Golden Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 If you use Gibsons recommended pole to string height there is going to be a slightly higher treble side. Also the bridge has the opposite effect the treble side will be lower, so you'll also have an optical illusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesmachine Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 so... personal experience counts for nothing? the cool thing about any forum thread is reading someone else's opinion and experience. if you already know everything what is the point of actually being on a forum like this to begin with? The intention of doing this was the hope of making my LP sound the best in the right way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 The intention of doing this was the hope of making my LP sound the best in the right way. Don't worry about the resident troll. He was trying to goad me, not responding to you. Honestly though, for the best sound keep adjusting until it sounds its best. Almost nothing on a guitar requires measurement. If you're not feeling and hearing your way to your preferred setup you'll be chasing your tail for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 Almost nothing on a guitar requires measurement. If you're not feeling and hearing your way to your preferred setup you'll be chasing your tail for ever. Now that little bit of advice there is about the best advice you will ever get regarding guitar set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesmachine Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 Don't worry about the resident troll. He was trying to goad me, not responding to you. Honestly though, for the best sound keep adjusting until it sounds its best. Almost nothing on a guitar requires measurement. If you're not feeling and hearing your way to your preferred setup you'll be chasing your tail for ever. I did do some readjustments today back to factory settings as close as I could to start from scratch and compare tonality. All things considered, it's a 2017 Tribute T Gold Top with 490 pickups and trying to make it sound like '59 may seem unrealistic but I just have to try to get as close as I can without swapping up pickups. I did find with the setting now is that it is much louder but I'm still trying to find that creamy Les Paul tone. With all the info that's been provided which I am thankful for I expect I will be tweaking until I can find that sweet spot as close as my ears can tell me as you suggested. Cheers ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megafrog Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I did do some readjustments today back to factory settings as close as I could to start from scratch and compare tonality. All things considered, it's a 2017 Tribute T Gold Top with 490 pickups and trying to make it sound like '59 may seem unrealistic but I just have to try to get as close as I can without swapping up pickups. I did find with the setting now is that it is much louder but I'm still trying to find that creamy Les Paul tone. With all the info that's been provided which I am thankful for I expect I will be tweaking until I can find that sweet spot as close as my ears can tell me as you suggested. Cheers ! I have a 2017 Tribute Goldtop as well and it is a great guitar. With the 490s in it and the weight relief, you will be able to get some great tones but a lot of the tone you want is going to be by adjusting your volume and tone pots as well as your amp. The 490s are a hotter pickup than the PAFs from the 1959 era and have more consistent build quality due to how they are made. My Tribute is set up perfectly for me but it doesn't sound the same as my 1958 vos or my traditional and that is to be expected. If you find you can't get the tone you want, you may want to look at getting a traditional or swapping out the pickups. Best of luck to you getting that perfect tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I did do some readjustments today back to factory settings as close as I could to start from scratch and compare tonality. All things considered, it's a 2017 Tribute T Gold Top with 490 pickups and trying to make it sound like '59 may seem unrealistic but I just have to try to get as close as I can without swapping up pickups. I did find with the setting now is that it is much louder but I'm still trying to find that creamy Les Paul tone. With all the info that's been provided which I am thankful for I expect I will be tweaking until I can find that sweet spot as close as my ears can tell me as you suggested. Cheers ! Just be careful not to chase wild geese here. There's no such thing as "like a 59". Quality control was nonexistent and there was no consistency at all. The 59s sounded as different between them as the entire range of humbucker equipped Les Pauls do now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 ...There's no such thing as "like a 59"......The 59s sounded as different between them as the entire range of humbucker equipped Les Pauls do now... This pretty much sums it up. By way of offering an example; For the April 2008 issue of The Tone Quest magazine six original 1959 LPs were assembled for the purposes of evaluation of these instruments and their corresponding