I thought P90A was the Gibson. I hear what your saying about the Gibson being rounder & warmer but I preferred the sound of the noventa on most of the clips - to me it sounded more balanced and the Gibson had a harsher top end. Some examples they were very close. The subjectively of sound, it’s all about what sounds good to you & there’s no right or wrong answer 😊 I love the look of the noventa & just put a deposit on one in vintage blonde so guess it’s a win for me lol
Hey Laurence, thanks for the comment and I'm glad you decided to get the Noventa. There are many things I love about the Noventa and I did not want to discourage people from trying and buying one. My take on the guitar is just one opinion and I'm sure there are a lot of people that will find the that the things that I love might not be the things that they enjoy. I'd love to hear back from you when you get your Noventa.
I've got a Noventa Tele in Fiesta Red that I got new "open box" for a $150 discount. I had it tweaked by my guitar tech, and it is wonderful. The sound, the playability are great. I must admit tho that I have two other Tele's; a '76 Custom and a 2003 American Deluxe HH. I love 'em all.
I agree with your assessment of these two guitars. The sonic difference is obvious. Doesn't mean that the Fender sounds bad, though. In fact, I just bought one for $550. These guitars are not selling well in some places due, in no small part, to the price. But, at $550 it's a no-brainer. Deals on these guitars can be had, now, a year after their introduction. Meanwhile, I'm thinkin'...Fralin or Duncan...hmmm.
Great review! Very detailed. I recently purchased a Fender JA 90. It's a Tele body with a set neck, 24.75 scale, double P90 Guitar. Might be something you might want to check out. I've avoided Gibsons but that Jr might be right up my alley. With the weight so low, is neck dive an issue?
"A" all the way. Surprised at the full, phat tone of the Fender. Always been a Fender man but I have a TV Yellow LP Special from Epiphone that I really like. Their P90 does not leave me wanting for any other. Appreciate an HONEST review that points out strengths AND weaknesses, for a change !!
Great informative review , really enjoy your uploads and honest balanced comments. Well done mate 🏴👏🏻 Still think you have a great singing voice , cheers John greetings from England
Yet another outstanding review and demo. Brother, I’ve said it before and I can’t say it enough, you have THE BEST demos and comparison videos on the Tube. Hands down. That’s not even an opinion. It’s a fact. I have a Junior but mine has a dog ear P90. To my crazy sensitive ear, the dog ear and the soapbar sound different. Love them both but purchased the one with the dog ear. Totally agree about Fenders price point on these guitars. They should be same or less then a player series. I hate when they put truss rod at the heel. Deal breaker for me.
This comparison/review was so perfectly done and extremely helpful to me; thank you! I would've bet $ that A was the Gibson lol. I preferred A in the clean n crunch settings over B significantly! Which was surprisingly good news to me, because I'm doing my UA-cam research on guitar A...I think you sold me on ordering one ( the Fiesta red with maple fretboard version tho ). I've played Strats almost exclusively since I started playing years ago. Whereas you prefer the Gibson specs playability, I'm at " home " and play better on Fender specs. I got an Epiphone Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul junior last year and I absolutely loved the sound of it immediately, but overall the playability just isn't there or natural to me like on my Strats ( of various fretboard radius/back of neck contours ). But I want that sound on a Fender spec guitar! Anyway, enough of my rambling lol. Thanks for your time, work and efforts in putting this great comparison/review out to all of us. Stick to that A/B format as you did in this video in the future, you're onto something good in how you did it...way more comprehensive n helpful/useful than just listening to somebody hurriedly switch back n forth between guitars for a few licks while talking over it the whole time. Lol, but true 👍
Good review Brooks! I just acquired a Noventa in Fiesta Red and immediately bonded. Btw for anyone reading this, as of today 1/14/22, Musicians Friend has an in-cart discount of $250 (!) for this rig. I have the LP Special Tribute you mentioned as well…. Love ‘em both, if I could only have one it would be the Gibson. I’m playing the P-90’s into a Plexi. And man that amp loves these pickups. Thanks again Brooks! 😄
Hey Alexander, thanks for commenting and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Sounds like we have similar taste is guitars and amps. I have a bunch of Marshall amps including a Plexi reissue 50w. It's my first choice to concert gigs but at home I use a DSL 40 with a 2-12" cab with Greenbacks. I just got a Squier Paranormal Baritone that has P90s and I'm digging that one too. Maybe I'll post a review. It's pretty cool and really affordable.
@@airtimedesign ... similar taste indeed.... my other Marshall is a DSL100 with 1960 4x12....had to slap an attenuator on that rig to be able to use it. Yeah a review of that Squire would be great!
Thanks for the comparison! I was really thinking that A was going to be the Gibson, because it was warmer (at least for the clean tones) and sounded better balanced, less harsh, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was the Noventa! I got a deal on a used Noventa Stratocaster, not knowing much about the pickups, but the more I learn, the happier I am with what I have.
Thank you for making this comparison. I would think it would be a no-brainer to compare a single P90 Telecaster to a Les Paul Junior but surprisingly few such videos exist.
i have been playing fender teles and amps since 1968, but i tell you here recently fender is getting price raising crazy!! i bought a gibson les paul jr 2019 brand new with hardshell case for 1349.00 out the door. it weighs in at 6.8 pounds and plays and sounds badd ass!! and its made in nashville!!
Nice Review - but I could not find a Gibson Less Paul Junior for less than the fender unless maybe it's used? Can you place a link? I do think the Gibson sounded better but for me the modern C neck is easier to play on a fender and I actually like it is bolted on so It is easy to replaced with a stainless steel fret neck. I tend to be very heavy handed an nickel doesn't hold up.
Here's one link. Just Google "Les Paul Junior Tribute". You'll find a bunch for sale. reverb.com/item/51967778-gibson-les-paul-junior-tribute-dc-2019?gclid=Cj0KCQiAybaRBhDtARIsAIEG3kl8c3mdYKtj8a4gJvuy15Ad4sII536WNmlSUitOqmNJ7y_iWFhrTqYaApTMEALw_wcB
Great review. I hear your disappointment with the Fender as I love Teles. I will try and have a play on both if they have these in stock in my local music shop. Thanks for posting this.
