters is still performing with them, as well as grunge rock star Dave Grohl and living legend Warren Haynes. Gibson now offers the instrument in several different iterations. The Firebird III features the original appointments, the Firebird V boasts modern improvements to the original design, and the Firebird VII features three pickups, gold appointments and a long Maestro vibrato. Gibson’s lower-budget line, Epiphone, also offers a Firebird. Theirs is the Firebird Studio, a set neck version with full size humbuckers. 

The Firebird is definitely a unique instrument, with an equally unique sonic footprint. But if you’re looking for something that’ll turn both heads and ears, look no further. 

If you ask Paul Reed Smith, he’ll tell you that he never set out to redefine the electric guitar. “I don’t know if the goal was to make a better guitar, but to make a design that worked…I did know that at the time, people were playing Fenders for rhythm and using Gibsons for the solos-the joke was, wouldn’t it be great if you could change guitars mid-tune.” Indeed, Smith’s guitar managed to appease both guitar audiences. It featured a scale length a half inch shorter than a Fender and a quarter-inch longer than a Gibson. The top featured a mahogany/curly maple top in a stunning finish and humbuckers a la Gibson, but a slim, double cutaway body and a vibrato in Fender style.

Introduced in 1985, the Custom came in a time in which Fender and Gibson were both suffering from slight issues. Being a guitar repairman himself, Smith attests to seeing Fenders with file marks on the fingerboards and Gibsons with binding bleeds. Thus, he crafted a guitar with in-between concessions for fans of both brands. Even the humbuckers could be split via a five-way rotary switch to produce Fender-ish single coil tones. The guitars were also beautiful, with smooth, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboards. The most notable visual feature, however, was Smith’s handcarved, mother-of-pearl bird inlays. 

Paul Reed Smith has, since his debut, found endorsees in many guitarists. This is thanks to the incredible versatility and comfortable feel of the guitars. Among the users are Carlos Santana, Alex Lifeson of Rush and Johnny Hiland. And Smith’s innovations continue to come, with both custom-shop level and budget level guitars. 

After Fender introduced the Telecaster to the masses and took the solid-body market by storm, the Stratocaster was introduced. While the Telecaster was simple and easy to play, the Stratocaster managed to undercut that ease by introducing a slim, contoured body with double cutaways. The new guitar was similarly inexpensive, and came in a myriad of automotive finishes that granted the instruments a visual pop.

The neck, like its older brother was originally a one-piece maple neck, with no fingerboard. The face inlays and frets were set directly into the wood. For a period from 1964-1971, the necks were offered as two pieces with separate fingerboards, but the trend eventually returned as the standard. The large headstock, as opposed to Gibson’s, featured no angled pitch, making string trees a necessity to keep the two treble strings secured down. Also unlike the Telecaster, the guitar featured a four-screw bolt plate for the neck. This made for a more secure fix for a guitar that was subject to the rougher playing styles of rock ‘n’ roll compared to the country twang of the Telecaster models of the day.

The guitar featured three single-coil pickups. These pickups yielded bright, snappy sounds that weren’t quite twangy, but also were not as bassy as other pickups. The original models also featured a three-way selector switch. Artists quickly discovered, however, that the switch could be jammed between the positions to activate both pickups. Fender picked up on this and, in 1977, the switching mechanism moved to a five-way slider switch. Since then, the electronics on the standard Stratocaster have remained steady: three single-coils, a five-way selector switch, one volume and two tone switches. 

The sound setup made the instrument incredibly versatile, and it found use in country, rock, pop and blues. Two of the most notable endorsers of the instrument, however, did not settle into one genre: Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. In the hands of Hendrix, the Strat’s original design was reversed. Because of the changed pitch of the strings, the originally snappy treble strings were mellowed and the cooler bass strings were brightened. In Clapton’s hands, the Stratocasters found a blues-inspired rock tone that carried on his namesake “Woman” tone. 

The Stratocaster has a wide range of tonal options at its disposal, and has seen multiple variations between Jim Root’s EMG-loaded Strat and John Mayer’s Big Dipper Strat. It even found a new medium in the Squier Rock Band 3 Stratocaster, which is compatible with the game. The instrument has remained, however, as versatile, affordable and comfortable as the day it was introduced. Through these means, the Stratocaster has remained a popular guitar for amateur and professional musicians alike.

What do you do when you’re in need of the snap and growl of a standard six-string guitar, as well as the full bodied chime of a 12-string? No, you don’t rig up some weird, Doc Brown contraption, Gibson’s already done it for you! The sounds are both highly accessible through the Gibson EDS-1275. Two SG guitars melded together, one equipped with 12 strings allows the guitarist to easily transfer back and forth between the two sounds without having to clamber about with two guitars.

