Setup issues with my Epiphone DC Pro

[KonLigo]

Hello to everyone,

So, I've got an Epiphone DC Pro (https://www.epiphone.com/en-US/Electric-Guitar/EPIUHU51/Faded-Cherry)

On Friday I changed my strings from the stock ones, to Elixir Nanoweb, similar gauges as the stock strings

I installed the strings, tuned the guitar and started playing. Compared to the stock ones, the Nanowebs sounded horrible

I started searching online and got into the whole procedure of setting up the guitar, to accommodate for the new strings

I measured the action then and it was 3mm on the low e and 2mm on the high e

I didn't measure it before the changing of strings

So, since then I have tried to setup the guitar, learning by reading from various forums, reddit, watching youtube videos, and other sources

I tried 3 times in 3 different days to set it up, so I will only discuss about the last setup I did (the setup its in right now) . All 3 setups were pretty much the same, with the relief and the intonation getting a little better every time

Note: every time I write that i check for buzzing frets, I mean without an amp

I didn't use an amp through the whole procedure at all

Also: my tuner is a Peterson StroboClip HD

 

First I tune it and start setting up the relief: getting a straight neck first and then setting up the relief by checking for any buzzing frets. Depending on where its buzzing, I add or remove relief

Finally I am left with an upbow relief for which I have zero buzzing frets, and the tap test sounds exactly like in the youtube videos I have been watching

 

Then I move on to the action: Like I wrote previously, the action was at 3mm low e and 2mm high e before I made any adjustments to it

I really wanted an action of around 2mm on low e and 1.5mm on the high e

The moment I lowered the low e, even to 2.5 from 3, it started buzzing all over the place

So I had to leave it at 3mm. I set the high e to 2.5mm from the previous 2mm, so its closer in height to the low e

 

Then I move on to intonation: This was pretty tricky, I had to maximize the distance in 3 strings, going all the way to the right, but I got it either very good to good intonation

(note, some notes seemed to be "jumping" in one direction when tuning, like they were moving slowly at first for some time, then made a big jump to the right and then moved slowly again)

I guess the high action isn't allowing me to set intonation perfectly

 

So on to the questions : was the procedure done correctly? Did I miss anything?

Most importantly: how can I get a lower action than 3mm on the low e, when I hear buzzing even at 2.5?

For the intonation I assume the only fix is to setup the action lower... but like I just said, I am stuck at 3mm if I want to hear no buzzing without an amp

 

Finally, I feel like I am stuck in a situation with very high action and not very good intonation from which I have no idea how to escape

 

Any suggestions?

[mihcmac]

Coated strings last a vey long time without corroding but the coating affect the tone, kind of like dirty strings loose their tonal quality. Un-coated strings tend to sound much richer, like Earnie Ball or DD.

DC Pro’s have a 24 fret neck that is the same scale length as most Epiphones of usually 24.75”. On Epiphones with slim taper necks if you remove all of the strings at once the neck will rebound, with Epiphones it may be safer to replace one string at a time to help keep constant pressure on the neck so it can stabilize. Also note that 24 fret necks tend be a little more challenging to adjust correctly than the majority of Epiphones standard 22 fret necks.

Anytime you  do anything that effects the neck it may take a few days for it to stabilize. 

Elixir’s may put a little bit more tension on the neck than other types of strings of the same gage.  

Best thing to do is to take it to a pro to have it setup correctly.

Edited August 4, 2023 by mihcmac

[KonLigo]

On 8/5/2023 at 12:27 AM, mihcmac said:

Coated strings last a vey long time without corroding but the coating affect the tone, kind of like dirty strings loose their tonal quality. Un-coated strings tend to sound much richer, like Earnie Ball or DD.

DC Pro’s have a 24 fret neck that is the same scale length as most Epiphones of usually 24.75”. On Epiphones with slim taper necks if you remove all of the strings at once the neck will rebound, with Epiphones it may be safer to replace one string at a time to help keep constant pressure on the neck so it can stabilize. Also note that 24 fret necks tend be a little more challenging to adjust correctly than the majority of Epiphones standard 22 fret necks.

Anytime you  do anything that effects the neck it may take a few days for it to stabilize. 

