GIBSON LES PAUL VS FENDER STRAT | A CLOSER LOOK 

Rick had the best argument. "I look way cooler with my Les Paul" haha

Ironic that the word "sustain" was cut off from editing lol

"I'm not nearly as old as he is". That was uncalled for 😂😂

5:38 "all the time, every day" I used to like Rick Beato. Now I love him

Mark Knopfler plays both a Strat and a Les Paul, usually for different songs requiring different tones. IE Sultans of Swing, he uses a Strat but he uses a Les Paul for Money For Nothing. Different tools for different jobs.

If your a beginner, the biggest challenge is keeping yourself motivated and interested. So pick the guitar that makes you feel more confident and the one that aesthetically resonates with you. If you ever get past intermediate, trust me, you’ll end up buying both.

I like looking at Les Pauls, I love playing Strats.

For me, Les Paul is like a Harley Davidson. It looks beautiful, it's cool, it sounds amazing, but the owner will suffer a lot.

I own a Strat, Les Paul, SG, and ES-335. Like children, they are all unique and special, and I love them dearly.

3 essential guitars: Les Paul, Strat and Tele.

When I think of Jeff Beck... I think a strat honestly

I enjoy your channel Rick even though I don’t understand 99% of the content.

Another important difference for me. Doing quick tuning changes (like going from standard to drop D) usually takes a bit longer to do on a tremolo bridge (like the strat). Because re-tuning one string affects the other strings more drastically.

Great video! The only right thing to do is to get at least one of each.

Love how the word “sustain” was not sustained

I guess being an infantryman has prepared me for playing a Les Paul. I’m used to carrying a lot of weight for a long time. 😆

They're both great like I always tell my wife it's important to have both in the arsenal, she's not convinced.

Strat VS Les Paul. Winner=Telecaster

To quote the late, great Mr. Zappa; "Shut up 'n play yer guitar"

The issue with a custom les Paul is that nobody can afford them

I just can't get away from how the strat hugs me when I play.

Never mind playability or even player ability, nothing beats the aesthetics of a black Les Paul 😁

You two guys are a perfect video duo for all us guitar gear heads. I enjoy your videos very much! Thank you so much! 😎👍

This is a fantastic video - very informative in breaking down the differences. Thanks!

Love the Gibson tone for soloing, I miss my '57 Special - Cherry Sunburst. Another tuning issue with the Les Paul comes because the head-stock configuration requires the string to 'bend' at an angle when it travels from the nut in order to be threaded into the tuning post. Fender's head-stock is designed to remedy this.

The 5 fingers of tone. •Gibson ES-335 •Gibson Les Paul •Fender Stratocaster •Fender Telecaster •Rickenbacker 12 String

This was incredibly insightful and thorough. Thanks guys

Super informative as always with you guys. Love it.

Some of the editing in this one took me back to when my dvds would skip

I am the owner of the most advanced Strat model with the far more modern Rose model whammy bar and the Humbucker pick up leaving me missing nothing I want and solving the problems that existed with a whammy bar that could not bend up AND down while staying in tune. And with the Humbucker in the 1st position I have the extra power for screaming leads plus the mellower bluesy jazzy options as well. The perfect guitar FOR ME! I also use a Yamaha double jumbo sized 12 string acoustic from 1971 and a fender jazz bass! Beauties all 3 of them!! Interestingly because of my love for Led Zeppelin my first electric was a black Les Paul copy. It was a very meh copy and after I got into Hendrix I switched and never looked back!

Simply the best comparison I ever saw. And I ve seen a lot. Thank you very much!

As always another great video. I have followed you since 2017 but somehow missed this video up until today. I appreciate all your videos: What's Great, interviews, technical issues like recording/drum sounds, etc. but most of all is when you record a "tribute" video to one of our heroes that have died -- as I am always touched and is helpful to share the loss of the person while celebrating their contribution. Oh the other video I really like are the discussions with Rhett and Dave. Always fascinating. Keep up the great work!

The major difference in playability is the scale length because it alters the tension of the strings; a shorter scale length requires less movement to perform bends up to high tones and this, combined with the flatter fretboard of the Les Paul makes it a much better choice if you like doing bends all over the place.

