Optimal Les Paul setup tips

You should loosen the truss rod for lighter strings & drop tune to Eb. Having a back bow will cause open strings to rattle as will low nut slots.
I missed this. Yep! Loosening the rod will let the strings pull the neck in the the position they want it to go. Visa versa
 
I did make minor adjustment. I figured giving it a small turn to tighten to compensate for lighter gauge. As the guitar has sat awhile it seems better already. I'm going to wait til tmw to recheck everything. I just found it odd that there isnt' any open string buzzing on the other strings. It's not overly bad when i fret notes along the G string but its there. Both on fretted notes and open string. I should also double check pickup height to see if its not too close and pulling that G down a bit
Did you mean to say you loosened the trussrod to account for lighter strings?
 
Wow! .009s on Les Paul tuned to Eb??

I have .011s on my LP scaled guitars tuned to standard. .010s on PRSs and
Fender scale lengths, except for Jazzmasters.

I find it is too easy to play sharp and have whacky intonation from fretting too
hard when things get too loose. I am surprised if you are "heavy-handed" when
you play that your setup is so "light" like that. Usually light touch = lighter strings
and heavy-handedness needs more tension. No rules, though. :)
 
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I will admit the top half with 9's..esp on the E/B strings does feel a bit too slinky. I never bought this guitar to shred.
 
I will admit the top half with 9's..esp on the E/B strings does feel a bit too slinky. I never bought this guitar to shred.

10-46. Shouldnt require much if any tweaking.

If you want beefier wound string riffage, 10-52 all day.

If you go to drop B, try 11-54.
 
I took some measurements and attaching pictures so its much easier to discuss. According to one source for Gibson:
Relief on 7/8th fret should be around .012" (almost 1/64) my neck relief is pretty spot on
String height on 12th fret - Bass side 6/64 (you can see mine is much lower at this point. around 4/64)
String height on 12th fret - Treble side - 4/64 (mine is slightly higher around 5/64)

I also checked for level frets. seem to be all good. Also attached few pics of the nut close up. Still trying to figure out this buzz. perhaps raising the base side of bridge a bit as it does 'technically' need to come up a bit. But i like low as possible action.
 

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I will admit the top half with 9's..esp on the E/B strings does feel a bit too slinky. I never bought this guitar to shred.
Consistency across your guitars is important, i.e., not having one with string tension different enough than you're used to, that it causes you problems. Issues with your technique can show up in simply doing a pull-off, if the strings are much looser than you're accustomed to. If you handed me a LP with 9's, my pitches would be all over the place, because it's not what I'm used to.
Wow! .009s on Les Paul tuned to Eb??

I have .011s on my LP scaled guitars tuned to standard. .010s on PRSs and
Fender scale lengths, except for Jazzmasters.

I find it is too easy to play sharp and have whacky intonation from fretting too
hard when things get too loose. I am surprised if you are "heavy-handed" when
you play that your setup is so "light" like that. Usually light touch = lighter strings
and heavy-handedness needs more tension. No rules, though. :)
Yep.
Even with a properly-intonated guitar, you've probably had it happen where you go to play something like an open D chord above the 12th fret sound out of tune, due to the pressure you apply to the strings, maybe more so with bigger frets. I find it more difficult to keep a consistent touch using lighter strings.
 
If it happens across many frets and open for a string, it could be the saddle. Check the saddle groove for burrs and make sure it slopes slightly back from the edge towards the pickups. If the leading edge of the saddle groove is lower, you can get buzz there.
 
If it happens across many frets and open for a string, it could be the saddle. Check the saddle groove for burrs and make sure it slopes slightly back from the edge towards the pickups. If the leading edge of the saddle groove is lower, you can get buzz there.
I was just doing this as you posted. I watched a vid that mentioned debris that can get in either nut slot or something on saddle. I loosened the G string and just ran a business card through nut slot/saddle and it seems to have improved somewhat...just acoustically sitting on the bench
 
Just like the nut slots, you want the bridge saddle slots to be as smooth and slick as possible so the string can't bind there. Over time, the grooves can get misshaped, especially on the wound strings where the windings can leave impressions in the slot. When you change strings the impressions may not match up exactly with the new string and it can sometimes bind or buzz there. You can rub an old string of the same diameter back and forth in the slot to burnish and smooth it a bit. Just don't lower or round over the leading edge facing the pickups.
 
I was just doing this as you posted. I watched a vid that mentioned debris that can get in either nut slot or something on saddle. I loosened the G string and just ran a business card through nut slot/saddle and it seems to have improved somewhat...just acoustically sitting on the bench
If you fret the first fret and the buzzing ceases, it is most likely the nut. If the buzzing continues as you fret up the neck the issue is most likely at the saddle.
 
I took some measurements and attaching pictures so its much easier to discuss. According to one source for Gibson:
Relief on 7/8th fret should be around .012" (almost 1/64) my neck relief is pretty spot on
String height on 12th fret - Bass side 6/64 (you can see mine is much lower at this point. around 4/64)
String height on 12th fret - Treble side - 4/64 (mine is slightly higher around 5/64)

I also checked for level frets. seem to be all good. Also attached few pics of the nut close up. Still trying to figure out this buzz. perhaps raising the base side of bridge a bit as it does 'technically' need to come up a bit. But i like low as possible action.
These specs seem a little bit high. It will all depend on your right hand style of playing. If you hit hard you may need to keep it where it is. If you are a light handed player or you have a sensitive right hand technique you can go a little lower and straighten the neck to .08"or straighter. With 10s and a conscientious right hand approach 3/64" and 2.5/64" is sustainable.
 
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