D
DVDA
New member
If you had the choice between an Epiphone Les Paul or a Fender Stratocaster which one would you chose?
ASAP responses are welcome!
ASAP responses are welcome!
gibs
New member
uhhhh....the stratocaster.....assuming it's a fender one, and no, squires don't count........even if it's MIM it will be ten times, nay, a hundred times better than any late model epi..........
now, if you had said a gibson les paul or a fender stratocaster, then I would be compelled to say it's just a matter of taste between which one rings yer bell at any given time.....two different animals, both superb.....
my opinion, you realize, so don't anybody get all bitter and twisted......gibs
now, if you had said a gibson les paul or a fender stratocaster, then I would be compelled to say it's just a matter of taste between which one rings yer bell at any given time.....two different animals, both superb.....
my opinion, you realize, so don't anybody get all bitter and twisted......gibs
matty_boy
New member
I had a strat, but I sold it to buy my Epiphone Les Paul. I haven't regretted it, but I might put new p/u's in my Les Paul. This is going to be an opinion though. It depends on what sound you like. I guess I answered your question, though, as you only asked which I would pick.
Matty
Matty
64Firebird
New member
Two differant animals. With a strat, you can do all sorts of funky rythem stuff and Les Pauls have that growl. I have both and if I had to choose, I' pick the Strat. But, I'd be thinking about my Les Paul.
If you have to choose, why not try to get the best of both. Get a strat with a humbucker at the bridge and do a coil tap on it. It won't sound exactly like an LP, but it'll be closer than a single coil would be.
If you have to choose, why not try to get the best of both. Get a strat with a humbucker at the bridge and do a coil tap on it. It won't sound exactly like an LP, but it'll be closer than a single coil would be.
BluesMeister
Occasional Poster
Compare Apples With Apples
It's really an unfair comparison. As 64Firebird correctly points out, they are different animals.
Which one feels right for you DVDA? You have to play them both and get the feel for the neck, the range of sounds and vibes you get from them.
My Ibanez Artist gives me a close to the best of both worlds, it has a Tri-Tone switch for each PU that does a very creditable single-coil sound as well as full humbucker. So I can mix 'n' match to suit the sound I'm after. When I play on my amp's lead channel, the humbuckers give a much richer distortion sound than the single-coils do. They tend to sound more weedy - but that's how they're supposed to sound.
Go with 64 Firebird's suggestion, humbuckers with coil taps - it's the way to go. Two guitars in one!
Yamaha SG2000. Very tasty.
Ibanez AR300. That's what I've got
I love it.
Good luck.
--
BluesMeister
It's really an unfair comparison. As 64Firebird correctly points out, they are different animals.
Which one feels right for you DVDA? You have to play them both and get the feel for the neck, the range of sounds and vibes you get from them.
My Ibanez Artist gives me a close to the best of both worlds, it has a Tri-Tone switch for each PU that does a very creditable single-coil sound as well as full humbucker. So I can mix 'n' match to suit the sound I'm after. When I play on my amp's lead channel, the humbuckers give a much richer distortion sound than the single-coils do. They tend to sound more weedy - but that's how they're supposed to sound.
Go with 64 Firebird's suggestion, humbuckers with coil taps - it's the way to go. Two guitars in one!
Yamaha SG2000. Very tasty.
Ibanez AR300. That's what I've got
I love it.Good luck.
--
BluesMeister
C
Clive Hugh
New member
I've got to go with the Firebird, I am not a Les Paul fan, I have tried them over the years and not liked them but love other people playing them, but I am a fan of Fender strats with humbuckers, I always put DiMarzio in the ones I buggered round with, now tho' just stock Fender single coils, although Bill Lawrence do sound tempting.
Clive
Clive
jimistone
long standing member
i have owned various strats and les pauls. i prefer a strat...its my favorite guitar off all.
i don't know that much about epiphones, it has been said in these forums that the new gibson les pauls are higher quality than the epiphone les pauls. It has also been said here that the the new les pauls are lower quality than the old ones. It has also been said here that the new epiphones are not as high quality as the old ones. (thats the readers digest condensed version of the gibson /epiphone guitar threads). so, thats not saying alot for the new line of epiphone guitars.
like i said, this is what i've read here and honestly i can't tell you about epiphone from experiance.
what i like about strats: they are light weight, they have the best clean guitar sound, i love fender necks, high quality replacement pickups are available from the fender custom shop at very econmical prices, they have a tremelo, they are really good looking guitars, and finally...they are affordable.
the cons of strats: you get a hum from the single coils(the noiseless pickups don't sound as good as the single coils), the real heavy distortion that is popular now days is a humbucker sound, and everybody and thier brother plays a strat.
