To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
- Thread starter Willis
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That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
If you want a good combo for getting both strat and les paul like tones, I'd say to go with the mahogany/maple. The maple will add just enough brightness to cut with humbuckers and it will give it that top end that single coils really need.
If you want a good combo for getting both strat and les paul like tones, I'd say to go with the mahogany/maple. The maple will add just enough brightness to cut with humbuckers and it will give it that top end that single coils really need.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
Buy a LP Jr with two P-90's
Buy a LP Jr with two P-90's
krankguitarist
Krankitupologist
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
if ya get a maple top, its gotta be relatively thick, not just a veneer. A veneer wont add anything to the tone, it'll just look cool.
if ya get a maple top, its gotta be relatively thick, not just a veneer. A veneer wont add anything to the tone, it'll just look cool.
Willis
New member
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
How thick is the maple top on a Les Paul?
The Strat will have a single bridge humbucker (EVH/Screamin Demon hybrid w/ A2 and 1 row of hex screws), a maple/ebony neck, and the body will probably be 2 inches thick. I'm not looking to get it to sound as close as possible to a Les Paul, I just want it more in that direction. I really like Tesla's guitar sound, so something like that would be the goal.
How thick is the maple top on a Les Paul?
The Strat will have a single bridge humbucker (EVH/Screamin Demon hybrid w/ A2 and 1 row of hex screws), a maple/ebony neck, and the body will probably be 2 inches thick. I'm not looking to get it to sound as close as possible to a Les Paul, I just want it more in that direction. I really like Tesla's guitar sound, so something like that would be the goal.
krankguitarist
Krankitupologist
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
i may be wrong, but i think its somewhere around 3/4 of an inch at its thickest point? Somthing like that.
You'll probably need about a quarter to a half an inch to hear an audible difference in the sound.
i may be wrong, but i think its somewhere around 3/4 of an inch at its thickest point? Somthing like that.
You'll probably need about a quarter to a half an inch to hear an audible difference in the sound.
tone?
New member
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
i have to agree with the person that said, it wont sound like a Paul if it is a 25.5 scale.
i recently went and tried my Mahogany strat next to a les paul and it doesnt sound like a Paul. it sounds like a mahogany strat.
what i mean is that the 25.5 bolt on have specific characteristics in the sound that cant be replicated unless built in that specific way and vice-versa.
although my mahogany strat sounds incredible it is still in the strat vibe. just with the tone of mahogany added to it.
i have to agree with the person that said, it wont sound like a Paul if it is a 25.5 scale.
i recently went and tried my Mahogany strat next to a les paul and it doesnt sound like a Paul. it sounds like a mahogany strat.
what i mean is that the 25.5 bolt on have specific characteristics in the sound that cant be replicated unless built in that specific way and vice-versa.
although my mahogany strat sounds incredible it is still in the strat vibe. just with the tone of mahogany added to it.
JacksonMIA
Lemur-buckerologist
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
Another difference is that the mahogany body on a Les Paul is so much thicker. If you used a maple top as thick as on a LP (you'd actually need a thinner piece if you weren't making an arch-top, or you'll have more maple) to keep Strat specs, the mahogany would have to be very thin. I think that's at least as big a factor in the sound as the scale is.
If you want to do mahogany with a maple top, take a look at the Jackson Soloists. Even the alder bodied ones will give you a good idea of how thick to make the maple top. Just don't forget that you'll have to cut away some of it to make the forearm contour if you want to keep it like a strat. Your maple top will have to be at least that thick if you're going with a transparent paint job.
Another difference is that the mahogany body on a Les Paul is so much thicker. If you used a maple top as thick as on a LP (you'd actually need a thinner piece if you weren't making an arch-top, or you'll have more maple) to keep Strat specs, the mahogany would have to be very thin. I think that's at least as big a factor in the sound as the scale is.
If you want to do mahogany with a maple top, take a look at the Jackson Soloists. Even the alder bodied ones will give you a good idea of how thick to make the maple top. Just don't forget that you'll have to cut away some of it to make the forearm contour if you want to keep it like a strat. Your maple top will have to be at least that thick if you're going with a transparent paint job.
S
Skarekrough
Guest
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
The shortest distance between the two points is a walk to teh guitar shop with your credit card in tow.
Seriously...you know those putzes that trick out perfectly good suburban commuting vehicles like Hondas and Toyotas that aren't intended for anything other than getting to work and bringing the groceries home?
That's what you're doing.
The shortest distance between the two points is a walk to teh guitar shop with your credit card in tow.
Seriously...you know those putzes that trick out perfectly good suburban commuting vehicles like Hondas and Toyotas that aren't intended for anything other than getting to work and bringing the groceries home?
That's what you're doing.
