I think that part of it is that gibson differentiate between their CNC'ed low-price products and their hand-made high-price products far more visibly. They bot

I think that part of it is that gibson differentiate between their CNC'ed low-price products and their hand-made high-price products far more visibly. They both have the same stratification, with fender's base of cheap but usable being MIM and MIUSA products, and the expensive 'pro' being custom shop. But with a fender guitar you need to be able to see that it's a MIM/MIUSA or CS, usually by recognising finish options or by reading small text on the headstock, whereas with gibson the differentiation between a CNC'ed les paul and a CS les paul are blindingly obvious from lack of fretboard or body bindings, overall design in some cases, and other things that can told visually from a distance. This effect essentially makes the low-end gibson offerings a 'faux pas' to use, everyone will instantly dismiss you as a 'pro', whereas a MIM strat or tele will 'blend in' and only if you're famous enough for people to write magazine columns about is anyone really going to care, and by that point you've probably moved up to a CS option.