So, how does one (me) handle a NGD?

[Glacies]

My Epi LP Standard is coming on Monday. I am sure I'll be making love to the box and all that stuff, but after I tune her, and play her, should I take her in for a setup? Should I try to do it myself? Tips?

[Tone2TheBone]

If you've never worked on any of your guitars then you should probably take it in yeah. Doing your own set up is easy and fun though you should learn.

[aeolian]

Since your guitar has a fixed bridge (no tremolo) it is even easier. I recommend you do some research on the internet to see what needs to be done and then give it a try. Just be careful and never force anything and you should be fine. The worst is that you somehow get it out of whack and then a professional setup will fix it back up.

With a fixed bridge, assuming the nut is cut OK, the only things that needs to be done is check the neck relief, set saddle height to match the neck profile and proper action and set intonation. Many times all 3 will be pretty much correct when you get a decent guitar.

[ShortBuSX]

but after I tune her, and play her, should I take her in for a setup? Should I try to do it myself? Tips?

All of this should be determined after you play it.

But Intonation is rathre simple to do, pickup heights are also easy.
Now a truss rod adjustment, you should go get help if youve never done that...you dont really wanna learn that on your new guitar.

Id recommend reading up on setups and intonation and whats involved, especially for your guitar specifically. Gibson style bridges are easy to set up but you will need to make yourself familiar with the bridge and tailpiece adjustments(break angle). I recommend checking out MyLesPaul forums to help you become more familiar.

[aeolian]

And very good point from ShortBuSX about pickup height; also extremely easy to do (and undo). Just watch out if you tweak this that you don't loosen them until the screws fall out of the thread.

[ShortBuSX]

And very good point from ShortBuSX about pickup height; also extremely easy to do (and undo). Just watch out if you tweak this that you don't loosen them until the screws fall out of the thread.

Which reminds me, most every Epi LP Ive seen needed to have the neck pickup removed, to level it out(they usually come tilted), the pickup wires seem to get tangled up with the base of the pickup and the adjusting screws. Its an easy fix to do when you replace the strings, just remove the 4 screws on the pickup ring, lift and then rearrange the wire so it doesnt obstruct the pup.

[markb]

With Gibsons the stop tailpiece is a key part of the setup. Raise or lower it to adjust string tension and sustain. Screwed all the way down is not necessarily the right position. The Epi SG I had for a while recently needed the tailpiece raised by about two turns to feel and sound right. Those large screw slots on the tailpiece are easily damaged. Use the biggest flat screwdriver you've got and pack out any slop in the slot with a rag.

[guitrkill3r]

yea dude I bought my epi les paul standard straight from gc and after playing 10 of them before on deciding which one 9/10 have frets that are messed up so be prepared to have 2 fix something, but after that you'll have a great guitar. I mean sure its set up in america but something is always weird, like my 2nd fret of the 2nd string(B) has a buzz, no matter what i do it still bugs me. When I play through an amp no one can hear the problem but because I know the guitar so well only I hear hear especially because I feel it when I fret it. Either way, great guitar for the price.

[just strum]

Ditto those suggesting to do it yourself, just don't turn your truss rod six full turns if someone suggests that.

See what you can do before messing with the truss rod and remember 1/4 turns, not 1/2 turns, 3/4 turns or full turns. Do 1/4 and see what it gets you. - However, make that the last thing because chances are you won't been to mess with it.

When you mess with intonation and/or saddle height, remember to loosen your strings slightly, either process can tighten your strings depending on what direction you are going.

Also, before you do anything, make sure you let the guitar settle (at least 24 to 48 hours) before making any changes.

Let's see, did I forget anything? Oh, after your done, send me the guitar and I will see how you did.

[Ch0jin]

re: truss rod adjustments. I just wanted to add to JS's post by saying that not only should you only make 1/4 turn adjustments, but I've read in many places to let the neck settle after doing so. I'm not really clear on how to "let it settle" but when I did my Strat I'd adjust, then kinda "flex" the neck with my hands to make sure the truss rod was actually moving and not binding somewhere. Easy to do, hard to describe.

[just strum]

I've adjusted a few of my previously owned acoustics, but I believe I've only adjusted the Dot when it comes to my electrics. Some people think they have to adjust the rod when setting the action - not true. Any effect on the action by adjusting the truss rod can best be described as a by-product. By that I mean that it may improve or worsen action, but should not be adjusted in attempt to set action.

I hope that makes sense and I'm sure I will have people that will dispute it. However, I stand behind my earlier statement that I am always right. Unfortunately it's taking some a little longer than I thought it would to accept that fact:D

[Duff]

I'd say, take it slow. Don't mess with anything unless you have played it a while and are sure something is not correct.

First, I always put new strings on my new guitars. This always improves the sound immensely and often "eliminates" buzz that you heard with the factory strings.

I wouldn't do any set up since you haven't done one yet it sounds like. Why experiment with a beautiful new ebony LP? You can really mess things up and then it will cost a lot more to get a pro tech to get it right. Plus you could crack something, severely gash the ebony surface with the screwdriver, etc.

My music instructor was a tech for over twenty years and he does my set up work free at my lessons. He knows what he is doing and even does a strat in a few minutes.

Strings. Put new ones on right away and see how much difference that makes in perceptible sound and feel.

I have had several guitars come set up almost perfect from the supplier, like MF.

Which model standard did you get? Plain top, arch top, or arch top with flame maple? That one is called the plus top. I have a regular arch top type one and a plus top. Both are really nice guitars. Black looks really cool in a LP.

Listen for buzz on the clean channel of your amp, not the drive channel, because some drive channels impart a buzz tone to the sound as part of the overdrive/distortion.