XSSIVE
OCDologist
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
you don't want to add a maple cap b/c you are using a maple neck. the closest you can get...yet still pretty far off with its own (good) character would be soilid mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood board. you are pretty much replacing the use of a maple cap with the use of the maple neck. adding a maple cap to the mahogany body with an already maple neck will just make it even brighter and even less LP like. i have a mahogany body maple neck rosewood board strat and even though it has a non-recessed floyd it's nice and chunky sounding! i'm also currently building one with a solid mahogany body and an all maple neck to see how that sounds compaired to the rosewood board. being that you are dealing with a bolt on with a longer scale and less wood overall you want as much mahogany as you can get IMO to reach the LP like fatness.
-Mike
you don't want to add a maple cap b/c you are using a maple neck. the closest you can get...yet still pretty far off with its own (good) character would be soilid mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood board. you are pretty much replacing the use of a maple cap with the use of the maple neck. adding a maple cap to the mahogany body with an already maple neck will just make it even brighter and even less LP like. i have a mahogany body maple neck rosewood board strat and even though it has a non-recessed floyd it's nice and chunky sounding! i'm also currently building one with a solid mahogany body and an all maple neck to see how that sounds compaired to the rosewood board. being that you are dealing with a bolt on with a longer scale and less wood overall you want as much mahogany as you can get IMO to reach the LP like fatness.
-Mike
MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
If you were building one with all new parts from say Warmoth or USACG, I'd say mahogany body with maple top (granted, lam tops are typically 1/8-1/4" thick... arched tops vary from 1/4" to 5/8" in the same piece of wood because of the varying thickness). Go with a 24.75" conversion mahogany bolt on neck with rosewood board. Rout for a pair of humbuckers and a tune-o-matic bridge, and I think you'll be in the right neighborhood. It won't be perfect, but it'll get you as close to an LP as possible with a strat body.
I can only see someone doing this if they hated the LP body shape, because the strat I outlined above would likely be just as heavy as a real deal LP. Maybe it's a comfort issue.
If you were building one with all new parts from say Warmoth or USACG, I'd say mahogany body with maple top (granted, lam tops are typically 1/8-1/4" thick... arched tops vary from 1/4" to 5/8" in the same piece of wood because of the varying thickness). Go with a 24.75" conversion mahogany bolt on neck with rosewood board. Rout for a pair of humbuckers and a tune-o-matic bridge, and I think you'll be in the right neighborhood. It won't be perfect, but it'll get you as close to an LP as possible with a strat body.
I can only see someone doing this if they hated the LP body shape, because the strat I outlined above would likely be just as heavy as a real deal LP. Maybe it's a comfort issue.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
The heavier woods aren't going to make a Strat sound like a Les Paul...nor is a 24 3/4" scale.
Humbucking pickups will make it sound more like a Gibson...worked for Eddie Van Halen's Strat and it'll work for yours.
If you're using Strat single coils, I'd just make it a nice standard Strat, go with alder or swamp ash, and plug your Strat into a Duncan Pickup Booster.
Regarding scale length, my Hamer Monoco has a 25 1/2" scale and the longer scale length does not detract from the guitar's very Gibson-ish tone. Scale length will have little to do with making your guitar sound like a Gibson or Fender.
Lew
The heavier woods aren't going to make a Strat sound like a Les Paul...nor is a 24 3/4" scale.
Humbucking pickups will make it sound more like a Gibson...worked for Eddie Van Halen's Strat and it'll work for yours.
If you're using Strat single coils, I'd just make it a nice standard Strat, go with alder or swamp ash, and plug your Strat into a Duncan Pickup Booster.
Regarding scale length, my Hamer Monoco has a 25 1/2" scale and the longer scale length does not detract from the guitar's very Gibson-ish tone. Scale length will have little to do with making your guitar sound like a Gibson or Fender.
Lew
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L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: To make a Strat sound more like a Les Paul...
:laugh2: Really though, it is that simple! If you want your Strat or Tele to sound more like a Gibson with humbuckers put a humbucker in it.
That'll make a much bigger diff than messing around with theoretical body woods, bridges, tailpieces, scale length, etc. Like I said, when Eddie Van Halen wanted to make his Strat sound like Eric Clapton with Cream, he put a humbucker in his Strat...and plugged it into a Marshall.
Cenulab said:
:laugh2: Really though, it is that simple! If you want your Strat or Tele to sound more like a Gibson with humbuckers put a humbucker in it.
That'll make a much bigger diff than messing around with theoretical body woods, bridges, tailpieces, scale length, etc. Like I said, when Eddie Van Halen wanted to make his Strat sound like Eric Clapton with Cream, he put a humbucker in his Strat...and plugged it into a Marshall.