Well done review! My 2 cents ... a noticeable issue that makes comparison difficult is the higher volume of B, especially on the clean samples. Would have appreciated hearing a variety of tone control settings, too. You say the Gibson is hundreds of $ less ... really?
Hello Will Go. Yes you are right, B is louder. That was my mistake and one I wish I had caught before I posted. Glad you enjoyed the review and please subscribe.
Where can you get the mythical Les Paul Junior that is less than the Noventa? I've looked and there is nothing even close. The closest I could find was a single cut, which was $500 more than the Fender.
Hey Thomas. That probably could have been stated better. I bought my Gibson LP Tribute new at GC for around $800. That was a couple of years ago so now that we are in COVID economy prices have been changing. I see the retail for a Gibson LP Tribute is now $1199 but I still think the Noventa at $999 puts it in a price range that there is a lot of competition. Thank you for the comment.
Thank you for watching and commenting MultiSpeedr! It's a cool guitar no doubt. Now I'm looking at the Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster for $429.99. Review coming. Please subscribe!
Thanks for the comparison. I am currently deciding between these two guitars or an SG Jr. Years ago, I had a 59 Les Paul Junior Doublecut. I miss the simplicity and growl of that guitar. Hopefully, one of these guitars will soothe the regret of selling the 59.
I own 4 single P-90 juniors. Nailed the gibby on the first comparison, but only because I have multiple examples that all vary, but ultimately still have the same characteristics. This is not a bad sounding tele AT ALL. Though, I too feel the price was the missed mark.
Thanks for making this! Super informative and helpful. I want my first p90 guitar and was looking at the Noventa or a Gibson. Not a lot of videos comparing these two. Surprised I preferred the sound of the Noventa much more than the Gibson, but I much prefer the feel of Gibson’s shorter scale. Agreed on the price though, I can get a used American standard or MIJ guitar for the price of the Noventa.
Glad you enjoyed the review Shaddy MD. No doubt the Noventa is a cool guitar but for me I already had a Gibson LP Junior with P90. Can't keep every guitar although I'd like to!! Please subscribe Thanks!
@@airtimedesign So true! I’ve got a list of 10-15 guitars I’d love to have. But I like to keep my collection smaller, with a few special guitars that get played regularly. You’ve got yourself a new subscriber. Great informative content! I’ve got a comparison of the old and new Kramer guitars on my channel, def check it out if you’re interested.
The fender mustang has a short 24" scale. I'm thinking of trying one as an option because like you I prefer the Gibson short scale but overall I like the feel of of fender guitars
Sehr guter Test !!! Die wav Dateien dabei sichtbar zu machen ist eine grosses Hilfe um zu sehen was gerade läuft, super Idee ! Für mich klang die Fender clean offener, mit mehr Aatack und etwas mehr Höhen und etwas direkter. Die Gibson war für mich im Bereich Crunch und Gain besser, ich denke zurückzuführen auf den mittigeren Sound. Mich würde der gemittelte Frequnzgang der wav Blöcke interessieren, hier gibt es sicherlich sichtbare Unterschiede....Insgesamt bitte weiter so, sehr gut gemacht DANKE
Excellent review! I sure was turned off to this guitar by Fender when I saw the pots and the heel adjustment I was expecting more like you said. I am convinced I could build a Warmoth for the same price exactly how I want it and all the parts would be American made! For $1k. I should have to muck with it!
I was really surprised,. I thought P90A was the Gibson. I actually though the Tele one had a bit more sustain and woodiness to its tone, which is what made me think it was the Gibson. That makes the Fender Noventa even more attractive frankly.
I bought the red Noventa strat, changed pups and pots to Amber P90 (handmade by Wolfgang Damm, the guy who, came up with P94 for Gibson) and VIPots. It sounds amazing through my KoT.
Nice comparison, Both sound good, I like the fender better on the clean and the gibson better on the gain. the gibson pickup seemed a little hotter. I generally prefer a fender neck, but some gibsons necks are ok. I knew the gibson p90 would be good and wanted to see if the fender p90 would be as good. I think fender will be good enough, but I want the 2 pickup version, gibson special or noventa strat.
I saw Counting Crows perform. One guy did a solo on a standard Tele--you couldn't even hear it with two other guitars and a bass in the background. You'd think they would know.
I have a LP Jr type guitar with a single fat P90 that splits and it is great. I was really excited about the Noventa Tele and think it sounds great but I cant get past the price and where they placed the truss rod adjustment. I would probably still buy a Noventa if the price is right but otherwise there are other good alternatives out there.
That DC Junior has a maple neck (I'm pretty sure) which, IMHO makes it very Fender/P-90 sounding... I wound up swapping out the P-90 in my Jr. for an alnico rod "wide range" (3 & 3 humbucker) and it is magic... lucky for me. 😶 So you're happy w/ the Tele/P-90? (cool bridge BTW) cheers
Hey Jonny, I ended up not keeping the Noventa. I really liked it but it didn't give me anything that was too different from my P90 LPJ. I'm looking at the Squier Paranormal Baritone now that looks pretty cool and price low.
Really good comparison and review... but I think you were listening with your eyes. I was able to guess which P90 was which pretty easily. Both had a great sound... but B sounded like A with a lowcut applied: just a little sharper. A had a fuller bottom end. When I heard the difference, I decided that A was the Noventa, because people say Fender overwound their P90s for that exact effect. Again, both sound great. I would probably lean toward the Gibson, if I liked Gibson. Either way, it seems like this one was just not for you. It's essentially an homage to the early Esquires (including the first prototypes). The neck with no skunk stripe, the heel truss rod adjustment, the maple cap fretboard (if you got that one), the neck shape, the electrosocket, the chopped ashtray bridge, the compensate saddles, these are all relatively expensive choices made for the sake of a vibe. If that's not your vibe, that makes sense.
