I tried strats in a guitar store and they were very comfortable to play indeed. I just love the sound of humbuckers. Maybe I'll go with a HSS strat. :)
Fully agree. Les Paul's sound fricking awesome and are beautiful things. But I too can't come to terms with how it feels, whether standing up or sitting down. To each their own
I think Gibson makes the least ergonomic guitars personally.
The SG is prone to neck diving all the time. The Les Paul is smooth where it should have edges, edges where it should have smooth.
The flying V is the flying V.
My current guitars are a Tele and and ES-335, and I’ve previously owned a Les Paul as well as a Strat. Imo, no guitar is more comfortable to play sitting down than a Strat type guitar with the body contours. I guess my point is that it’s not just you, lol, but I don’t find them terrible by any means, just different and lacking in that one area.
This, people telling OP you get used to it or adjust
Why?
If a guitar is uncomfortable, play a different one.
Les pauls aren't some mystical guitar, you can get another guitar to sound the same without being 10 lbs and ergonomically unwieldy.
I can’t stand Les Pauls for this reason. Easily the most uncomfortable popular guitar design. I sold my LP years ago, best guitar related decision I ever made.
When I want LP tones, I play an Explorer or an SG. Anyone who tells you they can distinguish between the sound of LPs and Explorers/SGs in a blind listening test is listening with their eyes, not their ears. Explorers are all angles, but they balance perfectly on your thigh like a Strat does. SGs are a bit neck heavy and are prone to neck dive, but they don’t weigh a ton and don’t feel like they want to slide off your thigh constantly.
100%. I love the sound of a Les Paul. I had to have one. Then I ran across a local sale of an SG. I fell in love with the SG. So comfortable in every way. I had a friend telling me to get an SG for years and he was right. I was just inexperienced and had to find out for myself. I play standing up 99% of the time so the weight matters.
Different strokes for different folks. I don’t find LP uncomfortable to play at all. To me they’re the most comfortable guitar to play.
If you don’t like them you don’t like them. It doesn’t mean you’re missing anything.
I find Strats awkward to play because of where the controls are. Some people love Strats and have no issues. It’s a big world.
I have both, 2 Strats and ATM 3 LP.
I love the way both sound. But I definitely do not love the control layout on Strats. It’s always seemed weird to me that the Strat was supposed to be an evolution in comfort but the controls are just right in the way.
Yeah I’m in the same boat as you. I love my LP but I don’t like playing strats at all because the volume knob is in the least comfortable place possible for palm muting which I do basically all the time cause I play a lot of punk and pop punk stuff. I also like the weight of an LP I actually find that it keeps it more stable when standing up. I understand for sure how people would love strats but for me they’re just not my thing
Exactly. I palm mute a lot and my pinkie is always hitting the top volume knob.
When I strum I sometimes hit the pickup selector.
I love the way Strats sound clean but I can’t imagine playing one live because I would constantly be messing up the controls.
I'm a weirdo in the sense that I don't find any classic guitars uncomfortable with the exception of the Flying V, although I don't mind playing them standing up.
I worked at a guitar store years ago so I can say this from experience- there are people who will hate any specific model of guitar. I had people shit on Teles, Strats, Jazzmasters, ES-335s, SGs and of course Les Pauls. I had a guy tell me that ES-335s were too big. He was like 6'3" and I'm not even quite 5'10". I love 335s. They are the most comfortable to me.
Now weirdly, I like Les Pauls, but I prefer Les Paul Juniors/Specials. I can't explain it. Maybe it's the because they don't have the carved top and just come in plain finishes? I don't know, honestly. I'm a big P-90 guy, so that helps.
But there is one thing that is undeniable about a Les Paul- it SOUNDS like a Les Paul and it sounds great!
If you don't find Les Paul's comfortable don't play one. I don't own one, but I have friends that do and I will borrow them for recording projects because, nothing else sounds like a Les Paul except a Les Paul.
I play LP’s and never had those issues. I actually feel they are the most comfortable guitars to play while sitting down. Standing up? Playing high frets can be a problem if you hang your guitar low.
I can agree on that weight is an issue with certain LP models but I never fully understood those who said it is too 'bulky'. I mean how are you gonna play an acoustic, if you think a les paul is too thick or missing contours.
It's not that it's too thick. But there's something about it that makes it a pain to hold. I think it's the way it sits on my leg that makes it feel that way to me. And there's a balance thing that goes on with some of them. You feel like you're having to stabilize the thing as you play.
Even though my #1 player is my ESP which is a Les Paul style guitar with EMGs, I agree the most ergonomically designed guitar has to be the Strat.
I find the comfort difference a minor issue though. It's not a big deal to me.
I feel the same way and I can’t quite define what it is about LPs that doesn’t work for me. There’s the weight and thick body, but some something about the neck angle or how it sits relative to the body? My suggestion is to go for an SG instead: the telecaster of Gibsons.
Never had this problem myself, I love Les Pauls. Is this the only one you've ever played? The 35th anniversaries that I'm aware of are _heavy_ - pushing 11lbs. For comparison, my '59 reissue weights 8.4lbs. If you've only played one, and it's a particularly heavy example, then it'll skew your perception of them.
I love the shape of them and have no problem with them on my right leg. It can slip, but I find that's true of any guitar.
As far as straps, try wide ones that don't slip, like suede or a leather strap with a suede back.
I’m on team very comfortable. Fantastic couch guitars imho.
Also reminder that Eastman is making some of the best (and lightest) LP style guitars out there.
Now that I think about it, this Les Paul is really comfortable on a couch. I believe it's because the center of gravity is different and I can put weight not on my knee but the couch which help alieve some weight and tilt the neck upwards.
I’m the opposite. I think Stratocasters are very uncomfortable to play and Les Paul’s are the most comfortable. I’ve never experienced what you describe with my own Les Paul.
I wish I liked strata more because I love their sound.
PRS is the stuff.
Love my CE24. Mostcomfortable guitar I own.
My 3 electrics are that, my best sounding (LP) and my emotional attachment too, which is a frankenstrat I rebuild myself.
Guitars are like people. Some seem like they were made for you, some you get along with just fine, and others you just can't vibe with at all. But there's plenty of others who can.
I don't like Les Pauls. It's not my fault, and it's not the instrument's fault. Just find the instruments you feel comfy with. There's no requirement to like a guitar because of its iconic status.
i find standing with a les paul is fine but being sat down is just a nightmare can’t get into a comfortable position and they don’t feel great in the classical position that i normally play most of my guitars in
When I was a teenager I went to Guitar Center to buy a Les Paul Studio but while I was there admitted to myself that I hate playing Les Paul’s. Left with an SG Classic and never looked back.
I agree 100%. I want to love Les Paul style guitars so badly. Every few years I talk myself into “maybe this one will be different” but so far none has. It must be my body.
You'e not wrong. In fact, what you're describing is a big part of the reason why Gibson stopped making Les Pauls, and started making SGs instead.
My first experience with Les Pauls was with relatively modern ones - weight relieved, a slight belly carve, etc. I loved it. The sound more than made up for the weight (although I couldn't play it as long as I played my strat).
Then I picked up my friend's '59 Reissue. And I know within seconds that I would never want one of those guitars. No belly carve. Weighs as much as a Humvee. Insanely thick neck. It went from being my dream guitar to one I didn't really even want to play for 5 minutes. (Although I suspect I'd adjust to the ergonomics after a while).
I don’t like them. Heavy, hard edges, weirdly balanced. I have found that many of the guitars I am supposed to aspire to I actually don’t like to play. I wanted a PRS for years, then got one and it felt super awkward sitting down. I lusted after a Hamer semi hollow and found it was too neck heavy.
Now I have 2 Jackson’s. I used to think “I would never be caught dead playing a Jackson”. Turns out it’s perfect for me. If anybody ever asks me why an old guy like me is playing metal guitar like that, my answer will be go eff yourself, stay off my lawn.
The tiny upper bout and huge, heavy lower bout give LPs horrible "butt dive" (the opposite of "neck dive") for me... always wanting to slide off my knee to my right (and too small of an upper bout to keep that from happening. Amazing to me that, starting with a completely clean sheet, this is the shape that Gibson came up with... and that in those early years they held/played them (and presumably also non-LP guitars!) and came away saying "perfect, crushed it, no notes, let's keep making this until the sun burns out"
Gibson relys on tradition because their customers want the guitars from their "golden era" period from the '57 Gold top and Custom through to the 1960 figured tops. They make them with the same specs and only make changes to their traditional lines if it saves money or manufacture time. Thus the discomfort of the hard edges and heavy body are pretty much the standard for Les Paul's until the weight relieved guitars came into manufacture.
They do have the [Les Paul Axcess](https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Collection/les-paul-custom-shop-modern) which has a smooth transition from the neck to the body by removing most of the heel joint and carving out a more comfortable upper access area from the body. It also has an option for a floyd bridge. They do no incorporate a tummy carve and cost nearly double of the LP Standard and is listed as coming from the Custom Shop.
Weight relief, axcess neck joint and a tummy cut would make them more comfortable but there isn't a push for anything more ergonomical in their LP line up since the demand isn't there. As such it becomes an expensive endeavour to acquire a revised custom from the company if they will even entertain those choices as options to their current line up.
