Are Les Pauls "Easier" to play?

IceCreamMan

I recently acquired 2 les pauls ..and i am finding em "easier" to play than strats. Is it my imgaination ?

vic

IceCreamMan wrote: I recently acquired 2 les pauls ..and i am finding em "easier" to play than strats. Is it my imgaination ?

Interesting....in what way would you say are LP's easier to play than eg. Strats ? One normally hears just the opposite ?

Jacquesg4j

Do you have large hands and fat fingers?? Hahaha

AlanRatcliffe

Generally, yes - for a few reasons. Most importantly, the shorter scale length (24.65" v. Fender's 25.5") means that the strings are at a lower tension for the same note and gauge, so they feel a lot softer. On the other hand, you do lose a lot of the "snap" of a longer scale length/higher tension.

Something that doesn't apply as much any more but got them a rep as being easier to play is the 12" fingerboard radius, which means that the action could come down lower without fretting out on bends than the vintage Strats with their smaller, rounder 7.25" radius (which was more comfortable for chording). Modern Strats are mostly 9.5", so the difference has narrowed quite a bit.

Finally, humbuckers speak out louder and bolder and drive an amp harder without having to put as much energy into playing. They are more compressed, having less dynamic range - which evens out less consistent playing. The downside is that they don't have as much dynamic range for the player who likes to use that in their playing.

Bob-Dubery

IceCreamMan wrote: I recently acquired 2 les pauls ..and i am finding em "easier" to play than strats. Is it my imgaination ?

Alan beat me to it. The scale length makes a big difference. Both my acoustics have the same scale length as a strat. If I play a Gibson acoustic, which typically (but not always) have a Les Paul scale length I can feel the difference that the lower tension makes.

Wizard

The neck angle of the LP may also make it more comfortable to play than a Strat.

Reinhard

What Alan said.
If I play my tele or strat it just feels too much like hard work.
Love the shorter scale. Even going up to 11's is comfy to play. If the particular guitar has a low neck angle it can feel even easier to play.

singemonkey

Not just the scale length, but also the wider string spacing.

But a lot will depend on the guitar's setup. A really well set up Strat should play almost as easily.

Keira-WitherKay

? all dpends how strong your back is........... i've always loved les pauls..ok not as much as tele's but i have a soft spot for all the traditional 50/60's guitars ....... ?

i was tempted with a 2nd hand 80's Gibson Les Paul standard just a few weeks ago .....

i loved the look (it was slightly distressed ) and the tone was what a lp should sound like(fat and sweet) and the neck felt good but when i even sat and played i could feel the extra weight even with the guitar on my thigh sitting.......... so much so that after a while the weight was making me lose circulation and i had to shift it after about 20 min of play ......

it's very uncomfortable for me to have that weight in a guitar ......... i can play with a tele for 4 sets with the tele on my thigh in about the same sitting position and not feel the weight but just 20 min with the LP and i was shifting it about trying to get/stay comfy ?

so 10/10 for feel ,tone and looks but that weight and the discomfort created by the weight would make it more difficult to play than a fender even tho the neck is easier to play ........

Reinhard

Try a SG Keira, best of both worlds. And they're sexy ?

Bob-Dubery

Y'all are what the Scots would call "Jessies". Soft Jessies at that. There's nothing more manly than feeling a round wound 56, stretched over a full, proper scale length biting into your fingertips as you bend past the semitone.

Seriously, isn't there some kind of trade-off? Strings on a strat will have more tension, but also will not move as much when vibrating. So that says to me that you should be able to get the action a little lower. Plus the extra tension helps with slack key tunings - things stay in tune a little better.

Keira-WitherKay

Reinhard wrote: Try a SG Keira, best of both worlds. And they're sexy ?

