Gibson Les Paul Standard compared to a Telecaster

[dB]

Originally Posted by Guitar4Him

Every guitar player should have a Tele...

.....and a Les Paul........

.....and a 335........

......and a Strat......

.......and........

Word.
Seriously, you need both. I know I do. (Well, my Paul is a The Paul but someday...)


dB

[fuzzferatu]

I think one of the nicest dual guitar rhythm sounds is the combo of a single coil like a Tele and a LP. I.e. the Pixies or the Clash, or some other bands that I am not as obsessive about. ;-)

The LP comes off with a thick, square wavy sound, whereas the Tele will punch out to accentuate the dynamics of the strumming.

[PJ]

I've owned Teles, a Mustang, a Corronado II, Strats, more Teles, then got a Les Paul and a PRS. Sold them both. Just couldn't make the transition. Now, it's mostly Teles, with a couple Strats to quack with, when I'm feeling "out-of-phase."

[Lostheart]

Originally Posted by Paul G.

The simple fact is this: if you claim a Les Paul is "not versatile" or "doesn't sound good clean" or "issa a piece o junk" you're just demonstrating either an utter lack of ability, or preconceived prejudices which you then state as facts.

I like this site because of there is a shortage of jerks. Lets try to keep it that way. Opinion is opinion, facts are facts. "I find Gibsons to sound tubby" is an opinion. It is valid. "I am used to the Tele and prefer its clear, forward tone" is an opinion. It is valid. "Gibsons are crap, they make my ears hurt and are only good for yada yada" is blustering. It is not valid. It demonstrates a weak mind coupled with a big mouth. Let's leave that for the other forums please.

P.

Bravo!
You sum it all up...

[Southpaw433]

I have another theory - as we get older we tend to loose the higher pitch frequencies..... Tele's compensate for that, LP's are already darker sounding and just sound worse -muddy in a bad way, as your hearing "ages".

[Colo Springs E]

.....I love them both--and find almost nothing in common between the two! OK, they both have strings and pickups.

Just my opinion...

-E

[Gareth John]

Does anyone have a diagram of the neck shapes on standards. I hear they come in 50's and 60's style necks, what are these in comparison to fender. C shape, D shape, V shape etc. I love the neck on my 77 tele but it's thinner than a nocaster. Where do the Gibson necks fit in?

[0le FUZZY]

"issa a piece o junk" you're just demonstrating either an utter lack of ability, or preconceived prejudices which you then state as facts.

...YUP!!!

It demonstrates a weak mind coupled with a big mouth.

...YUP!!!

Let's leave that for the other forums please.

...YUP!!! Lika Gypsin forum !


...Bad mouth all yew want tew but yew will knott change My humble Opinion








(deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all and I don't like Gypsins.)

Please visit my page

[Oster]

I admire Les Pauls Standards but I don't like them.

I'm no country picker or (as Fuzzy puts it) a TELECASTER picker but I've always been a Fender man. I prefer the bright percussive chime of Teles and Strats over the flat, fat sustaining crunch of a Gibson. The Standards to me don't sit right - too butt heavy.

I have a simple formula: If you play barre chords often, you need a Gibson. If you don't, you're okay with your Fender!

[stevedenver]

well my 5 cents

i play both regularly- i love my teles

i have a nocaster clone with a very hot flatpole nocaster bridge pickup-and it can sound remarkably fat like a lp -

i think a lot has to do with what music you play and where youre playing-live playing rock, an lp certainly has a lot of punch-so does a hot tele-but not quite as much IMHO-but the tele will have more articulation -

i have several lps with aftermarket paf style pups-made by small builders-

and good caps and pots (500K) -LPs can sparkle like a tele-not the twang from the metal bridge but can be just as clean and bright-volume and tone knobs on both lp and teles can significantly color the sound-do a coil tap and or phase wiring on an lp and it can get pretty versatile-not as nice as a real single coil but close

i like lps and teles both a lot-when i play with another lp player sometimes i take my nocaster clone-for contrast in sound-

