Why do you like Les Pauls?

[stratocastered]

See, I've always been a Fender guy. I own 2 americans and I think they're absolutely amazing. All my friends LOVE Les Pauls, and swear by them day and night. But Strats have just always been my cup of tea, and anytime I play a Les Paul, its usually a random variety at my local GC- so they've never really blown my face off.
But I've been internet lusting lately (much more than just Lela Star), and ******, this thing is BEAUTIFUL
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...rd-Traditional-Pro-Electric-Guitar?sku=581715
That vintage sunburst is gorgeous, and next time I hit a GC, I'm going straight to the Traditional Pro to see what its all about. Obviously, I'm going all on looks at the moment, which is why I ask:
What do you think about this guitar? Why do you like it, and better yet what should I look for when I go in and play it? Like, I know what I want from a strat, but a Les Paul is complete alien territory to me. Help?

 

[some_dude]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

I like them because of the sound. They have a thick tone to them. I also like the neck angle as I feel it's a bit more comfortable to play than a guitar where everything is in a straight line.

 

[Dr.K]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

One of my favorite guitarists:

Need I say more?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Because I can. Mind you, I am very particular about the pickups.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

growing up, I never liked the looks of an LP.. I was into Jacksons and superstrats. (Im a hair metal guy) But as I listened to Zep and Cinderella and bands that used LPs, I fell in love with the thick tone and sustain.. Then I played one to get that tone and discovered that I love the playability of the shorter scale kneck too.

The traditional pros ARE great! I just got a wine red one!! When you go try them, try as many as you can. Ive played a couple that were nothing special, and Ive played some that are great.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

I personally love the looks.

The deep growl that they are capable of is great, and the way PAFs push an amp in a really touch-sensitive way, combined with the thick midrange, I dunno it just sounds great to me. The necks feel great for lead (until you hit the upper frets, I guess!)

 

[jmh151]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Jimmy Page and Slash made me want to get my first guitar, a tobacco burst Les Paul Copy. Then in 1989 I got lucky, and my first real guitar was a 1986 Gibson Les Paul Custom.

Mine's a special one, I haven't found one that sounds and plays like mine. Like any Les Paul, it's fat and thick in tone, it can be played straight into an amp without the need for any effects.

Want to play classic rock, jazz or country? Load it with PAF's. Want a brutal metal machine? Load it with EMG's, SD Blackouts or distortion pickups.

It plays like butter too.

What don't I like? that fatness leads to decreased clarity and poor note separation on chords under distortion. That's when my PRS comes in. Strats have their place too, nothing can do the hendrix tone but a strat

 

[trevorus]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Love the feel, the tonality of a mahogany slab with a maple top. They look great as well.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Love the sound. Love the looks. Some of my favorites use them (DiMeola, Fripp). However, I can't make them work for me. I can't find the balance, the bridge sticks up too high, and I need that volume knob a lot closer to my fingers.
I think LPs impart a 'sound' over top of the fingers- in other words, players who are not as good tend to sound a little more similar than with other guitars. Many people like that, but if I go to any open jam, it gets tiring. This isn't any different than Strats or Teles though- those have (a different) 'sound' too.

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

The tone, the weight, the looks, the feel. The Les Paul is IMO the electric guitar.

 

[metlking]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Because they are famous for their sustain.....Just listen: awwwwwwwww. You could go out and have a bite and still be hearin' that one.

Seriously, The Trad Pro's are friggin' awesome!

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

I love Les Pauls because they have a real solid, thick and crunchy tone. I love strats too but they are a little twangy. The tonal dimension of a short scale guitar seems to be more narrow and focused in my opinion.

I don't know if that makes any sense to other people but it's the main difference I hear. It's like there is a wider dimension to the sound of a strat but it still does not go as deep as a Les Paul, so Les Pauls are narrower and deeper.

Playability of a Les Paul is deceptive in my opinion. I used to think strats were easier to play but it's actually easier to play fast pentantonics, sweep picking and legato on a Les Paul. I don't know if it's because strats have a wider dynamic range that exposes mistakes or forces you to fret the notes more precisely or the fretboard radius, excetera...

All I can say is I recently sacrificed two extremely nice strats to get a Les Paul and haven't felt an ounce of regret about it since. Having said that, I have two Musicman's which are a cross between a Les Paul and strat, and I have an American Deluxe which I love.

In the end I don't think I can be happy unless I have both. At times all I care about is Les Paul tone and other times I hear stuff like SRV and Hendrix and strats then become more appealing. Have at least one of each and you will be happier.

 

[butnut]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

The tone, the weight, the looks, the feel. The Les Paul is IMO the electric guitar.

Exactly! I used to play a LP and Strat at gigs, completely different animals. I can get real nice cleans from my LP, not exactly Strat, but enough to leave the Strat at home..use the LP's 100%.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Same reason I like all the other guitar designs. They have 6 strings, I can play em, and they have THAT sound that can only be had from that particular guitar.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Exactly! I used to play a LP and Strat at gigs, completely different animals. I can get real nice cleans from my LP, not exactly Strat, but enough to leave the Strat at home..use the LP's 100%.

This is why one of my LPs has P90s.

 

[marvar]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Because I hate Strats

 

[aleclee]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

I don't.

One of my favorite guitarists:

Need I say more?

Seeing how so much of his definitive work was recorded with a Tele, you might.

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

Hey Funkfingers, is that an R6? Very nice either way!

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

I grew up with LP alikes and then moved onto my current LP's. To me they are comfortable, they balance and hang in the right position for me. They generally sound great, big n crunchy and I'm used to having 4 controls. I just happen to love the way they look too. Although these days I'm trying to get used to other types, my LP's feel like home!

 

[Markk]

Re: Why do you like Les Pauls?

I remember walking into a shop many moon ago and seeing this guitar on the wall. I fell in love with it immediately. And this was after playing many different guitars. I played the real LP's and SG's but most were out of my price league back then.

I started to love it even more once I through in a JB...and then a Jazz. It really started to shine when I got a tube amp and started spending time with the knobs and refining my playing dynamics.

I'm sure most people will say that it will never sound the same as a real LP, but I'm more of 'if it sounds good, doesn't matter what it is' kind of guy. (I love the 'guess which guitar is playing' threads that pop up here. Answers are all over the board sometimes.)