Absolutely Excellently done. Just how I have always wanted to hear a comparrison of these three and done in THE most meaningful way. Searched and searched for something like this and you have positively nailed it.
I dreamt of my Les Paul for a long time. Then I finally bought one, brand new, and I love it! But what that LP did the most was make me appreciate love my strat even more. Strat is #1 simply based on sound. I even apologized to my strat for taking her for granted, then gave her a big hug!
HorrorFPS To Be honest, I have played a bunch of Les Paul's by Gibson and have not decided to buy one when I am guitar shopping. Not sure why... I don't really like the way they look, but most of all I have never played one that felt amazing. I think it might be because I live in Australia not really sure about the quality control over here
Who's here in 2020 to see the HUGE improvement in production quality of Darell's videos! He is so much more confident now, with so much better sound and lighting. But still the same awesome positive attitude 😊
But what about those with low budgets? Wouldn't a guitar with HSH pups be great bc of it's versatility? I mean.. you could make it sound like any type of guitar, right ? So you can play any type of music..
Yup I own a fender strat custom shop American classic and a les paul classic Gibson, it's all the force I'll ever need , but would love to throw a tele in the collection one day
Stefan Edward yes sir! Either that or go Mexican made fender and epiphone les paul still really great guitars , I own high end fender and gibson and I can tell you right now the Mexicans hold there own they got there own special warm tone that you wont get out of an American
Wine red. They came in that, white, and black in the year I bought mine (87). The red was beautiful - translucent and deep. The carved maple was not matched and was rather plain, but they were only $680. Fantastic guitar for the money. Mine always stayed in tune.
I’m the strat guy since forever, but got surprised how good was the tele solo! My strat is a weird one: it’s got a mini humbucker in MIDDLE and two singles elsewhere - but they are wired in a such way you can still combine the neck and bridge singles. So obviously it keeps the strat playing technique, but has got all the sounds.
I think Teles are very easy to love guitars, they have a complete sound, rock solid tuning stability, and the feel is like your playing a real guitar, no fancy gimmicks. I love the Strat because of its light weight and contoured body, also the strats sound is more likeable to sing, it's a feature of the guitar that many guitarists have explored and used and that's a way to make them the principal choice to guitars. Les Pauls are beasts that are well suited to be invited to a cocktail where a jazz is being played and you Les Pauls can fit in to the classy style of life, for being elegant and serious instrument. But is the same that sneeks through the back door to do some booze and marijane while the hosts are not watching. In this way I summarize: Telecaster : your grab and go guitar, whenever you play it can sound hearty good. Reliable. It sounds good in many ways that you will never get bored of a telecaster. Stratocaster: your expressive guitar by all means. It can sing and it can growl. Challenging guitar. Sparkly, jangly, but mellow too. Great for a unique sound. People who play Strats wants the looks on them. And Strats have so beautiful curves, like a lady on its finest
I'm with you. I first had a strat then fell in love with Les Pauls. Now, my 2003 Squier affinity tele is my favorite guitar. It has this cut from the bridge pick up that is hard to beat and this guy's American standard sounds amazing.
I definitely go for Les Pauls. The only reason I've ever played Teles or Strats is the clean neck pickup sound. I love the thick roar of a Paul when you get dirty with it. Also, in addition to my standard, I love my Special, with p90s. Clean, I get a great glassy, sparkly tone.
A refreshing demonstration of how comparisons should be made. It cemented my lifelong belief that I'm a Stratman. Though I'd love to add a Les Paul to my arsenal if the day when I can afford one should roll around. Great Job! Having said that, I hope you allow me to make a slight observation here. You skipped the 2 and 4 positions on the Strat pup selector switch, which give the Strat one of its' most iconic sounds. I understand you were adhering to the 3-position switch configuration found on both the Tele and Les Paul, for fairness I guess, but then again, the middle position of the 2 aforementioned guitars is a combination position of both the bridge and neck pickups, while on the Strat it's the middle pickup on its' own. Not a biggy and maybe even irrelevant in the context of this comparison, but I thought I'd mention it for newbies who are not wholly familiar with these amazing tools. Thanks again and keep up the great work!
+Thierry Mattea Thanks for the kind words! You are right, position 2 & 4 on the Stratocaster are really iconic and an important "plus" to owning a Strat. At 17:20 I did show position 2 & 4 but not at the length it deserved :)
The Les Paul is the best looking (shape and flame top), most fun (humbuckers) and more forgiving to play because of the shorter scale length and slim neck profile (60s). The Stratocaster is the most modern and versatile because of the three pick ups, a five way switch, tremolo bar and a double cut body with the belly contour. The Telecaster is the most solidly built low maintenance and no frills pick up and play instrument with that unique twangy sound and a vintage feel. Most start out with a popular Strat or a fancy Les Paul then eventually go back to the basics and settle with the reliable Tele. Your first girlfriend is a Strat then have a fling with a Les Paul and eventually marry a Telecaster.
Tele for its versatility and unique bridge tone, Strat for it's playability and unique positions 2 & 4, and LP for heavier rock, blues and when you need a bit of gain. Need all three i think but if i had to have only one it'd be the Tele. The Baja Tele specifically.
I absolutely love the les paul tone, I own one and not being biased in any way, I just love that thick chunky tone you get out of humbuckers. It's perfect for rock and roll and metal. Thinking of taking it to the next level soon by getting a guitar with a EMG 81, 60 set.
Good comparison, explains why JAZZ musicians go for the Gibson, softer-rounder tone, Fender a harder drive for Country, Rock, R&B. The Telecaster may be a "cutting board with a neck" as Brad Paisley describes it... but for all it´s simplisity it stays in tune! A guitar that´s hard to keep in tune is a real drag no matter what the name or price.
