I always have a laugh with one of my students about this because he loves his les Paul and I prefer strats. Both guitars are giants in the guitar world and pretty much all the guitar greats have played one or the other( apart from Angus who plays a SG).

The guitars make very different sounds. The les Paul is loaded with humbucking pickups and is one heavy guitar to play. It drives a valve amp to sweet heaven tho without the need for pedals.

The strat has single coil pickups and has a thinner body which i find a lot more comfortable to play. It takes pedals a lot better if that’s your thing and doesn’t muddy up when playing rhythms like the les Paul has a tendency too.

Another thing in the strats favour is price. A new strat is about half the money what you would pay for a les Paul.

Both guitars are wonderful instruments. It’s all about what sound you are trying to achieve.

Heres Jimi with his strat.

Here is Jimi Page rocking his Les Paul