In a gigging situation with a Strat, you have easy access to 3 pickups and 5 sounds as opposed to the 2 pickups and 3 sounds of the Gibson. If you have a Les Paul and the song dictates some tremolo arm technique you are bang out of luck. Fender has tweaked and honed the design of this tremolo system over the years and now it performs right up there with the best non-locking systems you can buy.
To some, the Les Paul is the ugly duckling. As mentioned before, the American Stratocaster is seen by some to be the definitive electric guitar, a product of the American dream, the blue-collar hero.
All Fender Stratocaster Players playing a variety of genres. The Stratocaster is played and endorsed by some of the greatest players of our time, some of which, including Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton who have moved over from Gibson. This has elevated the Strat to an iconic status. Lastly, the Strat is half the price of the Gibson, whilst incorporating more features e. Then I started gigging and the hum and thinness of the Strat bothered me, so I switched to a lighter Les Paul Studio for over 10 years.
Great articles, both of them. Each time I pick one up, I fall in love, no matter which one it is. For years before this I only really had my Cort z22, and I still love playing that as well.
However, I love to pick up a guitar, feel inspired, and begin to create for myself. This is the purest of love for music that I can imagine. This was an ignorant comment even back in but wow, it has aged badly with the pandemic and everyone grabbing up and learning guitars. Sometimes I pick up one or the other and it moves me and the other one collects dust for a week. The Gibson is certainly an untamed beast.
Ok, that sounds fine, I guess. Now I plug the Gibson in, Whoa! I think there are better guitars; if I tried them I would probably be a better player in the long run. The response is, yea but I love the car, I love the way it looks, I love the way I look in it, and the way I feel. Therefore, it has a warmer and fuller sound compared to single-coils only.
In general, Les Pauls are used to playing funk, pop, blues, country, soul and light rock. In the same manner, the Strats are more preferred for blues rock, classic rock, metal, punk, and jazz. Since the pickups greatly affect the sound produced by these guitars, choose the one that allows you to play your genre. Reddit, Guitar Forums and Ultimate Guitar are just few discussion sites with a constant debate about which is easier to play between the two.
Most players with smaller hands prefer the thinner neck of the Stratocaster. It has a slightly curved fretboard, which is very comfortable for fretting barre chords and lead playing. However, the thicker profile of a Les Paul is great for added grip when string bending. Finally, playability also includes comfort while playing and that includes the weight and size of the guitar. Stratocaster is thinner and lighter than a Les Paul.
It has a contoured body which is very comfortable to embrace. On the other hand, Les Paul may lack the contours of a Strat. And, the single-cutaway still needs additional stretch to reach the upper frets. However, a Strat is much more easier to play compared to a Les Paul. A Stratocaster has a much thinner C-shaped neck, and lesser weight compared to a Les Paul, which makes it easier to play.
And, beginners will continue to ask the same question over and over again. The truth is, though Les Paul and Stratocaster are both electric guitars, they are uniquely designed. If we claim that Les Paul is better for beginners, Strat players will also battle out and present their arguments.
The same will happen if we declare Strat to be the best. Or, they are equal because they are two different things with distinct characteristics. Two different guitars designed for different playing styles and music genres. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
The neck width impacts how easily you can stretch your hand out over the fretboard. As you can see, there is barely any difference in neck width at the nut when comparing a Les Paul and a Strat. The neck profile plays a bigger role in playability because different profiles can feel completely different to play.
The neck profile is the shape of the neck behind the fretboard. The below diagram shows different neck profile shapes. The Les Paul neck is thicker when compared to a Strat. Some guitarists prefer the C shape of a Strat neck while other guitarists prefer the U shape of a Les Paul.
The best way to find out is to pick up and directly compare both guitars. The key point to remember is that the neck profile can completely change the playability of a guitar. A Les Paul is heavier than a Strat, sometimes by quite a big difference. This can make a Les Paul less comfortable to play while standing up. If you plan on performing live where you will be standing up while playing, make sure you get a guitar that will be comfortable to play.
Compare the weights of different electric guitars in this guide. If you feel the weight of your guitar makes it uncomfortable to play while standing up, try using a wide and padded guitar strap like this one. A wide guitar strap will help evenly distribute the weight of your guitar across your shoulder.
Buying a wide and padded strap can make a big difference in comfort while standing up. There are a few different factors to consider when comparing playability. Here is a summary of the differences in playability between a Les Paul and a Strat. A Les Paul has a shorter scale length, which reduces string tension. Hard rock and metal players definitely want the humbucker, but blues, rock and country players may be just fine with a SSS Strat.
They all sound very different, and each has it's best use. Is a HSS Strat the best of both worlds? I know that even with the humbucker the strat still won't sound exactly like a Les Paul but it seems to be a good option if you can only afford one guitar or are a beginner.
You can't go by what rock guitarist plays what instrument. They have endorsement deals and get their guitars for free. Also they have guitar techs. They don't spend hours fixing their instruments. It comes down to a matter of what makes you happy. Just play the instrument before buying. Also there are tons of counterfeit Les Paul's out there.
Some of them hard to tell unless you are really experienced. If you're a novice and insist on buying a Les Paul bring someone who knows guitars. Les Paul all the way, just cant beat that sound. Les Paul FTW. DNB: That's funny. That ease of maintenance and replacement parts may be part of the choice between the two guitars for some people, particularly those who intend to throw their instruments down stairs.
If you drop your Les Paul down the steps the headstock will snap off. If you drop your Strat down the steps it will play "Gloria" all the way to the bottom, hop up and say I agree Doug. They are really two of the most popular guitars of all time. It's tough to choose one above the other! I was trying to figuring out how something I wrote could have been taken that way. I see now it is another comment you are referring to. Anyway, it seems to me most great guitar players know the value of both the Les Paul and the Strat.
Some may gravitate to one or the other, but they still understand the difference and importance of each guitar. I feel owning both is the answer with all the history involved as well as both playing and sounding so sweet; with that said, I am a Fender Strat man all the way!
They are light, have a wonderful, sexy shape to them, and are very versatile guitars! The strat body is more comfortable. I have a strat and I'm still getting used to an SG I just bought. I like the tones I can get from the SG, with the bright switch on the amp I can get clean rockabilly tones and no hum, better distorted tone and bending strings is easier.
The neck angle from the body and the body shape are more ergonomic on the strat. Now I'm starting to want a semi-hollow. I have owned several guitars over the years and have been fortunate enough to play some of the best from Rickenbacker to Gretsch. The one thing I can say is as much I love a Les Paul it always comes down to one thing Thanks for your insights Mark! I'm kind of similar to you in going back and forth between Les Paul and Stratocaster.
I've been a Fender guy since , beginning with my first guitar Back in the late '70's, the LP was junk Move ahead to Both are absolutely awesome guitars. Gibson guitars are at the highest quality I've ever seen. But, if you shop around, you can find a good deal! I did. I have 3 Strats, the Les Paul and 2 great Martins. Gotta love the Fenders Buy as much guitar as you can afford and keep saving for your next one!
You won't regret it! Buy USA! In all the years I've been playing I've never been able to decide to between them. Just too many great points to both guitars! I guess it depends on what mood I'm in. Learning to Play. Playing in a Band. Musical Instruments. Sound Equipment. Studio Equipment. The author is a guitarist and bassist with over 35 years of experience as a musician.
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