Why so much hate? The guy publishes a long and detailed video of how to setup every thing on a Les Paul and people complain about it. I know of some very specific details to pay attention as to put your guitar in playing position or upright to measure the truss rod adjustment and for the intonation as said in a previous comment. But it is otherwise a very good video. Thanks for posting!
FYI, if you adjust your intonation and DO NoT have your neck supported as he does in the video your intonation will be inaccurate due to gravity. You should always adjust your intonation in the playing position in order to insure an accurate adjustment.
Just as some other guy talked about his OCD I have mine with grammar. No insult intended here. That being said, the end of the statement should be "in order to ensure an accurate adjustment" the other word "insure" would actually refer to insurance such as. "I will need to insure my car". Again no insult intended, it's more me being an insufferable perfectionist" :) I actually agree 100% with your advice here.
@@Colhogan06 Just as some other guy talked about his OCD, I have mine with grammar. No insult intended here. That being said, the end of the statement should be: "in order to ensure an accurate adjustment", the other word "insure" would actually refer to insurance such as: "I will need to insure my car". Again, no insult intended. It's more me being an insufferable perfectionist. I actually agree 100% with your advice here.
I swear that the public comment section should be labeled- "Asshole remarks from unhappy dumbasses!" I will say this much about this clip- "So far, this has been the most accurate and professionally informative video I have seen yet on this topic. Thank you-
Figured if I can tune my car I should learn how to tune my guitar. Awesome video, thanks so much Kip. You've saved me many dollars and I now feel a lot closer to my guitar!
John Rivs Nice video Kip. As a guitar tech myself, I love working on Les Paul's. They seem to fall in to intonation. Have a great day! Sammy Bones #lespaul
Sammy... I've seen some of your tech advice online. You rock brother! I've been playing for years... never got around to learning to "tie" my strings.. thanks for education and advice.
Great video! He shows you everything you need to know to set up your Les Paul. It's amazing how the sound and playability change from before to after? Thanks for clearing it all up!!
Thank you for the time and effort to make and post this video. I found it helpful and filled with information. Don't listen to these haters and "know-it-alls" most of these will and have never accomplished anything outside of their own selfish interests. I am grateful.
I have an Epi LP Standard and some strings were a bit sharp on the 12th fred. After following your explanations the intonation is now perfect! Thank you Kip!!
Great instruction. Thank you. Ignore the trolls and nay sayers Kip. While it is true that 3/32nds is indeed 6/64ths, it's obvious that that is what you meant. It isn't for information about fractions that I watched your video, it was to learn how to set-up a guitar. In that effort, your guidance has taught me a lot!
Thank you so much,There are so many vague, and misinformed videos ,this is the only complete well informed professional video I have found. Although I have a sg standard this video helped me get a perfect setup, and a real big thanks on the how to and why, especially in reference to the setup on the bridge and saddles.(intonation adjustment screws on Gibson face the tail piece,on a epiphone they face the neck.
From Rajbabu (Singapore) Hi Kip Bradford, I ve seen many videos for guitar setup, but your guide is clear, systematic and technically simple to apply . Thank you, forthe setup. Like to hear more from you on choice of humbucker pickups and Tone quality adjustment. Rajbabu
Nice tutorial, especially going over the general condition of the guitar for defects, loose parts or damage. The nut is perhaps the most neglected point in this video, also fret wear. If the frets are excessively worn, (or the nut) doing a setup and intonation would be futile. A worn fret has lost its crown, so the string contacts the leading edge, causing a sharped pitch condition as well as buzzing. The frets in such case would need a level crown and polish job by a professional tech. The nut slots also need to be checked for wear and damage, and string "footprint" which contact should be at the leading edge. If there is any problem with the nut, intonation will be impossible. There is really a lot to know about setting up a guitar beyond the basics. Aside from any of my points of criticism, Rivs explains everything clearly, well done!
I saved your tutorial to bookmarks since i feel it is simply and concise. Though like Andy Orr i have read it is important to loosen string tension before truss rod adjustments. Also El Spoon is correct the scale length on Les Pauls is 24.75 so maybe you could explain why you used 12.25 for lengths?
Thanks for your video, I was able to set up my new Epiphone custom having never adjusted a guitar before. It had a lot of string buzz and no relief so I loosened the truss rod. This guitar uses an allen key not a nut driver. BTW I think .01 is 1/100 not 1/1000... The next thing I plan to do is add a pick guard since it doesn't have one. I guess I'll have to make some holes.
