Noob to epiphone

[Edb]

Just thought I'd say "Hi" and give Epiphone a cyber pat on the back for a job well done.

 

Last week I bought an EJ200-CE and I absolutely love it, its a new model so it has the solid top and Sonic'e pickups and plays really well, better than I can do it justice at the moment.

 

My only gripe is the action is a bit high, whilst I was researching the guitar before pulling the trigger I noticed the most common gripe was the need for another setup, is this just confined to EJ200ce's or is a high relief "just the way it is "

[Thawk Dean]

Hey, Welcome to this site. I'm a relative newbie to the git, but have learned a lot of good stuff here. As far as a setup, I have found that one setup is not right for everyone. I had my older PR350E in for a refret/saddle "job". The best thing for the git and ME was that the tech made me play the git while he watched. He watched my technique (or lack of) then took the git to "tweek" the setup for my lack of technique. It was a totally different playing instrument. Since that experience, I would take any new guitar to this tech for a setup check and possible "tweeking". I don't think there is a universal setup that will work for every player "out of the box". Just my 2-cents worth. Keep It Fun, Dean.

[GuitarLight]

If your action is too high after tweaking the truss rod, you should look into a set up. This will vastly improve the action and tone. And yes, most high end guitars need set ups. All of mine did, and I owned 27 over the years...but down to 6 now. Good luck. Proper set up and good humidity levels will ensure a life time of playing. Skimp on the humidity on your new SOLID top and you will be in trouble fast. Humidity needs to be about 47% to 50% inside the case, and preferably as close to that as possible in a dry winter heated room.

[Edb]

Some good advice there, thank you.

Im not going to even look at the truss rod, I've adjusted them before but it's not something for an unskilled hack like me to attempt on a decent new guitar.

 

Good call about humidity, guess I should take the silica gel out of my case eh !

[milod]

I'd agree that a new guitar needs a setup - and that's regardless whether it even feels "perfect" outa the box if you got it mail order.

 

The other guys pretty well nailed it. The idea of having the tech doing the setup watch "your" playing tells me that our forum member above is very lucky to have a real pro work on his guitars. That's absolutely "it."

 

In ways that's more important for an acoustic, because strings and setup should match technique, and a wooden box is going to have more movement - and change of setup - than a board guitar or semi-hollow as climate changes. A flattop or full hollow archtop are, in my experience, more sensitive by far than boards and semis.

 

I've always said that whether the guitar's a low-end or high-end instrument, the factory puts strings on the thing only to keep a degree of tension on the neck during transport. They should, IMHO, be replaced and a personal setup considered even if the same strings are the player's preference.

 

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[Guitar Jim]

Don't worry too much about the humidity. Humidity levels are only a problem if they are quite low .... like below 30%. Even then 95% of guitars easily "adjust" to the low humidity, and it causes no or little problem. When it falls to around 20% over long periods then wood problems, like seam splitting or cracking, can sometimes be quite a nuisance. Extremely high humidity, especially combined with extremely high temperatures, can cause problems on some guitars (the main problem being a slightly rising soundboard whilst the high humidity lasts).

 

The humidity figure of around the high 40s to low 50s is just the "absolute perfect" humidity levels ...... almost all guitars are built in buildings with this humidity level. Guitars don't "have" to be kept at these precise humidity levels, in fact in the real world that's almost impossible unless your guitar case is humidity controlled, every room in your house where you play or take the guitar is controlled, where every time you take the uncased guitar outside the humidity is perfect, when ever you take your guitar to someone's place then their house has perfectly controlled humidity etc etc.

 

By FAR, the main damage via humidity happens when there's big and rapid changes in humidity ..... like going from a tropical area to a desert area.

 

Generally speaking, almost all well built guitars adjust to whatever humidity levels are around you, with the exception of "extremely" low or "extremely" high humidity and rapid big humidity changes. If the humidity levels are between 30% and 60%, and are relatively constant, then it's HIGHLY unlikely any guitar will have humidity issues.

 

If you live in a very low humidity area, usually all that needs to be done is simply to use case humidifiers, and the good ones are simple and work really well: Taking your guitar out of the case and playing it will do NO harm whatsoever, unless you leave the guitar outside of it's case for weeks and weeks (that would come under the heading of "rapid" humidity change, where it "suddenly" goes from good humidity to bad humidity and it's then kept in bad humidity conditions).

[Edb]

I dont think humidity will be an issue, I live near the East coast of England, not the worlds most arid landscape :)

[rayban]

I bought a used guitar from Denver this past summer..I was shocked to see a small crack at the base of the bridge. In two days the crack started getting smaller and smaller til it was gone! Couldn't see it and couldn't feel it.....I live in Ohio, and the difference in humidity was the "fix"....yes I know it's not "repaired", but what I can't see or feel isn't hurting me.

[RaysEpiphone]

Hi to you to! We all love our Epiphone's!

[Edb]

I've had my 200 back from the shop for a week or so now, it was set up and the bridge lowered by a smidgen and it was restrung with Rotosound super bronze 11's , I'll be honest the setup is good but the string stink. The low E has an annoying rattle that goes when I put my finger on where it crosses the bridge. Has anyone had this problem before, I think it may be to do with the "contact core" of the string just being to thin for the bridge.

 

 

Can anyone recommend strings ?

[ChicagoDave]

I dont think humidity will be an issue, I live near the East coast of England, not the worlds most arid landscape :)

 

I know you're kind of joking, but....unless you keep your guitar outside, the weather will actually have a reverse effect.

 

I live in Chicago, and I used to work with hardwood floors. During the winter I would get numerous repair calls for floors. When it's cold outside the furnace is running....which will dry your house out quickly. I've seen gaps in hardwood floors up to a 1/4 inch appear between boards in winter, and then disappear in summer. If that can happen to big, solid wood floor boards...what will it do to your delicate wooden instrument?

 

Everyone's right. You prob don't need to "worry" about humidity too much. But, I'd suggest being aware of it. Just know what the relative humidity is wherever you store your guitar. And, make sure it stays close to 50%.

 

Cheers!