You're right. Sometimes you just don't connect with a guitar. I'm sure I could have made adjustments and who knows, I might have loved the guitar. It just didn't do what I was hoping for.
Only fender could sell a knockoff style for 1000 bucks, but it will never be my 1000 bucks they get. A regular tele just sounds better too IMHO. I have a double cut away single P90, so it was no problem hearing the jangle difference from the very first sample. lol Excellent side by side sir! Subbed! One other thing I might say is Fender can over wind and remagnet a standard tele bridge pickup any day of the week it wants to and call it a Pee on a 90. I would if I was their marketing guy. :)
If a guitars sound is due to the sum of its parts then don’t let anyone tell you that wood does not make a difference. Of course it does. Flying vs and explorers are made from the same wood with the same pickups and same space between them but they sound totally different and that’s because of the shape of the wood and how it changes the resonant character of a guitar. Likewise lp standards w 90s and lp specials sound different despite sharing everything but a maple top. The wood makes a difference.
Great video. I knew which was which because you can hear which one is a string through body. The Gibson's demos lacked body. But the pickup was better.
Good review, I bought a Gibson tribute Junior and it's a fine guitar and well made. Recently got a H.E.R. strat (made in Mexico) and the fret ends felt pretty much how you described the Noventa tele which really puts me off (no bad thing, I really don't need another!). For all the flak Gibson get about qc, two Mexican Fenders I've had left a bit to be desired. Neck wise, I've probably been spoilt by the US vintage reissue 56 strat which is a work of art, feel-wise. The Noventa tele should be brilliant but the quality maybe just slightly falls short which is a shame.
@@Ottophil and happen sometimes when guitars experience humidity changes. A minor touchup to guitars that have been shipped is to be expected, in my opinion. They see some harsh conditions on a truck....
Great review, thank you as I'm sure this took a considerable effort to produce. I too really wanted to love the Noventa. The price and lack of HSC point me in the direction of the Junior. Also, I find it interesting the Junior sounds more well rounbded given its pickup is located much closer to the bridge as compared to the Telecaster Noventa's design. I think the Gibson's better overall tone might be due to the Mohogany and set-neck construction. Also, having owned many poly and lacquer finished guitars over the years I strongly recommend a lacquer finished guitar. I've a few pieces of equipment I've owned since 1977, a lacquer finished guitar really can become more beautiful with age.
Thank you HK and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Yes it does take time for me to put these reviews together but I enjoy doing it especially when I received positive comments like yours! Please subscribe and check out my other reviews.
When it was discontinued before the pandemic (a year and a half before this video was made), it was something like $699. Now the closest thing Gibson has is $1,600.
Resonance doesn't equal to "tonewood." Tonewood is an "acoustic guitar" thing, not electric. Having said that, the Les Paul Jr/Special DC is one of, if not THE, easiest feeling electric guitar there is and doesn't have the neck dive an SG has.
How can a P90 or any pickup actually pick up wood? The guitars will sound different just because the scale is different so the pickup position is different and the sound will be different.
Nice demo. Personally…I’ve built my own Tele with 2 P90’s and higher quality wood and parts for much less expense and it plays as good if not better than a Fender custom shop Tele. And the wood most definitely matters. Anyone who’s worked in final assembly at a major guitar manufacturer will tell you not any one sounds the same. The reason…..it’s in the wood.
Only just listened to this on my phone but I’ll listen again with headphones soon but first off this is a really good demo -well done and second I have to say that to the Tele sounded warmer to me and the Gibson was more edgy… Go figure!?
Great comparison mister Reid. Thumb's up. For almost a thousand bucks Fender should at least have made the frets smooth around the edges. That and the crappy wiring are ridiculous. With the tone test I had it right I'm glad to say. The Gibson sounds way better. Fender: shame on you for this overpriced guitar.
Thanks for the comment Tjoppy. Have you looked at the Squier Conbonita.www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/telecaster/paranormal-cabronita-telecaster-thinline/0377020502.html
@@airtimedesign I have now! Beautiful Telly! A while ago I saw a Tele model guitar on the internet that was brandnew but looked 'dirty' like a guitar version of a ratrod. But I don't remember the brandname. It looked awesome imho and I think it also had just one pickup. Do you perhaps know the brandname?
@@Tjoppy The Squier is priced right. I like the baritone version. Take a look www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/telecaster/paranormal-baritone-cabronita-telecaster/0377030500.html
Overall a Decent Review , But it wasn't a Fair Comparison! The Gibson is a Much More Expensive Instrument! I Have Played Both, and Now Own a Noventa , My Son Owns a Two Pickup Les Paul Double Cut , I Did Prefer the Gibson Pickup Sound in Your Test, But You Forgot One Thing , The Tone Control ! That Alowes You to Trim Down the Treble on the Output ! So A little Gibson Predigous in the Critique on the Compairson! Yes the Noventa Has Some Design Flaws that Need to Be Remadied Like the Bridge !
I dont care for a 9.5 Fender or the 10 degree Tribute fretboard radius. Or 3 piece scrapwood body. If there is no such thing as tone wood why do they sometimes chamber the bodies?
Great Point about it being pricey, I happen to dig Fenders way more than Gibbys, I think you are way into Gibson's and you seem like you are not that into Fenders, but in you sound samples A sounded better IMHO...
MultiSpeedr, I'm actually more into Fenders. I never owned a Gibson until recently because they were always just out of my price reach. I have a couple now and I like them, especially with P90's but my Fender Tele and Strat are the first thing I grab.
Great comparison, playing and commentary. So the Fender... well, maybe they can find a hygiene deficient artist, plop a full brim hat on him, double the price of this half-guitar and sell a few million of them. To Fender's credit... they know who their customers are.
Thanks Michael. I had to laugh at your comment. Too funny. I feel I may have been too critical of the Noventa. It's not a bad guitar, it's just not what I hoped for. I appreciate the compliments! Please subscribe, more on the way.
