Epiphone or Startocaster?

[matty_boy]

Not trying to be a jerk Cyrokk. Please don't take offense. I have a picture of and article about the instrument from Guitar World. Seems he couldn't get a good tone, so his manager bought it for him.

 

[gibs]

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

Well, the tones Page got from his painted up tele on the first album and some if not all, (that's never been resolved) on the 2nd album were pretty killer......His 58 LP came into play somewhere around Led Zep II, if not actually on some of the cuts....even Page can't seem to give a definite answer.......I think "Whole Lotta Love" was on II, but it's a toss up if he used the tele or the '58 LP.......funny thing is, when touring way after the first and second albums, and he was using the LP when he played the older songs, he still got the same sound as if he was playing the tele, i.e., he could make any guitar sound like a Lester, apparently.......really confused yet?.......gibs

 

[King Elvis]

No...I dont think Slash used an Epi. I have read as well where it was a custom made guitar based on a 1959 LP.

 

[Tom Hicks]

I have an american standard "Startocaster" and an Epi Les Paul Custom.I hear all sorts of bitching about the Epi Les Paul standards,so maybe the Custom has better finish,hardware etc.I picked up my custom used for $450 from a local music store and have been very happy with it.I just quit my longtime rock band last month and the Epi was my main gig axe.It is a heavy sombitch,though.

 

[matty_boy]

I have a Standard, and I really love it.








Especially when it gets really cold outside.

 

[foo]

You're going to get as many answers to this as there are posters on this board.

The question to ask yourself is:

What do I like? Is it the ballsier sound that the Paul gives, or the greater flexibility of the Strat.

As for - "You have to have this guitar if you want to play this type of music" - that's crap. Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray et al sounded great playing Strats (IMVVVHO, YMMV ) as did a legion of Paul players (Duane, Freddy King, etc etc.).

Get what you like playing and make it sound the way you want it to sound.

Someone (can't remember who) once posted on this board that it's all in the fingers. I saw Robben Ford once playing on a total piece of doo doo amp and he sounded great.

I have both - and use them for different things. If I had to choose one, I'd get the Strat because it is more flxible.

foo

 

[TheGuitarMan]

I'd go with a Japanese Strat. I've never played an Epi Les Paul that I liked.

 

[stonepiano]

another vote for the Strat, regardless of it's make. Unlike many others on here, I would take a gibson Les over a strat (and do, TYVM,) but those epis just seem crappy. It's has none of the strat's smoothness or the Gibson LP's balls.

stone