Anyone looking to buy a new guitar might be overwhelmed with the choices available, especially if he or she is new to the world of guitars. There are acoustics, electrics, solid-bodies, hollow-bodies, classical, and multiple brands and styles to choose from. However, as far as solid-body electric guitars go, there are two classics that stand out from the crowd: the Fender Stratocaster, and the Gibson Les Paul. Both guitars were released in the early 1950s, and have become the standard by which all other electric guitars are measured. For years, guitarists have argued about which one is better, but it’s really a matter of personal preference since each has it’s own sound, style, and feel. I’ve played many different Strats and Les Pauls over the years, and have a good grasp of the similarities and differences between the two.
The first thing a budding guitarist will notice is the way a guitar looks, even though it makes little difference in the sound or playability. Les Pauls and Strats are both beautiful guitars, but each has a distinct style. Although available in solid colors, Les Pauls usually have a carved maple top, with some type of stain such as Honey Burst, Sun Burst, Tobacco Burst, or one of several other finishes. The carved top is contoured, unlike the flat tops on Fender guitars. Also, the fret markers on a Les Paul fret board are trapezoid shaped mother of pearl inlays, which add an extra layer of beauty to these instruments. Strats, by comparison, only have small black dots for fret markers that are functional, but don’t add much to the looks of the instrument. Some people, however, consider the Les Paul’s single cutaway body style dated. When I began playing guitar at age fourteen, I thought Les Pauls looked like antiques, and have only begun to appreciate their style in the last ten or fifteen years. The Stratocaster’s body style, on the other hand, is probably the most recognizable guitar in existence, and is the one most people think of when they picture an electric guitar. The double cutaway style is famous around the world, and imitated by almost every other guitar company. Strats are available in solid colors, black and red being the most common. They are also available with a Sun Burst finish, which is also extremely popular. Some people have described Stratocasters as looking like classic cars, especially some of their original colors such as Fiesta Red, Sonic Blue, and Foam Green.
Visual aesthetics aside, the real test of a guitar is sound and playability. Stratocasters and Les Pauls sound quite different from one another. The main factor in the tone of an electric guitar is what kind of pickups it has. Pickups are basically magnets that “pickup” the vibrations of strings, similar to microphones. There are two main types of pickups, single-coil and humbucking. The names refer to how the pickup is wired. The single-coil, which was invented first, has six coils wired around individual posts for each string. They work very well for sound amplification, but are also excellent antennas that are prone to picking up electromagnetic interference, and tend to hum loudly and cause feedback. Feedback is a high-pitched squeal that is the result of a “loop” between the input and the output of a microphone and speaker. Some might argue that guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix have used feedback to create interesting effects (such as the intro to Foxy Lady), but generally speaking, feedback is considered an undesirable attribute. Humbucking pickups, on the other hand, have two larger magnets, each magnet being coiled separately with opposing polarities to phase out the “hum” of the interfering frequencies. From what I can gather with my limited understanding of electronics, each magnet carries the desired string vibration signal and the unwanted “noise” signal. Since the polarities of the magnets are opposite, the unwanted signal is cancelled out. However, with improper wiring the desired signal will be left out and one will hear only the noise. Most people consider humbuckers as being “warmer” sounding, which basically means lower and mid-range frequencies. This sound can be heard on Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”, Duane Allman’s solo in “Whipping Post”, and in the Jazz recordings of Les Paul, who helped invent the guitar that bears his name. Single coil pickups are noted for having more treble, and are frequently heard in country, funk, or surf music. Examples of the single-coil tone can be heard in the recordings of Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, Dick Dale’s “Misrelou”, and Prince’s earlier recordings. In the beginning, Les Pauls and Strats both had single coil pickups. Around 1957, Gibson began using humbucking pickups in their guitars, while Fender stuck with single coils. Les Pauls became known for a “fatter”, “heavier”, sound, while Strats are thought of as having a “quacking”, or treble type sound. Of course, now days Stratocasters are available with humbucking pickups, and Les Pauls are available with “soap bar” style single coil pickups.
