strat vs. les paul

hey, i have a Les Paul Special with 490R and 498T alnico humbuckers. I was thinking about savin up my money and buying a good strat. I like to play blues but i also like playing heavier stuff. Guys always tell me that strats are the most versatile guitars. I think les paul's are more versatile. So should i save for a strat or just a better les paul? or flying v for that matter.

I would go for a strat if I were you. Then you would have most guitar tones covered. I mean, another L P or a Vee would sound pretty much like the one you have.

I've heard Strats are more versatile. You can add humbuckers, etc. and kind of make it sound like a L P. plus it has a trem.

But i love L P's too. I have one.

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thanks. So should i get an american strat, or just a standard and soup it up? you should know, i mean after all you are strat man

Ha Ha. So it appears. Check with Fulghum, he's the real guitar expert here.

I would get an American standard. I think the small extra cost over MIM's is justified with resale value, etc. Then see how you like it. You can always hotrod it later, if you want.

BTW, I have a MIM that I put a Seymour Duncan Hotrails in the bridge position. Sounds great. Esp with the switch @ bridge/middle. The out-of-phase quacking is interesting.

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Carter. Available in original vanilla and now, chocolate swirl! Mmmm...Mmmm...Mmmm!

Multiculturalism is national suicide and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. Wake up, America.

what amps do you like? i got a fender hot rod deluxe. I would've gotten the deville but i don't play many shows so i didn't really need it that big

Ahem...Class come to attention.... Buhler...Buhler...Buhler....

Oh Never mind..

Thanks for the nod Stratters.

First of all, to make things simple, both are GREAT Axes. Both have their place in Rock history, and anyone who plays should be proud to have either one.

That being said there are some differences, big differences.

First, Monkey boy, look at you fingers. Do you have long elegant tentacles or short stubby hotdogs (like me)? The Les Pauls (all Gibsons and Epiphones for the most part) use a 24 3/4" scale length, Fenders use a 25 1/2" scale. What does this mean you may ask?

The shorter scale length means that for a neck with the same number of frets the frets will be closer together on the shorter scale neck. If you've got short fingers, the Gibson will feel easier to play.

Also, to get the same pitch out of the strings on a shorter scale length neck, the strings will have less tension. Good news, bend city, if you like to bend and "make 'em cry and sing", you can easily. Bad news, they don't stay in tune as well and are more succeptable to changes in temp, and humidity.

The main aspect that most folks pick up on is (no pun intended) the pick-up situation. The Gibsons come standard with humbuckers that give that distinctive Gibson growl. The double coil (humbucking) sound stems from the fact that you actually have two pickups, wired in series, in effect, working against one another to create an interferance signal. This "muddy" or "dirty" signal is characteristic of double coils.

The Fender uses three single coils wired independently. Yes, you can switch to using two simultaneously, but it's not the same as a true doube coil. The single coils characteristic sound is derrived from a very "Clean" signal from the string vibrating within the magnetic field of the pickup. For "pure" signal, you want a single coil.

If you are planing to use emulators, MIDI interfaces, or an array of effects pedals I would suggest sticking with single coils.

Think of it like painting a wall. If you start with a pure white wall (single coil, clean signal) any color that you add (effects) will show in all it's glory.

If you start with a black wall (double coil, muddy signal) and attempt to paint in a lighter color, the black will bleed through and discolor the intended final product.

If you notice, most recording artist that use MIDI or emulators, will use a Strat or Tele as their guitar of choice.

Those are the major differences, but as I said at the outset, both are excellent guitars.

I own a '69 Strat (see my pic in the AFPPN Yearboook thread).
A homebuilt Tele with a Seymour Duncan 1/4 lb double coil in the neck position.
A Dean Sarasota with two double coils
And an Epiphone Supernova, again Double coils.

Amp wise, I have a Peavy Audition 20, 20 watt combo amp.
A Marshal micro stack, 15 watt short stack
and a Crate Blue Voodoo 120 watt head with a Crate 4x12 Blue Voodoo cab.

Hope this helps. Ask any question I may have missed.

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I have always looked out from behind these eyes.

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"David Gilmour can do more with one note than most guitarists can do with the whole fretboard."

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)

Oh stop it....Your embarassing me....

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I have always been here.
I have always looked out from behind these eyes.

Well done, Fulg.

Whad'd I tell ya, monkey?

My amp -- Fender Deluxe 90. Nothing fancy.

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Carter. Available in original vanilla and now, chocolate swirl! Mmmm...Mmmm...Mmmm!

Multiculturalism is national suicide and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. Wake up, America.

Strat- no question.
Les Paul is good, but the Strat is legendary for being the best guitar ever.

Strat Strat Strat

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...and if you're reading this, I'll see you on the Dark Side of the Moon.

I personally prefer Strats, but Les Pauls rock as well.

And I have a Fender BXR solid-state amplifier - 25 watts of reliability. It's supposed to be a small bass guitar amplifier, but I use it for guitar. Getting on it's last legs, but it still works a charm.

Hey - all you guitar players...specially you Stratman and Fulghum...

I know this has probably been covered elsewhere, but since we have a clean forum topic...

What makes BDG so damn good?

I am not a guitar player (other than the dozen or so chords I know and can play on my cheap acoustic guitar), but there is something about Gilmour's style that is just f@*kin' incredible.

To my appreciative, but untrained ear - he has the phrasing, command of bends, and tone that is second to none. He's not fast or flashy, but he can bring me to tears with just a few notes. Every time I hear the DSoT version of SOYCD, or the album version of Dogs, or the BBC or Pompeii versions of Echoes - it re-inforces my love of that guy - and why BDG is tops in my book.

So what is it, guitar players, that makes David Gilmour so great?

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"David Gilmour can do more with one note than most guitarists can do with the whole fretboard."

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)

I think what you just said, termie.

For example, the part in Pompeii where Dave is in the studio playing overdubs to "Brain Damage". I watch/listen to that over and over, 'cause I love the beauty and simplicity of what he's playing. He just knows what sounds right.

__________________
Carter. Available in original vanilla and now, chocolate swirl! Mmmm...Mmmm...Mmmm!

Multiculturalism is national suicide and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. Wake up, America.

After years of study, and half a lifetime of trying to match his style with my own, I have come to the conclusion that it's VooDoo. Pure and simple magic.

Tone, touch and style like that is beyond explanation, it emminates from the soul, flows from the fingers and allows the magician to express his own feelings and thoughts sonicaly as easy as you and I speak or breathe.

That ability my friend is what seperates them from us.....
Tis the muse and the music....
I can play the notes.....He can make the music...

__________________
I have always been here.
I have always looked out from behind these eyes.