if im playing hard rock-chances are the lp is it-its the music and application-and of course what you like

a fender thorugh a fender is one great sound-tele through a marshall is fantastic too

a gibson through a fender or a marshall is another

each guitar reacts differently with each amp, and depending on how hard your pushing the amp and how much the pups are putting out

a good lp is great guitar imho-when well set up and with a good nut-just as stable tuning wise as any tele

lps are heavy-even the light historics (8 lbs or so) they get very heavy after 2-3 hours

like any guitar-tweaked properly and with good pups, caps and pots youd be surprised what a lp can do

i think you should try one and for more than a few days if you can-lps are just too expensive to rush into
-as noted they are different-the scale change doesnt affect me -and all of my teles have 9.5 radius or wider (which to me is the bigger issue)

choose carefully, get a good lp, and take the time to make some changes if you think you need to-theres a big difference between gibson's 496-500 pups and the classic 57s and the burstbuckers-if i had any advice to someone that IS going to buy one-id try to find a goldtop or plaintop historic, not over 9lbs and better at 8.5

-imho the 'low end' historics are gibsons best bang for the buck overall

all that being said-many lps will need a bit of TLC and tweaking desptie their price-nuts are often poorly cut and b and g strings stick, pots can be 500k or 300k or lower, and the orange caps used are not the greatest

you also want to check that when you gently press against the neck theres virtually no change in pitch-a stiff neck really contirbutes to the guitar's overall sound imho-may sound simplistic but ive found that if the guitar rings/resonates loudly when unplugged chances are your onto something nice-not always but often

[tpaul]

Well, you ask for opinions around here, you're gonna get 'em!

I have to admit I did own a Les Paul once. I think it was the deLuxe model (the one with the mini-humbuckers). It was a very nice sounding guitar, and pretty, and easy to play, but I didn't keep it very long.

I think that there's a lot of talk about the difference in TONE between the LP and the Tele, but for me, there's also a big difference in FEEL. Part of that is the neck shape, and part is the different scale length, and part is the way you set them up. I remember when LPs were referred to as "fretless wonders" because the low fret profile made them so easy to play. To me, it seems that the LP neck is easier (once you get used to it) than the Tele neck, but at the same time, the humbuckers cover up a lot of mistakes on the part of the player... the result (again, I'm speaking only for myself) is that playing a Tele feels like driving an old pickup or a sports car, where you can feel every bump in the road, while playing a Les Paul is more like driving a Caddy with power steering and lots of cushioning in the suspension. The Caddy will cover your mistakes and give you a nice soft ride, but if you want a performance vehicle, you NEED to feel those bumps in the road. Somehow, I feel more connected to the Tele, even though that means all my mistakes are obvious and I can't rely on the instrument to cover for me.

I'd recommend that you get hold of one and play it for a bit before you decide to buy. I'm not denying that it's a very useful instrument and certainly it is loved by many players. Personally I agree with whoever said they'd take an SG over an LP if they wanted a Gibson. The SGs I've played have felt much more alive in my hands than the LP, probably because their construction is more like a Tele (lightweight plank rather than heavy, glued-together layered body).

Also, if you like a maple neck, you're almost going to have to go with a Fender product.

[edwardjeffrey]

Can't rock on a tele?hmmm

[monkeyfart]

My main guitar is a Les Paul Standard Faded that I'm very much in love with. With that said, I can't put down my first Tele that I have had for about a month and a half. I'm a bit torn on which is #1 now. I'm gratefull for having both and plan to play both in my band which is a classic rock cover band.

[Gareth John]

I want a les paul . I have a tele, and I'd love to have a strat too. I love all guitars, I own bc rich guitars that are some of the best guitars I've ever played but are underrated because of the way they look.