I don't understand why you'd talk about the tone difference rather than just playing notes back to back and audibly giving the difference

I think the biggest reason the Les Paul has tuning issues on the G & B strings is because of the 3 x 3 paddle shape and string spread on their headstock. That's a wide string break after the nut and the strings pinch in the nut causing slippage and your tuning issues. That's why guitars like PRS with a straighter string pull over the nut doesn't have the same problems.

Very cool! Thank you guys for the clarification!

I think you did a good job! But isn't Jeff Beck mostly know as a Strat guy?! At least today?

I am Les Paul player and I really wanted not so dark tone, tremolo and longer scale. That's why I bought PRS and I'm the happiest person on the planet :)

IMO, the Les Paul Custom is the best sounding guitar from Hard Rock to Metal

I think for new guitarists (myself included) the most important factor is how if feels when you hold it, whether sitting or standing. I picked the guitar I wanted most, not the one that fit me best (a Jackson Dinky). One of the problems with it is neck dive (the headstock is heavy and it wants to fall), so it is hard to keep level. Plus the body shape makes a big difference too. When I first held a Strat, I liked it much better than the Dinky or the Les Paul Special I own. Now I just need to purchase a Strat!

Probably the first video of your’s that I actually understand most of what you’re talking about!

"About to take heat but I'm old and don't care. I have both and many more. I got the Strat because there are Strat tones I wanted that can not be got with an LP. The harsh reality was stated by Rhett; Strats and Strat copies are really easy to make so many players start with them and never look back. I get this. When you take an honest look at the work that goes into each, the Strat was designed and built as a cheap, mass-produced starter guitar and the Les Paul was not. The Les Paul was never cheap; it was a premium USA made guitar; multiple wood parts, carved top, inlays, bindings, internally routed electrics, higher quality switches, pots, tuners. But the Strat makes tones I like. Today's price wars are stupid; "high-end" Strats play and sound great but their basic manufacturing is still cheap and they don't sound so much better than the cheaper ones. I know, same argument used for the modded Chibsons. All true. There are many great posts already; one that caught my attention was along the lines of build-your-own Strat; I agree strongly. There is nothing truly "special" about my American made Strat. I'm very tempted to build my own from parts; high end stuff but to make something unique and better than anything the Fender Shops put out. Also, though I really love my Fender and Gibsons dearly, my Music Man Majesty kicks their butts; lighter, just as fast, more tone options..... I also think relic-ing is really stupid. Deliberately beating up a guitar to give it fabricated mojo. Dumb.

I'm planing to build my guitar. So this has been really helpful to figure out the pros and cons to both types of guitars.

I own an American deluxe Strat and an Epiphone LP Studio and each brings something special. What I love about my strat is how comfortable it is to play. The body is scalloped and rounded, and fits like a glove which allows for hours of comfortable playing. It also does bright bell like tones and quack giving it a unique voice. The strat bridge is also so easy to adjust action and intonation with each string getting it's own setup independently. I'm less crazy about the volume knob position which makes palm muting less comfortable, but on the other hand it's easier to hook a pinky around the volume and use it like a volume pedal while strumming. What I love about my LP is the sustain and the pickups have so much output you can get a really screaming guitar sound easily. The headstock also tends not to bind the B and E strings as much when tuning compared to the little trees on the strat. I'm less crazy about the LP body shape and the way the squared edge of the body digs into my arm when I play seated. It's lacking the ergonomics of the strat. I don't think you have to pick one or the other, it's like picking a socket or a wrench, both turn bolts, but each has advantages.

I've got a Gibson Super 400 and a Telecaster Thinline. Hollow body guitars rule. My main guitars, however, are Martin acoustics. A good video. Thanks for sharing.

Very informative video! Both instruments are amazing but I have to say that Gibson is gorgeous and looks even better with the way the inlays have changed colour over time, beautiful instrument!

This is great! I'm about to get my 2nd guitar after my 1st Less Paul. I can now make a more informed decision . Thank you guys!

i've been wishing for a discussion like this for quite some time.

