Strat Vs Tele: What's better?

[RickRS]

It's circular.
Stratocasters are better than Telecasters, which are better than Stratocasters....

And we could go: Led Pauls are better than Stratocasters, which are better than Telecasters, which are better than Led Pauls....

And then we could go: ES-335s are better than Gretschs, which are better than Rickenbackers, which are better than Led Pauls, which are better than Stratocasters, which are better than Telecasters, which are better than ES-335....

Now reverse the order of guitars in all those statements. What does it mean?

WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM ALL!!!! IT'S THE ONLY WAY!

[Guildman]

Originally Posted by RickRS

It's circular.
Stratocasters are better than Telecasters, which are better than Stratocasters....

And we could go: Led Pauls are better than Stratocasters, which are better than Telecasters, which are better than Led Pauls....

And then we could go: ES-335s are better than Gretschs, which are better than Rickenbackers, which are better than Led Pauls, which are better than Stratocasters, which are better than Telecasters, which are better than ES-335....

Now reverse the order of guitars in all those statements. What does it mean?

WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM ALL!!!! IT'S THE ONLY WAY!

I appreciate your perspective but I can continue to live without a Les Paul. Wouldn't trade my 1992 Peavey Predator for one except for financial reasons.

[stephenT]

A Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul, a Strat sounds likes like a Strat, a Gretsch sounds like a Gretsch,..

A Telecaster sounds like the person who's playing,..

[patrickgm60]

Originally Posted by stephenT

A Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul, a Strat sounds likes like a Strat, a Gretsch sounds like a Gretsch,..

A Telecaster sounds like the person who's playing,..

Interesting view.

As to the topic's question: I have one of each and am equally happy inflicting indignities on the Tele and on the Strat; therefore, neither is better than the other.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by stephenT

A Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul, a Strat sounds likes like a Strat, a Gretsch sounds like a Gretsch,..

A Telecaster sounds like the person who's playing,..

Kinda funny there are tele snobs now. They used to be the poor stepchildren.

[Ian111]

Originally Posted by stephenT

A Les Paul sounds like a Les Paul, a Strat sounds likes like a Strat, a Gretsch sounds like a Gretsch,..

A Telecaster sounds like the person who's playing,..

I couldn’t disagree more. Every guitarist I admire famous and not so famous sound like them no matter what they play. I think a guitarist has really made it when he or she can sound like them no matter what they pick up, even if its a Hello Kitty guitar or a guitar with a single string. I want every guitar and amp too (nice equipment sure is nice) but from what Ive observed it has little to do with expressing your personality.

And if a Tele doesnt sound like a Tele its trying to sound like something else just like any other guitar.

[stephenT]

Never a poor stepchild in my house, it's always been The electric guitar to own and play.

All I should have to say is "Muddy Waters" but I'll add Luther Perkins, Merle Haggard, Steve Cropper, Waylon Jennings, James Burton, Keith Richards, Clarence White, Marty Stuart,.. (forgot Jimmy Page)!

I'll stand with those snobs, gladly.

Any guitar YOU own is great. The question was asked, I answered, it's an opinion. It's what we do here.

Originally Posted by raysachs

Kinda funny there are tele snobs now. They used to be the poor stepchildren.

[Ian111]

Originally Posted by stephenT

Never a poor stepchild in my house, it's always been The electric guitar to own and play.

All I should have to say is "Muddy Waters" but I'll add Luther Perkins, Merle Haggard, Steve Cropper, Waylon Jennings, James Burton, Keith Richards, Clarence White, Marty Stuart,.. (forgot Jimmy Page)!

I'll stand with those snobs, gladly.

Any guitar YOU own is great. The question was asked, I answered, it's an opinion. It's what we do here.

Well you basically said every other guitar is somehow a lesser instrument (a lesser vehicle for personal expression) than a Telecaster. I mean do we need to name drop all the famous players who made their deeply personal mark in popular music/our collective memory with a Strat or a Les Paul?

I’ll play Led Zeppelin on a Strat. I’ll play Hendrix on my Les Paul. Its my room and I’m crazy that way.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by stephenT

Never a poor stepchild in my house, it's always been The electric guitar to own and play.

All I should have to say is "Muddy Waters" but I'll add Luther Perkins, Merle Haggard, Steve Cropper, Waylon Jennings, James Burton, Keith Richards, Clarence White, Marty Stuart,.. (forgot Jimmy Page)!

I'll stand with those snobs, gladly.

Any guitar YOU own is great. The question was asked, I answered, it's an opinion. It's what we do here.

Plenty of great tele players for sure. And it’s a great guitar, like the others. But in the past I saw people making what I considered ridiculous statements about Strats, Lesters, 335s, Gretsch, Riks, etc, but never teles. It was a workhorse, people played em proudly, nobody made lofty, snobby sounding statements about em (it’s an opinion - I got one too).

I’m a strat guy, not because I think it’s THE BEST guitar, but because I know from experience it’s the best guitar FOR ME. I’d hear people say stuff like that about Strats and I’d call them out too. Nobody used to talk like that about teles - I guess it’s come up in the world.

