Guitar Setup

telecaster_dub · 01-02-2007 3:36pm #1

anybody know any people who can set up a Gibson les paul so that the strings are very bendy and also the action is low ???

all help greatfully appreciated

!_Brian_! · 01-02-2007 6:33pm

its pretty simple to do yourself. Light gauge strings and lower the action by screwing the screws on the bridge about a quarter turn at a time to the right. You might have to check the intonation but thats quite simple with a bit of patience and a tuner. You'll find loads of how-to's about the internet. It really isn't a job you need to pay money for an will only take you about 20 minutes all going well

telecaster_dub · 01-02-2007 6:45pm

cheers brian

intonation i havnt a clue what it is

i got a new Gibson Les Paul Supreme which are €4500 in waltons so it aint a cheap guitar and i dont want to mess it up

Fusion251 · 01-02-2007 6:52pm

If you spent €4500 on a guitar and you're not happy with it bring it back, get Waltons to do it!!

Cheers
Fusion

Johnny Storm · 01-02-2007 6:53pm

Look in the Musical resourses stickie, Derrick Nelson in Marlay Park is excellent but can be very expensive - 4942741

!_Brian_! · 01-02-2007 7:04pm

telecaster_dub wrote:

cheers brian

intonation i havnt a clue what it is

i got a new Gibson Les Paul Supreme which are €4500 in waltons so it aint a cheap guitar and i dont want to mess it up

Nah you cant really **** it up lowering the action. I really urge you to at least look into doing it yourself as in my opinion its a huge waste of money to get someone else to do it epically when its so simple, you wouldn't call an electrician to wire a plug for you!

Intonation is basically the guitar being in tune up the neck. If you play an E major in tune it should still be in tune when you play an E bar chord up on the 12th fret. If you have a tuner handy, hit the harmonic on the 12th fret, it should be the same pitch on the tuner as when you simply fret the note. Setting intonation is then a matter of moving the little bridge parts (cant rem the fookin name for the life of me) away or towards the beck. Like I siadm you'll find a load of easy to understand how to guides around the net. And on the standard gibbo bridge it dosnt get any easier!

Voodu Child · 01-02-2007 7:12pm

Waltons should do it for you. Im sure theres no contractual agreement or anything like that, but after blowing that kind of money, i find it very hard to imagine that they would turn you away if you asked them to set it up again for free. It would be seriously bad form on their part.

-=al=- · 01-02-2007 7:37pm

shuda done a setup when u bought it, thats not on!!

LundiMardi · 01-02-2007 8:26pm

i think you should bring it back to Waltons, explain that you're not happy with the end product and lack of customer service and then demand your money back.

Then go and buy the same guitar here, and save 600 euro!!!!

http://www.thomann.de/ie/gibson_lp_supreme_rb.htm

Then use the saved money to get it set up by a pro, not that you need a pro to do it!

Johnny Storm · 01-02-2007 8:34pm

I dont think the OP said he bought it in Waltons. He only said it costs a huge ammount in Waltons

-=al=- · 01-02-2007 8:36pm

pretty amazing

LundiMardi · 01-02-2007 8:39pm

-=al=- wrote:

pretty amazing

why thank yee;)

-=al=- · 01-02-2007 8:47pm

now take it off

Rigsby · 01-02-2007 9:24pm

While I agree it is fairly simple to do a set up I can also understand your hesitation when it's your first time and the guitar is so expensive. You could try the site below, and while it'll probably cost around 40 euros you might not have to get it done again for a while. Maybe the tech might let you watch and learn. Good luck with the guitar. You could also try "Musician Inc" in Drury St. ( www.musicianinc.ie)

www.theguitarworkshop.net

It wasn't me! · 01-02-2007 10:10pm

Do it yourself, but I will say, you lose out on the meat of a Les Paul by using light strings, just don't have the grunt or feel, you'd be better off working up your finger strength for heavier ones. I use Skinny Top, Heavy Bottoms, by Ernie Ball, and there's enough balance there of meat and light playability.

telecaster_dub · 01-02-2007 10:47pm

i paid €2300 from the usa for this , but just wanna get it set up

LundiMardi · 01-02-2007 10:50pm

nice man, like has been said... it's really not hard to set up...

To lower the action, simply turn the screws on the bridge, you shouldn't need any tools for this. You should be able to do it by hand... You cannot mess this up, you simply adjust it to suit your needs. Just make sure you turn both screws the same amount so you don't leave it at an angle.

Regarding the bendy strings, just use a ligter gauge.

-=al=- · 02-02-2007 12:52am

that case is very comfy

Quattroste · 02-02-2007 9:36am

Wow. That is beautiful! Having a guitar like that really means you should learn to do the setup yourself. Wow again though! That's so sweet.

fish-head · 02-02-2007 10:43am

Thank jaysus you didn't buy it from Waltons then! If you don't wanna do it yourself, just bring it into Musician Inc and they'll do it for you. If you're lucky they might even do it then and there for you.

gaffmaster · 02-02-2007 12:23pm

I wouldnt use strings with a lighter gauge than 10's on a les paul.

