While back I got a bug up my bum that I should own both a Strat and a Gibson.

Looked at a SG Custom and a Les Paul.

SG Custom felt like a toy in my hands and the Les Paul was beyond my price range.

This week I got a call from my guitar store that they had the Les Paul Studio 60's tribute model, with P-90's at $849.00 and they were offering a 20% off coupon good for that day only.

Were talking $680 for a Les Paul Studio that had great reviews - my interest went out the roof and I went to purchase the thing.

My American made Strat that I purchased in early 1984 has made me incapable of buying another guitar. Nothing seems as well made.

The Les Paul Studio was a really nice guitar, but how can they put out a guitar that has a textured finish on the neck that resembles the "orange peel" surface on a typical house wall?

The guitar just didn't turn me on. I actually liked the quality and price of the Epiphones much better.

So, went home picked up my Strat and sat down and just held it, felt it and ran scales up and down the neck.

What a nice warm fuzzy feeling.

You made the right decision. NOTHING beats a great Strat, nicely tweaked!

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You dig?

Glad that you made the right decision for you.

I recently purchased a Les Paul Studio 60's Tribute such as the one you checked out. Mine is absolutely flawless and and excellent guitar.

I Love My Strats, AND I Love My Gibson's too! (AND My PRSi, Martin's Taylor's and Takamine).

_________________
Chet Feathers

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

....so, did you check out another Strat (or maybe even a Tele) so that your '84 wont be lonely?

+1!





Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

+1 also

You guys are cheatin'!

The Gibson SG and LP's you have shown are the "real deals" and probably at least 20 years old - I'd give my eye teeth for one of them babies.

Don't get me wrong... I respect the Gibson guitar - in 1965 my guitar teacher convinced my dad I should have a Gibson LGO acoustic. I truly loved that guitar. Played like butter.

It had all the "trimings" (binding etc) and at the time sold for $105.00

Stupid me sold it at a garage sale 30 years later for $15 (neck was a bit warped).

If I was a rich dude or a good player, I'd probably fork up the $3000 for a real LP.

But...I think I'd still like my Strat better

Reason I'm looking for a 2nd guitar is I recently had some major surgery done to my left hand, and I'm searching for a guitar with a wider neck than the strat.

I don't want to go the route of replacing the neck of my Strat, and my price range is around $800 max.

Would love to have something around 1.875" at the nut

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated

All joking aside, I first only played Gibson's. After years and years, I finally got my first Strat in 96. The first thing that became obvious to me, was that I was always hitting a pick up on the Strat. The layout of my Les Paul's allowed for deeper picking and I always held my hand in a certain place. I hardly ever, if at all touched a pick up, or the body when I played. On the Strat, I was constantly either hitting a pick up or even the pick guard under the strings. It took me a long time to half way develop what I called the Strat feel and technique. My admiration for those who could really work a Strat instantly grew.

I imagine going the other way, from Strat to Gibson, will also produce a marked change in technique, but in the end, makes you more versatile. For the wider fretboard, I remember back in 79 I played a friends Yamaha electric (don't remember the model, but it was beautiful) on stage in a local band. I was using a Les Paul Pro at the time. The Yamaha had a noticeably wider fretboard and I had trouble adjusting during the one song. I hit some real klunkers and the fretted chords were weak. Learned a lesson right then and there.

If you have the opportunity, I'd play other brands as well if a wider fretboard becomes a necessity. So many nice guitars out there. Hope you find one (I'm sure you will) that instantly feels right!