HELP!! Setup help for my new R0 needed!

[martysnarf]

Hey guys- I know some of you can help me with this...

So I just finished cleaning up my new baby, and giving her a new set of strings. I switched her to 11s like all my other axes. Using Gibby's specs on their site for setting the action (5/64 bass side and 3/64 treble side), now my high E string is rubbing against the edge of the pickup ring!! This recommended action setting just seems way too low...?? I've always topwrapped all my Gibbys, as is this one.

Can any of you give me some measurements of your action on your Rs? I like mine medium-low; as low as it can be without fret buzz. I know that I might need to adjust the truss rod a hair, but I am mainly trying to set the bridge height FIRST, and using Gibby's guidelines is NOT helping.

Can any of you that have a later model R0 strung with 11s share your measurements/settings with me; bottom of the string to the top of the 12th fret on both the bass and treble sides? That would give me a great starting point... I'd really appreciate your help!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[CRobbins]

Topwrap.

 

[jamman]

Raise the bridge a little . On the treble side . (you might want to tell everyone which PU ring the string is touching too , just saying)

 

[martysnarf]

Topwrap.

Always. Edited my OP; I always topwrap. Thanks!

 

[martysnarf]

Raise the bridge a little . On the treble side . (you might want to tell everyone which PU ring the string is touching too , just saying)

Bridge, string is rubbing the edge closest to the neck pup

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

This is because recent reissues have too shallow a neck angle.

 

[jamman]

Still it's closer to the bridge than the nut . The Truss Rod will put relief in the guitar from the top (headstock) down . Not were your Pickups are. Play with your Tuss Rod at your own risk . I say take it to a tech.
BTW- Gibson's setting are for 10's not 11's

 

[CRobbins]

The little bit of extra tension from using .011s will only give a you a little more relief. Raise the bridge a little at a time.

 

[KenG]

I would check relief first! If the neck is off, all the measuring & bridge raising in the world won't correct it. I'd almost hazard a guess that you now have too much relief making the measurement at the 12th fret deeper than it would be with a straight neck.

 

[jamman]

^

 

[KenG]

^

I guess you haven't read & understood Dan Erlewine's book and explanation on trussrod adjustments.

 

[joedonner2001]

I had to replace the bridge pickup ring on my R8 to get the action I wanted.

 

[martysnarf]

This is all great info, and I appreciate each and every one of your responses. However, I haven't seen one response with measurements that I asked for in my OP LOL!!

Sooooo.... Can any of you that have a later model R0 strung with 11s share your measurements/settings with me; bottom of the string to the top of the 12th fret on both the bass and treble sides? That would give me a great starting point... I'd really appreciate your help!!

Thanks again!

 

[martysnarf]

I DID IT!! Man, she's playing PERFECT now!!

I ended up raising the bridge a bit more on both sides, and after checking the neck bow REALLY closely, I had to adjust the truss about a 1/4 turn to add a bit more bow in the neck to keep the action nice and med-low. I also had to change the intonation JUST A HAIR on 3 of the strings.

She's JUST right now. Here are my string height measurements for 11s at the 12th:

Bass side: 6/64
Treb side: 4.5/64

Hopefully this might help anyone looking to use 11s on their Historics.

Thanks for all the info and help, guys! I appreciate it! Off to turn up the amp...

 

[jamman]

I would check relief first! If the neck is off, all the measuring & bridge raising in the world won't correct it. I'd almost hazard a guess that you now have too much relief making the measurement at the 12th fret deeper than it would be with a straight neck.

I guess you haven't read & understood Dan Erlewine's book and explanation on trussrod adjustments.

Oh yes i have , And I fully understand it. I think you didn't read the OP's problem . He put a thicker string on the guitar , He needs to adjust the action for that. Please explain how lowering the headstock (removing relief) will raise the string so it no longer hits the Mounting ring when he frets a string at the12th. fret ?
With the old string guage string he didn't have this problem, he added a thicker string ,now it hits the ring . Raise the brige about 1/8 ~ of a turn and your good to go. If you want to sand down the ring, you can do that to or just replace it with a shorter 1 . More than 1 way to skin a cat

 

[KenG]

Oh yes i have , And I fully understand it. I think you didn't read the OP's problem . He put a thicker string on the guitar , He needs to adjust the action for that. Please explain how lowering the headstock (removing relief) will raise the string so it no longer hits the Mounting ring when he frets a string at the12th. fret ?
With the old string guage string he didn't have this problem, he added a thicker string ,now it hits the ring . Raise the brige about 1/8 ~ of a turn and your good to go. If you want to sand down the ring, you can do that to or just replace it with a shorter 1 . More than 1 way to skin a cat

If you straighten the neck, the height between the 12fret and strings will reduce. This will allow the bridge to be raised more (obtaining the same reading as before) & allow them to clear the PU rings.

 

[jamman]

So he needed to raise the bridge . Just like he said he did . and Like a few of us said . Thanks for making my point.

 

[KenG]

So he needed to raise the bridge . Just like he said he did . and Like a few of us said . Thanks for making my point.

The point is before you just add relief, or raise a bridge the neck should be checked and adjusted. Something no one bothered to mention. As Dan Erlewine says, Quote from his book GPRG "All instruments don't need relief - in fact I try to get an instrument to play with a perfectly straight neck first, and only add enough relief to eliminate unmanageable buzzing......" He then goes on to state why straighter neck play and feel better.

Therefore the 1/2 good advice of "just raise the bridg" or "just add relief" as a 1st approach bypasses the neck adjustment & is not how Dan does it.

 

[jamman]

Yes, but he didn't have a problem with fret buzz . The problem was at the pickups . In this case the relief in the neck was more of a comfort factor of what the player likes the guitar to feel like, than a playablilty problem . i understand your point , my point is that if the OP needed to ask how to fix this , pretty simple problem . He may not want to start playing with the truss Rod .
Since every guitar is a little different the Meausrments he was looking for, would be difficult to give him . He needed to work it out on his guitar . The end result was opposite of what you told the OP to do , as stated by the OP himself.

What page is the quote from ? I'd like to see all of it in full context . A perfectly staight neck maybe good for some people , but just becaus D.E. says that's what HE likes, doesn't mean that's the end all . IIRC , he does set guitars up differently for different playing styles . you might want to re-read that part of the book .
I'm off to go play now, as that's what it's all about , isn't it ? later dude

 

[major]

So the OP simply asked for advice on a maladjusted factory fresh Gibson, and 19 posts later, we have a full blown "I said this- you said that" argument??

For f***s sake. Does it always have to go this way?

I'll add nothing more, other than to say that MANY new Gibsons come out of the factory with necks leaning backwards, so Skatterbrane's suggestion (made before the chairs got thrown) made perfect sense.

Sorry - coffee break over - carry on with the fight....

No I didn't...Yes You did....No I didn't.....