[J Lacey]

I bought a new tobacco sunburst LP standard for $600.00. That would'a been 'bout 24 years ago, and it was stamped "second" on the back of the head stock. It had a dark streak in the finish on the backside. I use to have this bad habit of seeing some awesome concert and later thinking I needed the guitar the band played. The LP was a direct result of seeing the CDB and watching Charlie tear up a LP all night. EVH caused the purchase of a american sunburst strat after he had trouble with his ever famous frankenstien kramer and finished the show up with the strat . The list goes on, but I matured and kicked the habit, well until I see Brad spankin' a Crook lately.........

Anyway, loved the idea of owning the LP, still wish I had it, hate that I sold it for $400.00, But absolutely hated playing it. Just like to say I own one I guess. Actully concidered buying another last year but each time I took one off the wall, I remembered that I don't really like the way they play in my hands.

We were recording all the lead tracks on a CD a couple of years ago and had my strat, tele, a SG, and a LP custom from the 70's, just to keep all the leads from sound alike in different songs, Each time I got out the LP, it went right back in the case after 30 seconds.......

Jeffro

THey;re still beutiful guitars and the gold tops always catch my eye.....I respect the guys the like 'em......!

[Colo Springs E]

Originally Posted by tpaul

The Caddy [Les Paul] will cover your mistakes and give you a nice soft ride, but if you want a performance vehicle, you NEED to feel those bumps in the road [Tele].

......I dunno how many times I've heard this quote, and every time I hear it, I go .

Some Teles I've owned have been among the easiest playing, best sounding guitars I've ever played. If anything, they made playing effortless and thus, less likely to make or hear any mistakes.

Sorry, to me that's an internet quote that someone let fly several years ago, and about 10,000 guitarists went running with it.

Teles don't expose mistakes, and Les Pauls don't cover mistakes. Distortion covers mistakes, and playing clean can expose mistakes.

I'll always prefer playing a guitar that is easy to play--call me crazy I guess.

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by Phil65

Should I be thinking about some different quality guitar to collect/buy that is significantly different to my Tele? My brother suggested a hollow body electric.

I'm frequently knocked out by the sounds that come out of a Les Paul... but not mine, when I play it. As a result, it hasn't been out of the case in literally years.

Practically speaking, I always had problems playing the Les Paul. The neck was OK, but never felt like it fit my hand well (mine is a 76 LP Standard; I hear there are different neck profiles). Couldn't play it sitting down without a strap, because it didn't balance right or sit right on my knee. Standing up, it would really hurt my shoulder after awhile (in the late 70s, the conventional wisdom was to get the HEAVIEST guitar you could find -- for sustain).

I don't have any of those issues with a Tele, but maybe that's just me.

Anyway, I think you should consider your brother's advice. Why not check out a nice 335? Or something else?

There are a lot of guitars that are significantly different from a Tele, which is a good thing. For example, I have a real nice Guild Bluesbird (looks almost like a Les Paul, but with a chambered body and P90-style pickups)... nothing like a Tele, but a lot of fun!

[lefty64]

Originally Posted by tpaul

Well, you ask for opinions around here, you're gonna get 'em!

I have to admit I did own a Les Paul once. I think it was the deLuxe model (the one with the mini-humbuckers). It was a very nice sounding guitar, and pretty, and easy to play, but I didn't keep it very long.

I think that there's a lot of talk about the difference in TONE between the LP and the Tele, but for me, there's also a big difference in FEEL. Part of that is the neck shape, and part is the different scale length, and part is the way you set them up. I remember when LPs were referred to as "fretless wonders" because the low fret profile made them so easy to play. To me, it seems that the LP neck is easier (once you get used to it) than the Tele neck, but at the same time, the humbuckers cover up a lot of mistakes on the part of the player... the result (again, I'm speaking only for myself) is that playing a Tele feels like driving an old pickup or a sports car, where you can feel every bump in the road, while playing a Les Paul is more like driving a Caddy with power steering and lots of cushioning in the suspension. The Caddy will cover your mistakes and give you a nice soft ride, but if you want a performance vehicle, you NEED to feel those bumps in the road. Somehow, I feel more connected to the Tele, even though that means all my mistakes are obvious and I can't rely on the instrument to cover for me.

