J J Cale’s usual guitar recently is a Casio. That’s what he’s playing on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD.
Finding a picture has been a challenge. This is as close as I’ve found.
http://community-2.webtv.net/BRENTSAULSBURY/ERICJOHNSONSCASIO/
…
But don't you agree, Fenders (especially Strats) dominated the festival?
For sure.
I think it has to do tone these day because they are all playing bluesy stuff and you want the tone that most associate with that style. But, backing up to the roots, what did most of the old guys play and why? A lot played hollowbodys, and whatnot, but most played whatever you could get their hands on, no matter what it was.
Gibsons have always cost more than Fenders, and most of the time a lot more. That one fact would put a lot more Fenders in the hands of poor blues musicians than Gibsons. What I'm getting at is that I don't think it was the tone long ago, but it is now, for that style of music.
Clapton played anything he wanted to, and played Gibsons for many years, but when he went out solo doing the stuff he wanted to play he switched to Fender. Looks at what he played in The Blues Breakers and Cream, and then as a solo artist.
All that said there is a while movement of players that use Gibsons doing about the same kind of music. Southern rock is almost exclusively Gibson for example. The Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, etc....all Gibson. They are mostly blues or country based but go the Gibson route for the tone. It's a different tone, but it's still the blues (some would argue).
I think the difference these days is actually divided in the clean verses distorted tones. Clean being the brightness of a Fender (Stevie Ray Vaughn - Hendrix - Clapton) and distorted being the fat grunge of a Gibson (Leslie West - Billy Gibbons - Clapton).
There are MAJOR exceptions to all that. I'm just rambling.
For sure.
I think it has to do tone these day because they are all playing bluesy stuff and you want the tone that most associate with that style. But, backing up to the roots, what did most of the old guys play and why? A lot played hollowbodys, and whatnot, but most played whatever you could get their hands on, no matter what it was.
Gibsons have always cost more than Fenders, and most of the time a lot more. That one fact would put a lot more Fenders in the hands of poor blues musicians than Gibsons. What I'm getting at is that I don't think it was the tone long ago, but it is now, for that style of music.
Clapton played anything he wanted to, and played Gibsons for many years, but when he went out solo doing the stuff he wanted to play he switched to Fender. Looks at what he played in The Blues Breakers and Cream, and then as a solo artist.
All that said there is a while movement of players that use Gibsons doing about the same kind of music. Southern rock is almost exclusively Gibson for example. The Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, etc....all Gibson. They are mostly blues or country based but go the Gibson route for the tone. It's a different tone, but it's still the blues (some would argue).
I think the difference these days is actually divided in the clean verses distorted tones. Clean being the brightness of a Fender (Stevie Ray Vaughn - Hendrix - Clapton) and distorted being the fat grunge of a Gibson (Leslie West - Billy Gibbons - Clapton).
There are MAJOR exceptions to all that. I'm just rambling.
Is this thread still going?!?! 
Mr Soul
You know what, its the thing you dont have. I’ve had a custom les paul for 20 years now(luv it) my son has a low level schecter, and we finally went out and bought a fender strat (stndrd at $900), and you know what, every time I pick that sucker up, I’m much more inventive and I can play for hours, only because it is new and sounds different!!
There is nothing like getting a new guitar for yourself…and I heartily recommend it.
My son and I are really having a blast on something as simple as a Strat!!?
Chiller
trackgrrl,
i’ve noticed your guitar has a tremolo unit in it, is that just a fit on? you know unlike the usual (trem or floyd) that the body has a hole. you see i own a les paul and i saw your picture and wondering to mine a try.
thanks teryeah!
If I had an LP and wanted a vib I’d put on a Bigsby.
I had a Gibson Explorer with a Kahler back in the 80’s. Stayed in tune great no matter what you done to it. Sadly, it was a tone AND sustain sucking piece of hardware. Don’t miss it at all.
TG
ok i see the picture lokks like the whammy pedal is the next best thing.
Yeah Guys,
That is an original style Kahler with a huge hole routed underneath to make it fit. There is no doubt that it changes the tone and sustain, don’t think it turns the guitar into a total dog but it is different from other similar LPs I have tried.
There are a few people out there today making trems that do not require cutting up an LP but none of them have the range of the old Kahler. I could do without the range and sometimes find the Kahler to be a bit too sensitive. I am not a dive bomber, I use the trem in the less extreme classic rock, fusion or surf styles. - my favorite is actually the Fender Stratocaster classic style trem, except for the issue of staying in tune…
I have had the guitar for many years (15 or more) but it was already cut up and beat up, someones half-finished project, when I picked it up for almost nothing. I threw it together, added a few things from my parts bin, and ended up with a guitar that I have played quite a lot. I also don’t have to worry about a little scratch or dent here or there, new ones fit right in among the others.
I had a couple of guitars that fell in the too pretty to modify, scratch or dent category. I had to sell them as they don’t fit my nature. I knew that sooner or later I would mess them up and that made me afraid to take them out of the case. A guitar that I can’t just grab and play is pretty useless to me.
Peace,
TrackGrrrl
OK, OK … if I had to have just one, it would be a Fender, probably a strat (though what I actually have is a '65 Jazzmaster – why have a strat when you can always borrow one from the next guy?) I like the single coil sound; it suits my style which is mostly blues.
Blues players don’t play strats because they’re cheaper! There are plent of good LP knockoffs and plenty of strat knockoffs, and you see 10 strat copies to every LP copy, in blues gigs. Frankly, I see more fat archtops than I see LPs, though I do see a few PRSs.
But if I went to see more hard rock, I’d see a much more balanced mix.
I also vote for Heritage. Send your money to Michigan, just like you used to!