what i like about (gibson) les pauls: they are really beautiful guitars (drop dead finish, binding, trapizion neck inlays), the neck scale tends to make the action slinkier thus making it an easier guitar to bend strings on, its hard to beat humbuckers on heavy distortion, their resale value is good
cons of a (gibson) les paul: the price of one is ridiculously too high, they are so heavy that my right arm goes numb by the 4th set, no tremelo, the clean sound is too thin on the bridge pickup and to muddy on the neck pickup....nowhere near the snap, pop and definition of a single coil guitar, most gibson necks are too fat (i prefer slim necks), and finally gibson replacement pickups are 160 bucks a peice (probably why alot of guys don't put gibson pickups in their epiphopnes)
what it all boils down to is your specific tastes, your budget, and what kind of music you will be playing. if you are going to be playing metal a single coil strat might not work as well for you as a paul. If your going to be playing blues, country, or classic rock a les paul might not work as well for you as a strat
i don't know that much about epiphones, it has been said in these forums that the new gibson les pauls are higher quality than the epiphone les pauls. It has also been said here that the the new les pauls are lower quality than the old ones. It has also been said here that the new epiphones are not as high quality as the old ones. (thats the readers digest condensed version of the gibson /epiphone guitar threads). so, thats not saying alot for the new line of epiphone guitars.
like i said, this is what i've read here and honestly i can't tell you about epiphone from experiance.
what i like about strats: they are light weight, they have the best clean guitar sound, i love fender necks, high quality replacement pickups are available from the fender custom shop at very econmical prices, they have a tremelo, they are really good looking guitars, and finally...they are affordable.
the cons of strats: you get a hum from the single coils(the noiseless pickups don't sound as good as the single coils), the real heavy distortion that is popular now days is a humbucker sound, and everybody and thier brother plays a strat.
what i like about (gibson) les pauls: they are really beautiful guitars (drop dead finish, binding, trapizion neck inlays), the neck scale tends to make the action slinkier thus making it an easier guitar to bend strings on, its hard to beat humbuckers on heavy distortion, their resale value is good
cons of a (gibson) les paul: the price of one is ridiculously too high, they are so heavy that my right arm goes numb by the 4th set, no tremelo, the clean sound is too thin on the bridge pickup and to muddy on the neck pickup....nowhere near the snap, pop and definition of a single coil guitar, most gibson necks are too fat (i prefer slim necks), and finally gibson replacement pickups are 160 bucks a peice (probably why alot of guys don't put gibson pickups in their epiphopnes)
what it all boils down to is your specific tastes, your budget, and what kind of music you will be playing. if you are going to be playing metal a single coil strat might not work as well for you as a paul. If your going to be playing blues, country, or classic rock a les paul might not work as well for you as a strat
VOXVENDOR
New member
Yeah.. Can't compare... I love strats... Yet, I can't play a Gibson.... The neck feels like a baseball bat......
Joe
Joe
guhlenn
Oh REALLY????
i like the new goths by epi... basically the gibson (with grover tuners i heard and the mahogany with ebony...)
They LOOK astounding... i guess they play as well as any lp guitar... you'll wannna change the pickups though...
but yeah, as the others said... learn what you want...
Guhlenn
They LOOK astounding... i guess they play as well as any lp guitar... you'll wannna change the pickups though...
but yeah, as the others said... learn what you want...
Guhlenn
hixmix
Halibut, North Dakota
I'd go with the Strat if it were an american or japanese one.
philboyd studge
New member
Yeah, you can't compare them. Look, you're going to eventually end up with both, just get it over with and buy both.
BrettB
Well-known member
I have only a strat and I adore it: its sound, its playability...
I've been thinking that a Les Paul would get in handy though, but the Gibson ones are way overpriced, so if anybody has some experience with the epiphone one? Is the difference that big?
I've been thinking that a Les Paul would get in handy though, but the Gibson ones are way overpriced, so if anybody has some experience with the epiphone one? Is the difference that big?
hixmix
Halibut, North Dakota
Then, after you have the strat, spend some extra bucks and go for a gibson LP. Used gibson LP's can be had for around $1000.
matty_boy
New member
BrettB:
The Epiphone Les Pauls are not a one piece body, the electronics are inferior, and the necks are quite a bit thinner. Those are the glaringly obvious differences. That said, I really like my epi Les Paul. I have one with a three piece body with wings, so there is no seam in the middle. As I wrote in a previous post, I am thinking about changing the pickups. My advice is to play both, and figure out if the extra cost is worth it to you.
The Epiphone Les Pauls are not a one piece body, the electronics are inferior, and the necks are quite a bit thinner. Those are the glaringly obvious differences. That said, I really like my epi Les Paul. I have one with a three piece body with wings, so there is no seam in the middle. As I wrote in a previous post, I am thinking about changing the pickups. My advice is to play both, and figure out if the extra cost is worth it to you.
