I'm looking to buy, and honestly I can't tell what's special about the Fender Stratocaster, and the Fender AMERICAN Stratocaster. Besides the American being 400 more... also:

A Gibson SG and a Gibson Vintage SG

Stratocaster and an older model of one (like a 50s reissue)

I know people think Gibson is better than Epiphone, but is the difference really big enough to spend 2,000 dollars on?

Just bear in mind that the quality of the wood of any vintage instrument is what makes the value of the guitar or bass.

When you buy a vintage, the wood has been aged naturally and with time, these vintage instruments get better and better in sound as the years pass. Also, the value goes up over the years. As for sound, their is a big difference and the hardware is not the same either as well as the pickups.

Even if you buy a re-issue, it still remains a re-issue. Epiphone guitars sound great but don't have the fatt clean sound of their original counterpart as well as the durability. You get what you pay for.

Fender stratocaster are made in Mexico and trust me, the quality is no way near any American made models . The fingerboard is super smooth on the American models whereas on the Mexican models, the frets are rough on the edges and the fingerboard is not as responsive.

Gibson SG Vintage have that dark Ozzy osbourne sound as compared to the newer models which lack presence.

Lastly, the difference is not $2000 between any SG or between a real SG and a Les Paul. If you want the rock osund or blues sound, Gibson is for you. Fenders, on the other hand are nice for guitar Sweeps (arpeggios) and have a cleaner sound with less bottom.

Filed under: vintage gibson guitars

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