I have to say since I was a kid I was always attracted to the Les Paul guitars. Think mostly cause of guys like Slash and just that rock and metal vibe that goes along with them. I own an LTD eclipse now and love it. Still, I do want one of each none the less. Everyone of these guitars are iconic in their own way. As far as a comparison, it's a nice idea but I think everyone is still going to have the one they love the most for whatever reason. Great video BTW.
Big takeaway here is that if one could surgically trade hands with Darrell, all the guitars in the world would sound great. :) This was actually the best direct tonal comparison of the “classic three” I’ve found. Just recently discovered your channel. Lots of great stuff. Thank you!
Your comparisons are absolutely first-rate; thank you for taking the time to do them so professionally. Your technique/tone and versatile playing styles are a pleasure to hear as well. Two minor suggestions: since effects and amplifiers make a big difference in the sound as well, please consider listing the effects and amplifiers in the written description area of your guitar comparisons, and how about a classic amplifier comparison someday?
You make some of the best, most useful videos on RUclips. And I appreciate your non-snobby demeanor and chill attitude. Keep up the positive, informative videos!
I had my heart set on buying an (epi) les paul, because I absolutely love their look. I'm torn though, as videos like this indicate to me I like the strat more!
This is a fantastic comparison, I love the way you try to remove variables in your videos, but it is so obvious which guitar you prefer, the other two don't stand a chance. You are one of the best guitar players I have ever heard in my life.
your tele sounded like the most well balanced. strat was a little thin and les paul was to thick (a little muddy even). I have all three and hate the les Paul unless im playing heavy metal grindy stuff.
+jcows12 For the most part, I agree with you but the Les Paul all the way for the Jazz riffs. It just sounded so much warmer when he played that style of music. The Fender excelled when it came to having a brighter sound.... It was all about the single coils that made the Fenders so much more brighter with that style of music. I'd like to see a vid of a Strat with hums vs. a Les Paul with hums and a Strat with the traditional single coils vs. a Les Paul with P-90s. That would be interesting.
+ZootSuitWolf interestingly enough I have heard a lespaul with tele pickups and it was one twangy son-of-a-gun. I honestly believe 95% of the tone of a guitar (while plugged in of course) is due to the pickups just my personal experience.
jcows12 An LP with Tele pick ups!?!?! I definitely need to check that out. That must of been on hell of a custom job. Ahhhhhhh... I love guitars.... the possibilities are endless. What are your thoughts of the LP's with the coil splitting switches?
+ZootSuitWolf you can buy mounting rings that keep you guitar stock that allow single coils and they're cheap. I have an epiphone lp and a Gibson sg and both have coil split switch wiring. its the only way to go so much more versatile.
Awesome job! Perfectly executed. Excellent demonstration riffs. This video should be THE standard for anyone wanting to compare the three platforms. :-)
Brother you are puttin out some real nice sounds here. Thanks. It's refreshing to hear some country licks now and again, so thanks again and good luck.
Darrell Braun Guitar hey Darrell what do you think about strat copies? I've got an artist strat copy and after 2 and a bit years it still holds up pretty well cheers
Darrell Braun Guitar no worries thanks for the reply. any suggestions for blues scales I should be learning? I've been playing for just over a year cheers BTW I've just subbed to your channel☺☺
I heard a story of a guy whose girlfriend got super pissed at him, and picked up his telecaster and banged that thing against the wall. He said that the guitar was fine.
I like looking at these old dbg videos and seeing how far you've come in terms of video quality. The videos were already great but you still managed to improve a bunch!
I think.. Stratocastor rythem, Les Paul lead, and Strat for the solo. Strat has that smooth earthy bassy but melodic tone. great for chorus, clean riffs or solid accompaniments. Les Paul is soo sweet... that guitar delivers and would bring the earthy tones of the Telle to life with its melodic ease of appreciation. Then the Strat. also an accompaniment. such a versatile guitar. riding along while longing to give out its whine cry strain and altogether showmanship in an awe inspiring solo. together these guitars are a masterpiece. its hard to say which is the best.
I appreciate your comparing pickup to pickup for each guitar. Most demos don't do this: They play all three pickup sounds, then move on to the next guitar, and then the next. Yours is a far more useful approach. Thank you! Next time, please add a 335 (wood is good)!!!
First of all, that's some sweet playing there Darrell, and that's 90% of it. I suspect you could make anything sound good. All hail the Tele. The There is absolutely nothing that doesn't sound better with some Tele in it -country, punk, on up to metal. Christopher Walken would come around from behind the glass and say, "I got a fever, and the prescription, is more Telecaster." If Kennedy had stayed at home and played a Tele, he'd be growing old now. It has a fabulous and unique tone, like Aretha Franklin or Billy Holiday, where as soon as you hear, you know and love it. The Strat is close, and really, to be fair, you should have done the "middle position" test in position 2 or 4 on the Strat, because the other two were a combination of the two pickups, and this was just the middle pickup, so not really fair to the Strat. A lot of the funk of a Strat happens in those two positions. As for the Paul, if all you ever do is overdriven hard rock and metal, and you're a Slash prodigy, then by all means, get the Paul. For everything else, it's a dark, lifeless log. It's more like that neighbour of yours that everybody says she can really sing, but then you find out your neighbour is Courtney Love.
At first I never liked Teles because of the look but I'm starting to love them and prefer them after actually playing one and watching this video. I think I only preferred the Les Paul at the Jazz part but besides that I'm hooked on the Tele.
I used to really prefer the Strat for its high tones and "screaming" capability but the more experienced I get the more I prefer the deeper tones of the Tele and Les Paul. The Tele is an amazingly versatile instrument, probably the most versatile. It sounds deep and meaningful across the range where the Strat can sound thin at times.