I have a mahogany Stratocaster with a humbucker love that guitar

I'm glad you mentioned scale length but you didn't mention the two obvious consequences of the strat having a longer scale: the string tension is noticeably higher (to achieve the same pitch with the same string gauge) and the frets are further apart. All other things being equal, both of these effects make playing the strat a little harder, at least for newbs like me with little fingers.

Great post guys!! Wish I had seen this 40 years ago!! 😂😂

Cool info as usual, Great stuff fellas.

I'm still a crappy guitar player, but having played both years ago, the biggest disadvantage to a Les Paul (when I am pushing 60) is the weight. Four sets in a bar with that anchor around my neck? The sound good, but Fenders are so much lighter. All that said, since all I play now is a Martin acoustic and let the younger folks handle the electrics, no longer an issue.

I'm not a musician but hearing about what you the musician hears makes me a better music listener. Thanks

Have always known a lot of these differences but, I have to say this is a perfect presentation of them. Every new or old guitar player should see this.

Great discussion, i am lucky enough to have one of each but i have a real soft spot for the Strat!!! just love the feel and play ability of it

Great vídeo I Havre a HSS Strat and i can be as versatile as I want

Making music is akin to painting a portrait... We are fortunate to have a wide range of sounds in our sonic palette. Strat vs Les Paul, is like saying something like... red vs blue. With that said, Strats rule...!!!

My first guitar was a Gibson S-1. One of the most amazing guitars I've ever played. It was basically a Les Paul Jr body with a Flying V neck. Extremely versatile electronics for a 70's guitar.

WOW! YOU DID IT RICK, 3 MILL PLUS. CONGRATS BROTHER.

"Even though I'm not nearly as old as he is". Ha. Savage. lol.

"When you think of that you think of J- *cuts to Jimmy Page absolutley shredding* I died

Excellent job guys, very informative. Now I know what I want to buy. I'm getting both. Canada.

Found this super helpful and enjoyable! A Treat! Thanks Rick!

When I went to get my first electric guitar I wanted a Jackson or an Ltd cause I was really into Megadeth and Metallica. But I ended up getting a squire strat with a humbucker in the bridge instead cause the others were too expensive. Turned out to be a great decision cause it's a solid guitar, plays heavy stuff reasonably well with the humbucker and is definitely more versatile than a double humbucker guitar since I can now play all the grunge songs, which is my new obsession.

Strat v. LP The most iconic battle in history! Also I'm gonna have to go with a Strat on that one. Sounds cool to always play on, my heroes used them, and I love Blues and Jazz! Not that you can't play Rock with them, but Blues is where home is for me!

Thank you very much for you knowledge!

Fantastic stuff you 2 very clear easy to understand 👍

This is like comparing asparagus to cotton candy. Personally I love both!

Like the strat, don't like the volume knob right up against the bridge.

i know this was uploaded 2 years ago but one of the upsides of a les paul is that due to the 2 humbucker configuration, it has the ability that you can switch to the neck HB and can roll iff the tone knob to get a very nice and creamy jazz tone.

@5:39 - I could seriously just watch you guys ALL DAY. Hilarious.

till the end I was thinking “how can they forget to talk about the length scale ? “ to me it’s a big difference you feel in the playing especially when bending on a LP string tension is lower so it’s easier to bend a whole step and more

I own both, the strat is in my hands 90% of the time. The strat just fits my hands better, stays in tune better and fools me into thinking that I’m better than I really am.

I have both, I love both, I use one or other dependending on specific contexts

Wow! mind blown! thanks guys. lot of information.

I'm a strat guy. I love the les Paul's necks and great sustain. A Les Paul's weighs more than a fully loaded M16 which is 8lbs 3oz. So I'm going to get an SG instead.

A player once told me, 99% of all music was recorded on six guitars: Les Paul, Strat, Tele, 335, Rickenbacker & Gretsch. I couldn't argue with him.

Great video guys! So informative! I have an LP Tribute butvRhett makes a strat sound well worth it!

My first guitar was a PRS SE24 Custom and I loved it 🥂

1 of each please, end of debate.

********** ARE YOU GUY'S SOME KIND OF "TEAM" NOW??..........MAYBE WE SHOULD START CALLING YOU "THE RICK-N-RHETT SHOW" ?? **************

Very informative. I have always had Fenders (Strat/Mustang w/ humbucker), but was thinking about getting a Les Paul. I always thought they were about the same just the bridge and pickups were different. I never really thought about the other stuff. Thanks!

