I purchased an American Standard aprox 2 years ago. Since I have a serious guirtar addiction my impulse was pulling me towards a Les Paul. There is a buzz about the Gibson les Paul and something inside me wanted to make sure i got one. I decided to play it smart and rent one for awhile to kick the tires. I rented a brand new Gibson les Paul Custom ($2,500 Cdn). Really nice guitar. Felt good and played well. I hammered on it for a couple of days and thought i would make the comparisum to the Epi. I rented a Brand New Epi Les Paul Custom ($795). I realised two things. First while i realise that a Gibson may be an investment i honestly couldent find the differance to justify the additional cost. The Epi was well constructed and used quality parts.
Second, Im so glad that i rented these guitars. After putting the Les Paul's back in their case i picked up my strat.I realised (again) that my Strat is truly a beautiful well constructed instrament. To me it seems like a nicer built guitar. Sounded fantastic and again,for me, is just easer to play. It felt more open and i am able to navigate around the fret board with ease. This is what i needed to keep from rushing out and spending $2,500
Ano other opinions on the Strat vs les Paul?

As I sit here typing this, I'm p-a-t-i-e-n-t-l-y waiting for UPS to deliver my first strat. In the last month I auditioned dozens of guitars and each time I would grab a LP or SG to throw into the mix and make sure I wasn't missing something. I had a LP knockoff many years ago that got stolen and I didn't remember much about it. All I can say is I don't feel I'm missing anything by not owning an LP as far as playability goes. None of the necks or fret boards felt comfortable to me at all. I finally quit picking them up and just concentrated on the strats. Now where the hell is mine?!

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

i have a EC custom strat and i had a Gibson Custom Axcess and the sound was very good but i didnt like the neck and fret board so i finally just sold it and bought a PRS--the PRS plays similar to the strat wit a lot of different sound--i really like the PRS and at $2300.00 its a awesome guitar but when i pick up my strat after playing the PRS for a week or so i still get a smile on my face--the Gibson just didnt work for me--The PRS a a great guitar built VEEEERY well and i really enjoy playing it but i also enjoy the Strat at least as much---JMHO

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2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

Different. Not better or worse, just different. Is a BMW "better" than a Mercedes? Not necessarily, just different.

I've owned both and am currently playing Strats for my electrics (after about 20 years being out of the electric game) but I wouldn't say my Strats are better than the LP's I've owned nor would I say I prefer the LP's.

I wouldn't mind picking up another LP just because they are enough different to not be overlapping my Strats.

Jeff

Every guitarist should have one of each along with a Tele and SG.You're right about the Epis,I have found that dollar for dollar the Epi is a far better buy than the Gibson especially with regard to the Les Paul.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I really love the feel of fenders. They just feel right. To me I would chose a strat over a les paul any day of the week. Just my opinion though. I dont care how nice it sounds if i do not like the feel i will not play it.

I played a LP Standard at Guitar Center not long ago that had a great feeling neck. I almost put it in layaway but didn't. I gotta get my Custom Shop Strat first. I like LPs. But I absolutely love that very distinct sound and feel of a Strat.

Music wouldn't be what it is today without both of them.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

I couldnt agree more.

I Read In An Interview That Pete Townshend Never Really Liked The Lp Even Though He Played Them For Some Time. Maybe They Were Free. Now He Plays A Strat. Almost All The Time. Trust Pete.

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Vintage Hotrod '57 Strat, 81 G&L L2000 Series E Bass, Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp.

IMO Les Pauls are great crafted guitars for what you pay for in the $1.8-2.5K range. The craftsmanship and materials used are well worth the investment. Paying anything more to me is not worth the extra cash unless your wealty. I know this will piss some people off, but I fell the same way with strats: those going for over $1.5k are not worth the value. Strats have great materials and craftsmanship too, but not worth over the 1.5K mark.

Just my opinion. No offense to anyone.

Strats are better to me because of the scale length, the curves and colors, the feel of the neck, the comfortable body, the tone and versatility of the pickups, the interchangeability of parts, the strength of the bolt on neck, the relative cheapness compared to comparable Les Paul models, the 6 on a side tuners, the lack of a pickup swith right where my picking hand goes etc. etc. etc.

I like a variety, so I own electric guitars by Fender, Gibson, Taylor, Burns, and PRS.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I've owned both guitars and I feel that the Strat is a more versitile guitar over all. I feel much closer to my Strats than to my Les Paul.

A Les Paul Custom was my main guitar for years,I had played and owned Strats also,but slowly I gravitated to the Strat and have played them exclusively since 1989.
I'll pick up the LP for a little while and then it goes back into the case.

There is no "better". The best guitar is the one you pick up and play the most, whether it's a cheap one or an expensive one.