Epiphone Les Paul Plus Top Pro/FX

[joakes]

Just bought this new model. Nice one, but I'm finding it difficult to set up.

 

So a couple of questions :

 

* what is the recommended pick up / String height - in mm not inches (sorry I'm in France)

 

* when using the top 3 strings around the 15th fret, I've noticed the sound tails off very quickly, even when using a sustain pedal - are the strings too close to the pick ups ? Any other cause ? This especially happens doing a full bend.

 

* newbie question - where does one find the serial number - in the back tremelo cavity ?

 

Thanks in advance for any help,

Jerry

[bigneil]

1st fret- treble side - 1/64" (0.396 875 mm)

1st fret- bass side - 2/64" (0.793 7 mm)

12th fret- treble side - 3/64" ( 1.190 625mm)

12th fret - bass side - 5/64" (1.984 375mm)

 

these are the recommended factory settings for les paul with gauge .10" strings.

 

I reckon you are best just to go by what feels right for you.

 

here is a more comprehensive guide

 

http://www.martinrivers.com/Les%20Paul%20Setup.htm

[joakes]

Many thanks !

 

How about the lack of sustain ?

 

Cheers,

 

jerry

[i Can Tuna Guitar]

Regarding pickup height, here ya go:

 

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/Tone%20Tips_%20Pickup%20Heights/

[bigneil]

If the guitar is set up wrong, then there is a good chance that the lack of sustain is caused by string buzz or a choke. this could be caused by having the action too low, or if the action isn't too low, then the Neck may need adjusting or perhaps there is a high fret.

[Hungrycat]

The lack of sustain is due to the Floyd Rose. The bridge only contacts the rest of the guitar on the two pivot points. Don't even mention the giant cavity routed in the back of guitar. That makes it sustain less than a regular Les Paul with a tune-o-matic/stop-bar bridge and tail piece.

[RobinTheHood]

The lack of sustain is due to the Floyd Rose. The bridge only contacts the rest of the guitar on the two pivot points. Don't even mention the giant cavity routed in the back of guitar. That makes it sustain less than a regular Les Paul with a tune-o-matic/stop-bar bridge and tail piece.

Sorry HC, but I have to wholehearted disagree with this. A Floyd Rose cavity doesnt have much more mass routed out than a typical vintage tremolo cavity. The hole is a little bit larger to fit the trem arm and then there is the recess. Thats it. Same thing with the pivot points. Its the same amount of contact you get with a 2-point fulcrum tremolo on an American strat set up to float. You can look around the web and see the "FR = loss of sustain" argument go around in circles like an Epi vs. Gibson thread.

 

BigNeil has it right. Its either the action is too low, the neck needs adjustment, or its a high fret. I had the same problem with my G-310 with a stopbar & tailpiece. The action was too low on the high strings. Bends would choke out at about a half-step up and straight notes wouldnt ring out for very long. A quarter turn of the bottom bridge post solved it for me.

[Gordy01]

I was just going to say the same thing. A couple things I might add, is that the truss rod might need a tweak also. And it may need some "Fallaway" added.

 

One of the issues in a setup is making sure that the upper frets [above the neck joint] are filed to the correct height.

Typically almost all necks will tend to bend up slightly at the neck joint, no matter what you do with the truss rod. The truss rod will take the belly out in the mid frets. You have to compensate for the neck/body joint bend, by filing the upper frets just a bit lower. [fallaway]

 

This could be what's going on here. A good setup will cure this guitar's problems.

[Dave]

I was just going to say the same thing. A couple things I might add, is that the truss rod might need a tweak also. And it may need some "Fallaway" added.

 

One of the issues in a setup is making sure that the upper frets [above the neck joint] are filed to the correct height.

Typically almost all necks will tend to bend up slightly at the neck joint, no matter what you do with the truss rod. The truss rod will take the belly out in the mid frets. You have to compensate for the neck/body joint bend, by filing the upper frets just a bit lower. [fallaway]

 

This could be what's going on here. A good setup will cure this guitar's problems.

 

I adjust the pickups on my LP custom flametop to balance the high output of the bridge pup with the neck pup. I usually end up with the neck pickup almost flush with the pickup surround and then adjust the bridge pickup to match the volume with the neck.

 

I have SD Pearlies in my Epi, but the adjustment comes out close to the same with stock Epi humbuckers.