? mmmmm not a fan of SG's the neck heavy thing is uncomfortable to sit and play...and i sit for my gigs. my Gibson'esque guitar is my vintage 175 copy ..wouldnt mind a real Gibson 175 ? and they great to sit and play with .but a whole other tone.......

as for a SG being sexy ...mmmmmmmm me thinks it's in the eye of the beholder...... i haaaaaaaate that shape....... .but then the proof of that it's in the eye of the beholder is that most peeps hate the tele shape and i think for me thats the sexiest shape to ever grace a guitar, ?

vic

X-rated Bob wrote: Y'all are what the Scots would call "Jessies". Soft Jessies at that. There's nothing more manly than feeling a round wound 56, stretched over a full, proper scale length biting into your fingertips as you bend past the semitone.

Seriously, isn't there some kind of trade-off? Strings on a strat will have more tension, but also will not move as much when vibrating. So that says to me that you should be able to get the action a little lower. Plus the extra tension helps with slack key tunings - things stay in tune a little better.

...or 9.5 pounds of pure Gibson slung around the shoulders ! ?

They play so lekka 'cause they sound so lekka ?

Tokai-SA

IceCreamMan wrote: I recently acquired 2 les pauls ..and i am finding em "easier" to play than strats. Is it my imgaination ?

I was watching Gavin Morein playing today, he's been gigging with Strats for years but he's just added a Les Paul to his arsenal.
There's a complicated riff he's been trying to play on his Strat for ages using hybrid picking, he hasn't been able to nail it perfectly...today he was playing it over and over flawlessly using the Les Paul...big smile on his face.
Nothing convinces a guitarist to buy a particular guitar quicker than when he's suddenly able to play something that he's previously struggled to play.

The latest Les Paul you acquired can still improve by another 10/15% (hard to believe but true)....lowering of the nut slots and slight drop in action will make it play even easier.

Bob-Dubery

vic wrote: ...or 9.5 pounds of pure Gibson slung around the shoulders ! ?

Well there's that too.

Jimmy Page had all those straps stretched by the sheer weight of the Les Paul. The thing was banging on the floor boards half way through the set.

IceCreamMan

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Generally, yes - for a few reasons. Most importantly, the shorter scale length (24.65" v. Fender's 25.5") means that the strings are at a lower tension for the same note and gauge, so they feel a lot softer. On the other hand, you do lose a lot of the "snap" of a longer scale length/higher tension.

Something that doesn't apply as much any more but got them a rep as being easier to play is the 12" fingerboard radius, which means that the action could come down lower without fretting out on bends than the vintage Strats with their smaller, rounder 7.25" radius (which was more comfortable for chording). Modern Strats are mostly 9.5", so the difference has narrowed quite a bit.

Finally, humbuckers speak out louder and bolder and drive an amp harder without having to put as much energy into playing. They are more compressed, having less dynamic range - which evens out less consistent playing. The downside is that they don't have as much dynamic range for the player who likes to use that in their playing.

Aha , so its not my imagination .... it really does feel more comfortable less effort is needed...i thought i ws dreaming,,,Thanks Alan...yet again ...i owe you a good coupla beers by now i reckon

IceCreamMan

Tokai SA wrote:
IceCreamMan wrote: I recently acquired 2 les pauls ..and i am finding em "easier" to play than strats. Is it my imgaination ?

The latest Les Paul you acquired can still improve by another 10/15% (hard to believe but true)....lowering of the nut slots and slight drop in action will make it play even easier.

Indeed a mighty fine product you are involved with....great service too...

If you ever need a lefty trier outer of yr products , i'm yr man ?

kensilke

IceCreamMan wrote: I recently acquired 2 les pauls ..and i am finding em "easier" to play than strats. Is it my imgaination ?

Definately the case. I own a Gibson SG and a great Fender Strat & the Gibson is for easier to play. I think it something to do with the neck radius.

singemonkey

And Ken rocks that SG ?

Charlie4

Let's say a Gibson and Superstrat are both set up as optimally as possible, low action = soft feel, both easier to fret etc. Does this mean the Gibby is still going to play easier, regardless, as the question implies?

I understand technically why it would seem easier to play but since the shape and size of your hands come into play, I'll say it's more subjective what's easier to play and what's not.
My 2c.