I'd recommend that you get hold of one and play it for a bit before you decide to buy. I'm not denying that it's a very useful instrument and certainly it is loved by many players. Personally I agree with whoever said they'd take an SG over an LP if they wanted a Gibson. The SGs I've played have felt much more alive in my hands than the LP, probably because their construction is more like a Tele (lightweight plank rather than heavy, glued-together layered body).

Also, if you like a maple neck, you're almost going to have to go with a Fender product.

Personally never heard that assessment but agree w/ it somewhat. I certainly don't construe it to mean the tele is better than the paul or vice verca. They are just different. Because the buckers will naturally overdrive an amp faster than the single coils, you will have more distortion generally speaking playing the paul, and it does cover mistakes more. Of course if you suck it doesn't matter what you play. They are both great. the sg and the 335 also are killer guitars.

[Brick]

You need to buy a Les Paul and live with it for a while. Only then will you truly know. They are fine guitars but not for me. I sold mine, built a double HB thinline and hardly ever play that. I'm just a single coil guy. Now a LP jr is another matter. A 50s jr is really alive. I have friends who are into Paul Reed Smiths, and really, if I had to choose between one and a 50s Classic, it's no contest. A Gretch 6120 however, gets me salivating.

[Telewringer]

What are you ? Some sorta Commie.....Just kiddi'n ! Anyway
looking at ditching your Tele for a Les Paul ? If you play rock
yes then a Les Paul is a fine axe.

[Phil65]

Originally Posted by Brick

You need to buy a Les Paul and live with it for a while. Only then will you truly know. They are fine guitars but not for me. I sold mine, built a double HB thinline and hardly ever play that. I'm just a single coil guy. Now a LP jr is another matter. A 50s jr is really alive. I have friends who are into Paul Reed Smiths, and really, if I had to choose between one and a 50s Classic, it's no contest. A Gretch 6120 however, gets me salivating.

Ok - I bought a Gibson LP Premium Plus today heritage cherry sunburst. Its beautiful. Our local music store was having a sale and it was 37% off recommended retail. I suspect this was a purchase driven by lust more than reason or practicallity.

I felt really guilty like I am cheating on my wife (the Telecaster), I can feel her pain as she sits in her case unplayed while I play the new LP. I also felt guilty about telling my actual wife how much it cost - so I didnt.

The guy in the shop certainly got some very nice sounds out of the LP when he demonstrated it to me using the same amp that I have (Roland Cube). I played it unplugged in the shop as I get self conscious playing in the music shop as I am a very enthusiastic but less than mediocre player.

I like the feel of playing it - I like the frets being closer together. It don't feel that much heavier than my Tele. I like the feel of it when I am sitting down playing it. Unfortunately when I play it it dont sound too much different to the Tele - I'll give it another blast when my wife and kids go to bed. I have to get used to combinations of pickups and the dials and how they effect the sound


Anyway thanks for all your thoughts on this subject. I read everyone's posts. I am constantly amazed by the passion of everyone on this site. I need to post a picture of my Tele and my LP when I get a chance.

Now I have to work some more overtime for that Stratocaster and the 335.

[jholcomb]

I was always a die hard Tele man. I have owned other guitars including a Les Paul or two but when I was playing them I always found myself wishing I was playing my '52 reissue.

THEN I got the bug to get a LP Historic. I settled on a '57 Historic with factory Bigsby and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. WOW. I LOVE that guitar. That LP has enough twang to make me not miss my Tele, but it can also growl and give me Clapton "woman" tones. No now I just consider myself very lucky to have two "NUMBER ONES". I play each about the same amount of time.

I think the moral of the story is that if you get a REALLY good Les Paul, it might be a little more versatile that the regular garden variety. I had at least two or three LPs that never did much for me. Maybe it's the Bigsby. Whatever. Now I have to find time to play my Clapton Stat, Historic LP Special, and Historic LP Junior!!!