Well, I do not know about Fender except to say that I think one of Eric Clapton's Fender Guitar sold to someone for well over the price to help out the charity that Clapton has with his Crossroads Festivals - something like $750,000 I think someone paid for his guitar.
Now, on to Gibson Guitars and actually there is too much to write about, so just a few highlights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...son_Guitar_CorporationStarted business in 1902.
In 1936 Gibson introduced their first "Electric Spanish" model, the ES-150 followed by other electric instruments like steel guitars, banjos and mandolins.
n the 1950s, Gibson also produced the Tune-o-matic bridge system and its version of the humbucking pickup, the PAF ("Patent Applied For"), first released in 1957 and still sought after for its sound.
http://www.gibson.com/press/press_history.asp1921 Gibson employee Ted McHugh, a woodworker who had sung in a group with Orville Gibson, invents two of the most important innovations in guitar history: the adjustable truss rod and the height-adjustable bridge. All Gibson instruments are still equipped with McHugh’s truss rod, and traditional jazz guitars still utilize the bridge he designed.
1952 Gibson introduces its first solidbody electric guitar, the Les Paul Model. To launch its first solidbody electric, Gibson enlists Les Paul, the biggest recording star of the early '50s and an early proponent of the solidbody guitar. The Gibson Les Paul has gone on to become the most successful “artist” guitar in history and an icon for rock and roll music.
1954 Gibson president Ted McCarty, an engineer who does not know how to play guitar, invents the tune-o-matic bridge with individually adjustable saddles. It debuts on the Les Paul Custom in 1954 and is still today the standard bridge on Gibson electric guitars.
1957 The humbucking pickup, a double-coil design, is perfected by Gibson engineer Seth Lover and installed on Gibson's top-line models. It quickly becomes an industry standard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vARFwbhLOMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjGaJj_-itE Well, a guitar that could be worth $450,000 and as the last video shows, one that was worth $400,000 and now is worth $750,000 and lately not too far in the future - one worth perhaps a million.
Gibson still makes their guitar the old -fashioned way just like a 100 years ago. In fact instead of using Franklin Titebond glue, they are now going to go back with some models using hide glue which is way more expensive, just like guitars of very old, the way they use to make them say 100-80 years ago or so.
Too much to write it, but if you want to know, read the history of Gibson and watch the videos especially the last one listed.
That is only part of the answer - maximumpower!