Jeff Beck on Strat vs Les Paul

[desertbluesman]

I have owned both styles in multiple numbers over the years. Both have their fine qualities. I prefer the Strat style over the Les Paul for several issues like the scale length. I do prefer the fat deeper toned sound that the Les Paul has. I never liked the control placement that the Gibson's have, nor do I like the Strat style volume and tone control placement. I did modify my Strat clone to move the volume control to between where it comes stock, and the middle tone control, eliminating the middle tone control and making the bottom tone control, control all of the pups. Thus having only a single volume and single tone control. I have done that with every Strat and Strat clone I have owned throughout the years. Bottom line, I love the fat sound of the Les Paul, and the play-ability of the Strat style guitars.

[KuruPrionz]

I saw Jeff about a year ago in West Palm Beach Florida. There was absolutely no buzz or overly driven tones. He was immaculate from start to finish.

 

 

I saw Jeff open for BB King in Fresno in the early 2000's.

He has always been a fantastic guitarist. His more recent music shows he has continued to improve.

 

I don't care what he plays. I got stuff to worry about but that's not it.

[Winston Psmith]

Had to reflect on DBM's post, as I've had similar issues with the Strat's control layout. I'd always loved the feel of a good Strat neck, but nothing else about the Guitar called to me. It wasn't until I saw Adrian Belew live, that it even began to make sense to me, but Belew, like Hendrix, has a really long reach! I've been trying to play some of his parts from King Crimson's THRAK transcriptions, and even on a Gibson scale neck, there are some hairy stretches.

 

My issue with the Les Paul is an odd one, the placement of the Pickup Switch. When I'm playing two-handed, the Switch on an LP is right under where my right hand reaches over the neck to tap notes, so I'd inadvertently wind up switching to the Bridge Pickup without meaning to. One thing I love about my Brian Moore iGuitar, other than the Hex Pickup system, is the fact that it's an LP-style body, but the Pickup Switch is out of the way.

[KuruPrionz]

Had to reflect on DBM's post, as I've had similar issues with the Strat's control layout. I'd always loved the feel of a good Strat neck, but nothing else about the Guitar called to me. It wasn't until I saw Adrian Belew live, that it even began to make sense to me, but Belew, like Hendrix, has a really long reach! I've been trying to play some of his parts from King Crimson's THRAK transcriptions, and even on a Gibson scale neck, there are some hairy stretches.

 

My issue with the Les Paul is an odd one, the placement of the Pickup Switch. When I'm playing two-handed, the Switch on an LP is right under where my right hand reaches over the neck to tap notes, so I'd inadvertently wind up switching to the Bridge Pickup without meaning to. One thing I love about my Brian Moore iGuitar, other than the Hex Pickup system, is the fact that it's an LP-style body, but the Pickup Switch is out of the way.

 

I get that. I saw Adrian Belew with David Bowie on the Low tour. Great stuff, by that time the whole "gettin' freaky noises" thing was already well on it's way in California and I was all in. An inspiration, great player. Bowie owned the show, as expected. He could hire somebody that good and that different and still own it.

 

Mr. Belew has been photographed often with a Fender Mustang, shorter scale than a standard Gibson 24 3/4" so there's that for whatever it's worth. Jeff Beck is not a large person but he works wonders with a Strat, including using that volume control that I detest because it is in the way and I seem to turn my guitar down accidentally too often.

 

I am 6'3" with large hands. I am happy to play Fender or Gibson scale lenghts.

 

I HATE the pickup selector switch on a Les Paul also!!!! I don't do much right hand tapping, usually just use the pick for it. But I do hit the switch and I prefer using either the neck or the middle position for the most part. I also HATE the 4 knobs!!!

Not only do I not need or want one volume and one tone for each pickup but they didn't even wire them "correctly". If you are in the middle position on the switch and turn either pickup all the way down the guitar is off, silent. Leo Fender had that one right, reversing the input and output leads to the pot is the trick. The Jazz Bass is wired that way, it doesn't cost any more or take any longer to do but you can adjust the volume of each pickup independently (if you are that fussy!!!!!) without turning the guitar off - Gibson's way is stupid and now it's set in stone.

 

I really don't use my tone pots, ever. My 335 has the switch in a better spot and I wired it so the volume control closest to the strings works and the other 3 are just there to fill the holes and hold knobs so it looks good. I've used it happily that way since 1988 and never missed the tone pots once.

 

There is a world of tone available instantly without fiddling about with knobs, just learn to use a pick/fingers for dynamics and tone changes like you would if you played a lot of acoustic guitar (which is where I learned to do it).