The EDS-1275 originated in the Gibson EMS-1235. This guitar, rather than the slim, sharpened 1275, was instead a custom-order hollowbody with two six-string necks. For a short time between 1962-1967, the EMS was produced as a solid body. Another model emerged, the EBS-1250. This model featured  both a four-string and a six-string neck.

The current production model was introduced in 1963, and was intermittently taken out of production. Yet, the guitar persevered, and found appreciation in both rock musicians and jazz musicians. One of the most notable users is jazz-rocker John McLaughlin. Run through a 100-watt Marshall amp with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, McLaughlin developed a tone that has been hailed as one of the greatest by Guitar Player magazine. Elvis Presley can also be seen wielding one of these axes on the poster for the 1966 movie Spinout.

Of course, the most notable user of the EDS-1275 is Jimmy Page, the Zoso. Many believe that Page recorded the solo for Stairway to Heaven, but in interviews, Page attests that the double neck was necessary for live use. The song would begin on the six-string neck, then move to the 12-string neck, then back to the six-string for the extended solo, then finish on the 12-string. Also notable is that Page’s model was unique. By the time he needed it, the EDS-1275 were no longer in production. As a result, his differs quite a bit from the standard models. The tailpieces are set much closer to the end of the guitar, and the necks are one piece mahogany, as opposed to three-piece maple.

Page’s influence on the notoriety of the guitar cannot be overstated. As an influence, Page inspired the likes of Slash, Don Felder of The Eagles and Alex Lifeson of Rush to purchase EDS-1275s. Today, the instrument is a standard issue from Gibson and budget line Epiphone. In addition, signature models of Page’s and Felder’s EDS-1275 models have been released, showing that Gibson still has an appreciation for the flashy models they helped pioneer.

Gretsch’s Duo Jet is a funny creature. It looks like an odd take on the Gibson Les Paul, if not for the odd pickups. Some of the Jets are mired in strange switches, and not very user-friendly upon first glance. However, the Duo Jet differs from the Les Paul in many more ways than it resembles the instrument. It manages to create its own unique sound that, while not a standard in guitar music, has created a niche that is impossible for most other instruments to fill.

Released in 1954, the Duo Jet’s main difference from the Les Paul is the instrument’s semi-hollow construction. Whereas the Les Paul was mainly solid, the Duo Jet was granted extensive chambering which gave the instrument a very special resonance similar to a semi-hollow body instrument. Early Duo Jets were equipped with DeArmond single coil pickups rather than humbuckers, though later incarnations were loaded with TV Jones mini-humbuckers.  Also notable on the Jets (and Gretsch guitars in general) was the presences of a master volume knob and a tone switch. While the master volume is self-explanatory, the tone switch (unaffectionately dubbed the “mud switch” by Gretsch aficionados) cut the tone circuit in two different manners, often resulting in tones that were nearly unusable. 

By the end of the 1950s, the Jets had changed a bit cosmetically. Mainly in black, the Duo Jet also saw release in several other colors. These finishes ranged from Firebird Red to Cadillac Green to even Sparkle Jets topped in the shimmering finishes typically reserved for the Gretsch drum wraps. The fingerboard inlays had shifted well, going from hump block inlays to the neoclassical thumbnail inlays. The changes also were practical, as a zero fret was added. In 1961, a double cutaway Jet model was introduced, the first of many changes to the instrument.

The 60s saw the standardization of vibratos, though not the smooth and respected Bigsbys. Instead, Burns supplied the vibratos, which seemed adept only at snapping strings and ruining tunings. A standby switch was also added alongside the tone switch, and the chrome hardware was replaced with gold effects. Then, in the 70s came Baldwin.

Under the Baldwin era, the Gretsch line saw cuts and questionable design changes, and the Jet model was not spared. While the Roc Jet initially featured TV Jones SuperTron pickups and a changed body, it was still considered a standard of the Gretsch line. That soon changed. Now aimed squarely at the Les Paul, it featured a different body and pickguard design, Les Paul-esque controles, a BadAss brand bridge and DiMarzio humbucking pickups. 

The Baldwin era came and went, and control of Gretsch’s operations shifted to Fender. Fender, working closely with Fred Gretsch III, has returned the models to their original roots and all but undone the changes implemented by Baldwin. Many Jets come standard with Bigsby vibratos, and models exist with both TV Jones mini-humbuckers and DeArmond single coils. The Jet has once again become a viable alternative to standard Les Paul-type guitars, and offers a flash and flair that has charmed musicians from the likes of George Harrison (whose model has been recreated as a Gretsch Custom Shop offering) to Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Dusty Redmon of The Almost. 

For more information on this and other Gretsch guitar models, visit The Gretsch Pages.