I have a tele and an LP. The tele continually draws me in and while I think I can get a far more diverse set of sounds out of it one of the main reasons I love it so is simply balance and how it sits on my lap (I play seated mostly). Mine has a belly cut and it’s sooo comfortable. The LP feels like it’s always sitting a little too far back in my lap (that large rear bout) - not to mention fragile - and strats feel a little overly contoured and ‘slippery’ to me. The tele is just dead simple and again - it just fits. Does fit count? Lol
I personally own all 3 and for me it's telecaster then les paul then the strat. I love all 3 but the Tele is just so reliable and inviting I end up picking it up much more than the others. Great video!
I have an LP studio and a BT tele (HBHB). I love the tone of the LP so much, but it is very temperamental. The tele is super reliable and can achieve similar tone, but just doesn't give me the same feels.
Great guitars, each serves their own purpose. The angle in the Gibosn allows more sustain, which is why they make them that way. The reason why I personally prefer Gibsons :)
I've noticed that the Telecaster has the brightest sound, the Stratocaster is a little less bright, kind of a happy medium sound, and Gibson has the darkest sound of all and it sounds great for rhythm or finger picking style. Each person has their own personal favorite. 👍
The Fenders were brighter which you can tone down if you want. The Les Paul was muted in all cases and you can't get that brightness back. Maybe it's just my old ears.
Hi Darrell, at 5:20 you mention that the LP is the most beautiful looking of the three. I did not start out with that oppinion - but I agree now! Functionality is a different matter (the flat in line Fender headstocks and less intrusive neck heel joint are excellent). I listened to your blind test videos a few years back, and convinced myself the Tele was the sound I wanted, I bought a (Squire) CV Tele which was great. Out of curiosity I then tried a (Squier) Standard Strat and preferred the bell like chime. More recently I tried an (Epi) LP and liked that a lot....apart from the weight! I sold that and bought an (Epi) Les Paul ES Pro....you should get hold off one and do a thorough review of it! Other reviews fail to compare it to a Standard LP or an Epi ES 339. The LP ES Pro is 7lb compared to nearly 10lb for the Standard LP; very comfortable to play. It has a more ES than LP tone, but has the beautiful compact LP shape, and the coil split gives a very acceptable single coil sound. Apart from the lack of a whammy bar; I reckon it's one of the most versatile guitars available.
A definite thumbs up for this great video, infact its the best comparison video ive seen! I currently own a Mexican Standard Tele and planning to get a Les Paul soon for heavier warmer tone. This video helped a lot to hear the difference between the Leas Paul and Tele.
It's so nice to see one of Darrell's earlier videos. He looks quite shy and concious here but his playing and content quality are top notch as usual! 😃
Fantastic video! Amazing playing. Your comparison was informative, entertaining and just a joy to listen to. Well done in every aspect. For me, the Tele wins it. It is the simplest guitar out of the lot but it does everything so well. The Les Paul and Strat had their strengths and really shone in certain areas but the Tele was just strong all round which makes it the winner for me. Many thanks for a great video.
+Darrell Braun Out of interest, what strings and gauge are you running on that Telecaster? And here's the big question - which one of these three guitars is YOUR favourite?!?
+Costas Tsiouklas 9s on the Fender guitars and 10s on the Gibson. For years I used to use heavier strings, but in the last couple of years I have gone back to 9s and 10s. I don't think I could pick a favourite! That being said, if I could only choose one guitar to play for the rest of my life, it would likely be a tele :)
Country, Blues, Rock, Funk, Jazz, Metal, I have seen mainly Strats overall, but you should have one of each to cover most of the music genres :) By the way, "Thanks for the great video as always".
Yeah, I bought a les paul as my first guitar a few years ago because i wanted to play like Slash but then i started listening to a lot of indie rock and i'm now trying to get a new Tele or Jaguar. I also noticed that I only use the bridge pickup which sounds better in Fender guitars in my opinion.
random dude with no name I love my strat. Not only the tone but imo it’s the best looking out of the 3 and the most comfortable to play. Seriously, I used to play a Yamaha Pacifica (good guitar in its own right) and my first time switching to the strat, it felt like butter. I prefer the lightness and the small fret sizes
I have a MIM Deluxe Players Strat, and was considering trading it in for one of the 3-pickup Telecasters but I have to say that, at least in this comparison, I like the sound of the Strat best. It has a nice combination of bright and mellow, where the Tele seems to favor mostly a bright sound and the Les Paul sounds really dark. Both the Les Paul and the Strat have a nice biting sound with distortion. The Strat wins in this particular comparison with a nice balanced range of sounds, to my ears anyway. YMMV, of course!
I have a Les Paul Traditional, An American Standard Strat 1970's PUPs, a Mod Shop Telecaster w/Texas Special PUP's. What I never see compared are the differences in the neck and fret board. The SG-400 and Les Paul are a more square fret board neck and it's wider. The Tele and Strat have this neck that is so slick on the hands and slick to move about on. You have to pick them up and play them to see what is right for you. The Tele has it all for tone. The Strat is so refined in tone.
I gotta say this channel has been one of the most helpful and resourceful channel for a beginner like me. made my life a lot lot easier and made it easier for me to get into guitar.
I own all 3 types and more. Overall, in my opinion the gibson or even a epiphone Les Paul is THE Guitar to own. If your going for a Jazz sound I'd look at a 335 or B.B.King semi hollow body Gibson or Epiphone.
Chris E FLores Gibson are made in the U.S.A and Epiphone's in China mostly. If you buy and Epi you must change the in put jack to a American made Switchcraft jack or it will drive you nuts. The Epi's fit and finish is not as nice but still very good. Playability is very, very close. Resale value and appreciation is much higher on the Gibson.