Warmoth! Thank you for mentioning them, I built a P bass in 87, and recently upgraded the neck, searched the world, going Warmoth, love this neck!

The tuning stability of a Les Paul’s tail piece is negated by the headstock angle break angle from but to tuning machine, notoriously on the G string.

Obviously there’s certain styles you can really only play properly on a Strat or Strat copy etc, because of the lower drive and the separation it creates, but if I had to choose I’d still take the Les Paul. That aggressive, full, rounded tone from the Humbuckers is something I could not live without. I’ve loved them since I was a kid, even just the basic design and styling is so attractive. It’s refined, mature, capable, and very powerful.

Awesome video please do more of these comparison videos they are great as my dad has a 1979 Gibson The Paul a 1995 fender strat and a 2001 Fender Telecaster. We also have a few acoustic guitars with a Martin a Gionini Italian classic guitar and a Yamaha. I love moving between each one and getting a different feel for them! This explained a lot keep it up 👍

My first guitar was a 1963 silvertone kay dbbl pickup electric archtop i got in 1967 from my dad. and right after that i bought a Global Electric guitar dbbl pickup one issue by sears n Roebuck co. That was a awesome guitar and i wish i hadn't sold it for $300.00 in 1983. Loved that 🎸. I now play a simple Epiohone top pro les paul that just amazes me. Irun it through my peavey stereo chorus 400 i use both channels when playing and i use a BOSS-ME80 foot switch for effects..serious serious bad ass tones and power..great video.thanks for posting.!

Gibson SG & Fender Telecaster>>>

Im an SG type myself :)

Hi Rick! Where were your videos in the 70s when I played in a band, huh? I would have been such a better musician!! Although I haven't touched a guitar in years I still enjoy your in depth analysis of great songs, and the delight of discovering new bands and songs. Speaking of this video, I would like to see you do series on key moments in the evolution of rock guitar (anywhere from technical details to styles of playing) and other instruments as well. Thanks so much for what you do!!

My first, and I loved it, was a Les Paul Standard. Later, I got a Fender American Special - became my favorite electric (I play mostly classical) - got another Les Paul. I love them both, for different reasons.

I see Jeff Beck as a Strat guy. Leo designed the Strat to be more ergonomic. New Strats can have RWRP center pickup, so the quack positions are humbucking... always request this feature! The quack positions are not out-of-phase, btw. You can turn the extra Strat tone control into a blend knob... if you can blend the bridge pickup in at any time, this gives you the 'all three' sound as well as the neck-bridge sound... super versatile then, it sounds like a Tele with neck-bridge. LP's are fragile at the headstock... falls over one time, it breaks... LP's are way expensive and fragile. HSS Strat is the best guitar out there for me... love the vibrato tailpiece, a Bigsby on an LP is a poor replacement.

Very strange looking les Paul...didn’t realise that it comes in one piece! That headstock for some reason is firmly attached to the neck!🤣😂😂

Like Rhett, my first guitar came from Walmart. It was a First Act Strat copy. It came with the little amp, strap, picks, cable, everything to get going. The strings were about a 1/2" off the fretboard. Horrible action. My babysitter's father was a guitarist and when he came to get his daughter one night, he saw it sitting there in the living room and picked it up. The look on his face was priceless. He asked "do you actually PLAY this thing?" Well, yeah...as best I can. He asked if he could take it home a set it up properly. Sure. He brought it back the next day and I could not believe how well it played, sounded, stayed in tune, just a whole new guitar. And because of that, it was fun to play. It wasn't a chore that I dreaded. That put the Gear Acquisition Curse on me, and off to the races I went.

I've owned/own all of the above. Still own two Strats. I recently picked up a used American G&L custom build T-style guitar with Mahogany body, Rosewood fretboard/maple neck and humbuckers w/coil tap. I think it is the ultimate guitar for any style and I love it!

Ive been playing 7.25 radius for too long. I cant quit now.

Could you do a sequel where you play them a little instead of just talking about them?

Love the kibitzing , cheers lads

Finally someone asking the real questions