The Fender Telecaster, the quintessential electric guitar, the first mass-production solid body electric guitar, the Telecaster is all of these and more. Ubiquitous with the everyman musician, the traditional Telecaster is a simple slab guitar with dual single coil pickups, two volume and tone knobs, and a selector switch. Yet, even with such simple design traits, the guitar has long been the go-to guitars from novice guitarists to professional musicians. Not only that, but the simple design allows for easy modification and personalization. The guitar is perhaps Leo Fender’s best design, and shaped every guitar that came after.

The Telecaster was introduced in California by Leo Fender in 1949. Though it was not the first solid body guitar designed, it put solid body guitars on the map. The guitar’s construction was simply designed, both to encourage mass production and easy guitar repair. The necks featured no separate fingerboard, but instead one long maple neck with the frets set into it. Electronics were easily accessed through a control panel, which made servicing the guitar’s electronics or body incredibly simple. 

Initially, the Telecaster was called the Esquire. This model featured only a bridge pickup, a different wiring scheme, and a neck with no truss rod. Only a very small amount (estimated at 50) were produced, and most were returned due to bent necks. The next incarnation featured two pickups and necks with truss rods called the “Broadcaster,” but after Gretsch Guitars put a stop to that (they produced a drum series whose name was similar-the Broadkaster), a period went by when the Telecasters were produced without any signifying name apart from the brand. These are now considered “Nocasters” and fetch significant prices on the used and vintage market. The name then became the Telecaster, and the Esquire was reintroduced as lower priced, one-pickup Telecaster alternative. 

The Telecaster has been in constant production, and remained a stable of Fender’s guitar offerings. Though time has not diluted the design, there have been multiple variations, such as the Telecaster Deluxe (A Telecaster with Fender humbuckers), the Tele Jr. (A Telecaster with two P-90 pickups) and the Thinline Telecaster (A chambered Telecaster with one f-hole.). Still, it’s usually the original that most guitarists prefer, including the likes of rockers Keith Richards, country crooner Brad Paisley and iconic strummer Bruce Springsteen. Even metal guitarist for Slipknot and Stone Sour, Jim Root, plays a Telecaster equipped with EMG active humbuckers. Even after all these years, the Telecaster has never fallen from favor, and is able to cover the needs and wants of guitarists at affordable prices. 

For more information on the history of the Fender Telecaster, please visit TDPRI, the number one Fender Telecaster authority.

This is a new series of editorials I’m going to be writing. In these, I’ll try to chart the extensive histories of some of the most iconic and famous guitars. I won’t limit it to one brand or one type of guitar, and if you have any requests regarding models you want me to write about, definitely let me know! This is the first installment, and one of my favorites.

The Gibson ES-335 was designed and developed by Ted McCarty as an in-between of the standard hollow body guitars that Gibson produced and “The Log,” Les Paul’s infamous design. The full hollow bodied guitars of the era were very prone to feedback, while the few solid body guitar designs lacked the warmth and clarity of the other models. Thus, McCarty offered the ES-335 as a compromise: A solid center block to reduce feedback with hollow wings on either side to increase resonance.  The result was a guitar whose importance was second only to the Les Paul, McCarty would later comment.

The ES-335’s success was great enough that higher-end models were introduced soon after. If the 335 was the oldest, plainest child, the 345 was the fancier, middle sister. Among the differences was both a stereo and Varitone input. Even more fancy than that model was the top-of-the-line 355. As well as the Varitone input, this model also featured a split diamond headstock inlay and a factory standard Maestro vibrola or Bigsby  vibrato.

Further still were the smaller variations, such as the Lucille model made famous by B.B. King, the solid topped ES-335 Studio, and the smaller-bodied ES-356 and ES-339. However, the most flashy and interesting offshoots of the original ES-335 have to be the signature models.

One of the most interesting signature ES-335 models is the Alvin Lee “Big Red” 335. This model featured a single coil pickup mounted between two uncovered humbuckers. Also slightly outrageous is the Gibson Trini Lopez Standard. It features the same big semi-hollow body design, but with a more Firebird-esque headstock and diamond “F” holes. This design, though not initially popular, would be re-released under a different moniker and a different artist: The DG-335 Dave Grohl Signature. In addition to these is the Johnny A. signature, which is a smaller semi-hollow body with dual Florentine (sharp) cutaways and a Bigsby vibrato standard.

The ES-335 and its variants have often been go-to guitars for the standard Gibson sound. It has become so standard in the guitar world that it is one of the most copied and varied body styles that is produced. Artists definitely have taken to it, and it is prevalent in everywhere from hard rock (Dave Grohl) to southern rock (Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes) to even jazz (Larry Carlton) and country (Roy Orbison). 

Gibson has released several versions of the ES-335, even lower cost models in the Epiphone line such as the Dot and the Sheraton II. If you’re looking for a woody, full tone that takes warmth and drive well, it’s worth your time to get to know the ES-335.

For more information and pictures of vintage Gibson ES-335s, visit Gibson ES Thinlines.