Rocky4 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I have a Telecaster and a Les Paul. Both with Ernie Ball .009s and tuned to E. Why is the Tele easier to play? The strings are far easier to bend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Better neck for your hands. I had exactly the same reaction. I don't like LPs but love my Tele. It could be the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I love my tele and it is indeed more confortable toplay than my les paul... but I love my les paul a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 A lot of Gibson acoustic players I have known including myself seem to prefer Teles over other electrics even if they want to maintain brand loyalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 But I thought the Gibson's shorter scale length should be easier than the Tele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I own both a tele and a Les Paul - my experience is completely reversed. Â In fact I use .010" on my LP and .009" on the Tele - just to have somewhat matched tension between the two. Â Â But the "non speaking" string length for the High E, B, is longer on a right handed Tele - that could be part of the equation. Â If you want shorter non speaking string length - fit a left handed Neck - for the Jimi Hendrix string tension. On the Tele - Get a sharpie marking pen and mark the High E string at the Bridge and the Nut - watch it move during bends. Â On a Tele - when bending the High E - I find I have "push a bit further", to reach pitch on a whole step bend, compared to my Les Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G u e s t Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Telecaster Scale Length - 25 & 1/2" Les Paul Scale Length - 24 & 3/4" Â Same string gauge and same string pitch means the Short Scale has to be slacker than the Long Scale. So the Les Paul will have less tension than the Telecaster and thus feel looser or slacker. Â Look at a from the other end of the telescope - a set of 9-42 gauge on the Long Scale Telecaster will feel much the same as 10-46 gauge strings on the Short Scale Les Paul. Â Your Telecaster feels easier to bend because of the greater distance the treble strings have between the nut and the tuning peg, whereas the strings on the LP have a shorter run up there - especially top-E. Your bend bends the whole string, and that extra length is a part of the string even though it does not contribute to the pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Telecaster Scale Length - 25 & 1/2"Les Paul Scale Length - 24 & 3/4"  Same string gauge and same string pitch means the Short Scale has to be slacker than the Long Scale. So the Les Paul will have less tension than the Telecaster and thus feel looser or slacker.  Look at a from the other end of the telescope - a set of 9-42 gauge on the Long Scale Telecaster will feel much the same as 10-46 gauge strings on the Short Scale Les Paul.  Your Telecaster feels easier to bend because of the greater distance the treble strings have between the nut and the tuning peg' date=' whereas the strings on the LP have a shorter run up there - especially top-E. Your bend bends the [u']whole[/u] string, and that extra length is a part of the string even though it does not contribute to the pitch. That was one hell of a fine 100th post . And every word to be spot on truth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 G u e s t , Â We Agree - and are each essentially saying the same thing. Â Good observation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Are new strings easier to bend? Maybe that's my problem. The Tele has new strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 There will be different tensile strength depending on brand and type. Â The Fender may feel easier the bend - but are you actually playing in tune? In other words - are you reaching say a whole note bend up? or are you just missing your target and sounding flat. When bending strings, its somewhat a logarithmic torque curve. Â And the "G" string always will be easier to make those step and a half bends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I find that new strings have a 'slinky' feel, and do seem to bend easier. Old strings have a tight feel to them as if their elastic properties have been lost over time. Also, there could be set-up differences, and fret height certainly plays a big part in the ability to bend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I find that new strings have a 'slinky' feel, and do seem to bend easier. Old strings have a tight feel to them as if their elastic properties have been lost over time. Â Â I agree with this too. Many factors all contribute to this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Teles are better. Period. Â Thats all there is to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Tele's are for Pu$$ys. That's why they feel like they play easier. Â They really don't, they just make you think they do. Â They buzz. Â They humm. Â Their little knob falls off. Â The only ones you can buy that will intonate, are the ones the Tele snobs don't like. Â It's a very large club. Almost as large as the Jellyfishers. they have a heavily moderated forum where they talk all good about Telecasters and feel warm and fuzzy. They are like Telegeeks. Â I was almost one, once, then suddenly, I woke up. Â Telecasters are actually pretty primative, noisey, twangy sounding guitars. Â Best of luck. Â Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 You can paddle a canoe better with a Tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Wow What happened? The post was my attempt to find out why my Les Paul with its shorter scale is harder to play than my Tele and I get peoples opinions of their favorite guitar. Live and Learn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Wow What happened? The post was my attempt to find out why my Les Paul with its shorter scale is harder to play than my Tele and I get peoples opinions of their favorite guitar. Live and Learn  If your Tele is easier to play than a Les Paul with the same guage strings.  It's because you are a freak of nature.  Get a job at a carnival.......  Go back in time.  "Beam up."  Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elantric Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Rocky 4,  Which specific model Tele do you have ?  That is crucial - as a Squire Thinline Tele has a 24.75" Gibson type scale length  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Telecaster_Thinline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarooster52 Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Wow, if I hadn't of read the science of why a Tele is easier to play than a LP, I would have sworn the LP is easier to play! Â What a revelation! Â In truth I have a Deluxe Tele, and a Custom LP....and I've always felt the LP was a little easier for me to play in most respects. I guess it might be the shape of he neck...I dunno...it's one of those subjective feel things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Its actually a Warmoth body with a Fender Tele neck. 25.5 scale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LPC Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Does your Tele have top loaded strings, or through the body ? I think bends would be easier with top loaded, since it requires less tension to bring a shorter string to the same pitch as a longer one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbomb76 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I really don't have that much trouble switching from an "F" brand to Gibson and back again (and I've used string gauges as heavy as 13's with wound-G's regularly on certain guitars), but I've always had various guitars in my arsenal at different times with different scale lengths and whatnot (my Gretsch's and Dano's again, were unique as well) so I guess keeping familiarity with different axes pays off. One thing I've noticed lately is that a LOT of guys don't play around with the action on their guitars and leave it set to whatever it was when they bought it, and in a lot of cases those harder-to-play ones have terribly high action. Maybe the action on the LP needs to come down some? Just a thought, because that's something that really irks me (and why I can't legitimately "try out" anything hanging at GC). Â H-Bomb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Somebody had one too many pills of viagra... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted February 21, 2009 Author Share Posted February 21, 2009 I dont like new strings, but I replaced them. The neck and bridge were waaaaaaay out of wack with the new strings on. A few adjustments were made and I have my favorite guitar back. I have been playing for 30 years and have never had this happen before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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