| In the political world you have republicans, and you | | | | selector switch. The Les Paul, with two pickups, is |
| have democrats. In automotive circles you have Ford | | | | capable of three distinct tones. |
| people, and you have Chevy people. In the fishing | | | | 3. Feel - Play the two guitars and you will immediately |
| world you have those who prefer inshore fishing, and | | | | feel the difference. The fret board of a Strat typically |
| those who are fans of off shore angling. In the guitar | | | | has a more "rounded" or contoured shape. The Les |
| world, you often have two opposing legions. | | | | Paul fret board is typically more of a flat plane. The |
| Stratocaster players verses Les Paul supporters. | | | | pluses and minuses of the two can be argued, |
| It is, of course, not all black and white, and there are | | | | depending on who you are talking to, but most would |
| always off-shoots in any discipline. Politics has its | | | | agree that the feel of both is decidedly different. In |
| independents, cars have Toyota and Honda fans, | | | | addition, Stratocasters often are produced with either |
| anglers have fly fishermen, and guitarists have Ibanez, | | | | a rosewood fret board or a maple fret board. The |
| PRS, Yamaha and more. | | | | darker rosewood has a slightly different "feel" and |
| But quite often, the world revolves around two | | | | produces a bit of a thicker tone favored by many rock |
| opposing forces, day verse night, high tide verses low | | | | players, and the lighter colored maple fret board has a |
| tide, summer verses winter - all with varying degrees | | | | bit of a thinner tone preferred by many country |
| of "in-betweeness". Back in the day, when I first | | | | players. |
| started playing guitar, the picture was much clearer. If | | | | 4. Weight - The difference in weight between the two |
| you played rock and roll, you were either a Strat guy | | | | guitars is considerable. In my early days as a touring |
| or a Les Paul player. Nothing else would do. | | | | musician, I was a Les Paul guy. I spent many years |
| To the un-trained eye these two guitars have quite a | | | | with a Paul strapped on my shoulder six nights a week |
| lot in common. They both are hunks of wood with six | | | | until the discomfort from the weight became nearly |
| strings, that plug into an amplifier to make music. But to | | | | constant. Then one night, on a lark, a fellow band mate |
| the guitar aficionado the differences are many. Some | | | | let me play his Strat on a gig. It felt like a feather on |
| of the comparisons that can be made between the | | | | my shoulder compared to the cinder block of the Les |
| Strat and the Les Paul involve differences in: | | | | Paul, and I was instantly hooked on Strats. |
| 1. Tone | | | | 5. Amp Compatibility - Many consider the perfect |
| 2. Pickups | | | | marriage in tone to be a Strat plugged into a Fender |
| 3. Feel | | | | tube amp. There is an unmistakable "clean" tone when |
| 4. Weight | | | | these two are put together that is instantly |
| 5. Amp Compatibility | | | | recognizable. Although Fender amps are not usually |
| 1. Tone - The first most apparent difference between | | | | known for great distortion, a good stomp box is a |
| the two guitars lies in the tone that each produces. A | | | | common cure, and worth the sacrifice for the ultimate |
| Les Paul "sounds" distinctly different from a Strat. This | | | | clean tone. Conversely, the Les Paul is often paired |
| is largely due to the pick up configuration, that we will | | | | with a Marshall tube amp for the ultimate distortion |
| cover next, but the Les Paul tone can be described as | | | | tone. Favored by many guitarists from heavy metal to |
| a more "meaty" of thicker tone, and the Strat as a | | | | hard rock to grunge, the Les Paul / Marshall |
| "sweeter" of thinner tone. | | | | combination is often considered to be rock and roll |
| 2. Pickups - A Strat pickup configuration typically | | | | "nirvana". |
| consists of three "single coil" pickups. These pickups | | | | Other differences between the Stratocaster and the |
| are known for producing that "sweeter" tone that | | | | Les Paul include floating verses fixed bridges, |
| many players prefer. The Les Paul normally has two | | | | differences in headstock shape, volume/ tone switch |
| "humbucker" pickups. Each humbucker pickup is, in | | | | placement, body shape and contour, and input jack |
| essence, two single coil pickups put together. | | | | placement. |
| Humbuckers are a higher output pickup and result in | | | | All these add up to generations of loyal followers of |
| more distortion, hence the meaty or thicker tones. The | | | | one style and design, or the other. Which is better, the |
| Strat comes stock with a five-way pickup selector | | | | Stratocaster or the Les Paul? Who knows. It's all a |
| switch, the Les Paul comes with a three way (See our | | | | matter of personal taste and preference. Talk to ten |
| article "Playing Guitar and the Pickup Selector Switch"). | | | | different guitar players and you're liable to get ten |
| Because the Strat has three pickups it is capable of | | | | different answers, and all of them are right! |
| producing five distinct tones through adjustment of the | | | | |