Optimal Les Paul setup tips

skunc said:
This is alone not indicative of a problem. (I would agree that it is unattractive-no nut pride to be seen here!).
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When the slots are too deep it causes tuning instabilty. The strings hang up in the slot and you get the dreaded "tink" sound when you try to tune.
 
i'm not getting any of that 'tink' sound while tuning but I do suspect low nut slot. It's only on the G string. I could do the CA glue/baking soda thing that i've seen a video or two on. Stewmac I think shows it. Or possibly easier to just replace the nut. I'd imagine I could order a drop in replacement. I think the one i have here is a graphtech nut

also this string butler (thanks @yek ) looks like a very cool modification. I just may get one of these and/or replace my tuners with locking ones.

Gonna bring it into the store where I just bought it and tech said he'd look after it as the store includes a free setup in first year anyhow. Curious to see what he finds. Despite these little annoyances, I do appreciate them as learning opportunities. Always improving on my knowledge/skills of maintaining my own guitars.
 
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Another thing I just checked was the bridge radius. I put my 12" radius gauge about 1/4" in front of bridge. Lightly resting on top and plucking each string...there is some buzzing on more than one string. Mostly its my G string that is most pronounced. This was a tip from another vid I watched. It's possible the radius on bridge was never set accurately...

Nice setup vid here and around 11:25 the part about checking bridge radius

 
Chewie5150 said:
Another thing I just checked was the bridge radius. I put my 12" radius gauge about 1/4" in front of bridge. Lightly resting on top and plucking each string...there is some buzzing on more than one string. Mostly its my G string that is most pronounced. This was a tip from another vid I watched. It's possible the radius on bridge was never set accurately...

Nice setup vid here and around 11:25 the part about checking bridge radius

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Just wondering ... If the radius gauge is resting on top of the strings, won't the measurement be thrown off by the thickness of the strings? (rather than measuring from underneath the strings)
 
Forget the radius, measure the action on each string accurately. Set the relief to no more than 0.0010 but more like 0.0005 and then set the action to 50/1000" on the high E and 60/1000" (at the 12th.) If the bridge has it's string slots cut properly (and it won't because it's a Gibson) you should see a gradual increase to 60/1000". Easier still is set both Es at 50/1000" and adjust the slots until it is exactly 50/1000" on all string then raise the bass E to 60/1000" If you have problems after you have done this you need fret work.
Do this and the bridge matches the fingerboard not a useless radius gauge.
 
Yeah, if the fretboard has a compound radius (many modern Les Pauls do), you don't want the bridge radius to match the fretboard radius. It will need a larger radius at the bridge to correctly match the fretboard's conical shape. Using Andy's method of matching to the fretboard itself works for both straight and compound radius fretboards.
 
So....we probably just prefer different things and this might not be useful to you....but I basically set my guitars up with the neck straight (as little relief as possible) and actually a relatively high action (around 90/1000 on the low E). I think they pretty much all sound and feel better like that, but I'm very much not a shredder. I haven't had problems with buzzing with anything until the nut's ready to be replaced after a long time or if the neck drifts a long way with seasonal changes.

AFAIK, the tink sound from tuning comes from the slot being too tight, not too deep.

If you put a capo on 3 and there's any daylight between the strings and the first fret, the nut slot height is fine. It doesn't take much.

Also....was this new? Gibsons are PLEK'd at the factory, so it's pretty unlikely that it's a fret leveling issue.

My guess is there's so much relief so that when you drop the action to your preferred height at 12, it's actually buzzing around 16 or 17. The 12th fret is still "relieved" compared to the part of the fretboard that's actually on the body, just not as much as 7/8.

Chewie5150 said:
also this string butler (thanks @yek ) looks like a very cool modification. I just may get one of these and/or replace my tuners with locking ones.

Gonna bring it into the store where I just bought it and tech said he'd look after it as the store includes a free setup in first year anyhow. Curious to see what he finds. Despite these little annoyances, I do appreciate them as learning opportunities. Always improving on my knowledge/skills of maintaining my own guitars.
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If you want a spring butler and you're anywhere I can send a USPS flat rate box, PM me, and I'll send you one for the cost of a flat rate box some time next week. I have one and don't like it.

But, all it does is "fix" the angle of the string coming off the nut to try and reduce binding from straight-cut slots. If your nut slots are cut correctly for a Gibson headstock, it'll actually make tuning stability worse by causing it to bind against one side of the slot (which it did for mine). Having the nut dressed by a halfway-competent tech works better, IMHO.

