Les Paul advice please - string gauge/action?

CDM83

hmmm  - i was worried that might kick out the intonation. i'm quite reluctant to tinker around with it, but if it really is that simple..

it's the one on the left by the way !!

CDM83

roberty

Yep really really simple.  Intonation is easy too, just compare 12th fret harmonic with 12th fret fretted note when tuned to pitch, they should be the same.  Saddle moves one way or the other and it gets worse or better ;-) I doubt you'll notice any difference in intonation when raising the bridge slightly

That really is a lovely Les Paul

Fretwired

Paul Kossoff used 11s and heavy picks. To a certain extent it depends on how you play guitar. I have a relatively 'light touch' and don't really notice much difference in tone between 10s and 11s. A good friend of mine (he posts on her sometimes) has hands like meat plates and often uses 12s and the heaviest picks on the planet. Can't say I enjoy his tone much - not much tonal variation but it gets the job done, especially at the volumes he plays at.

Use what is most comfortable for you and ignore those who claim great tone only comes from heavy gauges. Billy Gibbons has used 8s and he doesn't have a weedy tone.

guitars4you

I think most comments above have touched on the shorter scale length of an LP v Strat and as such you can generally move up a gauge on an LP - It is then down to how much of a 'challenge' you want when bending with 10's or 11's - size of fret wire comes into play as well - On an LP I tend to like the 10-52 option over 10/46 or 11-49 - I believe Gary Moore choose this gauge, for what it is worth -It keeps the wound 3 lower strings more rigid and less 'sloopy' but still allows for easy, slick and speedy string bending - I can bend 11's, but find more effort is required and as such less speed available to you  - However Kossoff relied on no speed at all and as such went for tone and soul

HAL9000

roberty said:

There's two thumbwheels under the bridge that can be used to raise or lower the action there.  I find slackening the strings off first makes it easier to raise the bridge.

If you're worried about ruining your lovely Les Paul it may be worth getting a cheap guitar to experiement with.  I've learnt a few things the hard way (mostly how not to jab things with screwdrivers).  Save you money in the long run.

^ This. Definitely loosen the strings before adjusting anything. Sometimes the pressure from the strings is sufficient to prevent the saddles moving. Also, always use the correct screwdriver, Allen key, etc; it's all too easy to damage screw heads etc.

DrJazzTap

I put 11s on everything - strat, PRS and Gibson. simply because im a cheapskate 

xibxang

Apologies for bringing up an old thread. I have two LPs and I've been playing them exclusively for almost three years now and I'm still fiddling with my set ups on both.

Question: what size of gap do you guys set between your pickups and your strings? I'm pretty technically minded and I know my way around a set of feeler gauges and a steel rule. I'm constantly playing around with pickup height and I was just wondering what other players set them to.

Also, while I'm here, what size do you guys set your neck relief to?

John_A

xibxang said:

Apologies for bringing up an old thread. I have two LPs and I've been playing them exclusively for almost three years now and I'm still fiddling with my set ups on both.

Question: what size of gap do you guys set between your pickups and your strings? I'm pretty technically minded and I know my way around a set of feeler gauges and a steel rule. I'm constantly playing around with pickup height and I was just wondering what other players set them to.

Also, while I'm here, what size do you guys set your neck relief to?

I set pickup height about 2.5mm with the string fretted at the last fret.  Relief - as little as possible, just enough so it doesn't buzz when played at the first few frets, any more and the action feels too high in the middle of the neck as I like my 12th fret action a bit higher than some.  It's all preference though, but thats where I start

xibxang

John_A said:

xibxang said:

Apologies for bringing up an old thread. I have two LPs and I've been playing them exclusively for almost three years now and I'm still fiddling with my set ups on both.

Question: what size of gap do you guys set between your pickups and your strings? I'm pretty technically minded and I know my way around a set of feeler gauges and a steel rule. I'm constantly playing around with pickup height and I was just wondering what other players set them to.

Also, while I'm here, what size do you guys set your neck relief to?

I set pickup height about 2.5mm with the string fretted at the last fret.  Relief - as little as possible, just enough so it doesn't buzz when played at the first few frets, any more and the action feels too high in the middle of the neck as I like my 12th fret action a bit higher than some.  It's all preference though, but thats where I start

Excellent, thank you. It's a "starting point" I'm looking for.

I'm actually going to set up one of my guitars to C Standard tonight and I have a set of D'Addario EXL148s (12-60 gauge) ready to go. My plan is to set it up as though it had regular strings and then make adjustments to suit. I'll take any advice on that though.

Lestratcaster

Both my Les Pauls have heavier gauge strings as I drop tune alot. On my Gibson LP studio I use 12-56's in drop b and I like the chunky neck holding up against these thicker strings. On my other LP (an Epiphone standard) I use 10-52's as I use it in a variety of tunings from standard to drop d to b. I can't quite afford another guitar to set up in drop tuning so I have to utilise this one in several ones. I don't think I've ever played a Les Paul with 10's, usually I use it for heavier stuff (chords and riffing) so would like heavier strings on it.

John_A

I use 10's and play in normal tuning or drop D. No experience with such big strings and low tuning.  I would imagine you would need the nut re-cutting, need more relief and a higher action 

xibxang

Well after a bit of tinkering tonight I've managed to make both of my LPs play a bit better. I have a 2012 standard which always felt "slinky" but it's even more so now. The other is a custom and it's heavy. And thick. And did I say heavy? Also thick. That's the one I've set up in C standard with the 12-60 gauges.

I got myself some feelers and an 18" rule and set the relief to 0.010 on my standard and 0.012 on the custom to account for the thicker strings. For shame, intonation was out remarkably on both guitars so I sat down and fixed that too. Adjusted action to taste and I've been playing both of them all night. So far so good.

Grumpyrocker

I've recently put 10.5s on my ESP LTD EC and proper Les Paul.  On the D'Addario website it recommends trying the 10.5 gauge on shorter scale length guitars to give a similar feel to 10 on longer scale length. So far it feels pretty good. I'm happy with the way 10.5 feels.

Danielsguitars

I've just started using 10-52's and love em, wish I'd done it before now

I've never liked the low strings slapping about and can't be bothered with the effort of bending 11's anymore

Great compromise imo

Evilmags

10s on television,  Morgan and PRS 
9s on Strat and Jaden Rose. 12s on the Heritage and 13s on acoustics. 

Heavy strings on electrics are for playing really dug in Malcold Young or Rick Parafitt style unless they are flatwounds and you want to go all George Benson. They do sound different when hit hard. (By heavy I mean 13s and 14s). If your young, practise a lot and have strong hands 11s should be fine for anything once your used to them. Not every guitar asks to be strung with them though. For most people 9 or 10 are fine and unless you play hollow bodies the difference in tone is not huge. 

crunchman

Rather than go the whole hog to 11s, try 10 - 52 as @guitars4you suggested.  D'Addario also make a 10.5 set that would raise the tension slightly but almost certainly you wouldn't need to mess with the setup.

Lestratcaster

customkits said:

I've just started using 10-52's and love em, wish I'd done it before now

I've never liked the low strings slapping about and can't be bothered with the effort of bending 11's anymore

Great compromise imo

Gives you a fatter sound too esp on power chords!