Best all round humbucking pickup guitar?

No contest, the Les Paul! The history of rock-n-roll was made on the Les Paul (along with Fender for the single coil sound). There are far to many legends to name, that used the Les Paul. The 335 is a great guitar too, but rock n roll, for me anyway, is the Les Paul sound.

I own two Gibson Les Pauls, so I know a little about the downsides of them. You wanted to know what they are. For me, they are:

1. They are heavy! Can make your shoulder sore if you play a long set.

2. They are expensive!

3. Gibson's quality control can be a little iffy - check the one you want to buy CAREFULLY before you purchase.

No contest, the Les Paul! The history of rock-n-roll was made on the Les Paul (along with Fender for the single coil sound). There are far to many legends to name, that used the Les Paul. The 335 is a great guitar too, but rock n roll, for me anyway, is the Les Paul sound.

I own two Gibson Les Pauls, so I know a little about the downsides of them. You wanted to know what they are. For me, they are:

1. They are heavy! Can make your shoulder sore if you play a long set.

2. They are expensive!

3. Gibson's quality control can be a little iffy - check the one you want to buy CAREFULLY before you purchase.

+1 to everything CFB mentioned. Yes, they ARE heavy. I thought it was just me. My shoulder is on fire after one hour of playing.
But that aside, there is no better sound IMHO. I own one and that's all I need. (for now!) Not taking anything away from the Fenders, they have an awsome sound and are great guitars no doubt.

Why did I choose a Les Paul? The sound and the feel. I played about 20 guitars before I chose my LP. 10 of them were other LPs. This is the only electric guitar I've ever owned. SOoo happy I have it.

SG

Positives: not as heavy as either LP or 335, more distinctive, edgier tone and better ID. Also sounds great with P90s

Negatives: neck heavy, "flexy" neck on some models (not all)

Others near the top of the list: PRS Hollowbody II, Gibby L5

Squier Custom Telecaster. I've been extremely happy with mine for over two years now.

Positives....it's a hell of a lot cheaper than an LP or an SG! Nice range of tones between neck and bridge p/u's, it's a very versatile guitar that can be used for anything from country to blues to classic rock to metal. Well made, and the neck is beautifully smooth.

Negatives...I still haven't found any. OK, I've recently upgraded to a Fender Tele, but I still love my Squier. It's a fairly weighty hunk of wood though, not much lighter than an LP....

A very affordable guitar, well made, suitable for beginners to advanced, suitable for any genre. What more do you want from a guitar!

http://www.squierguitars.com/products/search.php?partno=0327502506

:D :D :D

Vic

Interesting responses and thanks for them all. I never thought of the SG nor the Fat Tele (or Fat Strat) as "all around" guitars. Not that they are bad or anything but not as versatile as the LP or 335. In my mind (perhaps wrongly) I imagine them this way:

LP - covers everything but the woody hollow body Jazz and the twangy country sound
335 - covers everything but the deep metal sound (and the most pure of the boxy woody hollow body jazz for which you "must" have a pure jazz box)

SG - covers all of the metal of the LP but missing almost all the jazzier sounds, only gets the harder edged blues, and no twang at all
Fat Tele - covers most of the middle ground but missing more of the jazzier end and much of the hard rock end

Is my impression of the range of the guitars wrong? Would you bring a fat tele to a jazz jam? Would you bring an SG to a blues jam?

Is my impression of the range of the guitars wrong? Would you bring a fat tele to a jazz jam? Would you bring an SG to a blues jam?

Ya think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ Sister Rosetta Tharpe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PczPU6w4M70 Danny Gatton & Tom Principato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Df09Sodpk Les Paul & Mary ford

Is my impression of the range of the guitars wrong? Would you bring a fat tele to a jazz jam? Would you bring an SG to a blues jam?

Ya think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ Sister Rosetta Tharpe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PczPU6w4M70 Danny Gatton & Tom Principato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Df09Sodpk Les Paul & Mary ford

+1 -- Thanks for the examples, Moonrider.

