Stratocaster or Les Paul

[Rimbaud88]

First I thought that I would put this thread into "Off topic" themes, but why the bassists shoudln´t opine about their favourite guitars if almost in every band you play, you stand next to a guitarist.

Staratocaster or Les Paul?

 

[jamro217]

Is this a thinly disguised ruse to expose all of the guitarists here? Hmm... Depends on the situation. Nothing has more raw power than a Les Paul through a Marshall stack, but a Strat seems to have a wider variety of tones. Keep in mind that both are available at student level all the way up to custom shop professional grade. I prefer Strats. Mine are wired with three mini toggles in place of the selector switch. You have 13 pickup combinations, series, parallel, bridge and neck together, you name it. The neck on my Les Paul Deluxe is a little too chunky to call comfortable, but the overall build quality and sound makes you forgive that. In our world this is like the P bass or Ric question. Both are great instruments, both have their strengths and weaknesses, and in the hands of gifted musicians they've given us great joy. Thanks for bringing up an interesting topic, and have a good day.

 

[JimK]

Goin' way back & I'm not sure why-
Always preferred Fender basses & Gibson guitars.

'72: 1st bass
'73: 1st guitar...a sunburst Univox Les Paul. Very decent copy that cost $150 back then.
'75: 1st Fender bass

 

[two fingers]

It all depends on the music.

Rock? Less Paul
Blues, Soul, Funk, R&B? Strat
Country? Tele

If you play all three in a variety band and can only have one guitar? Strat

 

[Tanner5382]

If those are the only two options, Les Paul.

 

[ColdEye]

I like the floating bridge and tremolo on a strat. Plus I am more of a single coil/p90 person so strat it its (if it is a Les Paul Jr tho...)

 

[alembicguy]

Les Paul and the heavier the better.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I've played both many times - strat all the way. Lighter, more comfortable neck, more sound options.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Strat, but my only electric guitar is a low end les paul.
On my wish list is a 335. Had one in the late 60s and really liked it. but don't play enough electric to justify it.

 

[ElectricMatthew]

...Mine are wired with three mini toggles in place of the selector switch. You have 13 pickup combinations, series, parallel, bridge and neck together, you name it.

You wouldn't happen to have a schematic would you?

 

[jamro217]

The one I used can be found at http://www.dominocs.com/ToneWorks/images/armstrong.jpg. Good luck.

 

[ElectricMatthew]

Thanks!

 

[friendlybass]

Les paul Jr. If that's a choice
Les paul regular if its not

 

[jamro217]

Thanks!

I only use one tone control, the other is wired as a volume for the middle pickup, that's how I get the neck and bridge together. With all of the possibilities, giving up an independent tone control wasn't as important as another usable pickup combination.

 

[Camarillo]

Both

 

[Spirit of Ox]

Telecaster over those 2.

 

[southpaw723]

I'll go strat on this one

 

[Matthew Barrack]

Depends on the song.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

 

[Nev375]

Well, if you're forcing me to become a guitarist, then I'll have a Squier '51 please.

And yes, I'd prefer the original cheap Squier over the Fender copy of it.


I already have a vintage guitar worth around 5 grand, but that stays in its case.