GAS is getting me... HELP

Hi Clau! :D
Les Paul or Stratocaster? What are the difference? Tell me about your experience if you played on those guitar

I have an Epiphone Les Paul and a Fender Stratocaster and there are a lot of differences between both guitars. For example, the sound. They use different pick-ups, so your will get different tones. It's true there are Strats with a humbucker in the bridge but the tone, to me, is different.

They are made of different wood so each guitar has different features. For example, the sustain in the LP is great (read the Bish's comments on his new Gibson LP).

The weight is also different. My LP weighs more than 4 Kg. The Strat is around a half of a LP. Sometimes the LP isn't comfortable. If you play stand... Moreover, the Strat has several "cuts" in the body in such a way it easier to play it.

It is very difficult to me put my Strat down. I hope CitiZenNoir read this thread.

Try to think in LP and Strat players so you could identify their approximate tones (obviously, they also depends on the player's fingers, pedals, etc.). LP is good for rock (classic, hard, metal, etc.), blues, jazz... Strat is not so much recommended for hard rock or metal (although Deep Purple...). In my humble opinion, the tone and the music style are relative concepts.
And does the Les Paul BFG seems to be a good guitar for the price? Did you ever play with it?

Yes. Gibson are really good guitars. I don't know if I'd purchase one of them but undoubtedly they are great guitars. They use great wood, great electronics, great all, but you are also paying for the brand name and, in this case, you are paying a lot.

But if it is your caprice, go ahead! :wink:

Edit: The BFG has a P-90 in the neck and just a tone knob. The P-90 sounds great, very musically. Here there are several fans of the P-90 and they could describe its sound better than myself. But remember it is not the "standard" LP sound. Nothing wrong!
What should I do... Buy a good acoustic to have both good electric and good acoustic? Or buy another electric?

Electrics and acoustics are different instruments. You play them in different ways, the sounds and techniques are also different. You must answer those questions.

You have a Takamine. They are good guitars, you can play acoustic with it, fingerpicking or strumming. You can play acoustic blues. You can take it and go out with it.

If you like to play electric, buy another electric.
What about the 12 string?
David Hodge will recommend you a 12. I just play a 12 a couple of times so I must keep in silence and read his answer for learning! :)
And an electro-acoustic? Can you tell me more about those kind of guitar?
An electro-acoustic is an acoustic guitar with electronics (a microphone and a pre-amp). You can review the prices and you will see the electronics is around 100€ or so. If you don't need play plugged and since you can always add the electronics in the future, I'd try to invest the 100€ in a better guitar, probably all solid and not just the top, better hardware, better brand.
*Might be just a GAS thing, but... Gibson is still a dream! And I'll work many hours during the holidays so... It could be a nice gift for me
If you like it, go ahead! It is a great guitar and you will get a lot of fun with it.

A final word. Don't buy your guitar without check it and play it before. Go to the music store and play all the Gibsons and all the Fenders, Stratocasters and also Telecasters. Play also the acosutics, Martins, Taylors, and Seagulls! Play 6 and 12 strings, dreadnought and concert sizes. Even play a Spanish guitar! Don't be in a hurry. Take your time. To buy a guitar is always funny. And remember: The guitar has to select you! :wink:

Thank you Nuno for this long answer! You gave me some good advice and I'll take note of them!

Still few question about some things you said
Strat is not so much recommended for hard rock or metal (although Deep Purple...). In my humble opinion, the tone and the music style are relative concepts.

What are they good for? Classic Rock?
Yes. Gibson are really good guitars. I don't know if I'd purchase one of them but undoubtedly they are great guitars. They use great wood, great electronics, great all, but you are also paying for the brand name and, in this case, you are paying a lot.

But if it is your caprice, go ahead!

So do you mean I'll pay for the guitar and for the brand and that'll cost me more than another guitar without Gibson brand name?
A final word. Don't buy your guitar without check it and play it before. Go to the music store and play all the Gibsons and all the Fenders, Stratocasters and also Telecasters. Play also the acosutics, Martins, Taylors, and Seagulls! Play 6 and 12 strings, dreadnought and concert sizes. Even play a Spanish guitar! Don't be in a hurry. Take your time. To buy a guitar is always funny. And remember: The guitar has to select you!

Yeah, It'll be a pleasure to play on those guitar :wink: I'll try other brand for sure. I don't really like the look of a Telecaster, but maybe the sound will change my mind, we'll see!

And do you know where I can find price listing for Gibson? Fender has an online catalog with all the price, but I didn't find any for Gibson.

Thanks!

Oh, and what are the difference between Mexican Strat and USA Strat?

What are they good for? Classic Rock?
Strat is Eric Clapton and a lot of blues players: Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray. It is also Jimi Hendrix. And Jeff Beck. It is also Eric Johnson. And Yngwie Malmsteen. And David Gilmour. The Strat is also pop.

Edit: And Mark Knopfler! I forget it! :roll:
And also funky (Nile Rodgers - Chic) and some jazz.

It is not too much for metal, it's true, but with a good effect pedal! :lol:
So do you mean I'll pay for the guitar and for the brand and that'll cost me more than another guitar without Gibson brand name?
Gibson are relatively very expensive guitars. They are very good guitars with very good materials. We are speaking of 2000 USD and up, for example. For this reason, I said I don't know if I'd purchase a Gibson.

