Appreciate comments regarding feel of LP fretboards

[allen319]

As I have mentioned before, I am a rather inexperienced guitar player or maybe it is better to say not very good. But that has not stopped me from wanting to get better so I just keep practicing and taking lessons while I learn from all of you. Anyway, to my question. I am curious as to how the experienced guitarist compares the feel of Les Paul's to other brands. I also have a MIM Fender Strat and a Taylor 414ce. The Les Paul fretboard seems to feel more like the Taylor acoustic. The Fender has the ease of playability characteristics. Maybe it is because the strings are 9s and not 10s as on the Traditional Pro I have. Also, the Les Paul fretboard feels a bit more cramped and tight as far as the fingering. I like all my guitars but each is definitely different.

[MeKevin]

What kind of fretboard does you strat have, maple or rosewood?

I have owned somewhere around 10 strats and 7 Les Pauls. I played only acoustic for 5 years and then got into strats. I loved them. Now the past 3-4 years have been the Les Pauls. They feel much more quality. The fretboard and nibs are great. Some of the good feel I get of the fretboard comes from the overall quality and weight. Now when I pick up a strat, it feels a little flimsy, but that feeling goes away if I play the strat exlusively for a few weeks.

Pretty much anything that you play a lot, you will get used to, and then when you switch it will feel weird. But sitting in my room having to pick between strat and LP, I'll play the LP, HANDS DOWN.

It can take a few years to really sort out what you like, figure out your preferences. And then even 10 years down the road, things can unexpectedly change, and that's a weird feeling.

[allen319]

Both my Fender and LP have rosewood fretboards. The Taylor has Ebony. I am playing the Les Paul most of the time. I take the Fender to lessons, tho. I am less concerned about that one getting nicks and dings.

[MeKevin]

Well, just remember that anything that you are used to is going to feel like home, and it is going to feel weird when you switch, until you get used to the new. I started out on a nylon string for 2 years, and so anything else felt cramped and I didn't think I would be able to play it. Of course, now if I pick up a nylon, it is way to big. After playing a lot of instruments, switching around isn't so strange and you get a better idea of your own personal preferences. For me though, like I said, a Les Paul is where it's at.

[RedSkwirrell]

I have a '90 Std with rosewood fretboard and a '10 Ltd with ebony.
I find both to have a nicer, smoother feel than other guitars I've tried.
I personally prefer the ebony, and always have (I have a Charvel with a great ebony board too).

[OBX351]

Just my $0.02 but I've owned over 20 used/new and vintage strats including a '63, a '64 and a '65. I've also played a bunch of '50s strats. I currently own 2 strats one that's about 7 years old and the other is about 30 years old with a '55 neck. Aside from the size of the neck and the weight of the guitars I generally can't do the blind taste test on the starts, unless of course I plug it in. Some of the reissues, especially the MIJ 80s and 90s reissues do a great job or recreating that vintage guitar feel. However I can say that some of the newer overseas stats have some kind of finish on the necks with gives away the fact that it's new.

I've owned several older LPs including a '58 LP TV and an '62 LP/SG Jr as well as a few modern LPs like my R8. I've also played a lot of early to late 50s LPs. I really think there is a difference in feel between Gibsons and the LP style guitars that are out there. For instance I own a Dillion LP GT and I used to own a really nice Eppy with a bigby and I could definitely feel a difference between both of those guitars and real Gibson.

To make a long story longer, where the real difference is for me is the tone/sound of the guitars for both Fenders and Gibson. The lower end guitars feel good but 9 times out of 10 don't sound that good. I am not suggesting that a $300 to $500 Eppy/Dillion/Whatever made somewhere in Asia is going to sound like a real burst, but FOR ME they don't even come close to the sound of a real Gibson. For this reason I've sold all of my Eppys and other Asian made LPs. The only one that cuts it is my Dillion GT with P90s.

So the moral of my rant is that feel is good to have but the real difference is the TONE/SOUND as well as SUSTAIN and this is where I draw the line. Strats feel like strats and LPs feel like LPs, where you separate the men from the boys is when you plug the guitar in, hit an open chord and listen for tone and sustain without effects.

I suggest that you play what you have, get an idea of the sound that you like and go out and play other guitars without effects and you'll hear the difference.

[politenessman]

i have a rosewood fb on my trad 1960 and an ebony board on my studio. the ebony board feels and plays much better, and i am very aware of it when i am playing non ebony fb guitars.

