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Should You Buy a Stratocaster Guitar Or a Les Paul Guitar?

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Ask the average person to describe or sketch an electric guitar and they will most likely come up with something that resembles a Fender Stratocaster or Gibson Les Paul. These two guitars have been imprinted on the unconscious of many people for many reasons.

Since their introduction in the 1950s, the Strat and LP have dominated much of the electric guitar market. Both deliver revolutionary improvements in both playability and audio performance. Each style is a completely different and heavily copied design; Completely different tone and playing style.

Difference between Stratocaster and Les Paul:

Scale length

One major difference between the Stratocaster and the Les Paul is the scale length—the length of the string measured from the nut to the bridge. The Les Paul is 24.75 inches (63cm) long compared to the Stratocaster's longer 25.5 inches (65cm). This has an impact on both sound and playability.

The longer scale length results in more space between the frets, and the greater string tension makes it a bit more difficult to play for those with smaller hands. The Stratocaster's longer scale produces a brighter, more resonant sound while the LP's shorter scale is to some extent for its warmer, rounder sound.

Pickup configuration:

Although Stratocaster and Les Paul are available today with a variety of pickup configurations and switching options, their classic pickup array is an important differentiator.

A traditional Stratocaster is equipped with three single-coil pickups (arm, center, horse). A traditional Les Paul has two humbucker pickups (rod and horse).

Single coil pickups tend to sound brighter, crisper, and overcome dense frequency mixes. They also tend to generate noise due to electrical interference.

Humbuckers are designed to eliminate noise, and they typically produce a thicker, deeper sound than single coils. Very broadly speaking, single coils are suitable for blues, funk, surf and country styles. On the other hand, Humbucker is often used in hard rock, metal, blues and jazz styles. But this isn't a staunch rule – both pickups can be used to play whatever you want. Sound quality is something very personal and both guitars are very versatile.

Body

The Stratocaster features an asymmetrical double cleavage that is aesthetically pleasing and allows for more access to the high notes. The Les Paul has a unique single notch for analog fretboard access.

Should You Buy a Stratocaster Guitar Or a Les Paul Guitar?

Fender Custom Shop crafted this postmodern Journeyman Relic Stratocaster with a host of modern features hidden under a classic look.

The Les Paul has a thicker, heavier mahogany body, often with a carved maple top lid. Stratocasters are easier to manufacture with a slimmer, contoured body crafted from a single slab of wood — usually ash or alder. Strat is also heavier than LP.

Les Paul product line

Today's Les Paul lineup includes many variants including this 2017 HP Les Paul Standard equipped with modern enhancements but still with all the original LP hallmarks.

Neck

The Stratocaster rod is slightly thinner than the LP and is preferred by some players with smaller hands. With a slightly curved neck (radius), the Strat feels more rounded and comfortable for some players while others prefer the heavier weight and wider width of the LP neck for better bending. It should be noted that both Gibson and Fender offer models with non-traditional boom configurations.

The other significant difference is how the neck of each guitar is connected to the body. The Strat features a bolt-on neck that greatly simplifies the manufacturing process while providing a secure connection. The LP, on the other hand, has a set neck to the body, which requires more skill to manufacture. The LP's fixed boom, along with its humbucking pickups, contribute to a warmer sound and higher sustain.

Bridge and Tailpiece

The Stratocaster is equipped with a tremolo horse with a one-piece tail with a individually adjustable saddle. This feature allows for easier guitar setup when hitting strings.

Although the Stratocaster's tremolo bridge allows for flexible bending action, there is one downside: It can cause the strings to be out of tune.

Most Les Pauls are equipped with Gibson's Tune-o-matic fixed horses that have two adjustable posts with a bar between them containing the individual saddles. Then the strings that end at the tail end are called "stop bars". Most players give this setup high marks for always keeping the rhythm.

Is Stratocaster or Les Paul right for you?

The LP and Strat are iconic for good reasons. While they have very different personalities and playing characteristics, both are extremely versatile guitars. If you're on a budget, there's nothing better than owning both!

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