Your teacher, if you have one, will probably set it up free. But you might just get lucky and have a satisfactory guitar that you can just start playing and enjoying.

What amp are you going to use with it?

Congratulations and have lots of fun, which I'm sure you will.

Duffy
Winfield, Pa.

[Jimi75]

I think it is good to know how to set up your guitar. Be careful with the trussrod though. Collect information on setting up a guitar and then try it! If you face a problem you can still bring the guitar to a pro who set it up for you.

[kiteman]

1/4 turn on a truss rod is too much. Go 1/8 at a time and let it sit after each adjustment. This is something you don't wanna rush. Guitar tech work requires patience.

Both the truss rod adjustments and action adjustments depends on how you play the guitar.

Congrats on your new guitar. :)

[tot_Ou_tard]

My Epi LP Standard is coming on Monday. I am sure I'll be making love to the box and all that stuff, but after I tune her, and play her, should I take her in for a setup? Should I try to do it myself? Tips? It'd be great to a video review where you out the warranty card & show it to us, & then comment on the packaging.

A serious, professional review in other words.

If it were me, I'd have it professionally setup the first time & then take the time to learn for the next time. That way you know what you are shooting for.

[just strum]

If it were me, I'd have it professionally setup the first time & then take the time to learn for the next time. That way you know what you are shooting for.

I sort of agree with that, but it depends on how much it is out of whack. I had my Dot set-up by a guy that was known throughout the Cleveland area for working on guitars of many of the known local musicians. The only problem was he set it up to his liking and didn't take my preference or playing style into account.

After about a week, I redid it myself and kissed the set-up money goodbye. Now the thing plays just as I like it. Would I have been able to achieve the results without him messing with it first? One will never know.

[just strum]

1/4 turn on a truss rod is too much.

I don't agree, but I will agree that less certainly isn't going to hurt anything.

[kiteman]

I don't agree, but I will agree that less certainly isn't going to hurt anything.

At least we agreed on something. :)

[just strum]

At least we agreed on something. :)

We can file it under "better safe, than sorry".;)

[kiteman]

We can file it under "better safe, than sorry".;)

That's my motto. :dude:

[tot_Ou_tard]

I sort of agree with that, but it depends on how much it is out of whack. I had my Dot set-up by a guy that was known throughout the Cleveland area for working on guitars of many of the known local musicians. The only problem was he set it up to his liking and didn't take my preference or playing style into account.

After about a week, I redid it myself and kissed the set-up money goodbye. Now the thing plays just as I like it. Would I have been able to achieve the results without him messing with it first? One will never know.

Did you ask him whether he would redo it? The guy that did my 5th Avenue told me to take it back to him for free tweaking if it wasn't to my liking.

[just strum]

Did you ask him whether he would redo it? The guy that did my 5th Avenue told me to take it back to him for free tweaking if it wasn't to my liking.

I did and he did, but I found that it was best to sit at home and just keep tweaking it until it was "me".

[Katastrophe]

My Epi LP Standard is coming on Monday. I am sure I'll be making love to the box and all that stuff, but after I tune her, and play her, should I take her in for a setup? Should I try to do it myself? Tips?

Tip #1: Wear protection when making love to the box. You don't know where it's been. :poke:

Tip #2: Tune 'er up and play her until the strings get dull (which may be right away, if they've been on the guitar for a while). Change them and do your own set up. The Web is rife with how to articles. Be very careful with truss rod adjustments, only a little at a time and don't get carried away. Broken truss rod = new neck, and that's something you don't want to tackle on a set neck instrument like an LP. Take your time and you'll do fine.

[Andy]

I agree ,don't necessarily be scared of the truss rod , but do very minor adjustments if any, the tricky part is that there are several adjustments that effect the action, and if you tweak one it probably will effect the other, so you want to have a clear idea of what your trying to achieve.

the nut slot depth
bridge saddles
neck relief(truss rod)
string gage/tension
sometimes the frets themselves

it's not as simple as just turning a nut, that would be like stabbing in the dark

[Duff]

That's why I think it is wise to have someone who knows what they are doing do it, and let you observe the process so you can see which order they go about doing it in and what level of sensitivity they apply to the truss rod, etc.

True, you learn by doing. But you also learn by observation and when it comes to a really nice guitar you could get in too deep with a first time set up and get it tweaked way out there. This will take a tech some time to correct and could lead to confusion. It is best to learn how to do it right the first time, not thru trial and error; unless you have a beater guitar that you use just to do experiments on. Then you can try all sorts of things like pickups, wiring mods, etc., to try to develop a really special guitar. This is often inexpensive and really fun. But to jump into a brand new really nice guitar with no expertise in these technical areas might be better reserved for later mods, after you have developed some knowledge, skill, and expertise, not to forget having acquired some tools.

It is really easy to get the neck truss rod adjustments nut height filing and saddle height adjustments and the action and relief whacked way out of the general area of fairly closeness that a lot of guitars already come set up at directly from the source.

A knowledgeable person or tech can often very quickly tweak the guitar into a relative state of perfection without employing a lot of jacking around.

I believe in learning to do as much tech stuff as you can; but why not make use of highly knowledgeable techs when you have something nice that is a little over your head? Learn from them and do the stuff you are confindent in and have developed some expertise in. Leave the unknown or extremely difficult for the pros.

I do a lot of my own tech work and tech work for others but don't tackle jobs for other people that I don't already have considerable expertise and confidence in. I am getting good at identifying jobs that I should take to a pro tech to do rather than attempting to do myself.

I guess I'm just trying to advise excerising prudence when working on real nice equipment when you can employ someone or get someone to help you do the job.

Duffy