@@airtimedesign It seemed fine. What I got out of it was that the Gibson surged ahead and from where I sit, I'd agree. Fender's "pay more for less" may well be influenced by the tax penalty of their local. Anyway... great review.
Thanks for the comment. I've had several people tell me they liked the Noventa better. I did not want to sound like I did not like the Noventa and I'm glad others are really happy with the Noventa.
The Fender sounded warmer and fatter to me, less rock like than the Gibson but all around more to my tastes. The sounds are so distinctively different I'm confused as to how you find the Gibson fatter and warmer? I guess maybe the volume setting was left the same for both pickups? Unless the volumes were matched to begin with this comparison isn't as meaningful as it could have been.
Yeah, they put a lot of mids into that pickup to the point that I thought the 90A was the Gibson... I don't blame you, that's a lot of money and not as much as my last Fender. Still, that fretboard better be rosewood when they approach 1k and it's made in Mexico. I don't think Mexico with their higher pay on Trump's behalf is producing anything better, though you would think they would TRY. The only other Fender I'm going to buy is a Johnny Marr Jaguar and I'm out! No more Fender for me.
I have one. Fiesta red. Overpriced hardly.Living in Vegas igetthis oh it’s an mim.Uhh there’s only several hundred miles between factories.. I hear Fender does the same old thing,Fender does something different oh it’s overpriced. UHH R and D .I Ilike both, try the fender before we knock it A real amp would’ve been better
Just my opinion Reggie. I'm glad you like the guitar. I have several P90 guitars so I really didn't need another P90. I still liked the guitar and there are a lot of strong points to it. Just not for me. Thank you for the comment!
This is an Esquire, the single pickup guitar that came before the Telecaster, just with P90 in it instead of the lap steel guitar pickup. Hacker techs and punks have been making this guitar out of standard teles for decades. You can get compensated saddles for the three saddle bridge that allows you to intonate the guitar. Wilkinson sells them for less than $30, Gotoh sells them for less than $40. Generally if you don't like the sound of a P90 swap the magnets out for a different gauss, It's probably cut alnico 5s, try 3s. And adjust the pole pieces to your string radius especially in the bridge. I agree with you it's too much mazuma but fenders cost what fenders cost. You could make one out of a Pro Audio Star close out Squier Classic Vibe for less than $300 if you have a hack saw and a Dremel tool.
I definitely like the Tele MP90 better, but I already knew that from the Mustang P90. But then, I quit buying anything from the Gibson empire when they switched from musical instruments to trademark trollery - right after I bought my first one - so it hardly matters. This series wasn’t even on my radar but I just missed a real deal on a Noventa Strat - sold the day I discovered it - but like you I think this guitar is way overpriced. Even the used ones.
It's baffling that they put the heel truss rod on brand new guitar models. On any vintage guitar it's still such a superficial element that has negative practical value. It's just such a female idea
Saw Billy Gibons do an entire show with a Noventa. Nuff said.
Absolutely!!
I’ve recently found your reviews and really appreciate the informative hype free reviews. What a breath of fresh air!
Wow thank you J Els! You've made my day!
I thought P90A was the Gibson. I hear what your saying about the Gibson being rounder & warmer but I preferred the sound of the noventa on most of the clips - to me it sounded more balanced and the Gibson had a harsher top end. Some examples they were very close.
The subjectively of sound, it’s all about what sounds good to you & there’s no right or wrong answer 😊
I love the look of the noventa & just put a deposit on one in vintage blonde so guess it’s a win for me lol
Hey Laurence, thanks for the comment and I'm glad you decided to get the Noventa. There are many things I love about the Noventa and I did not want to discourage people from trying and buying one. My take on the guitar is just one opinion and I'm sure there are a lot of people that will find the that the things that I love might not be the things that they enjoy. I'd love to hear back from you when you get your Noventa.
Exactly what I said regarding the sound
I thought A was the Gibson! Wow!
Same here. I thought the sample B had the characteristic "nasal" sound of a Tele. It must be the output of the pickups.
And, through different tube amps with varying speakers, results will change.
Just found your channel yesterday and its content is awesome, keep making videos like these, thanks.
Hey Matias! Thank you and yes I'm working on more content. Please subscribe!
I bought a Noventa Strat. It’s awesome but I need the butterscotch Tele to keep it company!
I've got a Noventa Tele in Fiesta Red that I got new "open box" for a $150 discount. I had it tweaked by my guitar tech, and it is wonderful. The sound, the playability are great. I must admit tho that I have two other Tele's; a '76 Custom and a 2003 American Deluxe HH. I love 'em all.
Great accuracy, straight to the point comparison. Subscribed.
Thanks Jeremie! I appreciate it!
Amazing video man, for real! Don't stop, keep uploading videos like this.💯
Thanks for the encouragement Maji!
@@airtimedesign No problem man, do not stop! I know that you can do it, I heard it from your beats🎶
I agree with your assessment of these two guitars. The sonic difference is obvious. Doesn't mean that the Fender sounds bad, though. In fact, I just bought one for $550. These guitars are not selling well in some places due, in no small part, to the price. But, at $550 it's a no-brainer. Deals on these guitars can be had, now, a year after their introduction. Meanwhile, I'm thinkin'...Fralin or Duncan...hmmm.
Great review! Very detailed. I recently purchased a Fender JA 90. It's a Tele body with a set neck, 24.75 scale, double P90 Guitar. Might be something you might want to check out. I've avoided Gibsons but that Jr might be right up my alley. With the weight so low, is neck dive an issue?
"A" all the way. Surprised at the full, phat tone of the Fender. Always been a Fender man but I have a TV Yellow LP Special from Epiphone that I really like. Their P90 does not leave me wanting for any other. Appreciate an HONEST review that points out strengths AND weaknesses, for a change !!
Great informative review , really enjoy your uploads and honest balanced comments.