 

For me, neither a Gibson nor a Fender is ideal but I can get used to either and prefer to take a Franken Strat or Tele to a gig because I don't have to worry about them as much as a Gibson. They are much more difficult to break and much easier (and cheaper!!!) to fix. 50 years of guitar repair taught me that beyond any doubt. I've fixed a few cracked headstocks on Gibsons. I had ONE Fender Mustang come in with a broken headstock, the owner lost his temper at his girlfriend and used the guitar to bash up the cabinets in the kitchen of their apartment. Basket case but I bet it did some damage!!!!

 

My Strat has the volume control moved to the bottom pot hole and an EMG SPC control in the center, no pot in the upper hole - filled with a black lag bolt with rounded top. I don't adjust the SPC either, should probably just bury it underneath the guard and move the volume to the center. One knob, done. I could also replace the 3 way switch with a single throw 2 way switch to turn the bridge pickup on/off. I wouldn't touch it much.

[Larryz]

Winston, I too share DBM's concern with the stock volume knob position on a Strat being to close to the 1st E string. I accidently bump it and kill my volume now and thin when playing rhythm. I like the volume knob a little further away like in the 1st tone pot location that DMB uses. When I mention it, I'll get comments from many Strat players who love the stock position for volume swells. I can get used to the stock position after playing a Strat more often but I prefer the LP set up to include the 3way switch position that you keep bumping while tapping LOL! I like having a volume control for each humbucker and being able to get 3 different tone and volume sounds quickly by using the 3way. (I also like blending the neck and bridge with the middle position). I have the same LP set up on my Conti (semi-hollow body) and my Epi ES-175. The LP switch position is used on many other guitar models. I never knew there was a problem with the position till I read your post...but I can see how you would prefer a different location for tapping like the 3way location on an SG, 335, Jazzmaster, PRS, etc.

 

OT: I have owned a couple of Tele's in the past and have always complained about the 3way location causing the switch to lean on the volume knob when using the bridge pup making it tricky to switch it quickly. Some guys put a smaller Strat knob instead of the stock knob on the switch to get a little space to work with. Others, reverse the plate and put the volume knob up front and the 3 way in the rear. They now make a slanted switch plate so the 3 way works at a 45 degree angle and does not interfere with the volume knob location. If I still had my two Tele's, I would make the change to the slanted plates...

 

[Larryz]

Kuru, we posted at the same time so I missed your complaint with the 3way location on Gibson LP's, 175's, etc. Your the 2nd guy I've heard complain about the location, but I fear there must be many more out there LOL! On Strats, I don't need the tone knobs and I run them on full treble at all times. I could bury both of them under the pickguard LOL! On the 4 knob Gibsons, I actually roll off the treble on both humbuckers a tad. Having the better 500k pots with audio taper makes a very noticeable tone difference and I have fun experimenting with the tone and volume and 3way set ups. I also use the middle position and adjust treble and bass by using the two volume knobs and not touch the tone knobs anymore. I can also set and blend the pickups in the middle position using all 4 knobs and then play the electric like an acoustic using just the dynamics you mentioned.

 

OT: On a Tele, I could change the tone(s) just by the location of my picking hand using the middle position on the 3way volume and leaving the tone on full treble...

[Winston Psmith]

@Larryz - Old trick with Gibsons; if you roll off the Volume knob to somewhere between 8 & 9, it rolls of just a bit of high end.

 

FWIW, I've had less trouble dealing with Strat Volume knobs than PRS!?!?! I had 2 PRS SE models, and both had the Volume knob right under where my right hand reaches over the pickups to play. When playing fast runs, with up-&-down pick strokes, I found that my hand was just brushing the Volume knob, and rolling it back. The only models I've seen that don't have this problem the Sanatna model, which has the knobs way back out of the way, and a McCarty 594, which has a control layout more like an SG or a Les Paul.

[Larryz]

Thanks WP, I guess I came by that rolling off the volume knobs on the Gibsons naturally for a different reason than rolling off the high end. But it's nice to know about it. I usually run both volumes around 8. The 57 Humbuckers have some power pazzazz to them and thus I have a little on reserve to crank it up for a lead and then roll it back down for rhythm on either pup. Thus, I no longer need a compressor or clean boost and just go straight in to the amp.

 

I've never had the pleasure of trying out a PRS yet, but when/if I do, it will be the Santana model!

[Scott Fraser]

For me, a single volume & tone suffices. And as a finger picker my right hand isn't moving enough to run into any controls, so I'm fine with just about any location for the pickup switch.