However, the pickups are not the only factor that account for the sound of a guitar. How a guitar is constructed, and the type of materials used affects, not only, the sound of a guitar, but the durability, weight, playability, and price of an instrument. Les Pauls have a mahogany body and neck, with a maple top. The mahogany body has a much “darker” sound than the ash or maple body of a Fender. This is due to the fact that Mahogany trees have dense, hard fiber in between the rings, which compresses the higher frequencies, including upper midrange tones. Maple and Ash trees, by comparison, have dense rings with soft fiber in between that allow high and upper midrange frequencies to be heard. Also, Les Pauls have a set neck with a slanted headstock, while Fender uses a bolt on neck with a straight headstock, making Strat necks much less prone to breakage. Les Pauls are notorious for having broken headstocks, partially due to the pressure from the strings along the slant of the headstock. I worked in a guitar store for almost eight years, and I have seen many broken Les Paul necks. Fender guitars are available with a maple fret board, or a rosewood fret board, while Gibsons are limited to rosewood. The rosewood fret board gives a warmer sound, and has a rougher feel to it. I prefer maple necks for their “twangy” sound, and smooth lacquered finish, which seems to me to aid vibrato and note bending. After talking with many guitarists over the years I believe I am a minority in the Rosewood vs. Maple debate, since most have told me they prefer the Rosewood. Another factor to consider is the weight of the instrument. Les Pauls can weigh up to eleven pounds, while most Strats are around the seven-pound range. This might not seem like a huge difference, but after having one strapped on your shoulder for an hour or two, Les Pauls become very uncomfortable. Recently, Les Pauls have been made available with chambers hollowed out of the body to reduce weight. Some people say that the sound is not the same, while others disagree. Playability is also very important to a guitarist. Les Paul’s have a raised bridge, similar to a cello, while Stratocasters have a flat bridge. I find the flat bridge easier to play, for the most part, but it partially depends on one’s style. The other main factor in playability is the size of the fret board. Les Pauls have a 24-¾ inch scale, while Strats use a 25-½ scale board. Again, this may seem like an insignificant fact, but if you sit down and play each guitar you will notice a big difference. For someone with smaller hands, a Les Paul may be in order. However, I prefer the Fender scale because there is more room to maneuver.
All things considered, both Les Pauls and Stratocasters are amazing instruments. They are both made in America by experienced craftsmen (except for cheaper models made in Mexico and Indonesia), and despite quality issues within both companies during the seventies, have withstood the test of time due to their extraordinary design and functionality. However, for a beginning guitarist, I think the Fender Strat is the best option. For one thing, it is a much lighter guitar than the Les Paul, with the exception of the newer “weight-relieved” instruments. Also the straight headstock and bolt on neck make it more durable, and easier to repair in the event of damage. It is also available with a rosewood or maple fret board, unlike Gibson guitars. However, perhaps the most important feature to a beginner is price. A deluxe Fender is in the $900 to $1200 price range, but a Standard Les Paul starts at around $2500. Not to mention the fact that Fender has a “Made in Mexico” Strat for around $350, that is almost as good as the American one. As a matter of fact, when I toured the Fender factory in California, they told us that the parts for the Mexican Strats were made in America, and that they were only assembled in Mexico. Gibson, on the other hand, charges $1300 for the Studio Les Paul, which is not built as well as a real Les Paul. The Studio model has volume and tone knobs mounted on a circuit board instead of individually wired, which makes modifications to the electronics difficult if not impossible. The Studio LP also has a thinner body, and does not have binding on the fret board and top, which is a cosmetic issue, but also one of the reasons that normal Les Pauls are so pricey. So for someone looking for that first guitar, I believe you can get much more “bang for your buck” by purchasing a Fender Stratocaster.
by Ryan Bass