Well done mate 🏴👏🏻
Still think you have a great singing voice , cheers John greetings from England
Thanks John! I appreciate that!
Great video and fantastic playing!
Yet another outstanding review and demo. Brother, I’ve said it before and I can’t say it enough, you have THE BEST demos and comparison videos on the Tube. Hands down. That’s not even an opinion. It’s a fact. I have a Junior but mine has a dog ear P90. To my crazy sensitive ear, the dog ear and the soapbar sound different. Love them both but purchased the one with the dog ear. Totally agree about Fenders price point on these guitars. They should be same or less then a player series. I hate when they put truss rod at the heel. Deal breaker for me.
Thanks so much Mike. I really appreciate it!
This comparison/review was so perfectly done and extremely helpful to me; thank you! I would've bet $ that A was the Gibson lol. I preferred A in the clean n crunch settings over B significantly! Which was surprisingly good news to me, because I'm doing my UA-cam research on guitar A...I think you sold me on ordering one ( the Fiesta red with maple fretboard version tho ).
I've played Strats almost exclusively since I started playing years ago. Whereas you prefer the Gibson specs playability, I'm at " home " and play better on Fender specs.
I got an Epiphone Billie Joe Armstrong Les Paul junior last year and I absolutely loved the sound of it immediately, but overall the playability just isn't there or natural to me like on my Strats ( of various fretboard radius/back of neck contours ). But I want that sound on a Fender spec guitar!
Anyway, enough of my rambling lol. Thanks for your time, work and efforts in putting this great comparison/review out to all of us. Stick to that A/B format as you did in this video in the future, you're onto something good in how you did it...way more comprehensive n helpful/useful than just listening to somebody hurriedly switch back n forth between guitars for a few licks while talking over it the whole time. Lol, but true 👍
Good review Brooks! I just acquired a Noventa in Fiesta Red and immediately bonded. Btw for anyone reading this, as of today 1/14/22, Musicians Friend has an in-cart discount of $250 (!) for this rig. I have the LP Special Tribute you mentioned as well…. Love ‘em both, if I could only have one it would be the Gibson. I’m playing the P-90’s into a Plexi. And man that amp loves these pickups. Thanks again Brooks! 😄
Hey Alexander, thanks for commenting and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Sounds like we have similar taste is guitars and amps. I have a bunch of Marshall amps including a Plexi reissue 50w. It's my first choice to concert gigs but at home I use a DSL 40 with a 2-12" cab with Greenbacks. I just got a Squier Paranormal Baritone that has P90s and I'm digging that one too. Maybe I'll post a review. It's pretty cool and really affordable.
@@airtimedesign ... similar taste indeed.... my other Marshall is a DSL100 with 1960 4x12....had to slap an attenuator on that rig to be able to use it. Yeah a review of that Squire would be great!
Thanks for the comparison! I was really thinking that A was going to be the Gibson, because it was warmer (at least for the clean tones) and sounded better balanced, less harsh, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was the Noventa! I got a deal on a used Noventa Stratocaster, not knowing much about the pickups, but the more I learn, the happier I am with what I have.
Hey Nathaniel, The P90 pickups are awesome! Hope you enjoy it, please subscribe!
Thank you for making this comparison. I would think it would be a no-brainer to compare a single P90 Telecaster to a Les Paul Junior but surprisingly few such videos exist.
You're welcome Conor. Glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe!
i have been playing fender teles and amps since 1968, but i tell you here recently fender is getting price raising crazy!! i bought a gibson les paul jr 2019 brand new with hardshell case for 1349.00 out the door. it weighs in at 6.8 pounds and plays and sounds badd ass!! and its made in nashville!!
Nice Review - but I could not find a Gibson Less Paul Junior for less than the fender unless maybe it's used? Can you place a link? I do think the Gibson sounded better but for me the modern C neck is easier to play on a fender and I actually like it is bolted on so It is easy to replaced with a stainless steel fret neck. I tend to be very heavy handed an nickel doesn't hold up.
Here's one link. Just Google "Les Paul Junior Tribute". You'll find a bunch for sale. reverb.com/item/51967778-gibson-les-paul-junior-tribute-dc-2019?gclid=Cj0KCQiAybaRBhDtARIsAIEG3kl8c3mdYKtj8a4gJvuy15Ad4sII536WNmlSUitOqmNJ7y_iWFhrTqYaApTMEALw_wcB
18:40 - That bridge IS intonatable!
The saddles are angled in all the right ways
important info for me at this time thank you
Great review. I hear your disappointment with the Fender as I love Teles. I will try and have a play on both if they have these in stock in my local music shop. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you Dreamscuba. I’d love to hear your impression when you have a chance to play it.
Well done review! My 2 cents ... a noticeable issue that makes comparison difficult is the higher volume of B, especially on the clean samples. Would have appreciated hearing a variety of tone control settings, too. You say the Gibson is hundreds of $ less ... really?
Hello Will Go. Yes you are right, B is louder. That was my mistake and one I wish I had caught before I posted. Glad you enjoyed the review and please subscribe.
Great review! Thanks!
Thanks Jeff, I appreciate it! Please subscribe.
Where can you get the mythical Les Paul Junior that is less than the Noventa? I've looked and there is nothing even close. The closest I could find was a single cut, which was $500 more than the Fender.
Hey Thomas. That probably could have been stated better. I bought my Gibson LP Tribute new at GC for around $800. That was a couple of years ago so now that we are in COVID economy prices have been changing. I see the retail for a Gibson LP Tribute is now $1199 but I still think the Noventa at $999 puts it in a price range that there is a lot of competition. Thank you for the comment.
Can’t seem to find a les Paul junior P 90 anywhere
I just saw this Review, I called out which one it was, plus I liked the sound better than the Gibby...thanks...
Thank you for watching and commenting MultiSpeedr! It's a cool guitar no doubt. Now I'm looking at the Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster for $429.99. Review coming. Please subscribe!