[tzd]

Originally Posted by allen319

As I have mentioned before, I am a rather inexperienced guitar player or maybe it is better to say not very good. But that has not stopped me from wanting to get better so I just keep practicing and taking lessons while I learn from all of you. Anyway, to my question. I am curious as to how the experienced guitarist compares the feel of Les Paul's to other brands. I also have a MIM Fender Strat and a Taylor 414ce. The Les Paul fretboard seems to feel more like the Taylor acoustic. The Fender has the ease of playability characteristics. Maybe it is because the strings are 9s and not 10s as on the Traditional Pro I have. Also, the Les Paul fretboard feels a bit more cramped and tight as far as the fingering. I like all my guitars but each is definitely different.

I think you are referring more to the width and spacing of the fretboard rather than the fingerboard material. Yes the Les Paul feels more like an acoustic - the neck is narrower than a Stratocaster, and it is also shorter - it has a shorter scale length. I find it easier to play with the shorter scale length. You'll just need to play it more and you will get used to it soon. Every guitar feels and play different.

[ehamady6]

I play 2 Jacksons and a Les Paul Custom. The Jackson necks are definitely shaped for speed and shredding, but the low action on my Custom along with its "baseball bat" neck tricks my mind into thinking it's just as fast. I play faster on the Jacksons and over the years my hands have become so used to switching from one guitar to another that I hardly notice the transition. And ebony fretboards rule.

[nauc]

i picked up a Strat the other day, hadnt played one in years. if felt awesome. it played really good, and felt really good

might buy one, again

[allen319]

Thanks for all your replies and comments. I am always interested in getting the thoughts and suggestions from experienced players. As i gain more guitar time, I definitely am beginning to appreciate the differences and characteristics of each guitar that I play. One of the noticeable things I feel from the Les Paul is a sense of quality or maybe it is a feeling of structure from the fretboard. Anyway, of my 4 guitars, it certainly has moved to number one.

[revtime]

This won't help at all but I can not tell the difference in wood used on a fretboard. Now the size of the neck I can tell but if I close my eyes and you put a guitar in my hand I couldn't tell you what wood the fretboard is made of. Perhaps a carpenter with a lifetime of experience could tell. But all I am looking for is that its smooth and doesn't give me splinters.

[bufbills]

Originally Posted by allen319

As I have mentioned before, I am a rather inexperienced guitar player or maybe it is better to say not very good. But that has not stopped me from wanting to get better so I just keep practicing and taking lessons while I learn from all of you. Anyway, to my question. I am curious as to how the experienced guitarist compares the feel of Les Paul's to other brands. I also have a MIM Fender Strat and a Taylor 414ce. The Les Paul fretboard seems to feel more like the Taylor acoustic. The Fender has the ease of playability characteristics. Maybe it is because the strings are 9s and not 10s as on the Traditional Pro I have. Also, the Les Paul fretboard feels a bit more cramped and tight as far as the fingering. I like all my guitars but each is definitely different.

As far as being cramped, your Les Paul is scaled different than your Fender. Not sure of the Taylors scale. My short fingers tend to struggle on Strats down near the nut. Les paul with a 60s neck is perfect for me. I can do a 59, but the baseball bats are out for me.

[River]

Originally Posted by revtime

This won't help at all but I can not tell the difference in wood used on a fretboard.

I think that's quite helpful, akshully.

I've got two Melody Makers with nearly identical neck shapes. One has a Brazilian Rosewood board, the other Baked Maple. I can only tell them apart by the fret height (the '60's are worn down almost to "fretless wonder" size).

I can't feel my Tele's unbaked Maple, for that matter, since it has a Gibson-sized radius.

[ToneasaurusRex]

Originally Posted by allen319

. . . Anyway, to my question. I am curious as to how the experienced guitarist compares the feel of Les Paul's to other brands. . . .

Not to be a wet blanket here, but you are gonna get as much of a variance among "experienced" opinions as you will "novice" opinions . . . and everything in between. So many factors like fret size, shape and thickness of the neck, scale length, pickups, pickups, (PICKUPS!), string gauge, bridge type, on and on . . . are all subjective.

Great music's been made with all types, choose what feels right to your hands and ears.

Peace

Rex

[Bill h]

I agree with what Rex said, in the end if you like the way it sounds and feels you have what you need. As far as how gibsons stack up against other guitars, well, I have a 68 reissue lp and an american ash body 2002 strat and I love them both but to me nothing stands up to the massive wall of sound the lp delivers. Rock on