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Posted by: gibsonmatte Dec 22 2008, 11:02 AM

Hi!

I need some help and advice regarding the string height of my LP Customs. What I would like to do is to "lower" the string height since I feel that it is a bit too high as it is today. Any tips and tricks regarding this and what to look out for? I know that I if I lower them too much I can get a unwanted noise from the strings. But are there any like "golden rules" when you wanna lower the string?

Thanks!

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Dec 22 2008, 11:10 AM

Here's a step by step http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/2744_setup-les-paul.htm on how to do a complete LP Setup mate. Hope it will help you.

Posted by: Dejan Farkas Dec 22 2008, 11:16 AM

Hi there

First thing you have to consider is trus rod, easiest way to test if trus rod have to be adjusted is to press a string on first and last frets and then check how much space is between 12th fret and string, normally it should be just a little bit above the fret, if there's too much space, or no space at all than the trus rod have to be adjusted..

Next thing is the bridge, you have to adjust the bridge level to have clean sound without buzzing, if you have floyd rose you will have to keep the bridge leveled with the guitar body as well (by adjusting springs in the back of the guitar)..

Posted by: ztevie Dec 22 2008, 11:19 AM

You can always lower your bridge to see how low you can get and still have a nice tone. But you also have to check that you have the right amount of neck relief, this is very important if you want as low as possible without bad tone.

Put on new set of strings, tune your guitar, check neck relief.

If relief is not ok, loosen strings, and adjust the truss rod a LITTLE bit, tune your guitar and check neck relief again.(Sometimes neck relief adjustment need hours to really set in properly). Do this at your own risk, I have always done it myself, and I think people are too afraid to touch the truss rod, as if the guitar will explode or something! Just don't use too much force and only adjust small steps at a time, 1/4 turn maybe... It's no big deal...

If relief is ok, lower the bridge, to a point where you feel it's comfortable for you, tune your guitar, and play... Buzz, bad notes, no sustain? Raise a LITTLE bit, sometimes you will need extremely small changes to have great effect... Tune your guitar again and check..

If you feel you still have too high action(because when you lowered it to your liking you have bad tone on some frets), AND the relief is ok, you might have some fret issues... That would require a fret job, which is another story...

I used to crave very low action on my guitars, because they would be easier to play... But nowadays I want some action so the tone is much clearer... No matter how you do, lower action will give you lower sustain and more unclear notes, than if you raise it some...

Good luck!

EDIT: Oh, that's what you get for writing long answers.. THese guys got there before me!

Posted by: gibsonmatte Dec 22 2008, 11:32 AM

QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Dec 22 2008, 11:10 AM)

QUOTE (ztevie @ Dec 22 2008, 11:19 AM)

You can always lower your bridge to see how low you can get and still have a nice tone. But you also have to check that you have the right amount of neck relief, this is very important if you want as low as possible without bad tone.

Put on new set of strings, tune your guitar, check neck relief.

If relief is not ok, loosen strings, and adjust the truss rod a LITTLE bit, tune your guitar and check neck relief again.(Sometimes neck relief adjustment need hours to really set in properly). Do this at your own risk, I have always done it myself, and I think people are too afraid to touch the truss rod, as if the guitar will explode or something! Just don't use too much force and only adjust small steps at a time, 1/4 turn maybe... It's no big deal...

If relief is ok, lower the bridge, to a point where you feel it's comfortable for you, tune your guitar, and play... Buzz, bad notes, no sustain? Raise a LITTLE bit, sometimes you will need extremely small changes to have great effect... Tune your guitar again and check..

If you feel you still have too high action(because when you lowered it to your liking you have bad tone on some frets), AND the relief is ok, you might have some fret issues... That would require a fret job, which is another story...

I used to crave very low action on my guitars, because they would be easier to play... But nowadays I want some action so the tone is much clearer... No matter how you do, lower action will give you lower sustain and more unclear notes, than if you raise it some...

Good luck!

EDIT: Oh, that's what you get for writing long answers.. THese guys got there before me!

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Dec 22 2008, 06:56 PM

QUOTE (gibsonmatte @ Dec 22 2008, 11:32 AM)