Thanks for the comparison. I am currently deciding between these two guitars or an SG Jr. Years ago, I had a 59 Les Paul Junior Doublecut. I miss the simplicity and growl of that guitar. Hopefully, one of these guitars will soothe the regret of selling the 59.
Thanks, good review.
Thanks Mike, glad you enjoyed it, Please subscribe to see more of my reviews.
I own 4 single P-90 juniors. Nailed the gibby on the first comparison, but only because I have multiple examples that all vary, but ultimately still have the same characteristics.
This is not a bad sounding tele AT ALL.
Though, I too feel the price was the missed mark.
Thanks for making this! Super informative and helpful. I want my first p90 guitar and was looking at the Noventa or a Gibson. Not a lot of videos comparing these two. Surprised I preferred the sound of the Noventa much more than the Gibson, but I much prefer the feel of Gibson’s shorter scale. Agreed on the price though, I can get a used American standard or MIJ guitar for the price of the Noventa.
Glad you enjoyed the review Shaddy MD. No doubt the Noventa is a cool guitar but for me I already had a Gibson LP Junior with P90. Can't keep every guitar although I'd like to!! Please subscribe Thanks!
@@airtimedesign So true! I’ve got a list of 10-15 guitars I’d love to have. But I like to keep my collection smaller, with a few special guitars that get played regularly. You’ve got yourself a new subscriber. Great informative content! I’ve got a comparison of the old and new Kramer guitars on my channel, def check it out if you’re interested.
@@rocktorrocks Thanks Shaddy MD!
The fender mustang has a short 24" scale. I'm thinking of trying one as an option because like you I prefer the Gibson short scale but overall I like the feel of of fender guitars
@@victorjbarker Didn’t know that! Will def check one out. Been looking at getting a Fender back in my collection.
Sehr guter Test !!! Die wav Dateien dabei sichtbar zu machen ist eine grosses Hilfe um zu sehen was gerade läuft, super Idee ! Für mich klang die Fender clean offener, mit mehr Aatack und etwas mehr Höhen und etwas direkter. Die Gibson war für mich im Bereich Crunch und Gain besser, ich denke zurückzuführen auf den mittigeren Sound. Mich würde der gemittelte Frequnzgang der wav Blöcke interessieren, hier gibt es sicherlich sichtbare Unterschiede....Insgesamt bitte weiter so, sehr gut gemacht DANKE
Great review
Thank you Jerry! Glad you enjoyed it and thank for commenting. Please subscribe.
Are you sure you didn't mix up the sound sample. They sound exactly opposite to your description.
Excellent review! I sure was turned off to this guitar by Fender when I saw the pots and the heel adjustment I was expecting more like you said. I am convinced I could build a Warmoth for the same price exactly how I want it and all the parts would be American made! For $1k. I should have to muck with it!
Thank you Arnold I appreciate it. Glad you enjoyed the review!
I,m not talented, so mim works for me. I got the fiesta red
I was really surprised,. I thought P90A was the Gibson. I actually though the Tele one had a bit more sustain and woodiness to its tone, which is what made me think it was the Gibson. That makes the Fender Noventa even more attractive frankly.
I agree with your findings
possibly because of difference in pickup output, A is way softer/cleaner than B,. might also be pickup height causing this
I bought the red Noventa strat, changed pups and pots to Amber P90 (handmade by Wolfgang Damm, the guy who, came up with P94 for Gibson) and VIPots. It sounds amazing through my KoT.
Nice comparison, Both sound good, I like the fender better on the clean and the gibson better on the gain. the gibson pickup seemed a little hotter. I generally prefer a fender neck, but some gibsons necks are ok. I knew the gibson p90 would be good and wanted to see if the fender p90 would be as good. I think fender will be good enough, but I want the 2 pickup version, gibson special or noventa strat.
I saw Counting Crows perform. One guy did a solo on a standard Tele--you couldn't even hear it with two other guitars and a bass in the background. You'd think they would know.
Would appreciate it if you compared the junior to a Standard either humbucker or p90 whichever is available. I can never seen to find this. 🙏 Thanks
I have a LP Jr type guitar with a single fat P90 that splits and it is great. I was really excited about the Noventa Tele and think it sounds great but I cant get past the price and where they placed the truss rod adjustment. I would probably still buy a Noventa if the price is right but otherwise there are other good alternatives out there.
How do you split a p90?
@@hughjass5156 it's a stacked p90
@@shaneroberts9466 Never heard of that before so I looked it up. It isnt actually a p90? Its just a humbucker in a p-90 housing?
That DC Junior has a maple neck (I'm pretty sure) which, IMHO makes it very
Fender/P-90 sounding... I wound up swapping out the P-90 in my Jr. for an
alnico rod "wide range" (3 & 3 humbucker) and it is magic... lucky for me. 😶
So you're happy w/ the Tele/P-90? (cool bridge BTW) cheers
Hey Jonny, I ended up not keeping the Noventa. I really liked it but it didn't give me anything that was too different from my P90 LPJ. I'm looking at the Squier Paranormal Baritone now that looks pretty cool and price low.
Really good comparison and review... but I think you were listening with your eyes. I was able to guess which P90 was which pretty easily. Both had a great sound... but B sounded like A with a lowcut applied: just a little sharper. A had a fuller bottom end. When I heard the difference, I decided that A was the Noventa, because people say Fender overwound their P90s for that exact effect. Again, both sound great. I would probably lean toward the Gibson, if I liked Gibson.
Either way, it seems like this one was just not for you. It's essentially an homage to the early Esquires (including the first prototypes). The neck with no skunk stripe, the heel truss rod adjustment, the maple cap fretboard (if you got that one), the neck shape, the electrosocket, the chopped ashtray bridge, the compensate saddles, these are all relatively expensive choices made for the sake of a vibe. If that's not your vibe, that makes sense.
You're right. Sometimes you just don't connect with a guitar. I'm sure I could have made adjustments and who knows, I might have loved the guitar. It just didn't do what I was hoping for.
