The Guitar Duel: todd Rundgren’s Preference for Gibsons over Fenders
When it comes to electric guitars, few brands hold as much prestige as Fender and Gibson. For legendary musician Todd Rundgren, the choice between these two titans was a defining aspect of his musical journey. In the vibrant music scene of the 1960s,guitarists were often divided into two distinct factions,each loyal to thier preferred brand.
Rundgren’s Musical Roots
As a multifaceted guitarist,producer,and songwriter,rundgren has collaborated with iconic acts like Meat Loaf,New York Dolls,and Grand Funk Railroad. Emerging from the psychedelic rock movement, he was acutely aware of the musical innovations happening in both the U.S. and the U.K., which influenced his guitar selection.
“Back in those days, you were either in one camp or the other,” Rundgren shared in a recent interview with Guitar Player. ”I was part of the Yardbirds faction, influenced by the likes of Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, and that meant playing a gibson.”
The Fender vs. Gibson Divide
On the opposing side of the spectrum was Jimi Hendrix, the face of the Fender camp. Rundgren’s alignment with the more traditional playing styles of the Yardbirds set him apart from Hendrix’s fiery, improvisational approach. This divergence in style solidified Rundgren’s early allegiance to Gibson, as he felt that Fender guitars did not meet his artistic needs.
“I favored a Les Paul, which lacked a whammy bar or tremolo tailpiece,” he explained.”Jimi,on the other hand,wielded a Stratocaster and fully utilized its whammy bar. I didn’t possess the same freedom that Hendrix had; he could improvise and change things up every time.”
Influences and Inspirations
Rundgren’s musical influences included the classical guitar solos of Clapton and Beck, which he learned meticulously, akin to studying the works of george Harrison. “These solos were like foundational texts for guitarists; you were expected to replicate them flawlessly at a moment’s notice,” he noted.
It was the groundbreaking work of Clapton and Beck during their Gibson days that drew Rundgren into that camp. Notably, Jimmy Page, another Yardbirds alum, also favored the Les Paul during his tenure with the group.
Shifting Alliances
Interestingly, while Page has remained largely loyal to Gibsons, clapton and Beck eventually transitioned to Fenders. Rundgren himself would later explore this shift. For instance,Beck’s Oxblood les Paul,which he used for his influential album Blow by Blow,became the world’s most expensive LP last year,yet he also embraced the Fender Stratocaster.
Despite his earlier admiration for Gibsons, Beck later described the Strat as offering “endless color,” leading him to predominantly use it for the last four decades of his career. Similarly, Clapton developed a fondness for Fenders, while Rundgren eventually acquired Clapton’s legendary ’the Fool’ SG, which he purchased for $500 and later saw auctioned for a staggering $3,003,000.
Embracing New Sounds
Rundgren’s evolution as a guitarist also included a newfound appreciation for Fenders. Even though he initially felt overshadowed by Hendrix’s mastery of the whammy bar, he later incorporated a black Fender Mustang into his repertoire, making its tremolo system a signature element of his sound during the late 1970s.
Rundgren’s journey thru the world of guitars reflects not just personal preference but also the broader narrative of rock history, where the lines between brands and styles continue to blur.