I think mine was more a case of needing a fret level and dressing. A few years back (more than a few😚 ) I had stainless steel jumbo frets installed, haven't had them done for years, but the truss rod did need a tweak and it helped a bit. There lots of info bout truss rod adjustment and the like, but be carefull. I snapped a head stock clean off a bass once. I know I sound lame but seriously take it to a pro guitar tech if you can. Mines a 80's pro model and until I can afford it I ain't touching the frets. Cheers!!
meowtrox1234 not sure if I did that right so reposting. I think mine was more a case of needing a fret level and dressing. A few years back (more than a few😚 ) I had stainless steel jumbo frets installed, haven't had them done for years, but the truss rod did need a tweak and it helped a bit. There lots of info bout truss rod adjustment and the like, but be carefull. I snapped a head stock clean off a bass once. I know I sound lame but seriously take it to a pro guitar tech if you can. Mines a 80's pro model and until I can afford it I ain't touching the frets. Cheers!!
Just imagine how much more advanced the U.S could become if it made the transition to metric....32nd's... 64th's, for goodness sake, enter the 21st century guys.
Prefer the U.S. standard. Interestingly, in the U.S. we've been smart enough to just utilize either S.A.E. OR metric, depending on need or preference. You other lunkheads simply aren't smart enough. 😜
Have you tried using a thicker 5th and 6th strings? Thicker and heavier strings require greater tension to achieve any specific tone. I've used a .054"~.060" on the sixth string to help combat the buzz. Note that you may have to make permanent mods to your guitars nut and saddles to make use of these thicker strings.
Very helpful. I'm getting a new Epiphone Les Paul in next week (hopefully), so if any adjustments are needed, and I suspect they will be, I'll be refering to this video again.
1. Loosen your strings before adjusting your truss rod. You'll find a whole lot less resistance. There's approximately 200 - 300 lbs of tension being applied by the strings. That tension should be lessened before any adjustments. 2. WAIT! For mahogany necks wait at least an hour or two to assess the final relief after you make your adjustments and retune. Instant adjustment *usually* mean you over adjusted.
@@fuglbird he measured 5/64 first, then approximated with 3/32, which admittedly is odd.. but: isn't that also the point where it becomes obvious how stupid the imperial system is?
search "printable string action gauge" and look for a google drive site pdf that's a full page of slightly varying string action gauge. it lets you make a 2 sided string action gauge that's mirrored on the other side. you may want to use thick paper
if you go to the Gibson Les Paul site all Les Pauls are displyed and sold with the screws facing the bridge, if you look on the Epiphone Les Paul site the screws face the neck for their Les Pauls, really curious since Gibson owns Epiphone you'd think their specs would be similar.
it is done on purpose. if you made a list, there are many small differences between gibson and epi and other copies. major ones, scarf joints, metric measurements. but some are more cosmetic. these are there for the benefit of the guys who spend MUCH more on a gibson. if you got what looks the same thing for 1/4 the price, why spend more?
***** Not exactly true, either version of guitar AND bridge (which will be some variation of what's called a tune-o-matic bridge) can have the intonation adjustment screws facing either direction. ORIGINALLY these most often faced towards the neck, however factory specs from Gibson go back and forth literally depending on year/model, sometimes even who's doing the setup. If your Les Paul has a higher neck angle which would create more "break" angle at the saddles, you should usually face your screws towards the neck simply to give you more room for the backside of the string travel to the tailpiece. You'll find most luthiers that have lots of experience with "Les Pauls" of any type tend to face the adjustment scews towards the neck.
I've just got a new LP and it has flat topped frets with not a lot of crowning. I notice here that the frets are similar 28:40 though my one has nibs. I would prefer completely crowned frets though as my fingers can snag when making fast runs and it would feel smoother. I'm wondering why Gibson prefer to do their frets this way? I'm glad I've seen this video though as it makes me feel better that its not just my guitar but a Gibson thing.
That old Les Paul needs A LOT more than this guys "general" set up, it is in desperate need of a fret job or possibly even a re-fret, it needs a new nut, and (I dont know how this happened) the nut on the the truss rod is BROKEN! Either way, I wouldn't let this guy touch any of my guitars.