Chris E FLores I forgot to tell you something. look for one where you can split (push pull) the coil. This way you can still get a signal coil sound when you need it.
I know this video is older, but I just got an American Deluxe Telecaster, and it has the rounded heel at neck joint (for playing higher frets) and body grooves. Extremely comfortable and plays like a dream.
I love the warmth of the Les Paul, the twang of the Telecaster, and the bright, punchyness of the Strat. Let's be honest, if anybody is serious about playing, they'll probably have one of each and play them according to what kind of song they're going for.
Wow did the single coils blow away the humbuckers .......I love all three guitars usually, but in this comparison it's a no brainer , unless you want a muddy / muffled sound that is. The strat was tops ,followed by the tele closely , then way back in third is the studio Paul. I think you need the Paul with single coils to make an honest "sound" comparison......great playing great vid.
+Vic Soboleski Thanks! I appreciate it! Don't worry, a little tweak of the amp settings and the Les Paul would sound great! For this comparison I had to keep all the settings the same :)
+Darrell Braun Guitar yup , I understand trying to keep the price range consistent to . Im sure most would know the Paul can scream almost as clearly as the single coils could ....... Or more so with distortion , but I had to mention my opinion . Tough comparison to make .... So many great players who each prefer just one of these it's hard to get fair representation ..👍
Speaking of which, do you think you could do a video in which you showed how you can tweak your amp settings to optimize the guitar you're playing, whether it be humbuckers, single coils, a semi-hollow, etc.?
Telecaster’s sound is more rounded... kinda soft and clean, Stratocaster’s sound is more sharp... more crisp and clean but can do crisp and dirty real well, Les is more muted. They all have a distinct feel. Your’s is the best comparison method I’ve run across! Great job! Thank you.
Love the "twang" of the tele, love the "thickness" of the les paul and love the "sparkle" of the strato. Each guitar has their own sound
Well said
I was making a similar comparison in my mind, and I love them all.
Well said totally agree
Absolutely Excellently done. Just how I have always wanted to hear a comparrison of these three and done in THE most meaningful way. Searched and searched for something like this and you have positively nailed it.
+Derek Walton (Derro) Thanks for the kind words!
+Derek Walton (Derro) I totally agree with you. Great video.
That middle-position Tele sound was unbelievable!
I dreamt of my Les Paul for a long time. Then I finally bought one, brand new, and I love it! But what that LP did the most was make me appreciate love my strat even more. Strat is #1 simply based on sound. I even apologized to my strat for taking her for granted, then gave her a big hug!
I'm starting to like the Telecaster than the Les Paul.
Black Hearted 2
Can't go wrong with a Tele, I own two of them. I owned an Epi LP Custom, and like my Teles better.
Jeff Gothro that was an epiphone though. try out a gibson les paul standard. nothing compares
HorrorFPS To Be honest, I have played a bunch of Les Paul's by Gibson and have not decided to buy one when I am guitar shopping. Not sure why... I don't really like the way they look, but most of all I have never played one that felt amazing. I think it might be because I live in Australia not really sure about the quality control over here
Dude les pauls are wayyyyyyyy bettter...
Let's take a moment to admire that slide gag on the Tele at the beginning, shall we? :D That was very cool!
Besides, nice demo.
excellent Idea , I Concur..😇
Who's here in 2020 to see the HUGE improvement in production quality of Darell's videos! He is so much more confident now, with so much better sound and lighting. But still the same awesome positive attitude 😊
As someone who likes his clean sounds, strat all the damn way. The subtle harmonics you got while playing are just awesome.
i like a jazzmaster for that
Each one has it's own flavour, In suggest owning all three.
Or........ just 1 acoustic.
One of each is the only logical option
But what about those with low budgets? Wouldn't a guitar with HSH pups be great bc of it's versatility? I mean.. you could make it sound like any type of guitar, right ? So you can play any type of music..
Yup I own a fender strat custom shop American classic and a les paul classic Gibson, it's all the force I'll ever need , but would love to throw a tele in the collection one day
Stefan Edward yes sir! Either that or go Mexican made fender and epiphone les paul still really great guitars , I own high end fender and gibson and I can tell you right now the Mexicans hold there own they got there own special warm tone that you wont get out of an American
Love all three but in the event of a fire it's my Les Pauls I'm running to save.
***** haha, yeah charred but still rockin
hahah
YES!!!
You preach to the choir, man!
yeah, would have to agree.
That's a beautiful color on that les Paul.
Wine red. They came in that, white, and black in the year I bought mine (87). The red was beautiful - translucent and deep. The carved maple was not matched and was rather plain, but they were only $680. Fantastic guitar for the money. Mine always stayed in tune.
Les Paul - best looking. Tele - best sounding
Tele all the way... they're all amazing.. but The Tele is too good!
I’m the strat guy since forever, but got surprised how good was the tele solo!
My strat is a weird one: it’s got a mini humbucker in MIDDLE and two singles elsewhere - but they are wired in a such way you can still combine the neck and bridge singles. So obviously it keeps the strat playing technique, but has got all the sounds.
The Strat really stood out to me. Especially during the backing track. Fantastic playing!
wow the tone on your tele is amazing
I think Teles are very easy to love guitars, they have a complete sound, rock solid tuning stability, and the feel is like your playing a real guitar, no fancy gimmicks.
I love the Strat because of its light weight and contoured body, also the strats sound is more likeable to sing, it's a feature of the guitar that many guitarists have explored and used and that's a way to make them the principal choice to guitars.
Les Pauls are beasts that are well suited to be invited to a cocktail where a jazz is being played and you Les Pauls can fit in to the classy style of life, for being elegant and serious instrument. But is the same that sneeks through the back door to do some booze and marijane while the hosts are not watching.
