Let's talk set-up

[Guest CheapShoes]

Good morning Epi folks. I've had my Chinese-made 2007 LP Std +top for a few months now, and it's been a love one-day, hate the-next relationship - so she's still in the trial-phase whether I keep her. The love part is the fit and feel, weight, and looks. The "hate" part has come down to the setup. I can't easily get an action I like without fret buzzes or rattles, but I may have solved ths issue - at least temporarily until the weather changes. I play Country clean to classic rock, so I need to keep rattles somewhat minimized, but little is OK.

 

I have a half-dozen electrics, but this is the only LP I've had in 25 years. In all my guitars in recent memory, I needed relief in the neck ranging from mild to a lot. The more relief, much more neck vibration, and tone - but there is a compromise point in playability and loss of tone above the 12th fret. However, virtually any setup with this Epi LP using relief just adds buzz somewhere, and a plinkety-plinkety deadness (unpplugged) unless I set the action high. At least right now with this extremely dry fall, having virtually no neck relief seems best, and I'm getting more tone out of the neck with a decent action. PS: I'm also wrapping the strings over the stop-bar if that has any bearing. A no-relief setup really goes against my grain, but right now is making me grab this guitar over others. Only drawback is relief allows a lot more string grippage/bendability in the middle registers, but this seems like a good compromise, and the tone is just fine. Are all LPs like this for setup? Why? Also, as far a liviless, the LP has much less neck & body "vibration" than most of my other guitars, but way more sustain and lengthy vibration when plugged-in, so go-figure on the "must-be-very-alive when unplugged" theory for good guitars. This one is very subtle unplugged, but long-lasting vibe and tone when plugged-in. The other thing is perhaps I am used to more of a Fender neck form - this has a much chunckier LP-style neck and medium frets instead of medium-jumbo. I played a Korean Epi LP at GC the other day and it definately had larger fret wire. Not better- just diffrent.

Cheers.

[bigneil]

What string gauge are you using?

[Guest CheapShoes]

D'Addario 10s. Normally use 10s on all my guitars.

[Versatile]

Hi Cheap'

 

It can be an elusive thing finding an ideal set-up, not confined to one make/model of guitar, more like variations from guitar to guitar

Bearing in mind an Epi costs less than a Gibson and many USA Fenders.

Sometimes a technician can cast eyes over a guitar and with straight edge visuals make a judgement re set-up

Like you, I try to do most myself but have on occasion taken mine to a tech and the results have been worthwhile

Sometimes involving a 'fret dress' to take down high buzzing frets

 

Good luck and Happy Playing

V

 

[bigneil]

Hmmm 10s are what i would suggest. I agree with Versatile, i too try to do all my set-ups myself but now and again when it's just not happening for me, a pro guitar tech can add some fresh brains and experience to a situation, If you are getting too much buzz-n-rattle when the neck has a little relief in it, then perhaps the upper frets need a little bit of "fall away", which in my opinion should be done by someone with the right tools and a bit of experience.

[Guest CheapShoes]

Another thing I kind of suspect, assuming all is well with the frets, is perhaps it's me. I kind of wonder if I play/hit/express the strings differently according to neck shape. No simple way to test this - or do much about it if I did, but what do you think Niel and Versatile?

 

Yes, perhaps I'll make a Christmas present to myself and take to the local tech for a dress and upper fret sloping if indicated. Last time he did a really good job with fret dress on a Tele with tiny vintage frets, but he also diagnosed that the frets were level despite rattles. That guitar had such a stiff thick quarter-sewn neck and I simply could not get any relief in it - but do I miss that one for the super bright tone.

[bigneil]

Another thing I kind of suspect, assuming all is well with the frets, is perhaps it's me. I kind of wonder if I play/hit/express the strings differently according to neck shape. No simple way to test this - or do much about it if I did, but what do you think Niel and Versatile?

 

It could possibly be that, being largely a Fender player, that your playing style has developed around a 25 1/2 inch scale neck. Then going to a looser feeling 14 3/4 inch scale there is likely to be more rattle from picking the strings quite hard, You could always take it to a tech and just ask if they can take a look at it to see if he/she thinks that the neck needs work or not.

 

EDIT i meant 24 3/4 inch lol

[Versatile]

Another thing I kind of suspect, assuming all is well with the frets, is perhaps it's me. I kind of wonder if I play/hit/express the strings differently according to neck shape. No simple way to test this - or do much about it if I did, but what do you think Niel and Versatile?

 

A good point is made here...

I have Gibsons and Fenders and approach each with a different attitude and playing style

The Fenders are set-up really low and I expect buzzing if I pick really hard...but enjoy the superlight action and comfortable feel

The Gibsons are more 'traditional' with higher action and more neck relief to exploit the acoustic tone and response of the instrument

 

My advice is to listen more to the amplified sound and perhaps choose the best guitar for each playing situation

I have a very relaxed, light picking action which also helps minimise string buzzes

V <_<

[rdsmith3]

Have you changed the factory nut on your guitar?