Buck62
噛んでくれ
What's a "Start"-o-caster? 
gibs
New member
Typo-casters RULE ! .....................gibs
..........gibs
Cyrokk
Farce of Nature
And if you haven't decided, here are a few more things to consider:
-The wider necks of Strats make them harder to play than Epiphones. Barre chords and heavy left hand action are easier on Epi's
-I have seen Les Pauls with Tremelos (there's a picture with Les Paul himself holding one in his arms with a wide-handled tremelo arm), but they are not stock. So if you have to whammy, you can have one installed (though it may be a little too expensive for an Epi).
And in some ways I take the opposite opinion of jimistone. I think Epi's make great distortion, but not that cold distant distortion. A good contrast is "Whole Lotta Love" done on a Gibson, and "Achilles Last Stand" done on Fender. Plus, GnR's Slash has a tone that I consider "classic rock" because if its bluesy warmth. Slash played an Epi on Appetite for Destruction.
Either way, from a recording standpoint, whether you want an Epi or Strat depends more than anything on the song your recording. From the way I hear music, a song that has an urban feel to it, or something with a bit of Jeff Beck-styled night boogie begs for the use of a strat sound. A song that's supposed to be heard when you are getting drunk in bars, or hanging out with a coven of witches makes the darker and warmer tones of a Gibson or Epi the better mode of expression.
Confused yet or no?
Cy
-The wider necks of Strats make them harder to play than Epiphones. Barre chords and heavy left hand action are easier on Epi's
-I have seen Les Pauls with Tremelos (there's a picture with Les Paul himself holding one in his arms with a wide-handled tremelo arm), but they are not stock. So if you have to whammy, you can have one installed (though it may be a little too expensive for an Epi).
And in some ways I take the opposite opinion of jimistone. I think Epi's make great distortion, but not that cold distant distortion. A good contrast is "Whole Lotta Love" done on a Gibson, and "Achilles Last Stand" done on Fender. Plus, GnR's Slash has a tone that I consider "classic rock" because if its bluesy warmth. Slash played an Epi on Appetite for Destruction.
Either way, from a recording standpoint, whether you want an Epi or Strat depends more than anything on the song your recording. From the way I hear music, a song that has an urban feel to it, or something with a bit of Jeff Beck-styled night boogie begs for the use of a strat sound. A song that's supposed to be heard when you are getting drunk in bars, or hanging out with a coven of witches makes the darker and warmer tones of a Gibson or Epi the better mode of expression.
Confused yet or no?
Cy
matty_boy
New member
On Appetite for Destruction, Slash's main guitar was a custom hand made copy of a '59 Les Paul.
Cyrokk
Farce of Nature
Then guitar magazine must've misquoted the engineer behind the album, because he specifically said Epiphone.
T
TamirE
New member
nothing like custom guitars
get a good custom guitar... both my electrics are customized. one is a custom handmade "strat copy" actually, maple neck, mahagony body with maple top with EMG SL-20 pickup set (85 bridge humbucker and some custom singles in the middle and neck. steve lukather's set. same as in musicman luke). it has a wilkinson bridge and sperzel locking tuners.
the other guitar is an ibanez s470 which i've heavily customized - seymour duncan JB (TB-4) bridge humbucker, seymour duncan cool rails in the middle, and fender lace sensor gold and blue in the neck position. i added 3 switches to select only one coil from each of these "humbuckers" (the middle pickup is a dual rail humbucker actually, in a single pickup. it has 4 conductors. the neck "humbucker" is actually two single coils) so it can actually be anything from a H-H-H guitar to a S-S-S (kinda).
I don't like epiphones anyway. get an american standart strat if you must. or maybe a fat strat (a strat with a bridge humbucker, usually they put seymour duncan pearly gates...).
nothing's like a custom guitar, though...
get a good custom guitar... both my electrics are customized. one is a custom handmade "strat copy" actually, maple neck, mahagony body with maple top with EMG SL-20 pickup set (85 bridge humbucker and some custom singles in the middle and neck. steve lukather's set. same as in musicman luke). it has a wilkinson bridge and sperzel locking tuners.
the other guitar is an ibanez s470 which i've heavily customized - seymour duncan JB (TB-4) bridge humbucker, seymour duncan cool rails in the middle, and fender lace sensor gold and blue in the neck position. i added 3 switches to select only one coil from each of these "humbuckers" (the middle pickup is a dual rail humbucker actually, in a single pickup. it has 4 conductors. the neck "humbucker" is actually two single coils) so it can actually be anything from a H-H-H guitar to a S-S-S (kinda).
I don't like epiphones anyway. get an american standart strat if you must. or maybe a fat strat (a strat with a bridge humbucker, usually they put seymour duncan pearly gates...).
nothing's like a custom guitar, though...