Well, I'm learning and wanted to get a cheap guitar. Fender offered a great combo set I couldn't refuse. I may not know much about guitars, but I like my Fender Squier. It looks great, feels great in my hands, and seems durable. I was looking at other brands, but honestly, this was more bang for my buck so I got the Squier pack for cheap. I couldn't be happier.

Plus....great forum members.

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"While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

My dad said, "I'm going to miss you."
I said, "Well, now that I broke that sight off your rifle..." (Emo Philips)

To understand Fender's appeal, you need to understand the company more.

Leo Fender was not a musician. He knew musicians, he fully understood how guitars worked but he was not a musician. He was an engineer. Naturally, the guitars he made reflected that. Fender's design was to reach the 'working cowboy'. Fender guitars are an extension of Leo Fender's philosophy. He wan't to reach the musician that needed a simpler guitar.

Fender vs. Gibson is a question that will rage as long as guitars exist. I think. They each reflect an aspect of the guitars:
Gibson is more 'artistic', the more expensive, the more fancy.
Fender is more simple, cheaper, more serviceable, more practicality designed.

Tonally, Gibsons are considered 'fatter', 'warmer', and 'thicker'. Better for rhythm. Highly subjective, of course.
Fenders are considered 'thinner', 'sharper', 'trebley'. Better for lead. Still subjective.

It really depends on personal taste and circumstance. They are both sides of the same coin. I am a Fender fan, of course, but I think it's important to have some of both.

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Fender Fan Forever

When I was a teen it seemed that most guitarists except the Beatles(of course they used them eventually)used Fenders and they became my dream guitar.I bought my first Fender-a Strat- at 20 yrs old in 74 and the Fender bug took hold I now have 8 Fenders and 5 of them are Strats and I'm not finished yet.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Yeah I answered this before--why not?

As in why not a Fender?

I am more a humbucker guy, but I also like single coils.
The Mustang's out of phase sound, and subtle vibrato bar, the feel of the body and neck--I love it.

I like the feel of a Strat as well--but I don't have one yet.

I like variety and so I will continue to play different guitars. Including Fenders-especially the Mustang I own.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

For me:
1) Most of their guitars are EXTREMELY beautiful. A Stratocaster has to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing guitars I've ever looked at. The blending of the colors on the body and pickguard, the distinct Fender headstock, everything just looks so beautifully crafted. Gibson's guitars have been getting uglier and uglier.

2) They are sturdily and carefully built. I've heard horror stories of Gibson guitars breaking when they tip over. Sure, unskilled labor is used, but usually they are still given utmost respect.

3) Why do you think nearly EVERY guitar company has a Strat copy? Fender was so innovative most can't even try to go ahead of them. The few times this has been attempted, it's failed miserably.

I've got a Fender Strat, a Tele, an Epiphone Les Paul and a Gibson ES-339. If I had to pick just one, I'd have to say the Strat. It is just more versatile than these others and Strats sound the best clean. They're super comfortable, and easy to mod and adjust. Also most of my guitar hero's played strats most of the time.

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Meh, just something about them that makes me play them 24/7

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riley

before buying my electric guitar
i did research for one year
and the Fender Traditional Fat Strat was the best electric I could get
until today, it is still the only electric guitar I need
but if I were to buy my first electric guitar now
I would go for a Parker P30 over a Squier for my tight budget
and if budget is no problem
I will still not choose Gibson
the fret space is quite too small for me