Les Paul or Stratocaster?

I've played both and ultimately own a Les Paul. I also felt a little awkward on the strat after playing the Gibson for so long but like anything else you're new to, you can adjust. It actually provides the opportunity to better your dexterity and styles of play.
If I could afford both, I'd have both. You just can't get the strat sound out of a Les Paul.

Originally Posted by: caponi14Could this be a normal thing? That im so use to be playing on my Les Pauls, that it's simply difficult playing on strats?See you all later!
Casper

Two different scale lengths. The Gibson is 24.5 and the Strat is 25.5.

I know what ya mean! However I too was a Les Paul 80`s kind a guy. Then one day I started drooling over Strats. I didn`t know why? So I bought one. Then two, well the rest is history. It is wierd. At first it was clumsy and awkward. But as I got use to it I really enjoy my Strats! Although when playin` rock n roll especially 70`s and 80`s stuff, I prefer my LP buy far. I seem to have better grip and can bend easier. I also have better sustain. I have a couple of strats I love for blues and satriani type stuff. Also I have a charvel which is kind of stratish and gibsonish if you know what I mean. Give it a while and practice and I`m sure you will find a purpose for both instruments. Thier both great! Did I mention that there is a blues sound from a strat because of the middle neck or middle bridge combination you just can`t seem to get from a LP? Enjoy fellow rocker! Give it some time.

Howdy -
I've owned and played several of both, as well as Gibson SGs, other lesser-known Fenders, and my favorite, a Gibson ES-335. In the early 80s I was in a cover band and needed to duplicate the sounds of both Strats (Disco/Funk) and Gibson Humbuckers... a friend of mine turned me on to the new (at that time) G & L guitars - Leo Fender's latest venture.

Great Gibson 335-like neck but with a strat-like body wtih active electronics that can go single-coil or humbucker, active EQ, and I installed an in-out of phase switch on top of it. And a whammy that doesn't go out of tune every minute. I bought it on the spot, and still have it. From what I can tell - G &L is still using pretty much the same electronics, neck, and whammy as my F100 - check it out. It was never quite a Les Paul sound, but could pass for a "Generic Gibson" and "Generic Fender"

But today, you literally have 100s of choices - anything from boutique custom makers to mass-produced offshore stuff that is actually very good for the money. In the '80s I had a little Yamaha I used as a spare, I think it was $275 with case and was a great little guitar with a strat-like sound. I can't remember the model.

But you're right - a Strat is a different animal and takes some getting used to. for one thing it's a lot narrower fingerboard than a Les Paul, and more radius. I never cared for it very much either, but it is definitely strictly a personal preference. If you're thinking of going that way, pick up a Squire - surprisingly good for the money, will give you a feel for it before laying out real dollars.

Something else I just thought of... if you were playing a hard tail Gibson and went to a Strat -the first thing you'd notice is when you pull a bend the whammy works against you, meaning you have to work harder to get the same bend. Strat players compensate - some (like Jeff Beck) have turned the whammy into an art by hooking it with his pinky at (nearly) all times when soloing - lets him increase/decrease bends with the whammy bar note-by-note.

Originally Posted by: moucon ... the first thing you'd notice is when you pull a bend the whammy works against you, meaning you have to work harder to get the same bend.

I avoid this potential problem by making the bridge sit flush with the body no matter how much I bend a string.

This can be accomplished by screwing the spring claw plate in far enough, adding stronger springs, or more springs. Or any combination of those three things that achieves the goal is how I set up all my Strats.

I also prefer the slightly different tone that results from having the bridge plate in contact with the body; as opposed to when it is "floating".

I own a strat but I think strats and les pauls are equally great instruments - I've never owned a les paul because it's very expensive compared to a strat....maybe that's the main difference between the two ?

This may sound wierd, but I've noticed that anytime I play a guitar that I'm not used to playing, it is awkward and hard to play. I own a Strat and a SG...two totally different guitars with different feel...and I switch between them easily...but anytime I try an play someone elses guitar, whether its a strat or a gibson or whatever...I have a hard time playing it. It just doesn't feel right. I've noticed that this is so on electric guitars, but not so on acoustics.

I've always found this strange, since a strat is basically a strat...I play mine fine..but I fumble on a strange one...same for my gibson sg....but when it comes to acoustics I can play any of them with no problem. Anyone else ever notice this or am I just some sort of freak?? :)

Interesting. I wonder if fingerboard radius is more consistent on acoustics?