I’ve played everything at one time or another and, unfortunately, I sound pretty much like me on all of em. Including, but waaaay not limited to, teles. But I’m most at home, feel like I sound a bit more like my best self, on a strat. I love teles, love semi-hollows, love nearly anything with a P90 in it, like Les Pauls, Firebirds, and the like. But when I’ve owned any of them along with whatever strat I had at the time, they’d die of neglect because I always reached for the strat. Almost never played the others, even though I dug em when I did. I posted a video on another forum where I was playing some Les Paul like thing with humbuckers, and someone commented that I played like I should be playing a strat. True enough.

Enjoy your tele(s) - I’ve loved a couple of em over the years. They’re great guitars. But if anyone expresses the opinion that ANY guitar is the only guitar that a player sounds like him or her self on rather than like the guitar, I’m gonna call that opinion out every time.

-Ray

[stephenT]

That's pretty much what I wrote about the telecaster and drop all the names you like. We have the time. Did you happen to notice that name dropping was in response to someone else's post?

So,.. who here doesn't understand this a place for opinions??

Originally Posted by Ian111

Well you basically said every other guitar is somehow a lesser instrument (a lesser vehicle for personal expression) than a Telecaster. I mean do we need to name drop all the famous players who made their deeply personal mark in popular music/our collective memory with a Strat or a Les Paul?

I’ll play Led Zeppelin on a Strat. I’ll play Hendrix on my Les Paul. Its my room and I’m crazy that way.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by stephenT

That's pretty much what I wrote about the telecaster and drop all the names you like. We have the time. Did you happen to notice that name dropping was in response to someone else's post?

So,.. who here doesn't understand this a place for opinions??

Opinions about guitars are a given, and they're generally expressed in terms of personal preference, because that's what they always are. Not better or worse, just better or worse for me or you. But your statement about strats and Les Pauls and Gretschs sounding like strats and Les Pauls and Gretschs but Teles sounding like the player who's playing it is more than an opinion. It's an implicit put down of those who prefer strats or Les Pauls or Gretschs and somehow holding the tele up as the PURE guitar because only it allows/forces the player to sound like him or her self. That's why I jumped on THAT.

I know a lot of people who prefer teles for all sorts of reasons and I'd never give any of them an ounce of attitude about it. Same for Les Pauls. I guess I haven't run into that many Gretsch players, but I know they're around. I'm a strat guy. I've played 'em all, I sound like myself on all of them, but I like the strat best because it gives me more options for more of the sounds I hear in my own head. It feels and sounds best to ME, but I'd never hold it out as the be-all, end-all of guitars. Or the best for anyone else, just for me.

It's my highly educated opinion that the strat is the best electric for me. It's not really an opinion to say that the strat (or any other guitar) is THE BEST GUITAR. Or the purest guitar. Or the most challenging guitar. Or the guitar that forces the player to sound like the player rather than the guitar. I have a favorite acoustic too, but it has to do with my wants and needs and preferences and would clearly NOT be the best for a whole lot of people.

-Ray

[Glennwillow]

That was a fun video; I really enjoyed watching. Both of those guys are terrific players.

I am glad that I have both a Tele and a Strat, and I enjoy them a great deal, But I really cannot quite get the sounds those guys are getting on that video. They really know their stuff.

- Glenn

[stephenT]

Ah,.. you object to my attitude, after you definite it in your terms.

Similar (but not exactly like) my objecting to "poor stepchild" and "snob".

Once again, title of the thread: Strat Vs Tele: What's better? You know my vote, I gave my reasons for my opinion. You've told me twice you don't agree. WE gotcha.

Originally Posted by raysachs

Opinions about guitars are a given, and they're generally expressed in terms of personal preference, because that's what they always are. Not better or worse, just better or worse for me or you. But your statement about strats and Les Pauls and Gretschs sounding like strats and Les Pauls and Gretschs but Teles sounding like the player who's playing it is more than an opinion. It's an implicit put down of those who prefer strats or Les Pauls or Gretschs and somehow holding the tele up as the PURE guitar because only it allows/forces the player to sound like him or her self. That's why I jumped on THAT.

I know a lot of people who prefer teles for all sorts of reasons and I'd never give any of them an ounce of attitude about it. Same for Les Pauls. I guess I haven't run into that many Gretsch players, but I know they're around. I'm a strat guy. I've played 'em all, I sound like myself on all of them, but I like the strat best because it gives me more options for more of the sounds I hear in my own head. It feels and sounds best to ME, but I'd never hold it out as the be-all, end-all of guitars. Or the best for anyone else, just for me.

It's my highly educated opinion that the strat is the best electric for me. It's not really an opinion to say that the strat (or any other guitar) is THE BEST GUITAR. Or the purest guitar. Or the most challenging guitar. Or the guitar that forces the player to sound like the player rather than the guitar. I have a favorite acoustic too, but it has to do with my wants and needs and preferences and would clearly NOT be the best for a whole lot of people.

-Ray

[gwlee7]

Haven’t gone back to see if I posted earlier but the answer is yes.

[Guildman]

[QUOTE=Marley;6358980]what's better? Simple a EB Music Man. Still made in sunny California

Since I became the proud owner of a Cutlass I couldn't agree more.