original PAF-tone. Some of the adjectives used to describe the subsequent tonal qualities of the dozen individual PAFs were; "hot"; "killer"; "least impressed"; "heaviest"; "a brute"; "not subtle"; "huge and heavy bass"; "sharp, clear, trebly bite"; "rich, old sound"; "gorgeous vocal tones"; "reserved and restrained"...etc...etc... In terms of overall sound one guitar was described thus; "If we had heard (this guitar) on a recording blind we would incorrectly assume that we were listening to a semi-hollow body guitar..." ...whilst another posessed; "...a thin, penetrating and powerful treble presence far more likely to be associated with a vintage Telecaster..." The conclusion reached was; "...there were subtle and sometimes distinct differences between each guitar..." So choose what end-tone you prefer; an ES 335 or a Telecaster. Both seem to be in the right ballpark for the correct 'vintage' sound of a '59 'burst. Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1all's Pub Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 This pretty much sums it up. By way of offering an example; For the April 2008 issue of The Tone Quest magazine six original 1959 LPs were assembled for the purposes of evaluation of these instruments and their corresponding original PAF-tone. Some of the adjectives used to describe the subsequent tonal qualities of the dozen individual PAFs were; "hot"; "killer"; "least impressed"; "heaviest"; "a brute"; "not subtle"; "huge and heavy bass"; "sharp, clear, trebly bite"; "rich, old sound"; "gorgeous vocal tones"; "reserved and restrained"...etc...etc... In terms of overall sound one guitar was described thus; "If we had heard (this guitar) on a recording blind we would incorrectly assume that we were listening to a semi-hollow body guitar..." ...whilst another posessed; "...a thin, penetrating and powerful treble presence far more likely to be associated with a vintage Telecaster..." The conclusion reached was; "...there were subtle and sometimes distinct differences between each guitar..." So choose what end-tone you prefer; an ES 335 or a Telecaster. Both seem to be in the right ballpark for the correct 'vintage' sound of a '59 'burst. Pip. Great info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 More than happy to pass it on, 1all's pub. The whole article (*) was absolutely, utterly fascinating from start to finish. Without doubt the most objective overview of real 'bursts I've ever read because there was no hidden agenda to the results. It used to be available to view on-line (and I was fortunate enough to download and print off a copy hence my abundance of quotes) but I think it's now restricted. Try a Google search. It may still be available to read on-line where you are based. Pip. (*) 16 pages were centred around the 6 'bursts and PAF p'ups plus a few reissues into which genuine old PAF and Pat No. p'ups were installed etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 pippy did you half *** follow the conversation about the bridge backward intonation screw placement? I think we have a new industry standard.......... https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HLPS17HBCH?product_id=HLPS17HBCH&adpos=1o3&creative=173874031892&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CLn-vZ2H49QCFYxMDQodE2UGeQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 pippy did you half *** follow the conversation about the bridge backward intonation screw placement? I think we have a new industry standard.......... https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HLPS17HBCH?product_id=HLPS17HBCH&adpos=1o3&creative=173874031892&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CLn-vZ2H49QCFYxMDQodE2UGeQ I think that one's the right way round. It's a Nashville bridge isn't it? Those should be fitted that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 I think that one's the right way round. It's a Nashville bridge isn't it? Those should be fitted that way. Ah, I think your right problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1all's Pub Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 More than happy to pass it on, 1all's pub. The whole article (*) was absolutely, utterly fascinating from start to finish. Without doubt the most objective overview of real 'bursts I've ever read because there was no hidden agenda to the results. It used to be available to view on-line (and I was fortunate enough to download and print off a copy hence my abundance of quotes) but I think it's now restricted. Try a Google search. It may still be available to read on-line where you are based. Pip. (*) 16 pages were centred around the 6 'bursts and PAF p'ups plus a few reissues into which genuine old PAF and Pat No. p'ups were installed etc... Found it here: http://goocarts.com/TQRApr08_screen.pdf Awesome read! Thx again!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