In this way I summarize:
Telecaster : your grab and go guitar, whenever you play it can sound hearty good. Reliable. It sounds good in many ways that you will never get bored of a telecaster.
Stratocaster: your expressive guitar by all means. It can sing and it can growl. Challenging guitar. Sparkly, jangly, but mellow too. Great for a unique sound. People who play Strats wants the looks on them. And Strats have so beautiful curves, like a lady on its finest
How old are you? I'm 54.
@@shanemarcotte2062 26 this year, still holding my strat, still yearning for new gear, rock on buddy.
I'm with you. I first had a strat then fell in love with Les Pauls. Now, my 2003 Squier affinity tele is my favorite guitar. It has this cut from the bridge pick up that is hard to beat and this guy's American standard sounds amazing.
I definitely go for Les Pauls. The only reason I've ever played Teles or Strats is the clean neck pickup sound. I love the thick roar of a Paul when you get dirty with it. Also, in addition to my standard, I love my Special, with p90s. Clean, I get a great glassy, sparkly tone.
Nice job! That was "wise beyond your years"
A refreshing demonstration of how comparisons should be made. It cemented my lifelong belief that I'm a Stratman. Though I'd love to add a Les Paul to my arsenal if the day when I can afford one should roll around. Great Job!
Having said that, I hope you allow me to make a slight observation here. You skipped the 2 and 4 positions on the Strat pup selector switch, which give the Strat one of its' most iconic sounds. I understand you were adhering to the 3-position switch configuration found on both the Tele and Les Paul, for fairness I guess, but then again, the middle position of the 2 aforementioned guitars is a combination position of both the bridge and neck pickups, while on the Strat it's the middle pickup on its' own. Not a biggy and maybe even irrelevant in the context of this comparison, but I thought I'd mention it for newbies who are not wholly familiar with these amazing tools.
Thanks again and keep up the great work!
+Thierry Mattea Thanks for the kind words!
You are right, position 2 & 4 on the Stratocaster are really iconic and an important "plus" to owning a Strat. At 17:20 I did show position 2 & 4 but not at the length it deserved :)
+++
Darrell Braun Oops! Sorry, I must've dozed off!
The Les Paul is the best looking (shape and flame top), most fun (humbuckers) and more forgiving to play because of the shorter scale length and slim neck profile (60s). The Stratocaster is the most modern and versatile because of the three pick ups, a five way switch, tremolo bar and a double cut body with the belly contour. The Telecaster is the most solidly built low maintenance and no frills pick up and play instrument with that unique twangy sound and a vintage feel. Most start out with a popular Strat or a fancy Les Paul then eventually go back to the basics and settle with the reliable Tele. Your first girlfriend is a Strat then have a fling with a Les Paul and eventually marry a Telecaster.
Thank God. An informative video that does not just simply show off the playing skill of the video maker. Thank you.
Tele for its versatility and unique bridge tone, Strat for it's playability and unique positions 2 & 4, and LP for heavier rock, blues and when you need a bit of gain. Need all three i think but if i had to have only one it'd be the Tele. The Baja Tele specifically.
i just love telecasters. they look great even when torn and tattered, made for for a few lifetimes
I absolutely love the les paul tone, I own one and not being biased in any way, I just love that thick chunky tone you get out of humbuckers. It's perfect for rock and roll and metal. Thinking of taking it to the next level soon by getting a guitar with a EMG 81, 60 set.
+George Khoshaba Humbuckers for metal?????????
+ZenZevo Yes.
+ZenZevo why not
+George Khoshaba I have the EMGs in my Schecter Hellraiser. Amazing pickups. Definitely give them a try!
Metal is not music. There I said it. 😁
Might add that the Les Paul has a shorter scale length which helps if you have small paws. All sound great.
Good comparison, explains why JAZZ musicians go for the Gibson, softer-rounder tone, Fender a harder drive for Country, Rock, R&B. The Telecaster may be a "cutting board with a neck" as Brad Paisley describes it... but for all it´s simplisity it stays in tune! A guitar that´s hard to keep in tune is a real drag no matter what the name or price.
Les Pauls are cool but I'd take a strat any day!
I have to say since I was a kid I was always attracted to the Les Paul guitars. Think mostly cause of guys like Slash and just that rock and metal vibe that goes along with them. I own an LTD eclipse now and love it. Still, I do want one of each none the less. Everyone of these guitars are iconic in their own way. As far as a comparison, it's a nice idea but I think everyone is still going to have the one they love the most for whatever reason. Great video BTW.
First off having a really, really good guitar player demonstrating is very important. Well done.
Big takeaway here is that if one could surgically trade hands with Darrell, all the guitars in the world would sound great. :) This was actually the best direct tonal comparison of the “classic three” I’ve found. Just recently discovered your channel. Lots of great stuff. Thank you!
Great video - and admiring your taste in guitars - I now really want a sunburst usa tele with maple neck
Love the AT-AT in the background.
Great eye! I couldn't tell what that was and thought it was a sewing machine!
Your comparisons are absolutely first-rate; thank you for taking the time to do them so professionally. Your technique/tone and versatile playing styles are a pleasure to hear as well. Two minor suggestions: since effects and amplifiers make a big difference in the sound as well, please consider listing the effects and amplifiers in the written description area of your guitar comparisons, and how about a classic amplifier comparison someday?
Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it! I will try to be more intentional about listing the gear used on the vids :)
Great work, Darrell. I love how you just let the guitars speak for themselves. Thank you so much!
You make some of the best, most useful videos on RUclips. And I appreciate your non-snobby demeanor and chill attitude. Keep up the positive, informative videos!
+joshhorne Thanks! I appreciate the kind words :)
I had my heart set on buying an (epi) les paul, because I absolutely love their look. I'm torn though, as videos like this indicate to me I like the strat more!