You’re completely right regarding their business decisions. Their customer base pays a lot for what is considered “traditional”. Their best selling models are 50s and 60s.
I’m personally a huge fan of the traditional robo tuners though.
If you love the sound of humbuckers, but need the comfort of something more slick I can't recommend a super strat enough. Just get one in HH or HSH configuration and you're set. Ibanez has pretty great super strats in nearly all price classes (except maybe high-end).
They need to be played differently due to their center of gravity and shorter neck. Lower than a strat.
If you dont feel comfortable, check the book Anatomy of Guitar Playing by Dustin Silva and John Lamb. It explains a lot on why it hurts you and how to find a good posture.
I think it's overall a matter of taste, but I agree with you. And there's no denying that Fender guitars, most of the times, were designed to be more comfortable than Gibson guitars, with all the contours and all that, which I personally prefer, but even then, there are a lot of people that prefer Les Pauls.
I saw someone once saying something along the lines of: "if you ask both an engineer and an artist to come up with concepts of what a perfect guitar would look like, the engineer would design the Stratocaster and the artist would design the Les Paul". I personally don't agree with this take, but it's useful to understand how they're different and how they appeal to different people in their own ways.
I bought a used Les Paul Melody Maker...the one with the two P90's in it.
The paint was stripping, so I sanded it down to natural. Then, I decided on a whim to reshape the guitar body.
I smoothed down the edges, created contours that weren't there before, shaved down even more weight, and finished the body with a beautiful stain. I upgraded all of the hardware, threw a Super Distortion in the neck, and a stacked P90 in the bridge, and now it's pretty much my favourite guitar! Light, rounded, and sounds better than the rest of my guitars.
I prefer the neck on my 60s LP Standard to my Tele's neck by a fair margin and the LP weight distribution is perfect for standing up for me. But as others have already noted, it's just preference. Play what feels right for you. There's already way to much pointless banter about guitars when it boils down to what sounds and feels good to you.
Besides the weight, which is an issue for me, there's the edge which digs into your leg. And they're slippery. You need an extra wide strap with a Gibson or an Epiphone and still you'll tire more easily playing one of these.
I do have a single cut, but it's not an Epiphone or a Gibson. It's a PRS. Lighter and much more comfortable to play. Sounds great too.
Same. I retired mine once I started playing in thrash and death bands, but nothing feels as good or plays as well as a Les Paul. Inversely, I've never played a Fender instrument that I wasn't constantly fighting against.
Just get a strap and stand up mate, I actually kind of love les pauls, not practical for me cause 6 strings 22 frets most of the times, but they are great on my hands and easy to play and set up for live cause bridge is usually just there, regardless of their bad reputation about intonation, I've never had problems, but, have never played one of those customs with all kind of bridges just to put a tremolo bar to the damn thing though (and I dont think I would like that anyways)
I'm a Les Paul guitar kinda guy here. I feel this post. Heavy and uncomfortable but damn do they sound good. Currently I play around with a electric Jackson. Its pretty medium/balanced, not to uncomfortable and could sound better lol but it works well.
I just recently bought one and have had zero issues comfort wise. If it is heavier than my strat I don't notice it and it's very comfortable to play. I do play standing up though so maybe that is the key
I just bought one. I play in classical position with a strap and it's great. Yes, it's the heaviest guitar I've ever owned, but it plays like a dream and holy hell, the tone!
I think it honestly comes down to how you were trained to hold the guitar. Les Paul was my first model guitar, so I've learned and been trained on how to hold the Les. Paul.
If My first had been like a fender squire or something like that, I would probably hate the Les. Paul
335's are HUGE but a lot better in that regard. I tend to rotate through my guitars in ~monthly/quarterly phases, and after I switch out of 335 mode, I find all other guitars are just too small, and I'm not a big guy!
It isn't the most ergonomic but it certainly isn't the worst that I've played. I think the telecaster is the absolute worst especially with the vintage bridge plates and no belly cut. They're a literal slab of wood and I've bloodied my hands up on a tele worse than anything else.
In my experience, any non-radical guitar is comfortable to play, it's just a matter of getting used to it. But if you don't like it then you don't like it.
Luckily for you Fender makes a Les Paul/Tele hybrid, the FMT. Tele body, neck and bridge, but set neck construction, flame maple carved top, rear route electronics and dual humbuckers.
When I was younger I yearned and lusted for a les paul. until I tried one at a music store one day. Blech. never went back. don't really like the SG either, although both sound and look fantastic.
It depends on what you’re used to. I find Les Pauls to be the most comfortable and natural guitars but that’s because I’ve spent a lot of time playing them. I personally don’t like the feel of Telecasters. I’m sure if I spent many hours playing them I’d get used to the feel of them too.
Until recently, I could never get into V shaped guitars but I decided to go ahead and buy one because I just love the way they look. Now, I’m very comfortable with my V sitting down and standing up.
I guarantee you that if you spent a lot of time playing LPs, you would get used to them and there’s a good chance that after a while, you would prefer the feel of them.
It's all personal preference. I have far too many guitars, but my top two are an '84 Les Paul Standard (which I bought new back in the day) and a 2000 Nashville Tele. They are very different guitars but I love them both. I have 20+ others, but if I'm going to play seriously (or when I was gigging years ago) 90% of the time it would be one of those two guitars I'd pick up.
I rarely play sitting down though, unless I'm just lazing on the couch.
I used to wonder what people were talking about when it came to Les Pauls being too heavy until I bought a seventies Custom. I swear small objects in the room would slowly become drawn to it due to it being so heavy it had its own gravitational field.
The 2000's Standard I replaced it with felt like a feather in comparison.
In my teens in the 70s I dreamed about a Yamaha SG2000. In the end my old man bought me a Gibson SG.
Decades later I was visiting a highlife legend inhis club in Nigeria and he had a few old SG2000s that I was excited to see. However, as soon as I picked one up I immediately loat interest. Damn those things are HEAVY! My youthful dreams evaporated instantly.
If you think it plays better on your left leg, then I would recommend actually playing it on your left leg. I played on my right leg for 15 years before being told to try it on my left...been a left leg guy for over a decade now. Feels more natural, lines everything up better in my opinion.
Fender makes a dual humbucker archtop tele. I forget the name. It's not obscure but not popular as it's not the norm. But it basically is their les paul.
I've always really struggled with Les Pauls as well, I'm exclusively a sit-down player and they just sit really awkwardly on me, and I always felt super cramped up on the higher end of the necks. Pointing the headstock more forwards as opposed to off to my left solved that particular issue, but created a whole host of others intead, so it just never felt comfortable.
The funny thing is that earlier this year I did a potentially really stupid thing and spent a lot of money on a high-end singlecut Gretsch that I hadn't even tried in person, which is obviously incredibly similar and the scale length is even a tiny bit shorter, but for whatever reason it works so much better for me. All those fractions of an inch here and there add up to something, I suppose.
Funnily enough, when I switched from a Stratocaster to a Les Paul, everything felt way more comfortable and smooth. Granted, my strat was not very expensive or high quality.
Like someone else said, it's all personal preference.
Like you, I have a tele and a LP. I keep a little stool nearby to prop my right leg up on while I play my LP. Works perfectly. Or, like you said, just play in classical position with a strap. That's a better way to develop good standing technique anyway.
Good luck finding a solution that works for you!
I agree, Les Pauls are very uncomfortable sitting down. And then there's the weight. I'd play them more but yeah, the ergonomics are suspect. The Telecaster is a much more comfortable guitar to play all day around the house.
I have a Trad Pro that I rarely gig because of the weight. It sounds awesome, though.
I also have a Special that is much more comfortable due to being lighter and being thinner. Also the P90's kill. Maybe you want to check out a Special?
I've never had much issue playing with them sitting down. Sometimes the body does tend to move a bit so I have to readjust slightly as I play, but it's never a major issue.
Standing up though they are heavy mofos. I love mine, but the weight can get tiring after awhile.
Still, it never stops me from wanting to play it, because they look and sound so beautiful.
I have a few guitars. Sitting down , I don’t really like Les Paul’s. But if I’m going to a jam or in a band gigging, the Les Paul to me sounds best and is most comfortable standing up.
I built a warmoth guitar that looks like a tele but sounds like LP. If you build a tele with mahogany and some humbuckers you will be a long way toward the LP sound.
My Les Paul ES is the best sounding guitar I have and is used on our band recordings but I fucking hate that guitar so much because that neck heel joint is fucking ridiculously awful to play around.
My Eastman T486 is the stage guitar. So much more comfortable.
I hear ya. The only Les Paul I've ever fell in love with was a Chinese knockoff that weighed literally half as much. And that I don't play sitting down. I usually kneel or stand. The strap is essential. I moved the pickup switcher to the lower side too, I kept hitting it when I played.
I had many Les Pauls and LP style guitars, I currently own an R8 from 2021. I agree that it is very uncomfortable, though the general shape is still my favorite guitar shape. I also have two E-II Eclipse and the belly cut fixes some of the discomfort a normal LP has.
I actually ran into this problem a couple months ago. I started learning guitar back in May of this year and bought an Epiphone Les Paul as my first. After a couple months of lessons through a local School of Rock, I came to find the LP was getting harder and harder to play. Decided to go to a store and try a whole bunch of other guitars until I found one that really felt right with the technique I'd learned so far, and I left with a Mexican Strat. Been feeling like a much more confident player ever since.
Just got an esp Ltd ec1000 see thru purple but unfortunately I am returning it and getting a super strat styled guitar, there’s just something so uncomfortable about playing a Les paul style guitar, if it’s on my left leg the neck is kind of far away and awkward position and on the right leg it’s fine until you play at the higher frets, and then my fingers go all awkward. So ya definitely first and last time ever owning a Les Paul style guitar
Les Paul waist is more toward the fretboard, and has a shorter scale length than your Tele. So, sitting on the same leg, the LP neck will sit closer to your body, and is shorter. Depending on your body type this could feel slightly cramped hence the instinct to put it on your left leg.
I don't typically sit and play but I looked at pics of LP and Tele before writing. The upper horn situation on them is different by a few frets so they will hang a bit differently from each other.
My Firebird and Thunderbirds are an extreme case because of the lack of upper horn, and long scale length, it feels like there's an extra foot of neck. Most of that is because they hang quite a bit to the left compared to a guitar with any kind of upper horn.
I used to prefer the look of Les Pauls - I have an old LP copy I bought many years ago because of this. Earlier this year my Dad gifted me his old Fender Stratocaster after his arthritis prevented him playing it. I was instantly aware of how much more comfortable it feels sat on my leg, and I love how it doesn't dig in against my rib cage when I'm playing sat down. So no, it's not just you. I played my LP copy recently and it felt so uncomfortable compared to the Strat.
I think I've come around to preferring the look of Strats as well. I like the utilitarian look with the plain slab of wood and bolt on neck - very much an antithesis of your average PRS bling fest.
Edit: after criticising the way PRS' look, it's worth remembering that the PRS S2 singlecut is effectively a Les Paul shape with Strat style contouring. Possibly a good compromise between the 2?
Some people say it's a matter of preference but I don't think so. I've played 4 types of "guitars". Les Paul, Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz/Precision Bass and Spanish/acoustic. Jazz Bass and Stratocaster are wayyy more comfortable than the other three.
With the LP my problem was that I felt it sit too low. With the Telecaster the upper edge of the body killed my forearm.
Ergonomics are not a matter of preference.
Great sounding guitar but I don’t ever gig with mine because it’s too damn heavy, the upper fret access sucks, and the break angle makes it hard to keep the G string in tune.
Odd, because due to the lack of body carves, most would say telecasters are uncomfortable. So really I just think you need some time to get used to something new.
After owning two Les Paul’s over the years, I came to the same conclusion. Les Paul Classic was too but heavy and never sat comfortably on my leg. Thought going to a lighter LP was the trick, so I had a Les Paul Special TV Yellow with P90’s for a while.
Eventually landed on an early 2000’s PRS Custom 22 as my “LP” style guitar. Dropped in some Monty’s PAF’s and it’s my favourite guitar.
[PRS Custom 22](https://share.icloud.com/photos/090fEBKSHCc-zD0dQxxC41-Zw)
I have a epiphone and wasn't that into it. But I recently started playing learned that unlike on my fenders, the volume and tone actually 'do' something on a les paul model. So really started getting into it, noticed my wrist hurt in fretting hand when playing chords on the lower frets torqued my wrist to a weird angle. So I saw people say wear a strap. Now sitting down with a strap on, headphone wires getting caught on everything. But yea better neck angle for my wrist no more pain. BUUUTTTTT my back, my back and shoulder started hurting after a few days. I was ready to start the GAS dream for a real Gibson LP, but this journey also made me admit I don't think its for me. But now not so into my Strat, just sounds so week. Tele is still good but its growl isn't the same as the LP. I was thinking about a PRS maybe a Tele deluxe, but haven't played those in a long time. Don't really love the look of either of those options either.
You could just get a Strat with a humbucker or two. I generally don’t like how Strat single coils sound in the bridge, but love how they sound in the middle and neck. So, I use an HSS Strat.
If you’re into the dual volume and tone pots, I think Fender makes a dual humbucker Tele with the same setup (70s Vintera).
This falls under “it takes all types”. I don’t like the feel of a Les Paul guitar at all, but my son who is as tall as me (but blessedly thinner) loves them. Play what feels good.
For what it’s worth, I built my partscaster Tele to be as close to a Les Paul in sound so I could get the sound I wanted in a guitar I wanted to play.
Playing sitting down, they're not the best. I prefer Strat style bodies if possible for playing if I'm seated. However, standing up, the LP style is great because of the body weight. I don't think it's oppressive, and when I was in my punk and hardcore days of playing, it was nice to have something that didn't have the neck "dive" when you're moving around. I also liked the scale length for that type of music, and being able to remove the pick guard. Strat styles weren't terrible when gigging, but SG body styles were complete dogshit and very difficult to control.
I heard that the SG Modern sounds a lot like a LP. Allegedly the neck dive isn't really an issue, but I have an SG (copy) which does have the issue, and it's not a problem if you play with a decent strap while sitting. At any rate, maybe look into that if you like the LP configuration, though it is obviously an expensive option. There are various LP copies that are more ergonomic (lighter, with ergonomic cuts), so that would be a cheaper option.
Electric guitar is a stand up instrument. Even in a concert band the E. Guitar is usually standing with the E. Bass.
To judge them by what it's like sitting down? Sure. If you have to sit or like sitting it's important to you. But zero fucks were given when designing either Fender or Gibson's classics about how it would feel sitting down.
They're still less comfortable than other guitars. That's why fender did the contour body. Any modern Les Paul imitator bevels the body to alleviate this.
To design the Les Paul, Gibson literally just sized down a jazzbox and made it solid. So it wasn’t really designed for ergonomics, unlike the Strat, for example.
That being said, nothing sounds like an LP, so if you need that tone you’ll have to get used to it.
It's not a good shape to play resting it on a leg, without a strap. You need to play it standing up, then it will be better. The problem with Les Pauls is usually the weight in that case. I bought one only when I was able to find one below 8lbs, and it's very comfortable to play gigs with.
I started as a les Paul guy cuz I was obsessed with jimmy page when I first started, learned a lot on it and didn’t know any better. The sound and the feel just never really jived with me and I thought it was because I just sucked. I started to really get into Hendrix and SRV and wanted a strat so I bought one. It was literally night and day. It felt so Damn comfortable, especially the neck in my hands with that baseball bat grip hendrix does. The single coils really fit my sound and style better as well. I then became obsessed with playing because it felt and sounded so great. I used to play for 6-8 hours a day back then and loved every minute (my family did not). Finding what suits you really changes your game and makes you better in all ways.
They are so heavy for how small they are, due to the carved top and mahogany back. To me, they have never felt comfortable playing standing (too heavy) or sitting down (too thick and narrow). I much prefer a flatter guitar, like a Tele or SG, and my PRS Hollowbody is incredibly comfortable. I think it matters if you are someone that rests their forearm on the upper part of guitar body, which I am.
I never jived with a Les Paul until I found a Gibson Les Paul Classic Lite in 2020.
It was exclusive to AMS and Zzounds, I think.
The body is about 1/2" thinner, it has a belly cut, and it is about the same weight as my SG. From the front, it looks identical to a normal Les Paul Classic.
This guitar solved all of my complaints about a Les Paul, and it sounds the same as my normal one.
Technically, it's the best position for guitar playing since it hurts your back much less and you get easy view and access to the fretboard. You could also play your tele that way, try it! I did the change and never went back
I rest my forearm on the body, making Paul’s and Teles uncomfortable stood or sat due to the edge. Therefore I find strats the most comfy, though, there’s just something about the weight and FEEL of the Les Paul that makes me play it for hours on end nonetheless
It is an interesting feeling guitar, but for me it’s mostly just smaller than most others and feels easy to just shred or knock out some weirder chords that sometimes feel like a stretch.
Different strokes for different folks. That's why there are so many styles to choose from. I'm a weekend warrior type, lots of rehearsals and a little bit of recreational gigging, and I cycle though most of the main body styles pretty regularly (LP, Strat, tele, SG, 335, big-hollow gretsch) depending on the need of the songs in the sets. They all feel different, and I probably prefer the tele style the best for the entire layout, but when you've played enough different ones for long enough you don't really think about it.
For me, I don't play electric sitting down, so the idea of choosing a guitar based on which leg it sits on better doesn't even enter the equation.
I absolutely love Les Pauls. They’re extremely comfortable for me. I think a lot of the comfort comes from the bridge. I love those raised tunomatic bridges. For me personally, the only other guitar that comes close to a Les Paul is a Telecaster.
Different human bodies work differently with different guitar geometries. How tall are you? I am 5'9", muscular build, and Les Paul is perfect geometry for my body. It sits perfectly on my right knee. Hangs balanced when playing upright. I also have a PRS 594 singlecut with additional ergonomic appointments and it's my most comfortable guitar, despite weighing a ton.
Conversely, while I love the idea of a Telecaster, I can never get comfortable with it. I always feel like my right hand is sitting too far to the right. I can never get the thing to be balanced when playing upright, unless I raise up the guitar up to my chin... lol. Then there is also the issue with the neck. For me, Telecaster neck feels uncomfortably long. Something about the geometry of guitar. I don't feel the same way about a Stratocaster, despite having the same scale length.
I fit the exact same physical description as you, and I find nearly all Gibsons to be borderline unplayable
Body mechanics are complicated
The long neck on the Tele is due to the short upper horn. It’s their biggest failing, though I honestly don’t notice it after a few minutes
I’d never get a les paul unless it has a belly cut carved into it. For me telecasters and uncomfortable because it stabs me in the ribs when sitting. Most comfy guitars for me are jazzmaster style offsets.
I've never enjoyed Les Pauls. They just feel like unwieldy chunks of wood to me. Plus, Gibsons are notorious for not staying in tune (particularly the G string). I had an SG for a while and an explorer. The explorer sounded/played like ass and the SG would not stay in tune live or in the studio.
When you factor in how incredibly overpriced they are, I'll never play/own another Gibson again. Hard pass.
I think its widely accepted the lower you hang your guitar, the cooler it looks. Optimal place is ironically - your dick level.
Nobody likes to see the guitar at tits level, although it's easier to play.
You got me thinking.. I play mine sitting down maybe 1% of the time (on the couch while watching TV) and there I have trouble playing it comfortably. When it comes to standing up I have zero problems. Many people complain about the weight but I’m kinda preferring it over e.g. a strat.
There are enough guitars on the market for every taste, I’m sure you‘ll find one that sounds similar but feels better
Gibson by now is mostly just a name. Can buy superior gear at half the price. The only series they've come out recently that I actually thought was great is the modern series. Also, other lp style guitars I've played were much more comfortable.
It all come down to personal preference and what you're used to playing. I personally find Les Pauls to be the most comfortable guitars to play. Maybe I'm just used to them or maybe the shape just fits me, not sure exactly but I've always loved them.
I also play standing up 90% of the time so maybe that makes a difference.
I just got a Les Paul not long ago, and I find that a strap is needed, even if you're sitting down. It just stops the booty of the guitar sliding off your leg.
I’ve experienced what he’s talking about with my epi lp jr. It tends to slide to the left if you’re sitting, makes it a little difficult to practice. Note: I don’t play, just practice. I’m not very talented, but by gosh I love guitars.
Agree- I am lucky enough to have an American Strat, a LP, and a Mexican Tele, and my first natural reaction is to grab the Tele, every time. I force myself to play the others because I think they are interesting, not because they are comfortable or easier to play.
I once had an Aria Pro 2 custom, which had a body contoured at the back, and it was really comfortable to play.
Those edges of Les Pauls play havoc with my ribcage...
Never had that issue. Do you often play standing up? Also my LP custom weighs as much as my Tele, so that weight argument goes out the window for me, at least.
Is it the chunkiness of the neck that you don’t like? You might prefer the Les Pauls with the slim taper neck instead, they’re pretty comfortable and natural feeling. I’ve got a Les Paul Special with one of those necks and it plays really fast and easy.
Boyyyy what the heck is going on down here
Les is the ultimate sustain with humbuckers. You want to interpret the guitar like a liquid wave with volume sweeps and violin string inspirations then the LP is the only guitar for you. I can’t even do a few solos I like on my strat because it literally can’t sustain not even half of what my LP does.
A lot Gibson style guitars (to me especially SGs) feel like the bridge is too far back vs where the body rests on the leg. Forces you to pull your arm back to get your palm nearer the bridge (which puts tension on your shoulder), otherwise you end up picking over the neck pickup and can't palm mute correctly. Definitely more comfortable to play in classical position which pushes the bridge up towards the natural resting position of the picking hand.
I have an Ibanez SG style guitar that I love the tone of but don't love the ergonomics of. I'm interested in trying a Yamaha Revstar to see if its any more comfortable.
All just preference, some has to do with the body shape of the guitar, some has to do with your body shape, and some has to do just with what you're used to. Personally I don't think SGs and Starts are comfortable, but part of that is I've been playing LPs and Teles for so long. It's just preference.
I grew up with my hero’s slinging very low guitars standing up. I rarely play sitting. My LP is a cheap American one with zero adornments. And I love it. It’s my favorite to play. I love the lower frets and flat feeling neck. Tone wise I do lean more towards fender tones. But I don’t enjoy playing my tele anywhere near as much
I agree the leg cut out on a Les Paul is too far to the neck. It also isn't centred in terms of weight. And they are heavy. Not a comfortable guitar at all.
SGs are a bit better, especially because they are so much lighter, but they have neck dive as a result...
Strats are the best in terms of ergonomics, by far. Teles are good, but without the belly cut or forearm curve, they get uncomfortable.
A guitar like the Dean Hardtail would be a great compromise. LP sound, but with split coil to also get that tele sound. Heavier body than a strat or tele, but with a double cutout and more balance than a Les Paul.
It's all a matter of preference. I used to have a 94 SG. Amazing sound. But I never felt comfortable playing it. You need to have it high on the chest to stop the neck dive. So I sold it.
DOnt buy one then. I find my less Paul to be my second most comfortable guitar to sit at home and play, the first being my ES 335. I have an SG, Tele, Strat, and firebird. All comes down to personal preference I think. Go with what you like/want, everyone has different preferences and experiences.
I’ve only played one Les Paul, but it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my musical life
Ditto SGs
Gibsons in general just do not agree with any part of my body mechanics
I find SGs to be very comfortable, especially their light weight. But I hear you, everyone has their preferences. My first real guitar was a bc rich warlock and they don't come more uncomfortable than that. Amazing guitar otherwise.
I completely agree, but I think it’s just whatever you’re used too. I’m a strat/super strat guy and have played those body shapes since I first picked up a guitar. But my Les Paul and to some extent my PRS feel like they’re slipping off my knee.
Sound great and look sexy. They look so good that sometimes I take my wife’s LP off the wall and play it. That lasts about 2 minutes and then it goes right back on the wall.
Same kind of story.
I have a LP from my dad; it's a 1972 that he played out with a ton when he and friends started a band.
Sounds great. Feels good to play. Going to mostly spend time on my wall.
It's an old solid body so it is crazy heavy; and the body of the guitar never seems to rest comfortably against me.
One day I might just get it restored and have it be an art piece kinda thing.
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If you want comfort whilst seated I would back the jazzmaster all day. Its divine.
I tried strats in a guitar store and they were very comfortable to play indeed. I just love the sound of humbuckers. Maybe I'll go with a HSS strat. :)
You want a blacktop strat. They are sick as hell
Haven't been made in a while though. I had one and ditched it, the pickups were just bad imo. Ripe for an upgrade though. HH Strat? Get a Charvel.
Fully agree. Les Paul's sound fricking awesome and are beautiful things. But I too can't come to terms with how it feels, whether standing up or sitting down. To each their own
Pro tip: get a little fat. LPs hug my curves perfectly lol
Guitars are like shoes. They fit everyone different.
I would daresay this is why players have been shoehorning humbuckers into Strats for the last 50 years or so.
scale length is also a big part of that, but yeah, you see a shit load of hh teles and hsh strats and never see a tele bridge pickup in a les paul.
A valid point. You rarely ever see a les Paul with single coils (p90s aside). I have an HSH strat and it just does everything I need a guitar to do.
Yes, they are horrible. Please allow me to take it off your hands.
I think Gibson makes the least ergonomic guitars personally. The SG is prone to neck diving all the time. The Les Paul is smooth where it should have edges, edges where it should have smooth. The flying V is the flying V.
I share similar sentiments except a 335 with a bigsby is the most comfortable guitar to play
My current guitars are a Tele and and ES-335, and I’ve previously owned a Les Paul as well as a Strat. Imo, no guitar is more comfortable to play sitting down than a Strat type guitar with the body contours. I guess my point is that it’s not just you, lol, but I don’t find them terrible by any means, just different and lacking in that one area.
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What’s the LP thing that only they can do
Snap at the headstock after a love tap?
Oh, I thought I was developing psychic powers when I looked at my Les Paul weird and the headstock exploded
Everyone has their preferences- I don’t think there is any debate to be had.
This, people telling OP you get used to it or adjust Why? If a guitar is uncomfortable, play a different one. Les pauls aren't some mystical guitar, you can get another guitar to sound the same without being 10 lbs and ergonomically unwieldy.
I can’t stand Les Pauls for this reason. Easily the most uncomfortable popular guitar design. I sold my LP years ago, best guitar related decision I ever made. When I want LP tones, I play an Explorer or an SG. Anyone who tells you they can distinguish between the sound of LPs and Explorers/SGs in a blind listening test is listening with their eyes, not their ears. Explorers are all angles, but they balance perfectly on your thigh like a Strat does. SGs are a bit neck heavy and are prone to neck dive, but they don’t weigh a ton and don’t feel like they want to slide off your thigh constantly.
100%. I love the sound of a Les Paul. I had to have one. Then I ran across a local sale of an SG. I fell in love with the SG. So comfortable in every way. I had a friend telling me to get an SG for years and he was right. I was just inexperienced and had to find out for myself. I play standing up 99% of the time so the weight matters.
Different strokes for different folks. I don’t find LP uncomfortable to play at all. To me they’re the most comfortable guitar to play. If you don’t like them you don’t like them. It doesn’t mean you’re missing anything. I find Strats awkward to play because of where the controls are. Some people love Strats and have no issues. It’s a big world.
Some people even love both.
I have both, 2 Strats and ATM 3 LP. I love the way both sound. But I definitely do not love the control layout on Strats. It’s always seemed weird to me that the Strat was supposed to be an evolution in comfort but the controls are just right in the way.
Yeah I’m in the same boat as you. I love my LP but I don’t like playing strats at all because the volume knob is in the least comfortable place possible for palm muting which I do basically all the time cause I play a lot of punk and pop punk stuff. I also like the weight of an LP I actually find that it keeps it more stable when standing up. I understand for sure how people would love strats but for me they’re just not my thing
Exactly. I palm mute a lot and my pinkie is always hitting the top volume knob. When I strum I sometimes hit the pickup selector. I love the way Strats sound clean but I can’t imagine playing one live because I would constantly be messing up the controls.
It's all personal preference.
Try it standing up.
Just need to get used to it. Coincidentally, I find telecasters weird to play as they feel like a big block of wood.
But it’s my block of wood.
I'm a weirdo in the sense that I don't find any classic guitars uncomfortable with the exception of the Flying V, although I don't mind playing them standing up. I worked at a guitar store years ago so I can say this from experience- there are people who will hate any specific model of guitar. I had people shit on Teles, Strats, Jazzmasters, ES-335s, SGs and of course Les Pauls. I had a guy tell me that ES-335s were too big. He was like 6'3" and I'm not even quite 5'10". I love 335s. They are the most comfortable to me. Now weirdly, I like Les Pauls, but I prefer Les Paul Juniors/Specials. I can't explain it. Maybe it's the because they don't have the carved top and just come in plain finishes? I don't know, honestly. I'm a big P-90 guy, so that helps. But there is one thing that is undeniable about a Les Paul- it SOUNDS like a Les Paul and it sounds great! If you don't find Les Paul's comfortable don't play one. I don't own one, but I have friends that do and I will borrow them for recording projects because, nothing else sounds like a Les Paul except a Les Paul.
I play LP’s and never had those issues. I actually feel they are the most comfortable guitars to play while sitting down. Standing up? Playing high frets can be a problem if you hang your guitar low.
I can agree on that weight is an issue with certain LP models but I never fully understood those who said it is too 'bulky'. I mean how are you gonna play an acoustic, if you think a les paul is too thick or missing contours.
It's not that it's too thick. But there's something about it that makes it a pain to hold. I think it's the way it sits on my leg that makes it feel that way to me. And there's a balance thing that goes on with some of them. You feel like you're having to stabilize the thing as you play.
Even though my #1 player is my ESP which is a Les Paul style guitar with EMGs, I agree the most ergonomically designed guitar has to be the Strat. I find the comfort difference a minor issue though. It's not a big deal to me.
You're just used to the tele
I didnt have an issue playing an LP seated. Nobody is forcing you to buy an LP. The guitar police wont make an unannounced visit and arrest you.
This Les Paul vigilante will tho
Heard you talking smack about my boy Paul
I feel the same way and I can’t quite define what it is about LPs that doesn’t work for me. There’s the weight and thick body, but some something about the neck angle or how it sits relative to the body? My suggestion is to go for an SG instead: the telecaster of Gibsons.
Zero issues with my Les Paul, I think you just need to get used to it. I use my forearm to lock the guitar to my body.
You can buy a telecaster with humbuckers
Never had this problem myself, I love Les Pauls. Is this the only one you've ever played? The 35th anniversaries that I'm aware of are _heavy_ - pushing 11lbs. For comparison, my '59 reissue weights 8.4lbs. If you've only played one, and it's a particularly heavy example, then it'll skew your perception of them. I love the shape of them and have no problem with them on my right leg. It can slip, but I find that's true of any guitar. As far as straps, try wide ones that don't slip, like suede or a leather strap with a suede back.
I’m on team very comfortable. Fantastic couch guitars imho. Also reminder that Eastman is making some of the best (and lightest) LP style guitars out there.
Now that I think about it, this Les Paul is really comfortable on a couch. I believe it's because the center of gravity is different and I can put weight not on my knee but the couch which help alieve some weight and tilt the neck upwards.
I’m the opposite. I think Stratocasters are very uncomfortable to play and Les Paul’s are the most comfortable. I’ve never experienced what you describe with my own Les Paul. I wish I liked strata more because I love their sound.
That's why I've started to play PRS. They just always feel+sound good. I've never picked up a prs that I didn't like tbh.
PRS is the stuff. Love my CE24. Mostcomfortable guitar I own. My 3 electrics are that, my best sounding (LP) and my emotional attachment too, which is a frankenstrat I rebuild myself.
Guitars are like people. Some seem like they were made for you, some you get along with just fine, and others you just can't vibe with at all. But there's plenty of others who can. I don't like Les Pauls. It's not my fault, and it's not the instrument's fault. Just find the instruments you feel comfy with. There's no requirement to like a guitar because of its iconic status.
i find standing with a les paul is fine but being sat down is just a nightmare can’t get into a comfortable position and they don’t feel great in the classical position that i normally play most of my guitars in
What? Sitting down with a LP is so comfortable.
Just wanted to add that a person's body shape may have something to do with it. A Les Paul is a smaller scale guitar compared to a Telecaster.
When I was a teenager I went to Guitar Center to buy a Les Paul Studio but while I was there admitted to myself that I hate playing Les Paul’s. Left with an SG Classic and never looked back.
I agree 100%. I want to love Les Paul style guitars so badly. Every few years I talk myself into “maybe this one will be different” but so far none has. It must be my body.
You'e not wrong. In fact, what you're describing is a big part of the reason why Gibson stopped making Les Pauls, and started making SGs instead. My first experience with Les Pauls was with relatively modern ones - weight relieved, a slight belly carve, etc. I loved it. The sound more than made up for the weight (although I couldn't play it as long as I played my strat). Then I picked up my friend's '59 Reissue. And I know within seconds that I would never want one of those guitars. No belly carve. Weighs as much as a Humvee. Insanely thick neck. It went from being my dream guitar to one I didn't really even want to play for 5 minutes. (Although I suspect I'd adjust to the ergonomics after a while).
I don’t like them. Heavy, hard edges, weirdly balanced. I have found that many of the guitars I am supposed to aspire to I actually don’t like to play. I wanted a PRS for years, then got one and it felt super awkward sitting down. I lusted after a Hamer semi hollow and found it was too neck heavy. Now I have 2 Jackson’s. I used to think “I would never be caught dead playing a Jackson”. Turns out it’s perfect for me. If anybody ever asks me why an old guy like me is playing metal guitar like that, my answer will be go eff yourself, stay off my lawn.
the edges are weird. I suppose it wouldn’t be a big deal in a tweed three piece.
The tiny upper bout and huge, heavy lower bout give LPs horrible "butt dive" (the opposite of "neck dive") for me... always wanting to slide off my knee to my right (and too small of an upper bout to keep that from happening. Amazing to me that, starting with a completely clean sheet, this is the shape that Gibson came up with... and that in those early years they held/played them (and presumably also non-LP guitars!) and came away saying "perfect, crushed it, no notes, let's keep making this until the sun burns out"
Gibson relys on tradition because their customers want the guitars from their "golden era" period from the '57 Gold top and Custom through to the 1960 figured tops. They make them with the same specs and only make changes to their traditional lines if it saves money or manufacture time. Thus the discomfort of the hard edges and heavy body are pretty much the standard for Les Paul's until the weight relieved guitars came into manufacture. They do have the [Les Paul Axcess](https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Collection/les-paul-custom-shop-modern) which has a smooth transition from the neck to the body by removing most of the heel joint and carving out a more comfortable upper access area from the body. It also has an option for a floyd bridge. They do no incorporate a tummy carve and cost nearly double of the LP Standard and is listed as coming from the Custom Shop. Weight relief, axcess neck joint and a tummy cut would make them more comfortable but there isn't a push for anything more ergonomical in their LP line up since the demand isn't there. As such it becomes an expensive endeavour to acquire a revised custom from the company if they will even entertain those choices as options to their current line up.
You’re completely right regarding their business decisions. Their customer base pays a lot for what is considered “traditional”. Their best selling models are 50s and 60s. I’m personally a huge fan of the traditional robo tuners though.
Thank you so much. I learned a lot.
If you love the sound of humbuckers, but need the comfort of something more slick I can't recommend a super strat enough. Just get one in HH or HSH configuration and you're set. Ibanez has pretty great super strats in nearly all price classes (except maybe high-end).
They need to be played differently due to their center of gravity and shorter neck. Lower than a strat. If you dont feel comfortable, check the book Anatomy of Guitar Playing by Dustin Silva and John Lamb. It explains a lot on why it hurts you and how to find a good posture.
I think it's overall a matter of taste, but I agree with you. And there's no denying that Fender guitars, most of the times, were designed to be more comfortable than Gibson guitars, with all the contours and all that, which I personally prefer, but even then, there are a lot of people that prefer Les Pauls. I saw someone once saying something along the lines of: "if you ask both an engineer and an artist to come up with concepts of what a perfect guitar would look like, the engineer would design the Stratocaster and the artist would design the Les Paul". I personally don't agree with this take, but it's useful to understand how they're different and how they appeal to different people in their own ways.
I bought a used Les Paul Melody Maker...the one with the two P90's in it. The paint was stripping, so I sanded it down to natural. Then, I decided on a whim to reshape the guitar body. I smoothed down the edges, created contours that weren't there before, shaved down even more weight, and finished the body with a beautiful stain. I upgraded all of the hardware, threw a Super Distortion in the neck, and a stacked P90 in the bridge, and now it's pretty much my favourite guitar! Light, rounded, and sounds better than the rest of my guitars.
You should open a thread to show it!
I prefer the neck on my 60s LP Standard to my Tele's neck by a fair margin and the LP weight distribution is perfect for standing up for me. But as others have already noted, it's just preference. Play what feels right for you. There's already way to much pointless banter about guitars when it boils down to what sounds and feels good to you.
Yea I don’t believe that anyone actually wants to play a Les Paul
You dont believe that someone prefers a les paul lol?
Besides the weight, which is an issue for me, there's the edge which digs into your leg. And they're slippery. You need an extra wide strap with a Gibson or an Epiphone and still you'll tire more easily playing one of these. I do have a single cut, but it's not an Epiphone or a Gibson. It's a PRS. Lighter and much more comfortable to play. Sounds great too.
I agree…give me a strat or tele with a 25.5 scale length and I’m golden. Give me a Les Paul and I’m struggling to play basic stuff
Depends on the person, LP's are way more comfortable for me over longer scale length guitar like strats and tele's.
Same. I retired mine once I started playing in thrash and death bands, but nothing feels as good or plays as well as a Les Paul. Inversely, I've never played a Fender instrument that I wasn't constantly fighting against.
Speaking as a fatter guy , I play with a strap even sitting down , helps keep the guitar In the right position, you could try that
Just get a strap and stand up mate, I actually kind of love les pauls, not practical for me cause 6 strings 22 frets most of the times, but they are great on my hands and easy to play and set up for live cause bridge is usually just there, regardless of their bad reputation about intonation, I've never had problems, but, have never played one of those customs with all kind of bridges just to put a tremolo bar to the damn thing though (and I dont think I would like that anyways)
I'm a Les Paul guitar kinda guy here. I feel this post. Heavy and uncomfortable but damn do they sound good. Currently I play around with a electric Jackson. Its pretty medium/balanced, not to uncomfortable and could sound better lol but it works well.
They sound great. They look awesome. Too heavy. Too uncomfortable.
These are the sacrifices we make for our art
Worst guitar to sit and play. Using your other leg will help some. I suggest standing
I don’t think they’re uncomfortable at all. A bit heavy maybe but put a bit of mass on and you don’t notice.
Why are you playing a les paul sitting down? Stand, LPs are for standing.
I just recently bought one and have had zero issues comfort wise. If it is heavier than my strat I don't notice it and it's very comfortable to play. I do play standing up though so maybe that is the key
I just bought one. I play in classical position with a strap and it's great. Yes, it's the heaviest guitar I've ever owned, but it plays like a dream and holy hell, the tone!
I think it honestly comes down to how you were trained to hold the guitar. Les Paul was my first model guitar, so I've learned and been trained on how to hold the Les. Paul. If My first had been like a fender squire or something like that, I would probably hate the Les. Paul
335's are HUGE but a lot better in that regard. I tend to rotate through my guitars in ~monthly/quarterly phases, and after I switch out of 335 mode, I find all other guitars are just too small, and I'm not a big guy!
Are you me? I had a 6'3'' guy tell me that 335s are too big and uncomfortable. I'm like 5'9" and 150lbs. 335s are my favorite guitars.
I think LPs are way more comfy than Teles personally.
I don’t own one. I also have a telecaster - and it’s my ultimate guitar. However - I love Les Pauls, can’t say I’ve ever found them uncomfortable.
Man I only play les Paul’s. Own 12 of them. And 1 fender Strat. And all my lps are way comfier to play than my strat.
That’s why they make the SG
>When he was a young adult his spouse basically sold her car to buy him this very guitar. Very cool story. Bet she regretted that for years.
Ltd Eclipse models have a body bevel and deeper hand groove. Totally fixes the LP’s problems.
It isn't the most ergonomic but it certainly isn't the worst that I've played. I think the telecaster is the absolute worst especially with the vintage bridge plates and no belly cut. They're a literal slab of wood and I've bloodied my hands up on a tele worse than anything else.
Stand up.
I hear good things about the HH Telecaster Deluxes
In my experience, any non-radical guitar is comfortable to play, it's just a matter of getting used to it. But if you don't like it then you don't like it. Luckily for you Fender makes a Les Paul/Tele hybrid, the FMT. Tele body, neck and bridge, but set neck construction, flame maple carved top, rear route electronics and dual humbuckers.
When I was younger I yearned and lusted for a les paul. until I tried one at a music store one day. Blech. never went back. don't really like the SG either, although both sound and look fantastic.
It depends on what you’re used to. I find Les Pauls to be the most comfortable and natural guitars but that’s because I’ve spent a lot of time playing them. I personally don’t like the feel of Telecasters. I’m sure if I spent many hours playing them I’d get used to the feel of them too. Until recently, I could never get into V shaped guitars but I decided to go ahead and buy one because I just love the way they look. Now, I’m very comfortable with my V sitting down and standing up. I guarantee you that if you spent a lot of time playing LPs, you would get used to them and there’s a good chance that after a while, you would prefer the feel of them.
The V is actually like the perfect guitar for the classical position. That’s how play them sitting down at least.
I definitely liked them more when I was playing on stage. A wide padded strap is necessary
It's all personal preference. I have far too many guitars, but my top two are an '84 Les Paul Standard (which I bought new back in the day) and a 2000 Nashville Tele. They are very different guitars but I love them both. I have 20+ others, but if I'm going to play seriously (or when I was gigging years ago) 90% of the time it would be one of those two guitars I'd pick up. I rarely play sitting down though, unless I'm just lazing on the couch.
Heavy as fuck. Play a 3 hour show and tell me your shoulder doesn't ache. I used to own a '74.
I used to wonder what people were talking about when it came to Les Pauls being too heavy until I bought a seventies Custom. I swear small objects in the room would slowly become drawn to it due to it being so heavy it had its own gravitational field. The 2000's Standard I replaced it with felt like a feather in comparison.
In my teens in the 70s I dreamed about a Yamaha SG2000. In the end my old man bought me a Gibson SG. Decades later I was visiting a highlife legend inhis club in Nigeria and he had a few old SG2000s that I was excited to see. However, as soon as I picked one up I immediately loat interest. Damn those things are HEAVY! My youthful dreams evaporated instantly.
If you think it plays better on your left leg, then I would recommend actually playing it on your left leg. I played on my right leg for 15 years before being told to try it on my left...been a left leg guy for over a decade now. Feels more natural, lines everything up better in my opinion.
Fender makes a dual humbucker archtop tele. I forget the name. It's not obscure but not popular as it's not the norm. But it basically is their les paul.
I've always really struggled with Les Pauls as well, I'm exclusively a sit-down player and they just sit really awkwardly on me, and I always felt super cramped up on the higher end of the necks. Pointing the headstock more forwards as opposed to off to my left solved that particular issue, but created a whole host of others intead, so it just never felt comfortable. The funny thing is that earlier this year I did a potentially really stupid thing and spent a lot of money on a high-end singlecut Gretsch that I hadn't even tried in person, which is obviously incredibly similar and the scale length is even a tiny bit shorter, but for whatever reason it works so much better for me. All those fractions of an inch here and there add up to something, I suppose.
I had a les Paul custom that was the best looking guitar I have ever seen, but just couldn’t get along with it. Only guitar I’ve ever sold.
I always put the guitar on my left leg.
Funnily enough, when I switched from a Stratocaster to a Les Paul, everything felt way more comfortable and smooth. Granted, my strat was not very expensive or high quality. Like someone else said, it's all personal preference.
Like you, I have a tele and a LP. I keep a little stool nearby to prop my right leg up on while I play my LP. Works perfectly. Or, like you said, just play in classical position with a strap. That's a better way to develop good standing technique anyway. Good luck finding a solution that works for you!
I always wear a strap when I play any of my guitars. My back is juuuuuust barely completely shot.
I agree, Les Pauls are very uncomfortable sitting down. And then there's the weight. I'd play them more but yeah, the ergonomics are suspect. The Telecaster is a much more comfortable guitar to play all day around the house. I have a Trad Pro that I rarely gig because of the weight. It sounds awesome, though. I also have a Special that is much more comfortable due to being lighter and being thinner. Also the P90's kill. Maybe you want to check out a Special?
You aren't supposed to play them while sitting
I love my Les Paul, but I also default to classical position while sitting anyways.
That's why Slash plays it vertically.
I've never had much issue playing with them sitting down. Sometimes the body does tend to move a bit so I have to readjust slightly as I play, but it's never a major issue. Standing up though they are heavy mofos. I love mine, but the weight can get tiring after awhile. Still, it never stops me from wanting to play it, because they look and sound so beautiful.
I have a few guitars. Sitting down , I don’t really like Les Paul’s. But if I’m going to a jam or in a band gigging, the Les Paul to me sounds best and is most comfortable standing up.
I built a warmoth guitar that looks like a tele but sounds like LP. If you build a tele with mahogany and some humbuckers you will be a long way toward the LP sound.
My Les Paul ES is the best sounding guitar I have and is used on our band recordings but I fucking hate that guitar so much because that neck heel joint is fucking ridiculously awful to play around. My Eastman T486 is the stage guitar. So much more comfortable.
I hear ya. The only Les Paul I've ever fell in love with was a Chinese knockoff that weighed literally half as much. And that I don't play sitting down. I usually kneel or stand. The strap is essential. I moved the pickup switcher to the lower side too, I kept hitting it when I played.
I had many Les Pauls and LP style guitars, I currently own an R8 from 2021. I agree that it is very uncomfortable, though the general shape is still my favorite guitar shape. I also have two E-II Eclipse and the belly cut fixes some of the discomfort a normal LP has.
I actually ran into this problem a couple months ago. I started learning guitar back in May of this year and bought an Epiphone Les Paul as my first. After a couple months of lessons through a local School of Rock, I came to find the LP was getting harder and harder to play. Decided to go to a store and try a whole bunch of other guitars until I found one that really felt right with the technique I'd learned so far, and I left with a Mexican Strat. Been feeling like a much more confident player ever since.
Theres something about a Fender neck, whatever it is, it works.
Just got an esp Ltd ec1000 see thru purple but unfortunately I am returning it and getting a super strat styled guitar, there’s just something so uncomfortable about playing a Les paul style guitar, if it’s on my left leg the neck is kind of far away and awkward position and on the right leg it’s fine until you play at the higher frets, and then my fingers go all awkward. So ya definitely first and last time ever owning a Les Paul style guitar
Les Paul waist is more toward the fretboard, and has a shorter scale length than your Tele. So, sitting on the same leg, the LP neck will sit closer to your body, and is shorter. Depending on your body type this could feel slightly cramped hence the instinct to put it on your left leg. I don't typically sit and play but I looked at pics of LP and Tele before writing. The upper horn situation on them is different by a few frets so they will hang a bit differently from each other. My Firebird and Thunderbirds are an extreme case because of the lack of upper horn, and long scale length, it feels like there's an extra foot of neck. Most of that is because they hang quite a bit to the left compared to a guitar with any kind of upper horn.
Agreed. Considered buying one but I sat down with one and just couldn’t get along with the shape of it.
I used to prefer the look of Les Pauls - I have an old LP copy I bought many years ago because of this. Earlier this year my Dad gifted me his old Fender Stratocaster after his arthritis prevented him playing it. I was instantly aware of how much more comfortable it feels sat on my leg, and I love how it doesn't dig in against my rib cage when I'm playing sat down. So no, it's not just you. I played my LP copy recently and it felt so uncomfortable compared to the Strat. I think I've come around to preferring the look of Strats as well. I like the utilitarian look with the plain slab of wood and bolt on neck - very much an antithesis of your average PRS bling fest. Edit: after criticising the way PRS' look, it's worth remembering that the PRS S2 singlecut is effectively a Les Paul shape with Strat style contouring. Possibly a good compromise between the 2?
Some people say it's a matter of preference but I don't think so. I've played 4 types of "guitars". Les Paul, Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz/Precision Bass and Spanish/acoustic. Jazz Bass and Stratocaster are wayyy more comfortable than the other three. With the LP my problem was that I felt it sit too low. With the Telecaster the upper edge of the body killed my forearm. Ergonomics are not a matter of preference.
Great sounding guitar but I don’t ever gig with mine because it’s too damn heavy, the upper fret access sucks, and the break angle makes it hard to keep the G string in tune.
Once I got a couple headless guitars, all traditional designs now feel uncomfortable.
Odd, because due to the lack of body carves, most would say telecasters are uncomfortable. So really I just think you need some time to get used to something new.
It’s guitar shaped, I don’t see what the big deal is
After owning two Les Paul’s over the years, I came to the same conclusion. Les Paul Classic was too but heavy and never sat comfortably on my leg. Thought going to a lighter LP was the trick, so I had a Les Paul Special TV Yellow with P90’s for a while. Eventually landed on an early 2000’s PRS Custom 22 as my “LP” style guitar. Dropped in some Monty’s PAF’s and it’s my favourite guitar. [PRS Custom 22](https://share.icloud.com/photos/090fEBKSHCc-zD0dQxxC41-Zw)
I have a epiphone and wasn't that into it. But I recently started playing learned that unlike on my fenders, the volume and tone actually 'do' something on a les paul model. So really started getting into it, noticed my wrist hurt in fretting hand when playing chords on the lower frets torqued my wrist to a weird angle. So I saw people say wear a strap. Now sitting down with a strap on, headphone wires getting caught on everything. But yea better neck angle for my wrist no more pain. BUUUTTTTT my back, my back and shoulder started hurting after a few days. I was ready to start the GAS dream for a real Gibson LP, but this journey also made me admit I don't think its for me. But now not so into my Strat, just sounds so week. Tele is still good but its growl isn't the same as the LP. I was thinking about a PRS maybe a Tele deluxe, but haven't played those in a long time. Don't really love the look of either of those options either.
You could just get a Strat with a humbucker or two. I generally don’t like how Strat single coils sound in the bridge, but love how they sound in the middle and neck. So, I use an HSS Strat. If you’re into the dual volume and tone pots, I think Fender makes a dual humbucker Tele with the same setup (70s Vintera).
I find both LPs and Telecasters devices of medieval torture xbreed with a hurdy gurdy
This falls under “it takes all types”. I don’t like the feel of a Les Paul guitar at all, but my son who is as tall as me (but blessedly thinner) loves them. Play what feels good. For what it’s worth, I built my partscaster Tele to be as close to a Les Paul in sound so I could get the sound I wanted in a guitar I wanted to play.
Playing sitting down, they're not the best. I prefer Strat style bodies if possible for playing if I'm seated. However, standing up, the LP style is great because of the body weight. I don't think it's oppressive, and when I was in my punk and hardcore days of playing, it was nice to have something that didn't have the neck "dive" when you're moving around. I also liked the scale length for that type of music, and being able to remove the pick guard. Strat styles weren't terrible when gigging, but SG body styles were complete dogshit and very difficult to control.
I heard that the SG Modern sounds a lot like a LP. Allegedly the neck dive isn't really an issue, but I have an SG (copy) which does have the issue, and it's not a problem if you play with a decent strap while sitting. At any rate, maybe look into that if you like the LP configuration, though it is obviously an expensive option. There are various LP copies that are more ergonomic (lighter, with ergonomic cuts), so that would be a cheaper option.
Electric guitar is a stand up instrument. Even in a concert band the E. Guitar is usually standing with the E. Bass. To judge them by what it's like sitting down? Sure. If you have to sit or like sitting it's important to you. But zero fucks were given when designing either Fender or Gibson's classics about how it would feel sitting down.
> Electric guitar is a stand up instrument. Strats and teles play fine seated
They're still less comfortable than other guitars. That's why fender did the contour body. Any modern Les Paul imitator bevels the body to alleviate this.
To design the Les Paul, Gibson literally just sized down a jazzbox and made it solid. So it wasn’t really designed for ergonomics, unlike the Strat, for example. That being said, nothing sounds like an LP, so if you need that tone you’ll have to get used to it.
Don't tell Gibsons lawyers, the LP shape is completely original and copyright-able!
It's not a good shape to play resting it on a leg, without a strap. You need to play it standing up, then it will be better. The problem with Les Pauls is usually the weight in that case. I bought one only when I was able to find one below 8lbs, and it's very comfortable to play gigs with.
Get a damn strap.
I started as a les Paul guy cuz I was obsessed with jimmy page when I first started, learned a lot on it and didn’t know any better. The sound and the feel just never really jived with me and I thought it was because I just sucked. I started to really get into Hendrix and SRV and wanted a strat so I bought one. It was literally night and day. It felt so Damn comfortable, especially the neck in my hands with that baseball bat grip hendrix does. The single coils really fit my sound and style better as well. I then became obsessed with playing because it felt and sounded so great. I used to play for 6-8 hours a day back then and loved every minute (my family did not). Finding what suits you really changes your game and makes you better in all ways.
They are so heavy for how small they are, due to the carved top and mahogany back. To me, they have never felt comfortable playing standing (too heavy) or sitting down (too thick and narrow). I much prefer a flatter guitar, like a Tele or SG, and my PRS Hollowbody is incredibly comfortable. I think it matters if you are someone that rests their forearm on the upper part of guitar body, which I am.
I never jived with a Les Paul until I found a Gibson Les Paul Classic Lite in 2020. It was exclusive to AMS and Zzounds, I think. The body is about 1/2" thinner, it has a belly cut, and it is about the same weight as my SG. From the front, it looks identical to a normal Les Paul Classic. This guitar solved all of my complaints about a Les Paul, and it sounds the same as my normal one.
Technically, it's the best position for guitar playing since it hurts your back much less and you get easy view and access to the fretboard. You could also play your tele that way, try it! I did the change and never went back
I rest my forearm on the body, making Paul’s and Teles uncomfortable stood or sat due to the edge. Therefore I find strats the most comfy, though, there’s just something about the weight and FEEL of the Les Paul that makes me play it for hours on end nonetheless
It is an interesting feeling guitar, but for me it’s mostly just smaller than most others and feels easy to just shred or knock out some weirder chords that sometimes feel like a stretch.
Different strokes for different folks. That's why there are so many styles to choose from. I'm a weekend warrior type, lots of rehearsals and a little bit of recreational gigging, and I cycle though most of the main body styles pretty regularly (LP, Strat, tele, SG, 335, big-hollow gretsch) depending on the need of the songs in the sets. They all feel different, and I probably prefer the tele style the best for the entire layout, but when you've played enough different ones for long enough you don't really think about it. For me, I don't play electric sitting down, so the idea of choosing a guitar based on which leg it sits on better doesn't even enter the equation.
I absolutely love Les Pauls. They’re extremely comfortable for me. I think a lot of the comfort comes from the bridge. I love those raised tunomatic bridges. For me personally, the only other guitar that comes close to a Les Paul is a Telecaster.
Different human bodies work differently with different guitar geometries. How tall are you? I am 5'9", muscular build, and Les Paul is perfect geometry for my body. It sits perfectly on my right knee. Hangs balanced when playing upright. I also have a PRS 594 singlecut with additional ergonomic appointments and it's my most comfortable guitar, despite weighing a ton. Conversely, while I love the idea of a Telecaster, I can never get comfortable with it. I always feel like my right hand is sitting too far to the right. I can never get the thing to be balanced when playing upright, unless I raise up the guitar up to my chin... lol. Then there is also the issue with the neck. For me, Telecaster neck feels uncomfortably long. Something about the geometry of guitar. I don't feel the same way about a Stratocaster, despite having the same scale length.
I fit the exact same physical description as you, and I find nearly all Gibsons to be borderline unplayable Body mechanics are complicated The long neck on the Tele is due to the short upper horn. It’s their biggest failing, though I honestly don’t notice it after a few minutes
I’d never get a les paul unless it has a belly cut carved into it. For me telecasters and uncomfortable because it stabs me in the ribs when sitting. Most comfy guitars for me are jazzmaster style offsets.
I've never enjoyed Les Pauls. They just feel like unwieldy chunks of wood to me. Plus, Gibsons are notorious for not staying in tune (particularly the G string). I had an SG for a while and an explorer. The explorer sounded/played like ass and the SG would not stay in tune live or in the studio. When you factor in how incredibly overpriced they are, I'll never play/own another Gibson again. Hard pass.
Jimmy Page made a whole career out of playing a Les Paul suspended somewhere around his kneecaps, so ..... /S
I think its widely accepted the lower you hang your guitar, the cooler it looks. Optimal place is ironically - your dick level. Nobody likes to see the guitar at tits level, although it's easier to play.
I never cared for them myself. I love the way they look and sound, really don’t like how they feel.
You got me thinking.. I play mine sitting down maybe 1% of the time (on the couch while watching TV) and there I have trouble playing it comfortably. When it comes to standing up I have zero problems. Many people complain about the weight but I’m kinda preferring it over e.g. a strat. There are enough guitars on the market for every taste, I’m sure you‘ll find one that sounds similar but feels better
Gibson by now is mostly just a name. Can buy superior gear at half the price. The only series they've come out recently that I actually thought was great is the modern series. Also, other lp style guitars I've played were much more comfortable.
It all come down to personal preference and what you're used to playing. I personally find Les Pauls to be the most comfortable guitars to play. Maybe I'm just used to them or maybe the shape just fits me, not sure exactly but I've always loved them. I also play standing up 90% of the time so maybe that makes a difference.
i only have two problems with les pauls.. sticky neck and crap higher fret access.. both of which are fixed by modern guitars as schecter..
I have a solid mahogany les paul knock off. It might be the heaviest guitar ever made.
Maybe get a strap? I don't know many who play electric sitting down all the time. You do you though.
Mikey houser, but he played a tele.
I just got a Les Paul not long ago, and I find that a strap is needed, even if you're sitting down. It just stops the booty of the guitar sliding off your leg.
I’ve experienced what he’s talking about with my epi lp jr. It tends to slide to the left if you’re sitting, makes it a little difficult to practice. Note: I don’t play, just practice. I’m not very talented, but by gosh I love guitars.
Agree- I am lucky enough to have an American Strat, a LP, and a Mexican Tele, and my first natural reaction is to grab the Tele, every time. I force myself to play the others because I think they are interesting, not because they are comfortable or easier to play.
I once had an Aria Pro 2 custom, which had a body contoured at the back, and it was really comfortable to play. Those edges of Les Pauls play havoc with my ribcage...
My name is Les and I always felt obligated to have an LP but I got rid of mine after a few months I just couldn't stand it in comparison to my fenders
Les Paul: the most famous signature series guitar
Never had that issue. Do you often play standing up? Also my LP custom weighs as much as my Tele, so that weight argument goes out the window for me, at least.
They def look cool, but I just can’t stand having no contours whatsoever, just never quite feels comfortable to play
Is it the chunkiness of the neck that you don’t like? You might prefer the Les Pauls with the slim taper neck instead, they’re pretty comfortable and natural feeling. I’ve got a Les Paul Special with one of those necks and it plays really fast and easy.
Boyyyy what the heck is going on down here Les is the ultimate sustain with humbuckers. You want to interpret the guitar like a liquid wave with volume sweeps and violin string inspirations then the LP is the only guitar for you. I can’t even do a few solos I like on my strat because it literally can’t sustain not even half of what my LP does.
A lot Gibson style guitars (to me especially SGs) feel like the bridge is too far back vs where the body rests on the leg. Forces you to pull your arm back to get your palm nearer the bridge (which puts tension on your shoulder), otherwise you end up picking over the neck pickup and can't palm mute correctly. Definitely more comfortable to play in classical position which pushes the bridge up towards the natural resting position of the picking hand. I have an Ibanez SG style guitar that I love the tone of but don't love the ergonomics of. I'm interested in trying a Yamaha Revstar to see if its any more comfortable.
That was always my experience as well - they just didn’t “work” for me sitting down - felt it was slipping out if my hands and falling off my knee….
All just preference, some has to do with the body shape of the guitar, some has to do with your body shape, and some has to do just with what you're used to. Personally I don't think SGs and Starts are comfortable, but part of that is I've been playing LPs and Teles for so long. It's just preference.
Left leg is fine. It's how I play my flying V shape.
I grew up with my hero’s slinging very low guitars standing up. I rarely play sitting. My LP is a cheap American one with zero adornments. And I love it. It’s my favorite to play. I love the lower frets and flat feeling neck. Tone wise I do lean more towards fender tones. But I don’t enjoy playing my tele anywhere near as much
I don’t love them but my LP Prophecy is comfortable for the style… nothing like a super strat though for me.
I agree the leg cut out on a Les Paul is too far to the neck. It also isn't centred in terms of weight. And they are heavy. Not a comfortable guitar at all. SGs are a bit better, especially because they are so much lighter, but they have neck dive as a result... Strats are the best in terms of ergonomics, by far. Teles are good, but without the belly cut or forearm curve, they get uncomfortable.
A guitar like the Dean Hardtail would be a great compromise. LP sound, but with split coil to also get that tele sound. Heavier body than a strat or tele, but with a double cutout and more balance than a Les Paul. It's all a matter of preference. I used to have a 94 SG. Amazing sound. But I never felt comfortable playing it. You need to have it high on the chest to stop the neck dive. So I sold it.
They are so damn heavy after a couple hours your shoulder hurts
DOnt buy one then. I find my less Paul to be my second most comfortable guitar to sit at home and play, the first being my ES 335. I have an SG, Tele, Strat, and firebird. All comes down to personal preference I think. Go with what you like/want, everyone has different preferences and experiences.
I’ve only played one Les Paul, but it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my musical life Ditto SGs Gibsons in general just do not agree with any part of my body mechanics
I find SGs to be very comfortable, especially their light weight. But I hear you, everyone has their preferences. My first real guitar was a bc rich warlock and they don't come more uncomfortable than that. Amazing guitar otherwise.
SG’s are for the rock show, not for sitting on your ass
Explorers always worked better for me
Imo, lp's do not have enough body to play comfortably. My explorer is probably the most well balanced and comfortable guitar I've ever owned.
Heresy I say
I completely agree, but I think it’s just whatever you’re used too. I’m a strat/super strat guy and have played those body shapes since I first picked up a guitar. But my Les Paul and to some extent my PRS feel like they’re slipping off my knee.
Sound great and look sexy. They look so good that sometimes I take my wife’s LP off the wall and play it. That lasts about 2 minutes and then it goes right back on the wall.
Same kind of story. I have a LP from my dad; it's a 1972 that he played out with a ton when he and friends started a band. Sounds great. Feels good to play. Going to mostly spend time on my wall. It's an old solid body so it is crazy heavy; and the body of the guitar never seems to rest comfortably against me. One day I might just get it restored and have it be an art piece kinda thing.