american cheez Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Don't worry about the resident troll. He was trying to goad me, not responding to you. interesting. you are the one who failed to deliver a coherent response, and resorted to personal attacks, but i am the one who is a troll? my question was entirely legitimate. your original comment, which is the one my post referred to was snarky, admit it or don't. and yet somehow, i am the one who is a troll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 interesting. you are the one who failed to deliver a coherent response, and resorted to personal attacks, but i am the one who is a troll? my question was entirely legitimate. your original comment, which is the one my post referred to was snarky, admit it or don't. and yet somehow, i am the one who is a troll. Yes, you're the one who is a troll. Let me know if you have any other questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Now this thread is really funny! I think the limits for pickup heights mostly are spaces left for attack and string vibrations on the upper end, and functions of screws and springs or hoses on the lower. B) Everything in between is not a dogma but pickup height preferences as the topic title indicates. And yes, I have mine, too, and posted them often before. Without special request I better leave them out here to avoid that they are perceived as dogmata. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 LOL I do think the conversations go somewhere though, not always as anticipated, but that's the drama/comedy part. I been thinking about needs and wants for two days and realized what a genius idea the Gibson student line is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Found it here: http://goocarts.com/...pr08_screen.pdf Awesome read! Thanks for finding it, 1all's Pub! I'm glad it's back up. I had a really good look for it a couple of years back including on the publisher's own site which was where I originally came across it (I was wanting to paste the link in a tone-related thread) and, at the time, it had been taken down. Good to see someone else has re-instated it so it can be enjoyed by interested parties. It really IS an informative read. The stuff about the life-expectancy (and prices!) of bar-magnets was enlightening... Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelT Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Downloaded and printed. What a great article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Yes the "Tone Quest" article was wonderful. And relevant to the OPs question as he stated further down that his reason for asking about pickup heights was because of his quest to get to that quintessential '59 tone, which the article pretty much objectively proves could be almost anything. Makes me feel better about my LPs - just set them up to a sound I like, play, and don't worry about what they're "supposed" to sound like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesmachine Posted July 2, 2017 Author Share Posted July 2, 2017 Yes the "Tone Quest" article was wonderful. And relevant to the OPs question as he stated further down that his reason for asking about pickup heights was because of his quest to get to that quintessential '59 tone, which the article pretty much objectively proves could be almost anything. Makes me feel better about my LPs - just set them up to a sound I like, play, and don't worry about what they're "supposed" to sound like. Perhaps to add more on what my ears are trying to find is that hearing enough LP's and this being my first one, I have an idea what my ears are telling me what I'm trying to achieve. Perhaps not a 59 sound but more importantly a good LP sound. When I first got the guitar in February, I was severely distracted by the ever present static discharge emanating through the amp from the guitar. Now that it has dissipated somewhat, I've now gone on the quest of finding the sound I'm looking for. Quite frankly I'm pretty sure I've found it at this point. I'll say one thing, opinions are like noses....everyone has one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesmachine Posted July 2, 2017 Author Share Posted July 2, 2017 I have a 2017 Tribute Goldtop as well and it is a great guitar. With the 490s in it and the weight relief, you will be able to get some great tones but a lot of the tone you want is going to be by adjusting your volume and tone pots as well as your amp. The 490s are a hotter pickup than the PAFs from the 1959 era and have more consistent build quality due to how they are made. My Tribute is set up perfectly for me but it doesn't sound the same as my 1958 vos or my traditional and that is to be expected. If you find you can't get the tone you want, you may want to look at getting a traditional or swapping out the pickups. Best of luck to you getting that perfect tone. Thanks I'm pretty much there I think !! Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Here's a sample of one setting I did during a jam... as I mentioned earlier, none of my LP have the same settings. Always carry a small screw driver to adjust on the spot at gig level! Also, if I adjust without the rest of the band, I tend to take too long tweaking and hearing fatigue sets in quickly in minutes. I learned to adjust for only a few minutes and then try it again much later... LOL... minimizes my frustration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 If you could hear the difference in pickup heights on my guitars on the gig I'd give you the guitars. All of them. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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