What is it about a Les Paul?

normula1

I played Strats for years, then my lovely bought an Epi LP which I played for a good few years then a Gibson gold top which got played exclusively for ages. Now I'm lucky enough to just pick up what ever I feel at the time.

Danielsguitars

I love a Les paul, that's what I've built the most but over the last few years I just want to update it so it's more comfortable with better upper fret access, this probably started when I did a LP special, it was a great guitar to play, then a DC junior was an effin beast with a dog ear p90, I think it kicked a bursts arse in drop d or with gain and so my taste might have changed a little but I'll never get rid of my goldtop 

slacker

I am fortunate (old) enough to have a number of nice guitars. I've had a les paul classic since December 2004. It's not my most versatile guitar but there's some music and sounds it just does effortlessly.

I am not a fan of prs guitars, well actually i like the look and the build quality, but think that in trying to improve on other designs they lost something. 

Sassafras

I've often wondered what it is about a Les Paul that makes it such a popular guitar.
Can't see it myself.

TTBZ

johnl said:

To me a Les Paul feels like a "proper" instrument - something about the combination of top carve, set neck and, to a degree, the slight awkwardness of the design reminds me of a violin or a cello. A tele feels more like a more grown up cigar box guitar....

Yeah there’s a bit of this in it for me as well. At the same time there’s also something really appealing about the simplicity and rough around the edges design of a tele. Expensive “nice” Fenders still always feel a bit cheap and basic to me but a nice Gibson feels like a proper instrument.

Crazyblue1779

So I sat down last night and did a bit of back to back playing, and I still can't put my finger on it.  I suppose I'd need to have the same pickups etc in each to really compare, but I guess while the PRS resonates more, it sounds thinner, which may be part of it. Also I have been playing the Epiphone longer so I am certainly more comfortable with it.

It's also occurred to me that the PRS has (I think) 9's on it as I've not changed the strings since I've got it, but the Epiphone has 10's. 

Whatever it is, the PRS is still a fine guitar, and probably should be the one that's kept, but time will tell, because one or the other has to go!

ICBM

Crazyblue1779 said:

Whatever it is, the PRS is still a fine guitar, and probably should be the one that's kept, but time will tell, because one or the other has to go!

If one has to go, it’s the PRS. Never talk yourself into believing that you ‘should’ prefer the ‘better’ guitar.

Many of us have made that mistake, and it’s always a mistake.

Fez

When I got my PRS se24 Custom last year it was up against 6 strats an Epi Les Paul (customised with a sperzals and a Holy diver) and a Gordon Smith bit it still gets it's share of play time. In fact I have grown to like more and more as time goes on.

PhilKing

After my first few cheap guitars (Vox Clubman, Rosetti Airstream and Columbus LP), I finally got a brand new 55 Special back in 1972.  I kept it for about a year and then traded it on a 72 LP Custom.  Since then I've always had at least one LP.  I love them but they have issues (some of the 72's weigh a ton, my Deluxe is one of them).  My Feline Lion solves some of the issues, but I still love to play a Custom.

Voxman

ICBM said:

Sometimes guitars just feel and sound right to you, and sometimes they don't.

This!  The name on the headstock has nothing to do with it. 

skullfunkerry

Sometimes guitars just have something about them. I had a Jackson Dinky years ago which I loved the look of: black paint, chrome hardware, reverse headstock, great pickups, really nice neck and a Floyd that worked perfectly. The longest I ever played it though was at a band practice. At home, I'd pick it up, play it for two minutes and put it down again, there was never any kind of connection.

I was trying to explain it to a friend and he said "It's got no soul", which was probably the best way of describing it.

All of my guitars now are the opposite: I pick them up to have a quick play for a few minutes, and before I know it an hour has passed...

Dave_Vader

I've got a proper shit Epi Les Paul I made out of bits for absolutely nothing.

It sounds fucking amazing when you get up the dusty end of the neck and there is just something about it.

I'd never gig it as it won't stay in tune and most of the neck is wood-filler.

But yes, there is something about them

sweepy

Les Pauls are an ergonomic nightmare and frustrating on every level but a nice one has a particular sound that you cannot get from any other guitar 

TINMAN82

sweepy said:

Les Pauls are an ergonomic nightmare and frustrating on every level but a nice one has a particular sound that you cannot get from any other guitar 

I think they’re the most comfortable guitar to play standing up, until you reach the 17th fret and hit the heel of course.

The forward position of the waist and weight concentrated in a small body make sitting without a strap pretty treacherous.

They do have the x factor though and are a bloody gorgeous instrument.

sweepy

TINMAN82 said:

sweepy said:

Les Pauls are an ergonomic nightmare and frustrating on every level but a nice one has a particular sound that you cannot get from any other guitar 

I think they’re the most comfortable guitar to play standing up, until you reach the 17th fret and hit the heel of course.

The forward position of the waist and weight concentrated in a small body make sitting without a strap pretty treacherous.

They do have the x factor though and are a bloody gorgeous instrument.

A Les Paul feels like a hired Tuxedo whereas a Strat feels like your favourite Jeans and Shirt  

ICBM

I’ve never found them that un-ergonomic. I do find the neck position a *tiny* bit too far to the left, and many of them do have an overly steep neck angle which makes it worse at the headstock end, but I find they balance pretty much perfectly either standing or sitting, unless they really weigh a ton - or are less than 8lbs.

The fragile headstocks put me off one for a gigging guitar though, unless it has a maple neck. Unfortunately most of the maple-neck ones also weigh a ton and usually have the ugly sharper cutaway point...

merlin

Les Pauls are great. In many ways. Although the neck heel and delicate headstock join bug the shit out of me to be honest. 

Do yourself a massive favour and if you're not stuck on the name on the headstock then get yourself a Feline from Jon @FelineGuitars. Best thing I have done. 

grappagreen

I have a great one.. pick it up, play it for ten and then grab a Strat... sometimes you just have to own up to the fact that despite wanting to like something it isn't for you..

hermannkymn

It's the first love that got over me, but I never got over it. So after a lengthy separation, last winter I bought my first Gibbo LP in over a decade, and it whilst we still have serious issues (small hands means encroaching up the dusty end resembles the cry of a choking feline), the heated passion is still alive and well. 

PolarityMan

No other guitar I've played has the sheer balls of an LP.