I think too often players think a certain guitar is just "the best" for a particular style or genre. Then along comes some genre-busting player that shows it can be done a different way with a different guitar, and hoards of amateur players run out to buy the new "magic" axe. Two notable examples are Hendrix and the Strat (a 'country' guitar) and Page and the LP (a solid body 'jazz' guitar).

As far as the "best all around" guitar: I gave up on looking for the most tonally flexible guitar a long time ago. I'd rather have something that has a distinct voice, and learn to use that voice in playing different styles.

There is only one

or

or

I can't decide so others will have to. :wink:

Ummm - I counted three there, Bish....a red one, a blue one and the dark-red one.....one, er, two, ummm, three......

:D :D :D

Vic

Hey, I'm just a drummer. I don't know how to count stuff.

Is my impression of the range of the guitars wrong? Would you bring a fat tele to a jazz jam? Would you bring an SG to a blues jam?

Ya think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ Sister Rosetta Tharpe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PczPU6w4M70 Danny Gatton & Tom Principato

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63Df09Sodpk Les Paul & Mary ford

+1 -- Thanks for the examples, Moonrider.

Sure, I understand what you're saying about being able to use any guitar (or even any instrument) for any style of music. However, there are "generally" accepted sounds for certain styles of music - partially from social construction ("this is what everybody does so it's what you're used to") and partially from the result of experiment.
I think too often players think a certain guitar is just "the best" for a particular style or genre. Then along comes some genre-busting player that shows it can be done a different way with a different guitar, and hoards of amateur players run out to buy the new "magic" axe. Two notable examples are Hendrix and the Strat (a 'country' guitar) and Page and the LP (a solid body 'jazz' guitar).

Sure, it sometimes happens that applying a new or heretofore unused for that style instrument takes off and changes the face of music but that doesn't happen really all that often. Most often it seems, the new instrument is either tried and forgotten, relegated to "second fiddle" status, or used only for novelty effect. As an amateur more than a professional I'm looking for the instrument that I can take to a jam and be able to play more often than not and not for the instrument that I'll get to bring out for a single song because it's the oddball. Just for example, when I was on holiday in Scotland and went to the traditional Scots folk music jams with my uncle there was a fellow there with the small pipes (a form of bag pipe) that was lovely in a song but because of it's distinct voice it would overpower the song and it was only called on for a few songs. Even Jethro Tull doesn't bring out the flute for every number.
As far as the "best all around" guitar: I gave up on looking for the most tonally flexible guitar a long time ago. I'd rather have something that has a distinct voice, and learn to use that voice in playing different styles.

Sure, but you've been playing a lot longer than me and I need to have my turn at looking for "the most tonally flexible guitar". ;-)

I would have to say my yamaha SG1500 :wink: although there are many guitars out there that are excellent humbucking guitars (mainly the LP) i just love my underappreciated yamaha. The downside is that it is heavy! much like an LP......

i do like my washburn HB-35 too, but that sound is much different than the yamaha!

i guess it boils down to the combination of body and pickup.

Sure, but you've been playing a lot longer than me and I need to have my turn at looking for "the most tonally flexible guitar". ;-)

Then get a Fat Strat (H-S-S) -- one of the most tonally flexible guitars you can buy.

Hmmm...

I own four humbucking guitars, an LP, SG, Strat HSH, and Squier '51. They all have their strengths and weaknesses.

Strat- Pros- very flexible guitar with many various tones possible, whammy bar. Cons- A little thin sounding.

LP- Pros- rich creamy tone, excellent guitar for "heavier" music with distortions. Cons- very heavy guitar, tone can be a little too dark at times.

SG- Pros- rich tone like LP but slightly brighter, also easier to play high, super lightweight. Cons- a touch neck heavy.

Squier 51'- Pros- Very distinct tone all it's own. Easy to play. Cons- Probably not suited for heavier styles of music.

I like all my guitars and play them all, but the SG is my favorite. Lightweight, easy to play, and great tone clean or distorted. 8)