I agree with you. This guitar is overpriced for what it is. I think a lot of guitars are overpriced these days.
Thanks for the comment Buffalo!
About 8 minutes in, and so far I prefer A.
I’m feeling B and no idea which is which 🤷🏻♂️
P90 A out of tune in some clips or are my ears fried?
Only fender could sell a knockoff style for 1000 bucks, but it will never be my 1000 bucks they get. A regular tele just sounds better too IMHO. I have a double cut away single P90, so it was no problem hearing the jangle difference from the very first sample. lol Excellent side by side sir! Subbed!
One other thing I might say is Fender can over wind and remagnet a standard tele bridge pickup any day of the week it wants to and call it a Pee on a 90. I would if I was their marketing guy. :)
I only heard a difference playing clean. P90 B was my fave; a little gain/OD really made the differences between the two a lot less
If a guitars sound is due to the sum of its parts then don’t let anyone tell you that wood does not make a difference. Of course it does. Flying vs and explorers are made from the same wood with the same pickups and same space between them but they sound totally different and that’s because of the shape of the wood and how it changes the resonant character of a guitar. Likewise lp standards w 90s and lp specials sound different despite sharing everything but a maple top. The wood makes a difference.
The rosewood board on my DC is super thick and dark. The maple neck is thicker than a fender plus it’s glued in.
Great video. I knew which was which because you can hear which one is a string through body. The Gibson's demos lacked body. But the pickup was better.
Sounds are close! I have a tele with humbuckers. I love the guitar but have always been a les paul guy, so the neck size is a factor for me.
Not shocked that a sounds fendery and b gibsony both are awesome and have mojo.
Good review, I bought a Gibson tribute Junior and it's a fine guitar and well made. Recently got a H.E.R. strat (made in Mexico) and the fret ends felt pretty much how you described the Noventa tele which really puts me off (no bad thing, I really don't need another!). For all the flak Gibson get about qc, two Mexican Fenders I've had left a bit to be desired. Neck wise, I've probably been spoilt by the US vintage reissue 56 strat which is a work of art, feel-wise. The Noventa tele should be brilliant but the quality maybe just slightly falls short which is a shame.
Hi Anthony, thank you for the comment and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe to see more of my reviews!
Fret ends are easy to fix.
@@Ottophil and happen sometimes when guitars experience humidity changes. A minor touchup to guitars that have been shipped is to be expected, in my opinion. They see some harsh conditions on a truck....
Make the amp beefier.
Great review, thank you as I'm sure this took a considerable effort to produce.
I too really wanted to love the Noventa. The price and lack of HSC point me in the direction of the Junior.
Also, I find it interesting the Junior sounds more well rounbded given its pickup is located much closer to the bridge as compared to the Telecaster Noventa's design. I think the Gibson's better overall tone might be due to the Mohogany and set-neck construction.
Also, having owned many poly and lacquer finished guitars over the years I strongly recommend a lacquer finished guitar.
I've a few pieces of equipment I've owned since 1977, a lacquer finished guitar really can become more beautiful with age.
Thank you HK and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Yes it does take time for me to put these reviews together but I enjoy doing it especially when I received positive comments like yours! Please subscribe and check out my other reviews.
@@airtimedesign I subscribed, you've a very compelling reply.
And again, Thank You
A jr is a lot more that $949
When it was discontinued before the pandemic (a year and a half before this video was made), it was something like $699. Now the closest thing Gibson has is $1,600.
Look at the G&L ASAT Special
I think at this price point fender missed a trick not having an original Esquire control layout
Resonance doesn't equal to "tonewood." Tonewood is an "acoustic guitar" thing, not electric. Having said that, the Les Paul Jr/Special DC is one of, if not THE, easiest feeling electric guitar there is and doesn't have the neck dive an SG has.
That’s an opinion dude
Different woods have different density which affects the resonance ( changes the actual soundwave to be exact ) It does matter .
B sounds more compressed; I prefer A it seems to have more dynamic range
Interesting A was the fender
There is an undeniable difference in what mahogany sounds like in comparison to maple...not sure how it could be argued otherwise
How can a P90 or any pickup actually pick up wood? The guitars will sound different just because the scale is different so the pickup position is different and the sound will be different.
Nice demo. Personally…I’ve built my own Tele with 2 P90’s and higher quality wood and parts for much less expense and it plays as good if not better than a Fender custom shop Tele. And the wood most definitely matters. Anyone who’s worked in final assembly at a major guitar manufacturer will tell you not any one sounds the same. The reason…..it’s in the wood.
Thank you T. Sewell for the comment and the compliment. I'm glad you enjoyed the review. Do you still have that guitar?
@@airtimedesign I do still own my tele yes.
Only just listened to this on my phone but I’ll listen again with headphones soon but first off this is a really good demo -well done and second I have to say that to the Tele sounded warmer to me and the Gibson was more edgy… Go figure!?
Thank you BeesWaxMinder! Glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe!
A is fuller sounding, B is more jangling in sound
Great review! Gibson looks way better, imo
Thank you Nata, glad you enjoyed the review. Please subscribe to see more of my reviews!
Great comparison mister Reid. Thumb's up. For almost a thousand bucks Fender should at least have made the frets smooth around the edges. That and the crappy wiring are ridiculous. With the tone test I had it right I'm glad to say. The Gibson sounds way better. Fender: shame on you for this overpriced guitar.
Thanks for the comment Tjoppy. Have you looked at the Squier Conbonita.www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/telecaster/paranormal-cabronita-telecaster-thinline/0377020502.html
@@airtimedesign I have now! Beautiful Telly! A while ago I saw a Tele model guitar on the internet that was brandnew but looked 'dirty' like a guitar version of a ratrod. But I don't remember the brandname. It looked awesome imho and I think it also had just one pickup. Do you perhaps know the brandname?
@@Tjoppy The Squier is priced right. I like the baritone version. Take a look www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/telecaster/paranormal-baritone-cabronita-telecaster/0377030500.html
@@airtimedesign very nice indeed!