This is a fantastic comparison, I love the way you try to remove variables in your videos, but it is so obvious which guitar you prefer, the other two don't stand a chance. You are one of the best guitar players I have ever heard in my life.
+Tom Vernon Thanks so much!
I appreciate the kind words :)
your tele sounded like the most well balanced. strat was a little thin and les paul was to thick (a little muddy even). I have all three and hate the les Paul unless im playing heavy metal grindy stuff.
+jcows12 Les aul sounded like it was muted for most of it.
+jcows12 For the most part, I agree with you but the Les Paul all the way for the Jazz riffs. It just sounded so much warmer when he played that style of music. The Fender excelled when it came to having a brighter sound.... It was all about the single coils that made the Fenders so much more brighter with that style of music. I'd like to see a vid of a Strat with hums vs. a Les Paul with hums and a Strat with the traditional single coils vs. a Les Paul with P-90s. That would be interesting.
+ZootSuitWolf interestingly enough I have heard a lespaul with tele pickups and it was one twangy son-of-a-gun.
I honestly believe 95% of the tone of a guitar (while plugged in of course) is due to the pickups just my personal experience.
jcows12 An LP with Tele pick ups!?!?! I definitely need to check that out. That must of been on hell of a custom job. Ahhhhhhh... I love guitars.... the possibilities are endless.
What are your thoughts of the LP's with the coil splitting switches?
+ZootSuitWolf you can buy mounting rings that keep you guitar stock that allow single coils and they're cheap. I have an epiphone lp and a Gibson sg and both have coil split switch wiring. its the only way to go so much more versatile.
Awesome job! Perfectly executed. Excellent demonstration riffs. This video should be THE standard for anyone wanting to compare the three platforms. :-)
+goatghost Thanks so much, I appreciate it :)
Coclusion: own the three!!
Brother you are puttin out some real nice sounds here. Thanks. It's refreshing to hear some country licks now and again, so thanks again and good luck.
+Paul Willis Thanks Paul, I appreciate the kind words :)
NO problem...
Darrell Braun Guitar hey Darrell what do you think about strat copies? I've got an artist strat copy and after 2 and a bit years it still holds up pretty well cheers
+Jason Bowman Unfortunately, I haven't played a lot of copies :(
Darrell Braun Guitar no worries thanks for the reply. any suggestions for blues scales I should be learning? I've been playing for just over a year cheers BTW I've just subbed to your channel☺☺
Your solo should go into history books
+Maro Muratti 😄 Thanks Maro!
Yeah its great... I play as my lullaby music...
Fantastic video. It's so nice to see these played by an expert together. Very clear and enjoyable to watch. Thanks!
+Roger Murphy No problem, glad you liked it )
I heard a story of a guy whose girlfriend got super pissed at him, and picked up his telecaster and banged that thing against the wall. He said that the guitar was fine.
Wowww. Glad the thing was fine, he needs a new gf
I saw that too in one of the comments sections
Winston Churchill
...The guitar was fine...and the girlfriend?
I like looking at these old dbg videos and seeing how far you've come in terms of video quality. The videos were already great but you still managed to improve a bunch!
This is the most unbiased, most objective, review I´ve ever seen. Congrats! Could you please list the songs you´ve played in the video? Thanks.
+Agustin Grattarola Thanks!
Other than Autumn Leaves ( jazz song) the rest were my own compositions ☺
I think.. Stratocastor rythem, Les Paul lead, and Strat for the solo. Strat has that smooth earthy bassy but melodic tone. great for chorus, clean riffs or solid accompaniments. Les Paul is soo sweet... that guitar delivers and would bring the earthy tones of the Telle to life with its melodic ease of appreciation. Then the Strat. also an accompaniment. such a versatile guitar. riding along while longing to give out its whine cry strain and altogether showmanship in an awe inspiring solo. together these guitars are a masterpiece. its hard to say which is the best.
I appreciate your comparing pickup to pickup for each guitar. Most demos don't do this: They play all three pickup sounds, then move on to the next guitar, and then the next. Yours is a far more useful approach. Thank you! Next time, please add a 335 (wood is good)!!!
Thanks! Glad you liked the video.
I'll see if I can rustle up a 355 to add into the mix :)
Always lookin for good sound , and even though I've heard this before, can never get enough. Thanks !
First of all, that's some sweet playing there Darrell, and that's 90% of it. I suspect you could make anything sound good.
All hail the Tele. The There is absolutely nothing that doesn't sound better with some Tele in it -country, punk, on up to metal. Christopher Walken would come around from behind the glass and say, "I got a fever, and the prescription, is more Telecaster." If Kennedy had stayed at home and played a Tele, he'd be growing old now. It has a fabulous and unique tone, like Aretha Franklin or Billy Holiday, where as soon as you hear, you know and love it.
The Strat is close, and really, to be fair, you should have done the "middle position" test in position 2 or 4 on the Strat, because the other two were a combination of the two pickups, and this was just the middle pickup, so not really fair to the Strat. A lot of the funk of a Strat happens in those two positions.
As for the Paul, if all you ever do is overdriven hard rock and metal, and you're a Slash prodigy, then by all means, get the Paul. For everything else, it's a dark, lifeless log. It's more like that neighbour of yours that everybody says she can really sing, but then you find out your neighbour is Courtney Love.
best comparison of those three, so far.
thank you.
+ben david Thanks! I'm glad you liked the comparison :)
At first I never liked Teles because of the look but I'm starting to love them and prefer them after actually playing one and watching this video. I think I only preferred the Les Paul at the Jazz part but besides that I'm hooked on the Tele.
+isaiah nguyen Can't go wrong with a Tele 😁
Spot on about the tuning instability and fragility of the Gibson style headstock design! Also🖖 great hand sign to illustrate the strings travel 😄
Sweet playing on the demos wow!
