Fender.....No contest. The Les Paul is too heavy and the neck is set at a weird angle the slants back toward your left arm, the tones you get with it are far too bassy, and the shape of it is rather akward. The Strat on the other hand, can simulate a range of sounds for any style of music for wish to play, has a kick-ass, totally-bitchin' design, is light weight, AND if you get the Floyd Rose System with it, you'll be able to do some really narly wammy-bar tricks that you wouldn't be able to with a Les Paul for the obvious reason that the Les Paul doesn't have a wammy-bar system. Those are just my opinions though.