# A Fender Stratocaster sounds much better than a Gibson Les Paul and vise versa.



## germancomponist (Mar 3, 2018)

What do u think? 

Edit:
Sure, I also use the guitars to match the music and have a lot of guitars myself. Yesterday, I asked myself the question whether I'm always right with my assessment, because for many songs you can use both models very well. And most people like the sound of both guitars, because I probably use them according to the particular sound, compose and arrange with them.

So my question better asked: What sound do you like more?


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## mac (Mar 3, 2018)

Depends what tune you're playing


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## dbudde (Mar 3, 2018)

It's all about the pickups. If you want metal, or Zeppelin or whatever, you need those humbuckers. If you want Blues, Clapton, Hendrix, then you want the noiseless single coil strat pickups.

For best of both get a Strat with HSS format.


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## Blakus (Mar 3, 2018)

Both sound awesome. I have the brother of both (Fender Tele, Gibson SG). Both excel at different things, my personal favourite is the Fender, but purely because I play music that suits that tone better. I find myself reaching for the Gibson often though too. I guess this a long winded way of saying the same thing that @mac said... depends what tune you're playing hahah!


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## Kony (Mar 3, 2018)

I've always preferred the strat not just for sound, but I also find the neck easier to play for some reason


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## mac (Mar 4, 2018)

Kony said:


> I've always preferred the strat not just for sound, but I also find the neck easier to play for some reason



Oh god yeah, the strat is brilliant to play sat down, whereas the LP I find pretty much impossible to use unless you're stood up. Also a fan of the strat neck over the LP. Still, that humbucker sound though...


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## Dr Belasco (Mar 4, 2018)

They do different things. Not better or worse. I have a Fender Strat and Telecaster and a Gibson Les Paul. They are also changing in different amps. I have a Fender 57 Custom Pro and a Marshall and others and it can make all the difference on the amps you use and the size and make of the speakers. I think the Fender is easier to play than the Gibson. If I had to keep just one probably be the Fender Stratocaster because it's a very variable tone machine.


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## fiestared (Mar 4, 2018)

germancomponist said:


> What do u think?


I am a Mac(Apple from the very beginning but probably not for a long time anymore), Fender, Moog, Roland, guy, some are PC, Gibson, ARP, Yamaha, and of course a mix of all...


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## enyawg (Mar 4, 2018)

It's in the soul and fingers of the player too... eg. Mark Knopfler sounds identical with Strat or Les Paul.


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## catsass (Mar 4, 2018)

Just two of the many colors in my sonic palette.


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## wst3 (Mar 4, 2018)

catsass said:


> Just two of the many colors in my sonic palette.


Yup!

My primary electric guitars include two Les Pauls (one with humbuckers, one with P90s) a Strat Ultra (Lace pickups) and a MIM Strat with Lollar pickups, a Bill Lawrence Telecaster with his pickups, and a home-brew Telecaster with Lollars (and a B-Bender). Six very different sets of sounds. 

While they don't cover the entire spectrum, they give me a lot of choices.


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## enyawg (Mar 4, 2018)

wst3 said:


> Yup!
> 
> My primary electric guitars include two Les Pauls (one with humbuckers, one with P90s) a Strat Ultra (Lace pickups) and a MIM Strat with Lollar pickups, a Bill Lawrence Telecaster with his pickups, and a home-brew Telecaster with Lollars (and a B-Bender). Six very different sets of sounds.
> 
> While they don't cover the entire spectrum, they give me a lot of choices.


Couple SG’s would round out your collection nicely lol.


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## germancomponist (Mar 4, 2018)

Sure, I also use the guitars to match the music and have a lot of guitars myself. Yesterday, I asked myself the question whether I'm always right with my assessment, because for many songs you can use both models very well. And most people like the sound of both guitars, because I probably use them according to the particular sound, compose and arrange with them.

So my question better asked: What sound do you like more?


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## James Marshall (Mar 4, 2018)

I think a Fender Strat definitely sounds less bankrupt


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## wst3 (Mar 4, 2018)

enyawg said:


> Couple SG’s would round out your collection nicely lol.


Indeed it would, although I could probably get by with just one SG, but I'd also need one Rick 12 string<G>!


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## wst3 (Mar 4, 2018)

germancomponist said:


> So my question better asked: What sound do you like more?



It depends on the day of the week, the phase of the moon, the song, my mood - you name it. Much like microphones, can't imagine trying to pick just one guitar.


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## germancomponist (Mar 4, 2018)




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## StephenForsyth (Mar 5, 2018)

The fender stratocaster is pound for pound the most beautifully flexible guitar of all time in my opinion. You can do _absolutely anything_ with a normal s/s/s stratocaster and it will pull it off with aplomb. Gorgeous Crystalline cleans, crunchy blues leads, sparkling funk rhythms up to downtuned doom metal. It will ALL come out of a stratocaster sounding at least some degree of great.


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## gsilbers (Mar 5, 2018)

James Marshall said:


> I think a Fender Strat definitely sounds less bankrupt


lol


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## gsilbers (Mar 5, 2018)

im the dork that has the line 6 variax jt (les paul looking one) which has modeling for several model guitars and the axefx2 w tons of amp models which ends up sounding diferent to everything. just a mush of things. 
i might get an oil can guitar though https://www.bohemianguitars.com/products/bohemian-surf-wax-electric-guitar-1-x-p90?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=21446821446&gclid=CjwKCAiA8vPUBRAyEiwA8F1oDJZrOLWS2SuLLymriQOX-ost0fqk80CA4QGmvF0TmUAWjT0c0ArMNBoCrWcQAvD_BwE

im interested in one of those epiphone guitars. they seem to be a good bang for the buck and looking at the gear shootouts vs les pauls i must say, they are close on some sub models.


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## ghostnote (Mar 5, 2018)

Tea or coffee my dear?


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## ghostnote (Mar 5, 2018)

dbudde said:


> If you want metal, or Zeppelin or whatever, you need those humbuckers.



BTW. Page recorded the first Zeppelin Album aswell as the 'Stairway to Heaven' solo with a Telecaster. It's the player who makes the difference.


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## Dr Belasco (Mar 5, 2018)

Gibsons could suddenly sound really good if the company goes under.


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## dbudde (Mar 5, 2018)

ghostnote said:


> It's the player who makes the difference.


True, but not all of us have magic fingers.


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## ghostnote (Mar 5, 2018)

dbudde said:


> True, but not all of us have magic fingers.


And changing the guitar probably won't change that. You know what they say about people with magic fingers.


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## mac (Mar 5, 2018)

The player is a huge aspect, but you're not going to get that dirty depths of hell metal sound on a single coil strat, you just aren't. You're also going to struggle to sound like pink floyd if you're using EMG 81s.


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## ceemusic (Mar 5, 2018)

Tone is in the fingers. Great players can make a great jazz noize on a tele while Howe & Nugent can rock a traditional hollowbody.


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