CKiR Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Hi, Not sure if this is the right place to post but here goes. Alright, so I'll admit right now I really don't know much about guitars/amps etc. I recently got an Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a Vox Valvetronix VT20+. Now I have been playing guitar for about 5 years, acoustic though. Whenever I try to play anything above the 12th fret it comes out sounding high, and if I play any solos up there they don't sound right at all. Is it the amp settings, strings, pickup settings? I know I'm probably just being an idiot here, but no matter what I do I can't "fix" it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 That's probably intonation.. Meaning that the guitar should stay in tune all the way up the fretboard.. You need to turn the little screws on the bridge (assuming you have a Tune O Matic).. They are there for exactly that sort of fine adjustment... If you play one open string and then that same string at the 12th fret, they should both be in tune). Should sort of look something like this (depending on how your bridge has been set up). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Yes, intonation. Google something like how to set up guitar intonation and you'll find lots of instructions. It's easy enough, you'll just need a screwdriver to fit the saddle screws, and a tuner is handy but not essential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 CKIR, "Welcome" to the forum and Congrats on your new guitar! Rabs and Vomer are starting you off in the right direction. Still, as long as we're on the subject, Are you still using the original strings? Have you done or had someone do a complete setup? (or at least check the specs) If you are used to acoustic guitars and your LP's strings are set high you may not even realize it. It could cause tuning problems as well. Just a couple more thoughts, Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKiR Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 CKIR, "Welcome" to the forum and Congrats on your new guitar! Rabs and Vomer are starting you off in the right direction. Still, as long as we're on the subject, Are you still using the original strings? Have you done or had someone do a complete setup? (or at least check the specs) If you are used to acoustic guitars and your LP's strings are set high you may not even realize it. It could cause tuning problems as well. Just a couple more thoughts, Willy First off, thanks everyone for your replies! I've been researching this quite a bit before posting, and that's what I was going to try next. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something silly before I did that. To answer Willy's question, yes I'm still using the original strings. I've never had anyone check the specs or anything as I live in a very small town and not even sure if there is someone around to do that, I'll have to do it myself. The only tuner I have is a small Snark...although my Vox VT20+ has a built in tuner, which would be better? (If either one will work?) Thanks again for your replies, Yurgen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 ... that's what I was going to try next. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something silly before I did that. I've never had anyone check the specs or anything I'll have to do it myself. Yurgen, Lots of good info out there for that. Here are a couple of my favorites: http://mysite.verizon.net/jazz.guitar/guitarsetup.htm#Truss%20Rod%20Adjustment http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/4615540-post22.html If after checking the relief in the neck, you decide it needs adjusting, I would suggest first asking for advice from some of the members here. (if you have never done it before) The rest, including intonation, is pretty basic. Good luck, Willy P.S. How about some pics of the guitar and amp? W.W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 CKIR, You've received good advice and info so far so I won't add to it, since I agree. Here's another link that you might find useful - the Epi official site. You can get owner's manuals there as well. Were I you, I'd change the strings on that thing while you're at it. Lord only knows how long they've been on there. All Epi elec's come from the factory with 10-46's btw (that info's in the owners manual) http://www.epiphone.com/default.aspx? And welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKiR Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 CKIR, You've received good advice and info so far so I won't add to it, since I agree. Here's another link that you might find useful - the Epi official site. You can get owner's manuals there as well. Were I you, I'd change the strings on that thing while you're at it. Lord only knows how long they've been on there. All Epi elec's come from the factory with 10-46's btw (that info's in the owners manual) http://www.epiphone.com/default.aspx? And welcome! Yeah, I had planned on changing the strings within the next week or so, as soon as I managed to get some new ones. Again, thank you everyone! If I have anymore questions or anything I'll let you know. Yurgen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Then wait, to set the iontonation, UNTIL right after you've put on, and "stretched" (until they hold tuning well), the new strings! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CKiR Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Then wait, to set the iontonation, UNTIL right after you've put on, and "stretched" (until they hold tuning well), the new strings! CB That was the plan. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacealf Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 the Snark works fine for tuning (and any note). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 A definite yes to new strings. I don't care if you buy a $100 guitar or a $10,000 guitar, they're not your strings. I live far from a guitar store, but when they have had an instrument I wanted to try, and perhaps buy, I asked them to add new strings that are close the kind that I normally play on that type of guitar. Also, you did not say that the strings sound "out of tune" above the 12th fret. You may be more familiar with heavier strings or just the acoustic sound compared to a more "thin" sound from lighter strings on an electric guitar. If you do as the other guys suggested, you will know that the guitar is "set up" correctly. If it still sounds odd to you, there are other possibilities. I would play it with new strings and proper "intonation" for a about a month to see if the sound begins to be heard as "normal." If not, there are slight pickup adjustments you could try. But for me, I would first play with my guitar and amplifier settings to test if that may bring a more pleasing sound. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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