Set up for Les Paul

[growler]

HI Michael , Pete , etc
I know this is a thread that has been posted before, so here we go again .... I have a Les Paul Standard that I have been using solely for playing slide in E , that is using Newtone 13-52s and tuning it up to E not down to D. I have decide to alter the tuning ,that is tuning it down to D and start using the Newtone 15-56s so I can have E and D keys available to play in.
Whilst I had it tuned up to E I had no problem playing slide on it as the neck was under more tension , but since tuning down I am noticing the slide is hitting the frets.

What do I need to do to avoid this ...... have I to get it set up properly, if so what do I do

regards Growler

[Michael Messer]

Hi Growler,

My way of dealing with that problem would be to raise the bridge. However, a professional luthier might approach it differently.

Shine On,
Michael.

[growler]

HI Michael......... thanks for your quick as ever reply .....
I forgot to mention that a few years ago, using the advice that I read in a book, I put a shim in under the nut to slightly raise the action , I think I mucked around with the adjustable bridge putting it up slightly , but something strange started to happen with the tone of the guitar , I think it may have been the increase in the distance from the Humbuckers, so I took the shim out
and hopefully put it back to what it was .
I was wondering would the increase in size going up to 15-56 make any difference to the neck or do you think it needs a slight adjustment .

[robn]

Hi Growler,

I'm not a professional luthier so this is just an opinion.

You will have reduced the tension on the neck of your guitar and the strings will feel slacker so will need a lighter touch. If you take standard tuning as the norm, by tuning up to E your 13-52s will have given you the effective tension of 15-56s in standard tuning. By tuning your 15-56s down to D you now have the equivalent tension of playing a set of 13-52s in standard tuning - if you get my drift?

You may need to adjust the neck (a quarter turn to slacken the truss rod) to keep the relief the same but this will not solve the problem you are having of hitting the frets with the slide. As Michael says, your bridge may need to come up a bit (an easy job on a Les Paul). The heavier strings should keep the p/u output up, but you can always raise them a touch as well.

Whatever you do, you are going to have to learn to lighten your touch as you are now playing with less tension on your strings - try a slightly lighter slide.

Robn

[growler]

HI Michael .......
I have carried out the advice you gave me regarding raising the bridge , it seems to have done the trick ..... is there any set height that the strings should be at say the 12th fret. I think I might have put the bridge up a bit too far as I am having a problem with the guitar slightly going out of tune when I capo it . What I think I will do Is wait till the 15-56s arrive and try and sort it out then .

Thanks for your useful input Robn ........ found the Resound/ National comparison very interesting .... nice reso playing as well

Regards Growler

[robn]

Hi Growler,

A bit of retuning is pretty much standard when you put a capo on a guitar set up for slide - the bass side tends to be pulled a little sharp.

In fact, if my memory serves me right, I think that Michael re-adjusts his tuning on the Guitar Maestros DVD when he puts on a capo to play "Walking Blues" - All while he is still being interviewed Now that's the sign of something being second nature!

Robn

PS - A friend of mine came round yesterday and played my Resound Blues with the National cone fitted. It was the first time I'd heard it from the front. Wow! it sounds great!!!

[Deleted]

Hi Growler,

I've a Strat and have put a link below to the Strat owners manual from Fender.

www.fender.com/support/manuals/pdfs/instr_owners/FenderGuitarsAndBasses2003.pdf

While it has a lot of Strat specific stuff, there are sections on general neck adjustment, string height, height of string from pickup (humbuckers included) which are probably fairly universal. I had a quick look in the Gibson site but couldn't find an equivalent manual with similar detail.