Do I Need a Tele, Les Paul, or a Strat?

Upon its release, the Telecaster was an efficient, simple, rugged, and instantly recognisable sounding guitar. It was a hit, played by almost countless guitar players at the point - many of them household names themselves: Keith Richards, Andy Summers, Jimmy Page, Rick Parfitt, The Edge, Robben Ford (and the list goes on). Telecasters are exceptional for anything clean, all the way to medium/higher ends of gain. The single coil bridge pickup has an iconic mid-range bark, the middle position has a bright and spanky twang, and the neck pickup has a desirable warmth yet retains tightness when you pile on the gain. While simple on paper, the Telecaster will be a trusty companion in almost any musical setting, there’s a high chance it will serve the job at hand.

When most people think of a guitar, they think of the shape of a Stratocaster. Why? Well, to name just a few players, the Stratocaster was the choice of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, John Mayer, and Hank Marvin. The Stratocaster, or Strat, comes equipped most commonly with 3x single coils and 5 various combinations of using them. In position 1, the bridge pickup can be bright and ideal for lower gain rock. In position 2, the bridge and middle pickup offer delicate yet lively possibilities that are perfect for clean to mid gain tones in funk and pop. The middle pickup can offer fun non-orthodox mid-boosted tonalities that can be excellent for tone experimentation. Position 4 allows the middle and neck pickup to create a warm yet expressive character due to the mid cut that the two pickups provide (listen to Slow Dancing In A Burning Room by John Mayer, you’ll know what I mean). Then the neck pickup needs no introduction, punchy, warm, great with high and low gain – it’s hard to find a musical situation where you can’t use it. Now, there is a relative of the strat called the ‘super strat’, that is often brightly coloured, has a floating floyd rose tremolo, and is often found in metal. Think of these as a strat with a bit more ‘oomph’ and modern capability. They have thinner necks, higher output pickups, and are ideal for those beloved late 70s/80s styles of hard rock and metal. Whatever your fancy, there is most probably a strat for that.

Many people are Fender players, the others are most likely Gibson players. Adored for its warmth and sustain, the Les Paul will never not be desirable. Used by players such as Slash, Zakk Wylde, Randy Rhoads, and Gary Moore, it is used everywhere from Jazz to Heavy Metal. Its bridge pickup offers sustain and thickness that can only be achieved when you have the classic single cutaway body style. The middle position engages the neck pickup as well to offer chimey cleans that add brightness and further tonal possibilities from this otherwise warm model of guitar. The neck humbucker is where the money is often found, luscious warmth, almost endless sustain, and listen to Parisienne Walkways if you are yet to be convinced.

It’s a tough decision, so when in doubt... get all three!