I used to have 9's on my epi, but switched to 10 with the advice from a tech and it's a way better player now. more tone and sustain, very little bending difference.

OP- is the action of your guitar really high? or do you like it super low? if you like it super low and are changing strings it might need a truss rod adjustment. not too sure. perhaps musician inc is your best bet. you made a nice saving in the USA there mate.

Fingers Mcginty · 02-02-2007 2:52pm

If you've never set up a guitar don't attempt to set up an expensive guitar yourself. You can read all the setup articles on the net but practise is more important. If you make a balls of it you'll be heartbroken. Especially truss rod adjustents can be tricky.

Futureman · 02-02-2007 8:25pm

Fingers Mcginty wrote:

If you've never set up a guitar don't attempt to set up an expensive guitar yourself. You can read all the setup articles on the net but practise is more important. If you make a balls of it you'll be heartbroken. Especially truss rod adjustents can be tricky.

1) Why would he even go near the truss rod at all?
2) How would he be "heartbroken" by simply adjusting the action & intonation screws? They can be easily put back even if he can't find the sweet spot, and it causes zero damage to move them - even if he moves them all the way up & back!

You a drama queen or something? "Heartbroken"...a bit OTT, IMO.

Doctor J · 02-02-2007 8:28pm

One would go near the truss rod when the neck needs adjusting. That's why they're there. He's hardly being a drama queen, a ****ed truss rod is very bad news and, when someone doesn't know what they are doing it's quite easy to **** them up.

Voodu Child · 02-02-2007 8:43pm

Edit - no more advice from me ..

mloc · 02-02-2007 9:03pm

If it's that expensive a guitar, and you want the most from it, then I think it would be wrong NOT to bring it to derek nelson. It could cost you around 200 euro, but what he'll do goes far beyond any simple "set up" a guitar shop in town will give you.

Rigsby · 02-02-2007 10:50pm

mloc wrote:

what he'll do goes far beyond any simple "set up" a guitar shop in town will give you.

If I read the initial post right all he needs is a simple set up i.e. the action lowered. Why pay 200 euro for that?

mloc · 03-02-2007 12:16am

fair enough, if thats all he wants. but on any guitar worth over €1500-2000, id seriously consider having it set up by derek.

If you don't believe me, try one! I was sceptical myself until I tried one. My friend has two guitars, set up by derek, both les pauls... pretty amazing playing instruments.

Fingers Mcginty · 03-02-2007 8:37am

Futureman wrote:

1) Why would he even go near the truss rod at all?
2) How would he be "heartbroken" by simply adjusting the action & intonation screws? They can be easily put back even if he can't find the sweet spot, and it causes zero damage to move them - even if he moves them all the way up & back!

You a drama queen or something? "Heartbroken"...a bit OTT, IMO.

i had to make an adjustment on an old acoustic a few years ago. Funny enough a truss rod adjustment to get the neck straight

Ended up cracking the neck by adjusting maybe a fraction too much clockwise.

Futureman · 03-02-2007 3:31pm

Doctor J wrote:

One would go near the truss rod when the neck needs adjusting. That's why they're there. He's hardly being a drama queen, a ****ed truss rod is very bad news and, when someone doesn't know what they are doing it's quite easy to **** them up.

I know what a truss rod does. I was aksing why the fook the OP would need to adjust it when it's a brand new guitar.

LundiMardi · 03-02-2007 3:35pm

Futureman wrote:

I know what a truss rod does. I was aksing why the fook the OP would need to adjust it when it's a brand new guitar.

Just because it's a brand new guitar doesn't mean the trust rod wouldn't need adjusting in the event of changing the set up of said guitar... Like has been said, for instance, if the OP were to change the gauge of the strings the guitar was set up to use, and then was to lower the action of said strings, a slight adjustment to the truss rod may have to be made for best results.

Other than that i haven't a ****ing clue what i'm talking about cos i've never touched a truss rod or let anyone else touch one of mine.

Voodu Child · 03-02-2007 4:20pm

Futureman wrote:

I know what a truss rod does. I was aksing why the fook the OP would need to adjust it when it's a brand new guitar.

The day I buy a brand new guitar that doesnt need the truss rod adjusted, the nut lowered, the action & intonation adjusted and about a dozen other things is the day i stop looking for the perfect guitar.

I'd explain why brand new guitar may need its truss rod adjusted, but i reckon i'd be wasting my breath..:rolleyes:

Doctor J · 03-02-2007 4:53pm

Futureman wrote:

I know what a truss rod does. I was aksing why the fook the OP would need to adjust it when it's a brand new guitar.

:rolleyes:

Different gauge strings require truss rod adjustments. Changing seasons require truss rod adjustments. Differing humidity can necessitate truss rod adjustments. One would expect that a guitar which has travelled to a different country and entirely different climate would be enough for a neck to require a truss rod adjustment. One would imagine, should the owner decide to change strings to a set different to the ones installed by the manufacturer (I know, I know, amazing concept and never happens in the real world but work with me here), it would require a truss rod adjustment.

A truss rod adjustment is a very standard part of every guitar setup for any guitar with a wooden neck, regardless of the age, cost, colour or any other factor. That's why they're there.

Guitar Setup

Comments