Elixir’s may put a little bit more tension on the neck than other types of strings of the same gage.  

Best thing to do is to take it to a pro to have it setup correctly.

As far as strings are concerned, i also bought from the store Elixir Optiwebs with 9/46 gauges instead of the Elixir Nanowebs with 10/46 I have now

 

Do you think it will sound "better"?

How will the tone change?

[Matt4356]

Chasing a buzz can ruin your life. We can't tell you if it's a fret problem, a nut problem or anything. We can't see it, or hear it. I've had a buzz from the bridge that went and came back back on bends etc.  Like mihcmac says sometimes it's best to take it to someone who knows what they are doing.

[mihcmac]

11 hours ago, KonLigo said:

As far as strings are concerned, i also bought from the store Elixir Optiwebs with 9/46 gauges instead of the Elixir Nanowebs with 10/46 I have now

 

Do you think it will sound "better"?

How will the tone change?

Non-coated strings tend to sound richer in general. I use 10-46 Ernie Ball’s on my electrics, but I use 10-46 Elixir Nano’s on my acoustics that I don’t play as often so they sit longer. One of my acoustics has had the same set of Nano’s for over 2 years and shows no sign of oxidation or corrosion. My electrics with Ernie Ball string wear out considerably faster, I have several guitars with them which I rotate. Currently each guitars string set gets replaced at least every couple of months, if I play one guitar everyday for about a week the stings are toast and I replace them. If am gigging every gig gets a new set of strings.

Edited August 6, 2023 by mihcmac

[Pinch]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:26 PM, KonLigo said:

Hello to everyone,

So, I've got an Epiphone DC Pro (https://www.epiphone.com/en-US/Electric-Guitar/EPIUHU51/Faded-Cherry)

On Friday I changed my strings from the stock ones, to Elixir Nanoweb, similar gauges as the stock strings

I installed the strings, tuned the guitar and started playing. Compared to the stock ones, the Nanowebs sounded horrible

I started searching online and got into the whole procedure of setting up the guitar, to accommodate for the new strings

I measured the action then and it was 3mm on the low e and 2mm on the high e

I didn't measure it before the changing of strings

So, since then I have tried to setup the guitar, learning by reading from various forums, reddit, watching youtube videos, and other sources

I tried 3 times in 3 different days to set it up, so I will only discuss about the last setup I did (the setup its in right now) . All 3 setups were pretty much the same, with the relief and the intonation getting a little better every time

Note: every time I write that i check for buzzing frets, I mean without an amp

I didn't use an amp through the whole procedure at all

Also: my tuner is a Peterson StroboClip HD

 

First I tune it and start setting up the relief: getting a straight neck first and then setting up the relief by checking for any buzzing frets. Depending on where its buzzing, I add or remove relief

Finally I am left with an upbow relief for which I have zero buzzing frets, and the tap test sounds exactly like in the youtube videos I have been watching

 

Then I move on to the action: Like I wrote previously, the action was at 3mm low e and 2mm high e before I made any adjustments to it

I really wanted an action of around 2mm on low e and 1.5mm on the high e

The moment I lowered the low e, even to 2.5 from 3, it started buzzing all over the place

So I had to leave it at 3mm. I set the high e to 2.5mm from the previous 2mm, so its closer in height to the low e

 

Then I move on to intonation: This was pretty tricky, I had to maximize the distance in 3 strings, going all the way to the right, but I got it either very good to good intonation

(note, some notes seemed to be "jumping" in one direction when tuning, like they were moving slowly at first for some time, then made a big jump to the right and then moved slowly again)

I guess the high action isn't allowing me to set intonation perfectly

 

So on to the questions : was the procedure done correctly? Did I miss anything?

Most importantly: how can I get a lower action than 3mm on the low e, when I hear buzzing even at 2.5?

For the intonation I assume the only fix is to setup the action lower... but like I just said, I am stuck at 3mm if I want to hear no buzzing without an amp

 

Finally, I feel like I am stuck in a situation with very high action and not very good intonation from which I have no idea how to escape

 

Any suggestions?

Sounds good to me.

Keep in mind that just by fretting the 12th fret differently, you can go flat or sharp, so good enough is often, well, good enough.