Also, locking tuners solve a different problem...they make it quicker to change strings. They don't actually do anything for tuning stability unless you're using way too many (or too messy) wraps.
 
marsonic said:
AFAIK, the tink sound from tuning comes from the slot being too tight, not too deep.
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This. Too deep would cause buzz, but as long as the width of the slots are correct, the string shouldn't bind regardless of depth.

marsonic said:
Also, locking tuners solve a different problem...they make it quicker to change strings. They don't actually do anything for tuning stability unless you're using way too many (or too messy) wraps.
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Locking tuners can help with tuning, if your existing tuners have lash in the gears (and you forget to tune "up" to pitch.)

I don't know what the deal is with the Schallers on my Majesty, but they are a PITA to get the new string fed through the post! I just changed mine, and I fought with 2 of them. It's like the part that moves vertically upward and pinches the string hangs up when you loosen the knob, and when you try to push the new string through the hole, it hits that part. VERY frustrating! I even try to use the existing string to push that piece downward before I remove it, but there's not much length to grab onto. I'm gonna add a small, pointy tool to my gear toolbox, that I can insert into the posts to get that thing to release. Other than that, yeah I love locking tuners. Never had that problem on my PRS though.
 
mr_fender said:
Yeah, if the fretboard has a compound radius (many modern Les Pauls do), you don't want the bridge radius to match the fretboard radius. It will need a larger radius at the bridge to correctly match the fretboard's conical shape. Using Andy's method of matching to the fretboard itself works for both straight and compound radius fretboards.
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Exactly. The Parabola. I believe the formula (if you can calculate the fgbd radius) is in the Stew Mac book.
 
TSJMajesty said:
This. Too deep would cause buzz, but as long as the width of the slots are correct, the string shouldn't bind regardless of depth.


Locking tuners can help with tuning, if your existing tuners have lash in the gears (and you forget to tune "up" to pitch.)

I don't know what the deal is with the Schallers on my Majesty, but they are a PITA to get the new string fed through the post! I just changed mine, and I fought with 2 of them. It's like the part that moves vertically upward and pinches the string hangs up when you loosen the knob, and when you try to push the new string through the hole, it hits that part. VERY frustrating! I even try to use the existing string to push that piece downward before I remove it, but there's not much length to grab onto. I'm gonna add a small, pointy tool to my gear toolbox, that I can insert into the posts to get that thing to release. Other than that, yeah I love locking tuners. Never had that problem on my PRS though.
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Unscrew the thumbscrew completely and bump the locking pin out and check it for burrs. A very light coating of oil on the pin can help keep it from binding or even write on it a bit with a pencil to get some graphite in there if you want to keep it dry.
 
My Gibson does not have compound radius. I got back from speaking with the tech at the shop and he took another look at the guitar. He said my setup was all very good and lightly dressed the saddle on the G which was the suspected culprit. I can lower my action a bit but overall everything is as it should be. I'm going to keep everything stock including the tuners and see how it goes after a few months. He also said the nut is perfectly good. While i was there I did pickup some Power slinkys (10-48's)! I think this will be perfect for this guitar the next time it's ready to change strings.
 
Andy Eagle said:
Forget the radius, measure the action on each string accurately. Set the relief to no more than 0.0010 but more like 0.0005 and then set the action to 50/1000" on the high E and 60/1000" (at the 12th.) If the bridge has it's string slots cut properly (and it won't because it's a Gibson) you should see a gradual increase to 60/1000". Easier still is set both Es at 50/1000" and adjust the slots until it is exactly 50/1000" on all string then raise the bass E to 60/1000" If you have problems after you have done this you need fret work.
Do this and the bridge matches the fingerboard not a useless radius gauge.
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I'll be giving it another minor setup for optimal action. thx for the tip
 
Chewie5150 said:
My Gibson does not have compound radius. I got back from speaking with the tech at the shop and he took another look at the guitar. He said my setup was all very good and lightly dressed the saddle on the G which was the suspected culprit. I can lower my action a bit but overall everything is as it should be. I'm going to keep everything stock including the tuners and see how it goes after a few months. He also said the nut is perfectly good. While i was there I did pickup some Power slinkys (10-48's)! I think this will be perfect for this guitar the next time it's ready to change strings.
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Awesome! Glad it has all worked out for you.

Some might not agree, but certain guitars just seem to take a specific string gauge better
than other string gauges. They just play and respond better. I am not of the belief that you
can make EVERY guitar realizes its fullest potential and sound its best with ANY string
gauge.


Have fun! :)
 
Enjoy. The only real playing issues I tend to nit pick with Les Pauls are they don't have the best upper fret access for thumb over players and the location of the pickup switch. I personally would prefer the switch below the strings like on an SG. Other than that they are blast. They are iconic guitars for good reason.
 
Andy Eagle said:
These are not fixing the problem they are just negating it . All Les Pauls can work perfectly without this ugly thing.
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It looks like a cool solution- similar to the Gumby Headstock. You would need to make a new nut without any string splay....I agree with you, I wouldn't let one of these near one of my LPs.
 
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