Thanks so much!
I used to really prefer the Strat for its high tones and "screaming" capability but the more experienced I get the more I prefer the deeper tones of the Tele and Les Paul. The Tele is an amazingly versatile instrument, probably the most versatile. It sounds deep and meaningful across the range where the Strat can sound thin at times.
I have a tele and an LP. The tele continually draws me in and while I think I can get a far more diverse set of sounds out of it one of the main reasons I love it so is simply balance and how it sits on my lap (I play seated mostly). Mine has a belly cut and it’s sooo comfortable. The LP feels like it’s always sitting a little too far back in my lap (that large rear bout) - not to mention fragile - and strats feel a little overly contoured and ‘slippery’ to me. The tele is just dead simple and again - it just fits. Does fit count? Lol
I personally own all 3 and for me it's telecaster then les paul then the strat. I love all 3 but the Tele is just so reliable and inviting I end up picking it up much more than the others. Great video!
+Steve Anklam Nice! With those three instuments you can cover any playing style 👍
I have an LP studio and a BT tele (HBHB). I love the tone of the LP so much, but it is very temperamental. The tele is super reliable and can achieve similar tone, but just doesn't give me the same feels.
The neck position in strat is mindblowing. I love it
Great guitars, each serves their own purpose.
The angle in the Gibosn allows more sustain, which is why they make them that way. The reason why I personally prefer Gibsons :)
I've noticed that the Telecaster has the brightest sound, the Stratocaster is a little less bright, kind of a happy medium sound, and Gibson has the darkest sound of all and it sounds great for rhythm or finger picking style. Each person has their own personal favorite. 👍
Darrell your soloing is damn lit
+Santiago Bolívar Thanks Santiago :)
Thank you for show the different between the guitar sounds really appreciate
The Fenders were brighter which you can tone down if you want. The Les Paul was muted in all cases and you can't get that brightness back. Maybe it's just my old ears.
honestly i find the slightly muted tone more pleasant. it is less invasive on high notes and metal sounds way better on the lp than anything else.
Thank you for a great comparison. Your playing is so fluid while remaining subtle and inspiring. Good job!
+jaber baber Thanks JB!
I freaking love this video, guitars, motorcycles and random star wars toys are three of my favorite things..Subcribed!
+billmaa Hahaha, thanks! I hope you enjoy the channel :)
Hi Darrell, at 5:20 you mention that the LP is the most beautiful looking of the three. I did not start out with that oppinion - but I agree now! Functionality is a different matter (the flat in line Fender headstocks and less intrusive neck heel joint are excellent). I listened to your blind test videos a few years back, and convinced myself the Tele was the sound I wanted, I bought a (Squire) CV Tele which was great. Out of curiosity I then tried a (Squier) Standard Strat and preferred the bell like chime. More recently I tried an (Epi) LP and liked that a lot....apart from the weight! I sold that and bought an (Epi) Les Paul ES Pro....you should get hold off one and do a thorough review of it! Other reviews fail to compare it to a Standard LP or an Epi ES 339. The LP ES Pro is 7lb compared to nearly 10lb for the Standard LP; very comfortable to play. It has a more ES than LP tone, but has the beautiful compact LP shape, and the coil split gives a very acceptable single coil sound. Apart from the lack of a whammy bar; I reckon it's one of the most versatile guitars available.
Damn that Telecaster sounds sweet!
A definite thumbs up for this great video, infact its the best comparison video ive seen! I currently own a Mexican Standard Tele and planning to get a Les Paul soon for heavier warmer tone. This video helped a lot to hear the difference between the Leas Paul and Tele.
+whammospaquitos Thanks! I'm glad you found the video helpful!
Joe Bonamassa (I think)?? NICE.
I am a tele guy, so no need to say where I stand.
Just one question, where's an SG?
It's so nice to see one of Darrell's earlier videos. He looks quite shy and concious here but his playing and content quality are top notch as usual! 😃
Fantastic video! Amazing playing. Your comparison was informative, entertaining and just a joy to listen to. Well done in every aspect. For me, the Tele wins it. It is the simplest guitar out of the lot but it does everything so well. The Les Paul and Strat had their strengths and really shone in certain areas but the Tele was just strong all round which makes it the winner for me. Many thanks for a great video.
Thanks! I appreciate the feedback, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
+Darrell Braun Out of interest, what strings and gauge are you running on that Telecaster? And here's the big question - which one of these three guitars is YOUR favourite?!?
+Costas Tsiouklas 9s on the Fender guitars and 10s on the Gibson. For years I used to use heavier strings, but in the last couple of years I have gone back to 9s and 10s.
I don't think I could pick a favourite! That being said, if I could only choose one guitar to play for the rest of my life, it would likely be a tele :)
Awesome Comparison!Thanks for the video.I think I'll go with the tele.
+Kaan A Glad you liked the video! Every guitarist needs a tele :D
LP cleans are underrated.
Love the star wars ATAT in the corner! Great vid too ;) Subbed
+Chris Perry Hahaha! Yeah, the ATAT is my favourite :)
Thanks for subscribing; I hope you enjoy the channel.
Strat! Beautiful, cheap, comfortable, versatile and easy to mod! Les Paul comes in at second place and Tele in third.
Country, Blues, Rock, Funk, Jazz, Metal, I have seen mainly Strats overall, but you should have one of each to cover most of the music genres :) By the way, "Thanks for the great video as always".
TELECASTER HANDS DOWN !!!!!! BUT I KNEW THAT GOING IN !!!!!!
YASSS
Telecaster is amazing. It sounds amazing, I play for indie rock.
