Is it just me...

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Is it just me...

I agree with everything except on Strats being more versatile. If you have skill with a solder iron, any guitar becomes extremely versatile, and remember, an LP actually has 4 pu's, compared to 3 on a standard 3-single Strat. The two volume knobs allow for endless blending, and of course you have coil split switches and Spin-a-Split. And then if you get a 3-pup LP, well, the possibilities are endless.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Is it just me...

EDIT: And the Les Paul was 'technically' invented before the broadcaster/tele, but Gibson would have nothing of it. They turned Les Paul down many times, said the idea was worthless, laughable even. It wasn't until the tele came out and got popular that Gibson finally said "Hmm, I guess we need a solid body, wheres that Les Paul dude?"

Though I'm sure dude wasn't the word they used...

...kind of. Mr Paul had built 'the log', which was a solid centrepiece with bolted-on hollow 'wings'. Gibson rejected this. When they decided that they needed a telecaster competitor, they approached Les and showed him a complete instrument designed by Ted McCarty. Les made suggestions on colour and tailpiece design, and the Les Paul as we know it was born. It may have Les' name on it, but it was Ted's baby.

Interesting side note: Les wanted the maple cap/mahogany back reversed to mahogany cap/maple back. I wonder how successful the LP would have been if he had got his way...

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Is it just me...

EDIT: And the Les Paul was 'technically' invented before the broadcaster/tele, but Gibson would have nothing of it. They turned Les Paul down many times, said the idea was worthless, laughable even. It wasn't until the tele came out and got popular that Gibson finally said "Hmm, I guess we need a solid body, wheres that Les Paul dude?"

If you want to do it that way, then we have to figure out when Leo Fender first conceived of the Tele or Strat and built a prototype, which could have occurred before Les came up with "The Log". But I'll stick with the year the guitar actually showed up in a store.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Is it just me...

I'm happiest with a 25.5" scale, bolt on neck guitar with a whammy bar. Whether it's a Strat, Tele, Ibanez RG, Kramer Focus, etc.... a heck of a lot more of me comes through.

Whenever I go to my dad's house, I notice that when we're passing his SG/LP back and forth, what comes out of the amp is a lot more similar sounding than when it's his Strat. Perhaps it's because the Gibby lends itself to being played a certain way, and not as much because of the tones that it's capable of, but I suppose either case supports my conclusion.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: Is it just me...

So all this time we're talkin about strats but are we only talking about Fender strats or does that include superstrats and strat types like PRS?

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: Is it just me...

If you want to do it that way, then we have to figure out when Leo Fender first conceived of the Tele or Strat and built a prototype, which could have occurred before Les came up with "The Log". But I'll stick with the year the guitar actually showed up in a store.

Yeah doing it that way is on the verge of being anal about it.

And Hot Grits, I never knew the main design was actually created by someone else, thanks for the info.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Is it just me...

I believe the log was created before the broadcaster was released to the market. Gibson contacted Les Paul back to counter those guitars.

The carved maple top was chosen just because Fender couldn't do it... And the Gold color was Les' favorite car finish at the time.

It was also meant pretty much as a jazz guitar.

They got the design wrong the first time round, and added to that, Les thought the guitars weren't high quality enough (rings a bell..?). The neck angle wasn't enough for the tailpiece and the action couldn't go low enough to be playable. So players would string under it, but it was far from ideal. The first models didn't really work out too well. Hell they never really did do that well until Freddie King/Eric Clapton brought them back.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Is it just me...

I have been wrong in the past! My recollection is that Gibson came out with the Les Paul back in 1941 and Fender didn't start until 1946. No matter, I get the point ur trying to make. Still learning something from this thread so that's good!

1950 for the Broadcaster (Tele)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Telecaster


1952 was the first year of production for Gibson Les Paul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Les_Paul

Strats were in 1954.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Is it just me...

1950 for the Broadcaster (Tele)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Telecaster


1952 was the first year of production for Gibson Les Paul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Les_Paul

Strats were in 1954.

Don't forget that Paul Bigsby made and sold a number of solid body guitars before Fender OR Gibson. In 1947, as a matter of fact. They weren't mass-produced, but they were still the first commercialy available solid body electric/Spanish guitars.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Is it just me...

Don't forget that Paul Bigsby made and sold a number of solid body guitars before Fender OR Gibson. In 1947, as a matter of fact. They weren't mass-produced, but they were still the first commercialy available solid body electric/Spanish guitars.

I think Merle Travis played one IIRC.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Is it just me...

Found a pic.

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Is it just me...

That's pretty sweet looking.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Is it just me...

Found a pic.

So Fender ripped off that headstock and Gibson ripped off the body shape? :smack:

I'm only joking, as I'm sure the Fender Strat headstock had also shown up on earlier instruments and the Les Paul body is clearly just a refinement of most singlecut semi-hollows.

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Is it just me...

Or a bare bone Strat/Tele are very unforgiving instruments?

I mean they usually go hand in hand with styles which are pretty unforgiving... cleaner tones, richer sounding amps... but as the guitars themselves, don't they also have a degree of really letting through your playing..? Which is something I don't get as much with les Pauls I feel.

Could be just me.

Yeah, i think it's probably just you...

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Is it just me...

Indeed!