I paid 600€ for my Strat. I got a very good price that time. You can buy a lot of really good guitars in that price range (not only my guitar).
Yeah, It'll be a pleasure to play on those guitar :wink: I'll try other brand for sure. I don't really like the look of a Telecaster, but maybe the sound will change my mind, we'll see!
Telecaster is a special guitar. I'm very happy with my guitars but when I learn to play (I'll need 20 or 30 years) I'll buy a Tele.

Read this thread. It is about the Vic's Tele.
And do you know where I can find price listing for Gibson? Fender has an online catalog with all the price, but I didn't find any for Gibson.

Yep, for example, in Musician's Friends. Note they put the "list price" and their price. The gallery at Sweetwater is cool. For European prices, you can check Thomann, a German site. They have a "3D view" in some models.

The Gibson BFG costs 1400 USD (list price), you can find it by 1000 USD.
Oh, and what are the difference between Mexican Strat and USA Strat?
That's a question for Ken (CitiZenNoir)! There was a thread... Here it is: Why no tone control for the bridge pickup. This link can be interesting as well.

Basically, Fender has several factories around the world: USA, Mexico, Japan, Korea (China?). You did you got the price list. In the page 1 or 2, you will see the codes assigned to each factory. Some Strats are made in USA and other in Mexico. Some rare models are made in Japan and Korea. Usually cheaper models are made in Mexico and Korea.

But there are exceptions. My Strat is a MIM, Made in Mexico, and Custom Shop Designed. The Custom Shop makes the higher and artists series. In this case, they design and select the components and was made in the Mexican factory. My MIM Strat is more expensive than some MIA Strats as for example the Highway 1.

Usually there is more quality control on USA factories but each Fender is different. It is the usual comment on Fender. For this reason, it is very important that you play and check your guitar.

Once I read the difference between a MIA and a MIM is around 40 kilometers, the distance between the two factories. The previous threads include more opinions! :wink:

I hope I can help! :D

For the longest time, I played the Gibson is too expensive of a guitar card, especially with the skill level I'm at.

However, I purchased a Fender Strat deluxe and it was $1100. I purchased a Mid-high-end PRS and it was $2400. I bought a really nice Gibson LP and paid just a little bit more than what the strat cost. I had set my limit at $1000 to get into the Gibson market. But if you find a dealer with some serious stock, you might be able to negotiate a better deal. I had my local guitar center dealing heavily with me. They were showing me $2200-$2500 Les Pauls and being one only's they were taking $500 off the markdown price to move them. But I still couldn't justify that much cash outlay.

What I've learned about Gibson, is they are limiting where you can buy one basically by demand unreasonable amounts of inventory to a perspective dealer. My local dealer elected to stop carrying Gibson due to those high inventory demands.

I don't know if you will find what you'd actually pay for a Gibson without finding a dealer to talk to. By far you need not spend that kind of money for a lot of very nice guitars. It took me a long time to pony up to actually spend over a $1000 for a guitar.

Just for reference check these links out....

Under $1000

In this category you will find your BFG, also a good buy on the Mahogany finish with good electronics. I personally didn't like the unfinished appearance but on a budget it would certainly do.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/gibson-solid-body-electric-guitars?N=100001+306241+200988+12

$1000 to $1500

In this range you will find the cosmetics taken up a notch or two for appearance.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/gibson-solid-body-electric-guitars?N=100001+306241+200988+13

$1500- $2000

Again, more body bling, more weight and more "old school" Gibson models.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/gibson-solid-body-electric-guitars?N=100001+306241+200988+14

There should be something in one of these categories that you'll find appealing or should I say willing to make you part with the money.

I stayed at the lower end mostly due to funds and lack of talent. But I now have a Gibson and I do really enjoy playing it so the money spent will fade with time while the return on investment will never end. :mrgreen:

Happy guitar shopping.

On the surface.

Strats -vs- Les Pauls and not speaking of tele's at all.

Most guitars out there are 'modeled' after one of these two. The differences "Typically" are:

Neck - Strat - Bolt On LP - Set Neck (read Sustain)
Wood - Strat- Ash/Alder LP- Typically ALL Mahogony with a Maple Cap (veneer for comsmestics) on the body.
Scale Length - Strats - are a bit longer than the LP
Pickups - Strat - Single Coils (thin biting sound) LP - Humbuckers - Richer/fuller sound, easy to drive an amp into distortion

I own an American Strat and an Epiphone Custom Les Paul. They each have their pluses and minuses.

I absolutly love the sound of the neck pickup on my Strat. You could take the other two away and I'd be fine with it. However I struggle sometimes with the longer scale length (short fingers). For clean sounding music I love my Strat.

I love playing my Les Paul, its my Number 1 Guitar. The weight thing doesn't bother me, (I'm a big guy) For distortion type of Music I love my Les Paul.

Your question about Gibson...in my opinion and why I bought an Epiphone (owned by Gibson). I did the Wasn't worthy thing and I'm still not worthy of a $1500/2000 dollar guitar. However I've played on a few Gibby's and I wasn't impressed really.... FOR THE DOLLAR AMOUNT. Then I played some Epi's and the Custom to me was the best bang for the buck. I could get a Top of the line Epi for half the cost of a standard Gibby.

The American Strat - More expensive than a Made in Mexico Strat... sort of fell in my lap and it was such a great deal I couldn't pass it up.

Between the two I'd say the Strat was the more versatile.. the different tones achievable are fantastic and if I had to have just one Electric I'd probably choose the Strat.
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Happy Hunting.