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Introduction & Question.

Bruce-Ryder

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Messages
3
Morning Les Paul fans.

I am new here (obviously), I have just one Epiphone Les Paul (Standard) maybe one day when I'm all grown up I will be able
to afford a genuine Gibson Les Paul (I'm 44yo).

I have several guitars, 2 x Ibanez, 1 x B.C. Rich, 2 x Schecter & 1 x Epiphone Les Paul

I a currently doing work on my Epiphone Les Paul, I have decided to use her for Drop-D tuning and have been setting her
up for this but a struggling, especially as usual with intonating her to Drop-D but I am getting there.

I don't remember getting any documents with her on the setup etc. so my questions is, where can i go to download her factory setup
etc. or a manual etc for setting her up, Scale lengths (she is a 24 9/16 scale girl), preferred heights of strings above the neck and pick-up
heights etc etc etc. :dude:

Regards and Rock-On
Bruce Ryder.
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Hi & Welcome! Did you try going to Gibson.com? Go there and then go to Support and you should be able to find specs on the guitars.
 

Bruce-Ryder

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Messages
3
This is a pretty good overall guide: https://www.musicradar.com/news/how-to-set-up-a-les-paul

For drop D, you may want to go up a gauge or two at the low end. What gauges do you use now?

Morning, Thank you for the response.
The strings on her are about 2 years old now (I know, needs to be changed every year, bad Brucie)

If I remember I'm standard using Slinky,heavy top's n light bottoms.

I will try the website, thanks :)

I have made progress with the info I have found on websites and videos, got the neck 95% straight and have been
adjusting the bridge and tail piece to get the intonation right, I find the Drop-D is the hardest to get right, the rest
are coming in just fine, the Drop-D is still about 10 - 13 cents high, the rest are spot on.

My action seems to be high on the part of the neck where the neck joins the body, I read its supposed to be around
1/16ths (1.5875mm) on the high-e string and 9/64ths (3.57mm) on the low-E string?
 

rick c

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2016
Messages
282
Is the low D out of tune only at the first/second fret area? I assume you intonate it and all's OK but when you push the string down on a fret, it's out of tune. If this is the case, it really should only do this if the action is high; the string has to be pushed a long way and in doing so it stretches, elongates and is out of tune a few cents.

With respect to your neck comments, they don't make sense; what does 95% straight mean? Go to the website I linked and follow the procedure step by step. Set the straightness to your preference. For reference, I usually set my necks flat with no strings on, add the strings and see what happens to the relief. With EB Extra Slinky 0.008" to 0.038", I usually don't need to touch the truss rod again; the strings will add a small amount of relief and as long as nothing is buzzing after setting the action, I just leave things as they are. Heavier strings pull harder and you will probably have to tweak the truss rod to flatten the neck out to your liking.

I set my action at the 12th fret; 3/64" at the top E and 5/64" at the bottom E. Most references you will find regarding action are at the 12th fret as it's half way between the nut and bridge.

If you can't intonate the bottom D then I assume you have run out of saddle adjustment at the bridge. It may be possible to take the saddle out and reverse it to give yourself an extra couple of mm to play with.
 
Last edited:

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I'd just put on my big boy pants and get a Gibson. In your case I'd seriously try to find a Les Paul Studio BARITONE and pop some EMG's in it.
 

grimlyflick

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Messages
1,276
I think you biggest problem is trying to intonate using 2 year old strings. :hmm
 
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