I noticed that you said "clean the frets with lemon oil" I was told this was incorrect and you should use linseed oil as linseed oil coagulates and seals the fretboard wood and that lemon oil is for furniture and can damage the cellulose if you get it on the guitar and that it can lift the inlays so can you please clarify this point please your sincerely Doug
I just realized something .. I have an EPI Lp Studio... My bridge slants south toward the low E side .. You cannot get the same measurement on the D string , as you can get on the Hi E .. It is impossible ... I have 12 7/16 .. Even if you spin the wedgie around , I will still not be able to get 12 1/4 ... Epi's have more of a slant to the bridge ..Seen some gibbers that were straight across I have a Gib 335 and it is straight across .. But that is a diff instrument ..
Never mind the Les Paul! Is that a big old Harmony Rocket back there?!?? I've never seen one in black like that and gold pickup covers yet they've got to be replacements!
Two things I would not do, one is when intonating, don't lay the guitar flat because the magneic pull of the pickup can influence the tuning, and second is the stopbar needs to come up a hair so the strings aren't touching the back of the bridge.
Gibson has always called their short scale 24 3/4, but have used actual lengths of 24.750, 24.625, and 24.562 - at least. Always measure it yourself to be sure.
HI. I just bought my first Les Paul. I have managed to adjust the intonation so it sounds pretty good however some of the saddles (the g string saddle in particular) is very close to the back of the bridge. i.e there is virtually no room for further adjustment if I need it. Is this common? I notice in the video that you also seem to be running out of space but ion the opposite direction (towards the front of the bridge). I am kind of amazed that Les Paul bridges don't have more space for adjustment. What do you do if you run out of space. would adjusting the truss rod make any difference in this regard. i.e if I tightened the truss rod would it enable me to bring the saddles forward a little. cheers
hi yes, im pretty sure i just had worn tuners that were rattling. i did a truss rod adjustment and it turned out ok.( very slight upwards bow near the nut ) Action feels ok. i think i have the tuneomatic where it needs to be as well. ive checked all the tells - my nut may be a millimeter or two too low. as for the frets, they could be sharper, but this is literally the second guitar ive ever had ( had it for about 3 months and bought 5 more guitars since then ) so imnot sure
often you will find that the nuts holding each machine head on are loose and rattling / buzzing....even on a new guitar right from the factory. I have set up thousands of guitars (yes, thousands) and my estimate is that about 8 out of 10 guitars have loose machine head retaining nuts. Some so loose I can turn them with just my fingers. It is the first thing I check when doing a set-up
Jack Baran, when you buy a car do you expect the seat and mirrors to be positioned just like you want them? It takes 15 minutes to set up a guitar to your liking and you usually have to repeat the process once or twice a year depending on your climate.
I have a wrap around one piece bridge with two studs on either side, and two micro screws for fine tuning. when I do open tuning, it is all good, but at the 12th fret they are all +18 cents sharp. I try to put the bridge back with the little screws, but that changes the open tuning as well, and I repeat, and I end up with the same result. Is this common for this kind of bridge? My guitar is Michael Kelly Patriot Special, and the bridge is similar to those used by PRS SE's models. thanks for the help
Aluchi Del Pasado Kellys don't have the "tun-o-matic" bridge that Gibson have always included. My advice is to contact Michael Kelly Guitars direct (they have a website) and ask: 1. Do they have a set-up manual? 2. What brand of strings do they recommend? 3. What string gauge do they recommend for the Patriots?
+writerNB i wish the Gibson bridges had the individual string lift that Fenders do. Being stuck raising one side to cure a one string problem is a pain.
+Kilgore Trout Yeh, I know exactly what you mean, KT. To be honest, I never understood the importance of "setup" until much later in my guitar renovations. With the tun-o-matic Gib bridge, the screw lift adjusters have to be set "just so"... Many, many restorers get this wrong- Fortunately, the youtube explosion means there is not much excuse for overlooking correct setup- It's mostly about observing what the pro-techs and pro-players do during their setups that counts :) PS: If the neck's out by a micron, bridge adjustment will never correct a string problem.
With our Recording Studio opening next month, this summer i started offering set up, intonation, nut replacement, et. al. and.....Holy Cats, did that bring more thru the door than expected! You are correct about neck adjustment. i am learning the difficulties of just such a thing....i just recently bought a Les Paul, built to spec in the Custom Shop. First, the guy messed up and sanded the nut crooked, and instead of getting another and starting over, he tried to compensate by cutting the big E slot deeper, but he more than over compensated, to the point it would be too uncomfortable to play if set in a way that would work....i solved that just yesterday. They offered to replace the nut, and i asked, since i've done this dozens of times, if it would stay in warranty, if they just sent me a new graphite nut, save shipping costs, and if something more sinister was at work, i could send it to them. Welp, as i was about 99.9999 repeating sure this would do it, and it did. Now it is a dream to play! Now, about the neck...this may be a unique instance for an LP, but i had it built with a Maple & Walnut neck-through....you wanna talk about a neck that is hard to get to move at all, it would be neck through. However, it doesn't have the "breakaway headstock"! It is one you have to adjust, and either push & bend, or leave it in the cradle for a good bit. Maple is hard to move anyway, but when it runs the full length, its a tad more of a chore.
