Les Pauls (Page 1 of 2)

Hey man,

I think Joe has said the reason that he shifted from Strat to the LP is because he couldn't seem to escape the comparisons to Stevie Ray Vaughan.  I feel the same way as Joe on the issue (though I still play my Strat).  It is a shame that to many people, when they see and hear a person play the electric blues (particularly the fast stuff) on a Strat, SRV immediately comes to comparison.  I say it is a shame because anyone who is trying to find their own voice with the Strat (and in the electric blues in specifically) is fighting an uphill battle to get away from that comparison.  There are plenty of people out there trying to "out SRV" Stevie (which just isn't gonna happen), and I don't think Joe is interested in that.

Now, SRV is personally one of my absolute favorite guitar players of all time, but I don't want to be pegged as a "Vaughnabe" so to speak, and I'm sure Joe didn't want to either.  Obviously I can't speak for Joe, but I am sure he admires Stevie a lot too, and when trying to carve your own niche, I can see how it may come off as almost a criticizm to one's playing to constantly be compared to Mr. Vaughan (as awe inspiring as his playing may be...).  It's hard for people to compare him to a Strat-king like SRV when he no longer plays one.

"Mon-tee-us"

I don't think it was a myth Jeff. He was the kid with the gold sparkle Strat. He is now the man with the Les Paul. I sure wish I was the man with that gold sparkle Strat. Because that is one of his most recognized guitars. I hope it stays in the family.

Gibson tone lends itself to the British influence Joe has always drawn upon. I do like it when he brings out the Strat for Django. Nobody can say he sounds like Stevie on that Mont.

Of course he played the Les Paul for the first couple of songs on the ANDY DVD it was mostly Strats. When I first saw him I never thought he was a Vaugnabe. His tone and style had such a varied influence.

I do miss the Strat sound a bit. But there is nobody that gets the sound out of a Gibson Joe does. He has a signature model coming out. He played Strats for a lot of years. Fender didn't offer him a signature. Was his move to Gibson and his skyrocketing success coincidence or part of the reason? We'll never know.

Oh man I never thought he sounded like him in that way either, but I know there are people out there that make that comparison (and they are just silly, I know).  I do think it's a bit of a shortsighted/narrowminded comparison, but I can definitely see why he would like to put those comparisons to rest.  I have always thought Joe sounded like Joe.  Sure you can hear bits and pieces of his influences here and there, but the overall "stew" that is Joe's playing is definitively his and no one else's.

I don't think it has to do with the guitar, but the man, plain and simple.  It was only a matter of time before a man with that much passion and fire in his music exploded with success.  The tools he uses to blow our minds is only a small sliver of a fraction of the whole equation.  Well, that's what I think anyway....

While he did it to avoid the Stevie comparison, I think it mostly had to do with that was where he was going sound-wise anyway. If he honestly was digging the tone he was getting out of his Strats, I don't think it would make a damn to him. He cares about his tone and he has a certain idea in mind, and the Les Paul is what he hears in his head when he thinks of his ideal tone.

I’m curious about what kind of guitars he grew up with? I understand that his dad was a guitarist and distributor. Anyone know?

My personal opinion is that this kid could play anything with strings, even a broom handle with some wire that is attached to a bucket.

Joe played his "amazing" telecaster quite a bit when I saw him live late last year.

I'll see if I can find the interview.  I was (mis?)quoting him.  I thought it was with Paul Jones Q & A.  I could be wrong...

Wheredidiputthatdamnthing?
Jeff

You're right.