Have you seen/heard/tried the Squier FSR Classic Vibe '60s Custom Esquire?
ua-cam.com/video/J2jcMlbC2ig/v-deo.html
Overall a Decent Review ,
But it wasn't a Fair Comparison!
The Gibson is a Much More Expensive Instrument!
I Have Played Both, and Now Own a Noventa ,
My Son Owns a Two Pickup Les Paul Double Cut ,
I Did Prefer the Gibson Pickup Sound in Your Test,
But You Forgot One Thing ,
The Tone Control !
That Alowes You to Trim Down the Treble on the Output !
So A little Gibson Predigous in the Critique on the Compairson!
Yes the Noventa Has Some Design Flaws that Need to Be Remadied Like the Bridge !
I think if you go for a Noventa Tele hoping for an ES5 sound you'll be disappointed. The Noventas are great guitars though.
I dont care for a 9.5 Fender or the 10 degree Tribute fretboard radius.
Or 3 piece scrapwood body.
If there is no such thing as tone wood why do they sometimes chamber the bodies?
Great Point about it being pricey, I happen to dig Fenders way more than Gibbys, I think you are way into Gibson's and you seem like you are not that into Fenders, but in you sound samples A sounded better IMHO...
MultiSpeedr, I'm actually more into Fenders. I never owned a Gibson until recently because they were always just out of my price reach. I have a couple now and I like them, especially with P90's but my Fender Tele and Strat are the first thing I grab.
Great comparison, playing and commentary. So the Fender... well, maybe they can find a hygiene deficient artist, plop a full brim hat on him, double the price of this half-guitar and sell a few million of them. To Fender's credit... they know who their customers are.
Thanks Michael. I had to laugh at your comment. Too funny. I feel I may have been too critical of the Noventa. It's not a bad guitar, it's just not what I hoped for. I appreciate the compliments! Please subscribe, more on the way.
@@airtimedesign
It seemed fine. What I got out of it was that the Gibson surged ahead and from where I sit, I'd agree. Fender's "pay more for less" may well be influenced by the tax penalty of their local. Anyway... great review.
At least here in Finland the Gibson costs 550 euros more than the Fender. Is the Fender really that much pricier where you live? That's wierd.
"Gibson longer scale"? I'm surprised you didn't catch that in editing.
Yeah I know, I'm a moron.
Wow, surprisingly, I think noventa sounds way better
Thanks for the comment. I've had several people tell me they liked the Noventa better. I did not want to sound like I did not like the Noventa and I'm glad others are really happy with the Noventa.
Gibson is “several hundred dollars cheaper”??? What?
The Fender sounded warmer and fatter to me, less rock like than the Gibson but all around more to my tastes. The sounds are so distinctively different I'm confused as to how you find the Gibson fatter and warmer? I guess maybe the volume setting was left the same for both pickups? Unless the volumes were matched to begin with this comparison isn't as meaningful as it could have been.
Hello Guy and thanks for the comment. I tried to level the volume in order to be subjective. Louder always sounds better!
Yeah, they put a lot of mids into that pickup to the point that I thought the 90A was the Gibson...
I don't blame you, that's a lot of money and not as much as my last Fender. Still, that fretboard better be rosewood when they approach 1k and it's made in Mexico. I don't think Mexico with their higher pay on Trump's behalf is producing anything better, though you would think they would TRY. The only other Fender I'm going to buy is a Johnny Marr Jaguar and I'm out! No more Fender for me.
Thanks for the comment! What I'm interested in next is the Jason Isbell Tele. As soon as I can get my hands on one I'll go a review.
Good luck finding a Gibson for less money than the Noventa in Canada the Junior is almost double the price
I have one. Fiesta red. Overpriced hardly.Living in Vegas igetthis oh it’s an mim.Uhh there’s only several hundred miles between factories.. I hear Fender does the same old thing,Fender does something different oh it’s overpriced. UHH R and D .I Ilike both, try the fender before we knock it A real amp would’ve been better
Just my opinion Reggie. I'm glad you like the guitar. I have several P90 guitars so I really didn't need another P90. I still liked the guitar and there are a lot of strong points to it. Just not for me. Thank you for the comment!
If only it were finished in nitro
looks like body of the noventa is made out of 3 pieces of wood glued together. Not great :(
This is an Esquire, the single pickup guitar that came before the Telecaster, just with P90 in it instead of the lap steel guitar pickup.
Hacker techs and punks have been making this guitar out of standard teles for decades.
You can get compensated saddles for the three saddle bridge that allows you to intonate the guitar. Wilkinson sells them for less than $30, Gotoh sells them for less than $40.
Generally if you don't like the sound of a P90 swap the magnets out for a different gauss, It's probably cut alnico 5s, try 3s. And adjust the pole pieces to your string radius especially in the bridge.
I agree with you it's too much mazuma but fenders cost what fenders cost. You could make one out of a Pro Audio Star close out Squier Classic Vibe for less than $300 if you have a hack saw and a Dremel tool.
I definitely like the Tele MP90 better, but I already knew that from the Mustang P90. But then, I quit buying anything from the Gibson empire when they switched from musical instruments to trademark trollery - right after I bought my first one - so it hardly matters. This series wasn’t even on my radar but I just missed a real deal on a Noventa Strat - sold the day I discovered it - but like you I think this guitar is way overpriced. Even the used ones.
Les Paul wins hands down !
Well done! It always comes back to corporate profiteering!
Thin wallet - Fender. Fat wallet - Gibson. Both sound good. Gibson sounds slightly better. Fender looks better.
I like A better
You could build this for $500
It's baffling that they put the heel truss rod on brand new guitar models. On any vintage guitar it's still such a superficial element that has negative practical value. It's just such a female idea
The Fender is a bit disappointing.
Pickgaurd is pointless. Wish it didn't have one.
Not even close…Gibson all the way
Don't like the look
Cleans better on A, gain better on B. Completely disagree on which sounds warmer. For me it's the Noventa