Telecaster Vs Les Paul

[joebloggs13]

Two turntables and a microphone...........Kidding aside...I love them both...and 335s, and Strats. The Tele is the only type of which I own two tho....so there is that.

 

[gmann]

Pagey made the switch. Most people still think that Led Zep I and Stairway’s solo were done on a LP.

Lotsa people think Funk #49 is LP.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

Both are fine instruments.
Both are single cutaway bodies.
Both have two pickups.
Both are American icons.
Both can be modded with a universe of aftermarket parts.

One is generally heavier.
One sits on your lap nicer.
One has a set neck which if not cared for properly can break at the headstock.
One has a bolt-on neck that can be used as a murder weapon and remain tuned.

If you have played more than a few years, chances are you have both.
I played a double-cutaway LP for about a decade doing worship music, which means in and out of the case and transported and on stands a LOT, and didn't even NICK the headstock. I was careful.
Today I have a Tele sitting by my side in my office that I pick up and diddle with many times a day.
It's just more comfortable to me and I enjoy it more.

YMMV

 

[Guitarteach]

Different… tele got the upper end bite and jangle. My 50’s wired Lester with lo wind PAF pickups can get bright but always has more middle/fatness.

P90’s or Firebirds are the tele on steroids IMO.

My number one has 3xP90

 

[vintagelove]

Hi.







I firmly believe (i.e. it’s actually just an opinion, regardless of how strong it is held) that a typical single coil Tele and a typical humbucker equipped LP can sound near identical. Especially recorded.

There’s a lot of factors going on though, like amp types, pedals, settings on guitar and the aforementioned, musical style, playing technique, recording techniques, etc.

So, it’s not some kind of absolute thing.

I bet someone could set things (gear, in other words) up so that swapping between an LP and a Tele in one situation would yield no discernible difference in the results (discernible in the test of telling which slight variation is which when blindfolded), and so that in another setup / situation they’d always sound clearly different.

And I bet you could play that game with pretty much any other pairing of electric guitars too.

Having said all that, I’ve also met people with far more ability than me to hear tonal differences. So, there’s another factor to throw in the mix. Not to mention, literally, 'the mix.'

And on top of all that, I do still find that an LP and a Tele really compliment each other when double tracked and panned hard each way. I find there’s *usually* enough tonal difference that they stand apart slightly, but also sound really good together, creating a ‘more than the sum of their parts’ kind of whole. But, I also find that going back later, I can’t tell which one I panned left and which one I panned right…

Pax/
Dean

The instruments scale length fundamentally shapes the sound of an instrument.


Any time I pick up a tele it takes me a minute to adjust to the additional hi end information. I'm sure some find the difference insignificant, but I hear it clearly.

 

[gtroates]

I get what if I owned a Les Paul moments every once in a while but then I play my Gretsch Duo Jet with TV Jones T-armonds and realize I have that sound and scale length pretty much already. When I want the Duane Allman, Neal Schon or Jimmy Page sound the Duo Jet fills that niche well for me.

 

[MikeyisB999]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the kind words, glad hear a lot of you enjoyed the videos and could see the fun in it. It's been great reading through all these posts.

 

[Wallaby]

Two of each here, and they're all four unique and distinct and excellent. Vive la difference!

 

[Island Boy]

Ha ha ha! I've seen several Gibsons with that classic break below the nut. My first Tele fell from a stand once, and the tuner that was attached on the headstock smashed into a dozen pieces. The Tele was still in tune.

I've seen that as well. But my '94 Studio is still going strong, despite several knock-overs off the stand by my kids when they were younger (part of the reason I started buying and playing Squiers, but that's another story).

Maybe I'm just not playing it hard enough.

But I do love a good Tele. And a good LP. Choosing would be hard, but since this is a Tele board, I'd probably go Tele. Blonde black guard, maple neck, the earlier the spec, the better!

Funny, I just sold the amazing Squier Affinity Tele in my avatar pic (blonde/black guard/maple neck), to buy another LP - this one a honeyburst Epi LP. It's very nice! It's a pro model, so the PAF's will single-coil switch.

But now I really want another Tele. Probably a Squier Classic Vibe 50's spec model. Figures, right after I sold it, I'd be wanting another!! Blond w/ black guard, maple neck. Sorta like the one I just sold, dang it!

They really are versatile and a joy to play...

 

[Island Boy]

Uh oh.

Les Paul > T type with Floyd.

My opinion, our course!

LP or Tele (standard bridge on both) > any Floyd equipped quitar.

My opinion as well. Running for the hills now!

Seriously, anything other than a bigsby (and that's pushing it) on these two guitars is heresy!

Backstory - I was in a band once and the other guitarist had a Floyd-equipped Charvel or Ibanez, and could only play for 5 minutes before going out of tune and having to unlock, tune, lock, and then 5 minutes later wash, rinse, repeat.

Granted, we were poor college students, and he probably hadn't set up the system properly, but we were all standing there, just waiting. And I was playing a strat! Given, a MIJ sunburst w/ Kahler locking tremolo - locked down, so basically a fixed bridge...

 

[Island Boy]

I get what if I owned a Les Paul moments every once in a while but then I play my Gretsch Duo Jet with TV Jones T-armonds and realize I have that sound and scale length pretty much already. When I want the Duane Allman, Neal Schon or Jimmy Page sound the Duo Jet fills that niche well for me.

Duo Jet! Now you've opened yet another whole (different) can of worms... those are nice, and on my list to get one, eventually!

 

[Jackroadkill]

A Les Paul is like a Tele that's run to fat, drinks too much and forgets to see its kids.

 

[gazzie]

You often hear that a good Les Paul is like a Tele on Steroids. Lets have a battle and see if that's the case.

I'd say it was the other way round!

 

[Dik Ellis]

Don't understand why people compare Srats, Teles, Les Paul's... or try to make one sound like the other. We all need one of each.

Got it covered, Bro.

 

[Wound_Up]

The instruments scale length fundamentally shapes the sound of an instrument.


Any time I pick up a tele it takes me a minute to adjust to the additional hi end information. I'm sure some find the difference insignificant, but I hear it clearly.

So why does a baritone Les Paul still sound like a Les Paul? That's what, 27 inch scale length or something? That's what I hear when I listen to Buckethead, who plays a baritone LP. It sounds like Buckethead on a Les Paul. <shrug>

 

[Itgoesto11]

Why choose?

 

[kafka]

You often hear that a good Les Paul is like a Tele on Steroids.

Yes, I often think of a Les Paul as being like a Telecaster with liver damage and is prone to murder the family.

 

[IrishBread69]

People say Telecasters are ugly but then I look at the LP. I just don't get it. We can't all like the same thing etc but I just don't get the appeal at all.

 

[Flyboy]

I never got on with a Les Paul. Never.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

People say Telecasters are ugly but then I look at the LP. I just don't get it. We can't all like the same thing etc but I just don't get the appeal at all.

One day I was grousing about how the male half of the American public doesn't hunt or fish any more, and my good wife (Mrs. Right) reminded me that if everybody liked the same stuff that I did, Opening Day would be like WWIII and you wouldn't be able to find a rock to stand on and cast a fly.

There are guys who ADORE various vehicles that I find laughable. Same with guitars. To each his own. That leaves more for you and me!!!