Yeah, I bought a les paul as my first guitar a few years ago because i wanted to play like Slash but then i started listening to a lot of indie rock and i'm now trying to get a new Tele or Jaguar. I also noticed that I only use the bridge pickup which sounds better in Fender guitars in my opinion.
LIKE I SAID B 4 , TELE HANDS DOWN !!!
As soon as the first country lick started, I knew the other 2 never had a chance.
I prefer strats..cuz why not!!!
random dude with no name I love my strat. Not only the tone but imo it’s the best looking out of the 3 and the most comfortable to play. Seriously, I used to play a Yamaha Pacifica (good guitar in its own right) and my first time switching to the strat, it felt like butter. I prefer the lightness and the small fret sizes
Horses for courses really but the Tele is still the one to beat overall...I enjoy them all
There are only three...
+Appelgameplay X
And?
I freaking love teles
Yeah me too . I have an American standard and would choose it over a strat any day ;)
Sharing to FB now, what a great comparison. Thanks for producing this.
I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for the share!
I have a MIM Deluxe Players Strat, and was considering trading it in for one of the 3-pickup Telecasters but I have to say that, at least in this comparison, I like the sound of the Strat best. It has a nice combination of bright and mellow, where the Tele seems to favor mostly a bright sound and the Les Paul sounds really dark. Both the Les Paul and the Strat have a nice biting sound with distortion. The Strat wins in this particular comparison with a nice balanced range of sounds, to my ears anyway. YMMV, of course!
I have a Les Paul Traditional, An American Standard Strat 1970's PUPs, a Mod Shop Telecaster w/Texas Special PUP's. What I never see compared are the differences in the neck and fret board. The SG-400 and Les Paul are a more square fret board neck and it's wider. The Tele and Strat have this neck that is so slick on the hands and slick to move about on. You have to pick them up and play them to see what is right for you. The Tele has it all for tone. The Strat is so refined in tone.
damn i recon nothing tops a Les Paul! Tele also sounded
great in bridge position!
Holy smokes the playing over the backing track was unreal
how come i feel like as i listen to these lead parts with the backing tracks i hear david gilmour in your playing and sound and tone
+The Ekoe Thanks :) He is definitely one of my influences 👍
I gotta say this channel has been one of the most helpful and resourceful channel for a beginner like me. made my life a lot lot easier and made it easier for me to get into guitar.
I own all 3 types and more. Overall, in my opinion the gibson or even a epiphone Les Paul is THE Guitar to own. If your going for a Jazz sound I'd look at a 335 or B.B.King semi hollow body Gibson or Epiphone.
What do you think is the biggest difference between the Gibson and the Epiphone?
Chris E FLores Gibson are made in the U.S.A and Epiphone's in China mostly. If you buy and Epi you must change the in put jack to a American made Switchcraft jack or it will drive you nuts. The Epi's fit and finish is not as nice but still very good. Playability is very, very close. Resale value and appreciation is much higher on the Gibson.
Chris E FLores I forgot to tell you something. look for one where you can split (push pull) the coil. This way you can still get a signal coil sound when you need it.
HUTCHfromBA Awesome, thank you for the clarification!
Chris E FLores No problem , Bues On....
I know this video is older, but I just got an American Deluxe Telecaster, and it has the rounded heel at neck joint (for playing higher frets) and body grooves. Extremely comfortable and plays like a dream.
I love the warmth of the Les Paul, the twang of the Telecaster, and the bright, punchyness of the Strat. Let's be honest, if anybody is serious about playing, they'll probably have one of each and play them according to what kind of song they're going for.
+Hearsticles 👍😁
i agree. they all 3 should be in one's arsenal of tools.
Getting real hooked on that Tele tone!
I used to have a Les Paul Studio, and this confirm that sounds muddy. i'm glad i moved to fender. maybe my ears are getting older for sure..
I was going over caged forms thinking how to apply them and stumbled on your youtube video. I will be keeping aneye out for more of your videos.
+Wayne Osman Nice! I hope you enjoy the channel :)
Wow did the single coils blow away the humbuckers .......I love all three guitars usually, but in this comparison it's a no brainer , unless you want a muddy / muffled sound that is. The strat was tops ,followed by the tele closely , then way back in third is the studio Paul. I think you need the Paul with single coils to make an honest "sound" comparison......great playing great vid.
+Vic Soboleski Thanks! I appreciate it!
Don't worry, a little tweak of the amp settings and the Les Paul would sound great! For this comparison I had to keep all the settings the same :)
+Darrell Braun Guitar yup , I understand trying to keep the price range consistent to . Im sure most would know the Paul can scream almost as clearly as the single coils could ....... Or more so with distortion , but I had to mention my opinion . Tough comparison to make .... So many great players who each prefer just one of these it's hard to get fair representation ..👍
Speaking of which, do you think you could do a video in which you showed how you can tweak your amp settings to optimize the guitar you're playing, whether it be humbuckers, single coils, a semi-hollow, etc.?
Telecaster’s sound is more rounded... kinda soft and clean, Stratocaster’s sound is more sharp... more crisp and clean but can do crisp and dirty real well, Les is more muted. They all have a distinct feel. Your’s is the best comparison method I’ve run across! Great job! Thank you.
Very nice Demo Darrell. Blues On....
+HUTCHfromBA Thanks!
the gibson has that warm sound. Which is very soothing indeed. I think even prs guitars are very cool in that way.
Your videos are fantastic, man. Really, quality production and beautiful playing. The tone coming out of the Telecaster is something to behold.
Thanks, I appreciate it!
what a great comparison! Much better than all the others I've seen.
+Amit Kalderon Thanks! 😀
Nice licks my man......on any guitar......Strats my baby though....
+David Ringo Thanks! 👍
Each guitar has its own character. Thats why I have all 3...oh and also an IBANEZ and PRS too.