It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:02 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:58 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:32 pm
Posts: 20
After the holidays I'm looking to purchase my 2nd guitar (bought my first MIM Strat about a year ago and love it) and I'm looking for a dual humbucker option with a little more edge compared to what I currently have (not hard rock or metal, just a little more aggressive than a Strat). I was originally planning on getting a Les Paul or SG junior, but I've gotten more interested in the Thinline Tele lately.

Any (relatively) unbiased thoughts on pros or cons between the two? Granted, asking for Gibson comparisons on a Fender forum is probably like asking for an opinion on Obama on a FoxNews chat room, so this may be a fool's errand ... but what the hell.

And before you say "just go with what feels right", I've played around with both and really like them all. Are the tones slightly different? Obviously. But I think with amp settings and pedals I can probably get a similar tone from both if I tinker enough. As my screen name implies I'm relatively new to the world of guitar, so my concern is basically "not knowing what I don't know" if that makes sense. Any insightful comparisons between these from someone more experienced would help me a ton.

Thanks guys.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 9:15 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
I own both a Telecaster Thinline '72 RI and a Gibson SGJ.
They're very different guitars, both in play feel and sound.

The TL72 has a narrower neck.
The TL72 has a slimmer neck - the SGJ has a very fat piece of wood.
The TL72 has a smaller radius. Chords are easier, but bending harder.
The TL72 has 21 frets. The SGJ has 24.
The TL72 has a polyester coated slick neck and fretboard. The SGJ has a satin finish and rosewood.
The pickups in the TL72 are wide range humbuckers that's a bit on the bright side. The LPJ has old PAF-like humbuckers, slightly hotter than vintage.
The TL72 is fat. The SGJ is incredibly thin.
The TL72 has a straight neck. The SGJ has a backwards tilted neck.
The TL72 has a single volume and tone control. The SGJ has two of each.
The TL72 has most of the weight at the bottom. The SGJ has most of the weight at the neck.

When run clean, the SGJ sounds almost like you're playing an acoustic guitar.
When run clean, the TL72 sounds sounds bright and compressed.

They're so very different that the only sane advice is to buy both.

For pedals, the SGJ goes well with chorus and vibrato, while the TL72 goes well with overdrive and distortion.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 4:52 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
You should check out the '72 Telecaster Deluxe or the Chris Shiflett Telecaster.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 7:13 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:51 pm
Posts: 25350
Location: Witness Protection Program
LouisvilleNoob wrote:
After the holidays I'm looking to purchase my 2nd guitar (bought my first MIM Strat about a year ago and love it) and I'm looking for a dual humbucker option with a little more edge compared to what I currently have (not hard rock or metal, just a little more aggressive than a Strat).


Get an SG with P90s. :wink:

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:51 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
Miami Mike wrote:
LouisvilleNoob wrote:
After the holidays I'm looking to purchase my 2nd guitar (bought my first MIM Strat about a year ago and love it) and I'm looking for a dual humbucker option with a little more edge compared to what I currently have (not hard rock or metal, just a little more aggressive than a Strat).


Get an SG with P90s. :wink:


P90s are pretty nice counding and currently in at the moment. I've noticed of late that many people are choosing P90s. I suspect that this is because HBs are just a little too dark and Fender single coils are may be too bright. P90s seemed to be a happy medium. It's like everyone is trying to get a new and different sound than what we've heard over the past 50 years.

Any thoughts on this?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:12 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
Miami Mike wrote:
LouisvilleNoob wrote:
After the holidays I'm looking to purchase my 2nd guitar (bought my first MIM Strat about a year ago and love it) and I'm looking for a dual humbucker option with a little more edge compared to what I currently have (not hard rock or metal, just a little more aggressive than a Strat).


Get an SG with P90s. :wink:


(Never mind that recommending P90s to someone who already said he wanted humbuckers is like recommending a 4 cylinder engine to someone who asks for V8 recommendations.)

The SGJ, which is what he noted as an option, does not make this a drop-in job. Unless you know of someone who sells cover-mounted P90s with a 5-pin micro-molex quick-connect, it requires quite a bit of extra work, both on the mounting and wiring side.

On an SG Standard it's easier, but then you're also talking three times the price.

I'd say a TL72 is probably a better bet in the "affordable" range if he doesn't like the SGJ. The WRHs in the Mexican model are on the bright side. Or a Cabronita, if he prefers Fideli'Tron to WRH.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:58 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:14 pm
Posts: 2561
Despite the numerous differences between your choices, the two biggest are Scale Length and Set Neck vs Bolt-on Neck,

Each has advantages over the other.

I can profer my opinion here, but you'd be a fool to take it... It ain't my guitar we're talking about, so my opinion means NOTHING !

Get one of each in your hands and decide... there is no wrong answer !!

cheers!

_________________
Image

'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2013 8:45 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
Lightnin MN wrote:
Despite the numerous differences between your choices, the two biggest are Scale Length and Set Neck vs Bolt-on Neck,

The scale length is different, but not by a lot - 24.75" (Gibson) vs 25.5" (Fender). The difference between a Jaguar/Mustang and a Strat/Tele is twice that.

As an actual owner and player of both, I would say that the biggest difference is the neck feel, with a much fatter, flatter and backwards tilted neck on the SGJ, and the second biggest being the string height at the body (much taller bridge, also due to the backwards tilted neck). Third would be how different the pickups sound.
The set neck vs bolt-on doesn't even rank in the top 10 differences, in my opinion. The Fender might lose a little sustain on that, but gains some back by having the string-through-body tail. Neither is a high sustain champ. Both necks allow for neck vibrato at about the same resistance.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchasing Help Needed: '72 Thinline vs Gibson
Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:03 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 12:34 am
Posts: 73
paris wrote:
Miami Mike wrote:
LouisvilleNoob wrote:
After the holidays I'm looking to purchase my 2nd guitar (bought my first MIM Strat about a year ago and love it) and I'm looking for a dual humbucker option with a little more edge compared to what I currently have (not hard rock or metal, just a little more aggressive than a Strat).


Get an SG with P90s. :wink:


P90s are pretty nice counding and currently in at the moment. I've noticed of late that many people are choosing P90s. I suspect that this is because HBs are just a little too dark and Fender single coils are may be too bright. P90s seemed to be a happy medium. It's like everyone is trying to get a new and different sound than what we've heard over the past 50 years.

Any thoughts on this?


Not that I want to derail this thread, but I don't think that P90s are "new" or "different" really. They've been used on a lot of memorable recordings. They are awesome though!

Having said that, and back on topic, P90s just might be that 'edge' that LouisvilleNoob is looking for. They are more aggressive than the strat, without getting lost in humbucking territory. Of course, having the choice is the critical thing, and this is Louisville's 2nd guitar. The P90s might not be markedly different enough (I think they are, and love them, but it isn't about me here). Having a single coil and a humbucking guitar will give a better range perhaps than the P90 option.

I'm not particularly into the thinline range, but I suggest that everyone should have a tele! :wink: Of course, the Gibsons are fine guitars too, so, whatever you get, make sure you like it - let your heart lead you. Both of your choices are good, so check out the differences that Arth1 pointed out. That should help with your decision.

I'm going to bet that your third guitar will be P90 equipped, or a Jazzmaster!


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: