[dash]

Hi I am in the market for my first electric and would be glad of any advice regarding my first purchase. I am strongly leaning towards a Gibson Les Paul Studio in Wine Red with Gold Hardware. My reasoning being - buy once and buy the best I can afford. However, am I correct would I be better served with a standard Strat given my biginner status.
Am I correct that the Gibson will retain its value much better?

[Kirk Lorange]

Gibson Les Paul Studio in Wine Red with Gold Hardware? If you can afford one of those, then I'd say go for it. Don't get me wrong, Strats are excellent guitars too, but I agree, the LP, a few years down the line, will be a more valuable guitar.

Strats are great because the neck is screwed on with big long screws. They are very set-up-able, very strong, and if something does happen to them, they're easily fixed. But Les Pauls, despite the glued on neck, are such gorgeous instruments...the wide fingerboards are also a plus if you're starting out.

It's your call, of course, but I'd go for the LP.

[6strngs_2hmbkrs]

okay, the les paul studio and stratocaster will give very very different sounds. it really depends on what you are looking for. now, I know what I know from what I've heard, not from experience, but the les paul should give a crunchier, more bottom-heavy sound, whereas the strat will give a brighter, cleaner sound. If you are going to be playing rock and metal styles of music, I'd say take the les paul, if it's more like a blues kinda thing, then the strat. I think both guitars can perform any style of music, but each one is better suited to a certain style. the strat has what is known as "single-coil pickups" and the les paul has "humbuckers". I would go to the store and try them both out before you decide, hope this helps...

[Spyder F16]

"Bucker" equipped guitars tend to be better for distortion as you will not get the bad buzzing from the pickups like you would with Single Coils.