dynasty32 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I own a strat, and never owned a Les Paul. But when I tried it out in the stores, playing the upper frets is kinda awkward, especially when trying to bend those notes. It gets worse if I stand up and play the upper frets. If I get a Les Paul, would I get used to this? I have no problems on the Strat. When I tried the SG, Ididn't have this problem either. But I want to get a Les Paul, since it's so iconic and many of my favorite players played it. The SG doesn't look as cool and the double cut les paul looks weird IMO. I have smallish hands, maybe that's the reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyushPresley Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Well unlike Strat and SG the problem with Les Paul that many of them say is " access to the upper frets" and yes it's true. it's a bit awkward for the upper fret access..but once you start on it you'll quite get used to it and it won't be much of a problem.. It's the initial stages where you'll get that awkwardness.Later it's all going to be fine..I never had the problems with the upper frets for some reason.But I can't deny the fact that SG and Strat have better fret access than the Les Pauls.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 If you play it, enough...you'll adjust. It IS more problematic, than a Strat, and certainly more so, than an SG! But, it's not that difficult, really. You just have to play it, until it becomes second nature...like anything else, really. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generation zero Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I play mainly rhythm, so to me, "upper frets" refers to frets 12 to 15, so I don't have a problem, LOL. But yeah, a Paul is a bit chunky at the neck joint. I've got long fingers though, so when I do occasionally bust out that epic 2 1/2 step bend on the 22nd fret, I don't have too much trouble. "Your mileage may vary," as they say. I've never really played an SG, but my strat, tele, and PRS are all a little easier to reach up there. For me though, the difference is at least minimal, and at most irrelevant. I will say the Pauls sound better in the higher positions than the others... More meaty, probably due to the more massive body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I just bend up from the 15th fret. Yes, I'm a real man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwhi2001 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 My hands are "medium" and it's an issue for me too. I can't play as fluently up there as I can on my other guitars. Strapping it higher helps a bit, but I've often been tempted to shave a bit of wood off that heel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stig Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 If you're up above the 15th fret on a regular basis, maybe the Les Paul isn't the guitar for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doth Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I agree with Stig. The Les Paul has never been known as a shredder guitar. Although there have been many people that play in the upper registers, it does have an awkward heel. A Strat has slightly better upper fret access, but even that is tough because of the bolt on neck. If you want the sound, or as close as you can get to it of a Les Paul, then an SG has excellent upper fret access. How can you say it doesn't look cool when it is the Holy Grail of AC/DC? Just teasing, but I am with you, I love the SG for playing, but the look just isn't the same as Joe Perry or Slash with a Cig hanging out of his mouth, dropping some blues licks on a Les Paul. One of my guitars is a Schecter C-1 Classic. It has a neck through design, with Seymour Duncan Pick ups. Two octave access is super easy. Although it is an incredible guitar for lead work, I usually play my Epi Boneyard cause it is just plain cool and I rarely solo above the 15th fret. Like others have mentioned, you can get used to anything with enough exposure to it. Epiphone offers extremely competitively priced Les Pauls that you can buy and play to see if it is too your liking. If not, there is always Ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I've been learning some new tunes lately, and getting right up there.. 'solo on black hole sun for example.. ' and it is not as easy as my other guitars for sure.. so I switch to the sheri. *S* But I practice on the paul, too, and I'm getting the hang of it. TWANG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan 58 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 My sherry has the worst neck access of most of my guitars, it makes a LP seem easy. Stan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Agreed with the others about "getting used to it," however, my biggest problem isn't so much the access as it is the narrow frets - I have medium length fingers (perhaps), but they're kinda fat and tend to kinda mute the strings played unless I really squeeze, so I play slower and bend more and further up there..... works well enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibplayer Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Get a Les Paul for its fat tone and sustain, and for its look; but not for upper fret access. It would complement your Str*t nicely. After you've got your Les Paul, get an SG for ultra upper fret access and its own unique tone. Hope I'm not being a bad influence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canine Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Maybe the LP Access is the solution to this problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibplayer Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Maybe the LP Access is the solution to this problem... Got any loose change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canine Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I meant that as in Epiphone releasing a similar model! There's already an EPI LP with a contoured body, so it could happen, eventually... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibplayer Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I meant that as in Epiphone releasing a similar model! There's already an EPI LP with a contoured body' date=' so it could happen, eventually...[/quote'] Only joking, but hey what about the prophecy EM2 FX for a Floyd Rose. Just not the LP tone: http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=298&CollectionID=18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibplayer Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Only joking' date=' but hey what about the prophecy EM2 FX for a Floyd Rose. Just not the LP tone: http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=298&CollectionID=18 Or the Explorer style prophecy with the Floyd: http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=296&CollectionID=18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I don't have large hands, probably medium with short fat fingers. Upper acces is definitely easier on my Strat and SG, but there is something that I love about a Les Paul. Playing the upper frets on a Paul is definitely a challenge, but not undoable. It defintely takes so time to get used to it. I just keep my thumb in the middle of the neck behind the heal at about the 13th or 14th fret and just reach with my others fingers. I am not a shredder by any means, but I can reach the 22nd fret. If I need to get there I usually only play the top three strings though. I love the fat tone of an LP, and the sustain. I find myself playing my LP more that my other guitars for that reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 I tend to play past the 15th fret position only when I'm playing my Strat. The Tele offers a litle more range, also. On the LP, I generally stay in the comfort zone. I can find enough range to do what I want without stretching my thumb. I agree that the LP is the one for great blues tones and shredders need to find a good double cutaway guitar. The SG is a great high fret access axe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Lister Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Small hands are a plus for LP upper fret access. It's more a matter of hand angle and placement b/c a small hand fits into the smallish cutaway space easier. I played strats for 8 yrs. before my first LP. I still own my strat but the legendary growl of the LP is where my blues/rock mojo lurks. If you want that tone badly enough, you'll figure out with practice how to adjust and to compensate to make up any differences. (Shredders don't want an LP, but then again they don't notice tonal nuances anyway b/c they don't hold a note long enough to care.) Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 A Les Paul and/or non cutaway acoustic was all I played the 1st 25 yrs or so............never had a problem with UFA or bends, because as I approach the body joint, I switch to the classical hand position (thumb on necks rear center) BUT, because of this, I realized a long time ago that I naturally PULL my bends(except Hi-E) as opposed to pushing them..........sounds "afflicted" I know but you might want to try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 A Les Paul and/or non cutaway acoustic was all I played the 1st 25 yrs or so............never had a problem with UFAor bends' date=' because as I approach the body joint, I switch to the classical hand position (thumb on necks rear center) BUT, because of this, I realized a long time ago that I naturally PULL my bends(except Hi-E) as opposed to pushing them..........sounds "afflicted" I know but you might want to try it.[/quote'] I pull a lot of bends, especially where I bend up (push) with the 3rd finger and follow it by a pulled 1st finger bend and then mute it. I like the effect and the controll that I get from pulling the inside strings. You can do bend and mute/stop well using that technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrighty3693 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 all you have to do for upper fret access when stood up or sat down is when the neck heel ends place you palm and thumb on the body with your thumb placed around the centre of the neck and you can bend on any string beyond the 17th. If you want examples look at doug aldrich of white snake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan 58 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Thats why fret access sucks on the LP, all you've got to do is play it the opposite way you play any other guitar. Stan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrighty3693 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Stan UFA doesn't suck its just a challenge you just have to take it on the chin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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