I’m struggling with my new Les Paul

witm8

witm8

Member
I’m struggling with my new Les Paul, and I’m thinking that I’ll have to pretty much go back to basics and re-learn :(

At the end of the day I’m an acoustic player – a strummer – a chord progressionist. Always have been (for the past 25 years). I love the chunky hearty tones and warm feel of my old Gibson J-45.

I pick up my Les Paul, and try, and then try again – But I just don’t think that I’ve got it …….. yet

Last night – I spent about 20 mins getting all sorted – this pissed me off to start with (I’m used to just picking up and playing) – amp out, wires un-tangled, all the knobs and dials in a reasonable position on the amp to start with, then the tone/volumes on the LP. y’know, all that Jazz. Strummed out a chord progression on my looper pedal, then noodled over the top. After about ½ hour, I was simply playing the same old notes, in the same old order, and was even starting to bore myself.

Me being me – YES I did expect to pick up my Les Paul and instantly turn into Slash, and YES I did expect to pick up my Les Paul and be able to shred up and down the whole length of the neck without putting a wrong note! YES I did expect to get the perfect tone from my amp+LP instantly.

I’m a little disheartened.

Is there such a guitarist as an acoustic player only ? Am I one of them ? I want to play my LP, and I want to be good. I didn’t spend £1200 on a guitar just to hang on the wall in my new music room and have people say that it looks nice. If I’d wanted to spend £1200 on a bit of ‘art’ I would have bought something else.

What do I do ? :confused:
 
I've been playing guitar for 20 years and I can't solo for shit. An electric guitar in my hands just doesn't work like it does for others. I realised early on I would never be a lead guitarist and I'm good with that.
 
Going from acoustic to electric is a challenge. The two instruments, while we think of them as the same, are not. I have been working on this problem myself for the last several years. For example, the acoustic guitar's tone is defined by the wood, the age, the build and lastly how you play it. The electric's tone is defined by knobs, pickups, pedal boards, and to some extent, how you play it.

The first thing going from acoustic to electric is, you can't manhandle the strings. Light touch, easy on the strumming, and get your guitar and amp to provide the base sound. Your tone comes more from the electronics, not the guitar.

Get the sound you are looking for dialed up. Work on how you are strumming and how you are using chords. Once you have your electric setup, and adjusted your playing style, I think you find it will add to your sound. Just takes a bit and it is two different worlds. Just accept it and enjoy a new world.

Hope this helps.
 
Pro tip #1: spend more than 20 minutes with a new style of instrument before giving up.
 
Thats why I recommend taking up singing. After 20 minutes he will have it down and everyone else will be pissed off...:thumbs up:
 
You'll need to play it loads and get your amp tone sorted and then get used to how your playing style translates to what hits your ears. You are not the only guitarist that has this issue when beginning to play electric with intent. Stick exclusively to the electric for a while until you learn to live with what it does, and you'll learn how to get something closer to an acceptable sound from it. The settings on your amp that you initially feel are the way to tweak will possibly be altogether different with a few hours playing under your fingers. If you are happy with your acoustic playing you should be able to get your LP to deliver for you. It won't be instant, but it'll come to you.
 
witm8 said:
I’m a little disheartened.


What do I do ? :confused:
Click to expand...

Why??? Its a whole new animal to master. Gonna take time.

As to your question of is there such a thing as an "acoustic player"

Yes.
I have a freind with 3 records out. (Michael Hedges type stuff)
He's toured With Tuck and Patti, and toured the USA twice as a solo act. Just guitar, banjo, mandolin and his voice.

The guy is good. Guess what? He can't play electric for shit!

So for yourself you gotta determine if you are ONLY an acoustic player or if you can do both.
With the LP, give it time. Do what everyone else that is good on electric guitar has done.

Practice.

You get frustrated? So what! Continue practicing.
At some point, you'll decide if it's for you, or you want to quit.
 
If it makes you feel better, a lot of electric guitarists can't play acoustic for shit either... listen closely to the obligatory acoustic ballad on lots of rock albums.

Hardest bit is calming your strumming down. You'll be OK in a couple of years... :D
 
I have never owned or enjoyed playing acoustic. I'm not a "campfire song" type guitar player. lol
No disrespect intended - I've seen many excellent acoustic players - just not in front of a campfire. :D
 
To the original poster: It takes thousands of hours of guitar work to get as good as Slash on lead guitar. If you couldn't play like that on your acoustic what makes you think you would be able to don't on a Les paul?
I love everything about Les pauls except 2 things....
1) when playing up high on the neck the heel prevents you from bracing with your thumb.
2) I hate the separate volume controls for each pickup.

Neither of these things is a big deal though. I've played Paul's enough to learn to play up high on the neck without bracing with my thumb and the first thing I do when I buy one is mod the wiring to make one volume knob the master for both pickups.
 
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