top notch tutorial thanks, but what should p.u. spacing be from the stings? yes frets hould have been worked on, and the nut looked a lil weak, but my paul has none of these probs so I will be usein this video, thanks
Adjusting my high E saddle like you did. Measuring from nut to 12th fret. Then from 12th fret to saddle to be even measurements. 12 1/4 to 12 1/4.. I can't on my Les Paul. The saddle needs to move forward to be even. In my case,It can't go any more forward. Apparently all Les Paul's are not set up the same. Mine is a 97 Les Paul Elegant Custom Shop. Best I take my guitar to pro tech instead of me tweeking all this stuff and screwing my guitar up ! You get one thing out of line..It messes everything up ! Then you're chasing your tail trying to figure out what it is...Possibly causing more issues. It's just how I feel, because this personally is out of my territory.. Thanks for detailed vid though..!
What do you do when you have reached the limit with the saddle and it is still not a correct note ??? Also, the tail piece, doesn't that also need adjustment ??
My Insomnia is CURED! So is my Fashion sense, but a decent video nonetheless.I've been using lemon pledge for over 30 years with no apparent ill result.
Hi, nice vid. I set the neck, action and intonation. Raised the tail piece because I got a lot of tension in the 1st string, but end up having more tension. Any suggestions? Thank you.
my G string is sharp on the first 5 frets or more, but when it gets colse to the 12 fret is ok... ist it the nut slot height for the G string that is causing this?
The scale length on a Les Paul is 24.75". In this video Kip suggests using 12-1/4 inches each way. Wrong! Half of 24-3/4" is 12-3/8". Adjust to these measurements and you'll spend a lot less time on intonation.
So the Guitar Center guitar tech told me that when you play in drop C, you will always have some fret buzz, especially in the thicker strings. True, False,? I'm usually playing in standard, but I want to play in some lower tunings and I hate fret buzz!!!!
Ok... the tuning on my LP at the 12th is just a "few clicks" sharp on my tuner. I've moved the sadlle back..and back...and back...and back up, and there is virtually no change regardless of where the saddle sits. What the heck am I doing wrong? Anyone got an idea?
+samljer I said that because that is what it is called in the UK. Simple as that. If you want to turn this into some political hate talk take it elsewhere. I won't play that game with you.
+Billy Joe The RU-vid comments crowd is rife with those who need things explained slowly, using small words and possibly flash cards with pictures. Thank you for the observation, well done.
thank you for video, really helpful. i used it on my new warmoth tele, which worked ok but i couldn't get the low E string intonation at the 12th fret no matter what i did with the saddle. annoying! it's pretty close, but not perfect like on the other strings. anyhow much appreciated. :)
I did the rough intonation as you showed on my Les Paul and still it doesn't tune at the 12th fret equal to open strings. What then would be required in your mind?
i gotta run out and get some new strings today so ill probably stop and check this out on my own but just for the sake of other viewers, ive got a question. is it 1/1000 gauge or .01 gauge? i only ask because there is some confusion going on considering .01 is 1/100 and 1/1000 is .001
what happened to the sound? when you're introducing the tools I can hear your hand moving about but your voice sounds like a conversation happening in the next room. Can't hear a word.
man i did the intonation step by step, and still have problems that the notes are too high or too low.. and dont have much more space to move the sadle, what should i do ?
heres the run down. tune it, get the 12th in tune with it. that involves retuning every time you move the saddles. in theory the middle of your neck is now intoned. now, if you your problem is simple, when you hold a, let us say, D open chord, its crappola. if you have a chromatic tuner, you can see if it is sharp. it probably is, and your nut is way too high.. gently, slowly and in small steps, file the grooves down on your nut til you can hold chords (noting the first fret) and they stay in tune. IF that aint it... it may be much badder. like a really bad fret cut, the fretboard may not be cut right for the nut, ie: too short or too long. is the nut leaning? if this is not it, it's time to evaluate the value of the guitar. you can adjust for the nut a little either way, but if frets are cut in the wrong places... do you want to pay to have the fretboard removed and a new one installed?
