Electric Guitars Les Paul for blues ?

PeterSchroeder

Munich, Germany
I started playing guitar with an Epiphone SG ( got it by chance) this year in springtime. In the meantime I got a cheap Squier Bullet Strat for traveling. I always struggle with the SG‘s handling - neck dive and everything seems to be much further left compared to the Strat or a Les Paul, nevertheless I prefer the sound of it over the Strat. Now got a chance to get a second hand Epiphone Les Paul Plus Pro. Played a Gibson Les Paul from a friend and was happy with the balance and sound. Now, should I replace the SG with the Les Paul, buy the Les Paul and keep the SG (would probably cause an argument with my CFO, aka wife) or get used to the less rich sound of my Strat which has a nicer handling compared to the SG ?

Maybe stupid question, but as a beginner I appreciate every kind of advice.
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
Maybe stupid question, but as a beginner I appreciate every kind of advice.

From this group, the general consensus will be to keep them all! And I concur!
insanity.jpg

But what do I know?
 

Iheartbacon

Blues Junior
First, every guitarist should have at least one Strat and one Les Paul. At least one Tele is also highly recommended as well. SG’s fall further down the list in the optional category.

So, do not sell the strat and get the Les Paul.

BUT, there are a few things you can do to make the strat sound like you want. You can put in single coil sized humbucker pickups like the Seymour Duncan lil 59 or other offerings. Depending on the routing you can get a new pickguard and make it HSS (humbucker and two single coils) or HH (two humbuckers). Another approach favored by superstars like Clapton, Buddy Guy, Steve Winwood and Iheartbacon (perhaps slightly less well regarded than the others) is to add the Fender/Clapton mid-boost kit to your strat.

The mid boost kit turns the three knobs into a master volume, a mid boost, and a master tone or TBX tone. The guitar sounds stock with the midboost at 0 and the volume at around 7. Turn the volume up to 10 and you get higher output without changing the tone. Turn up the mid-boost and it thickens the tone and can REALLY drive an amp or pedals with a full 24 dB boost on tap. If you want fully boosted mids without too much distortion, you can crank the mids and turn the volume down. It is super versatile and a lot cheaper than another guitar. Plus, the Strat will always be a better, more ergonomic guitar than a Les Paul.
 
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artyman

Fareham UK
When I was in the market for a Les Paul I tried an Epiphone and it played real nice, I went for the Gibson, which didn't play quite as nicely, as I preferred the sound, in some ways I think I should have got the Epiphone and swapped the pickups. The Epi's are excellent guitars
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
I love my Les Paul's. In fact all of my Gibson's! And the strats are great too! Les Paul's are great for Blues! So is the SG!! I have thought about getting a cheaper SG for open jams so I don't need to risk bringing one of my better Les Paul's to the shady part of town. Just try to get a heavier SG and a suede strap and they balance mo betta. I've bought and sold guitars over the years (mostly bought). I find that I might start with a baseline model and upgrade as I can get a deal. Then I loose interest in playing the baseline model and sell it. Now it's about having enough room for all of them. So these days I generally look for a better one (whatever that is). The main thing you need to do is get the CFO to understand your enjoyment and support you as best as the economics will allow. If you are limited to the number you can have? Buy the best you can get! But always have one that you can bring to the shady part of town to play an open jam. But make sure you enjoy playing your jamming guitar!! Good luck!!! :Beer:

BTW, I'd get the Les Paul and keep the SG.........
 
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dan5150

Shredding the Blues
I am not really a Gibson guy as I prefer the longer scale of a Strat. But, based on what you said, you don't like the ergonomics of the SG but like it's sound more than your cheap Strat.

If you like the way the Les Paul feels and sounds more than the other 2, then get it. Then sell the other 2 and play the crap out of that one guitar.

That guitar and your mustang amp will get you really far. As you get better and finally decide you are looking for a sound your LP just can't get, and you have some extra cash, then go get something different.
 

Terry B

Humble student of the blues
I would solve your dilemma by getting the LP you want, keep the CFO onside by selling the guitar you don't like anyway (the SG), and use the proceeds to upgrade the single coil pickups in the Strat that you otherwise like. Then you'll have both sides covered (single coil and humbucker) and ready to go. :whistle:
 

straightblues

Blues Junior
Les Pauls are great for playing the blues. Get one. A strat with a humbucker will not sound like a shorter scale Les Paul. Sell off the SG if you need to, (to keep the peace) or keep it if you can.
 

Jalapeno

Student Of The Blues
I have a Les Paul and an Ibanez Strat copy. Both of them make a beautiful bluesy noise. SG's are really nice guitars but if I had to choose to have only two of the three I would go with the LP and the Strat. Actually, that's what I did :)

Eric
 

Iheartbacon

Blues Junior
A strat with a humbucker will not sound like a shorter scale Les Paul.

While technically sorta true, if given a blind recording of one of the two, pretty much no one could reliably tell which one it was.

A/B side by side samples would make it somewhat easier, but I think you would find it MUCH harder than you presume.

I have been involved in quite a bit of blind testing of audio and music gear, and it is truly amazing how much the human brain thinks it can hear but truly cannot once other information is removed.
 

matonanjin

Chubby, old guy trying to play some blues.
Maybe stupid question, but as a beginner I appreciate every kind of advice.
Certainly this is not a stupid question. It is a great question.
The gibson les paul studio hp models 2017 and 2018 are the ultimate blues guitar machines.

But PRS has some nice options also!

View attachment 8936

I have a Les Paul and an Ibanez Strat copy. Both of them make a beautiful bluesy noise. SG's are really nice guitars but if I had to choose to have only two of the three I would go with the LP and the Strat. Actually, that's what I did :)

Eric

How many historically significantly blues songs have been recorded with a Les Paul? But when you are talking about a LP what is probably significant about the tone is the dual humbucker growl. A Les Paul was my first "good" guitar. (My 2nd "good" guitar was a Strat.) Unfortunately, the LP just got too heavy for me and I ended up selling it. I am now a confirmed PRS fan. I've now got a handful or so of guitars and far and away my favorite is my PRS Hollowbody. Gorgeous, delicious humbucker/hollowbody tone and light!

It's my opinion, and that of Eric and I think others above have said this, if you are going to play blues and if you you are going to have two guitars it should be a humbucker (LP) one and a single coil (Strat) one.
 

CapnDenny1

Student Of The Blues
Ditch the SG if you don't like the feel.

LP's can be used for anything, from country to rock to blues to jazz.

If you like the Strat and the LP, consider PRS. They are kind of in between.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
This is simple:
Sounds like you're not in love with the SG.
I say......... tell the CFO you want to get the LP and keep the SG.:eek:
She will object. (this is good)
Let her win
the argument and dump the SG because she said so.o_O
Results:
You then get a LP that you really like.:)
You keep the strat for something different (everyone needs a strat).
She feels like she won, which makes you a winner.(y)
Hold that card for the next argument that you don't want to lose. (you may want a tele );)
 
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Many Moons

Biking+Blues=Bliss
tell the CFO you want to get the LP and keep the SG.:eek:
She will object. (this is good)
Let her win
the argument and dump the SG because she said so.o_O
Results:
You then get a LP that you really like.:)
You keep the strat for something different (everyone needs a strat).
She feels like she won, which makes you a winner.

De-----Vi------Ous:sneaky::sneaky:
 

matonanjin

Chubby, old guy trying to play some blues.
Ditch the SG if you don't like the feel.

LP's can be used for anything, from country to rock to blues to jazz.

If you like the Strat and the LP, consider PRS. They are kind of in between.

PRS "kind of in between"? That is....................curious.
 
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