 

Sustain is a function of strings, bridge, stop bar, and nut, as well as the string height. Too low and you get buzz and short note tails. You should set the truss bar for flat frets or up to .010 relief and set string height to somewhere above the buzz point. I don't measure my action. I adjust it so that a bend puts the next highest string into my finger so that I don't lose it or go under it. I usually end up with an action that is close to standard, maybe a hair lower. Feel is my measuring tool.

 

Both my Epis have had home fret dressings done. I like the magic marker method.

 

Every mounting nut and screw on your guitar should be snug to stop sympathetic vibrations and noise. The top nut, IMO, should have a dot of glue under it so it doesn't move and has good acoustic connection. Some bridge mounting posts are sloppy, especially if you buy an aftermarket bridge. I had to use the original ones with my Gotoh bridge. I use the standard stop bar. Some like aluminum.

[Hungrycat]

Sorry HC, but I have to wholehearted disagree with this. A Floyd Rose cavity doesnt have much more mass routed out than a typical vintage tremolo cavity. The hole is a little bit larger to fit the trem arm and then there is the recess. Thats it. Same thing with the pivot points. Its the same amount of contact you get with a 2-point fulcrum tremolo on an American strat set up to float. You can look around the web and see the "FR = loss of sustain" argument go around in circles like an Epi vs. Gibson thread.

 

Yeah, and an Am.Std. Strat has less sustain than a Les Paul. There are other factors involved sure, but a big-a$$ hole in the guitar will affect things, and I say this as the owner of a hard-tail Strat with amazing sustain. I'm not saying the FR guitars sustain poorly, but less than say... a tune-o-matic equipped LP.

 

Here's your experiment: Go find two otherwise identical Schecters (because they are a brand of good quality, with lots of models that are the same, but come in FR and hard-tail versions.) and try them out. You'll find that the FR version has less sustain. Period. I'm not saying this is good or bad, it's just reality.

[RobinTheHood]

Yeah, and an Am.Std. Strat has less sustain than a Les Paul. There are other factors involved sure, but a big-a$$ hole in the guitar will affect things, and I say this as the owner of a hard-tail Strat with amazing sustain. I'm not saying the FR guitars sustain poorly, but less than say... a tune-o-matic equipped LP.

 

Here's your experiment: Go find two otherwise identical Schecters (because they are a brand of good quality, with lots of models that are the same, but come in FR and hard-tail versions.) and try them out. You'll find that the FR version has less sustain. Period. I'm not saying this is good or bad, it's just reality.

 

I'm sorry, HC. I didnt mean to imply that a FR guitar would have as much sustain as a hard tail in general. I was speaking more along the lines of the OP's problem, compairing FR sustain on a Les Paul to a Fender Am. Std. Trem. I was saying that I disagree that this particular sustain problem is caused by a Floyd Rose bridge.

[straybeat]

The lack of sustain is due to the Floyd Rose. The bridge only contacts the rest of the guitar on the two pivot points. Don't even mention the giant cavity routed in the back of guitar. That makes it sustain less than a regular Les Paul with a tune-o-matic/stop-bar bridge and tail piece.

 

Hey all, My first post here!

 

Damn, I hate coming into these cool discussions 6 months late. Hungry, it looks by your other posts that you are a non-tremolo purist. I am your opposite. If you came to me and said, "Mark, I'll give you a brand new, top-of-the-line Les Paul if you play your whole gig tonight without a tremolo." the answer is no. I don't play without one, period! It's like saying you'll give me a new Corvette without a steering wheel, keep it! As a retired engineer with 43 years playing experience (actually more if you count the trial years), if there is a problem with the guitar, it's either made wrong, or it's made wrong. LOL

 

For me personally, I've always used so many electronics you couldn't tell what I was playing anyways. As long as it sounds good... and right, who cares?

 

L8r

[RUSHian]

Finally! Someone else purchased this guitar! I'm so happy with mine both tone and playability and sustain! A great guitar for the $$$!!!

[straybeat]

Finally! Someone else purchased this guitar! I'm so happy with mine both tone and playability and sustain! A great guitar for the $$$!!!

 

It was a birthday present from the wife, she said I needed a new muse. LOL

 

I had my old 1972 custom, that I bought new, stolen by some skank. It was so highly modded though I can't tell if the Epi is different or not? In 1977 an EE friend of mine built a 30 watt pre-amp for it. Photographed the circuit board himself and dropped it in on top of the pots. My friends with Strats hated me. I would crank up the 30 watt gain and you couldn't hear them at all. I got a chuckle out of that. :-)

 

So far the EPI screams though! My playing style is a little between Frank Marino and Pat Travers. Kind of Jazzy hard rock with some effects thrown in. The Epiphone totally fits!

 

Mark