Les Paul action height

[golfnut]

My newly acquired Les Paul Standard plays pretty decent with the factory setup but I'm wondering if I can get a little lower action from it. First the nut slots seem just a little high. I read that the high e string should be 1/64" at the top of the first fret to the bottom of the string. I measured with a stew mac gauge using my big desk magnifying glass. Still kind of hard to see as my eyes aren't the greatest but it looks to be 2/64 (1/32). Just wondering if is a good general height or if I should go for lower. And should I order some nut files and do this my self. I've always wanted to be more proactive in my setups doing things my self. And it would be a shame to take this guitar in for these minor adjustments. I'm really splitting hairs with these slight adjustment wants.
The action at the 12th measures about 5/64 from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string on the low e and about 3/ (maybe 4/64) from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. That should be easy enough to lower if need be. Are these measurements pretty much in line with how it should be. I compared against my 2 Telecasters that were professionally set up and the numbers pretty much are in line with them. But those guitars are 9.5 radius as opposed to the LP,s 12". I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it though.

 

[charliechitlins]

Lower the bridge until it starts buzzing and see if you like it.
You don't even need tools to do that.
A lot of folks check the nut as follows:
Fret the string at the 3rd fret.
There should be the SLIGHTEST POSSIBLE bit of daylight between the string and the 2nd fret.
This gets you VERY close, although I feel it's a coincidence.
The real world way is:
Get the action down where you like it with no buzzes/rattles.
Fret a string at the 1st fret.
Look at and/or measure the distance between the string and the 2nd fret.
I can almost guarantee its smaller than you thought.
If it's not buzzing, this distance is all you need between the open string and the 1st fret.
Again...I can pretty much guarantee you that the factory set-up leaves at least 2x the distance.
For my money, this is the most accurate way to judge slot depth, BUT...it leaves almost no margin for error.
Go half a thousandth too deep and you may be making a new nut.

 

[Wilko]

Factory set up is a great starting point. Better to be too high than too low. You want it lower? file the slot it. The nut is only solid once. don't go too deep.

Lowest overall action isn't always best. How hard do you play? that makes a huge difference.

 

[Strings Jr.]

The first step to a good setup is to make sure the neck is straight. NEVER cut nut slots without confirming the neck is straight.
On most new guitars, the neck will "relax" after a good six months of string tension, causing the action to be high.
So check your neck first. If there is a slight underbow, mildly tighten your truss rod no more than 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Then check your action at the nut again.

 

[golfnut]

The first step to a good setup is to make sure the neck is straight. NEVER cut nut slots without confirming the neck is straight.
On most new guitars, the neck will "relax" after a good six months of string tension, causing the action to be high.
So check your neck first. If there is a slight underbow, mildly tighten your truss rod no more than 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Then check your action at the nut again.

Thanks for this bit of advice. My relief seems to be around 10 thou, maybe a hair less. I've been debating whether to flatten this out to about 4 thou as I do like the board fairly flat.

 

[MrNubs]

i'm running

.070" bottom of the low E string to top of 12th fret
.040" bottom of the High E string to top of 12th fret

with a almost dead flat neck .003"

seems to work for my touch

 

[sozo]

My experience has been that if you take your guitar to a really good luthier, they can usually improve how it plays, no matter how well it was set up at the factory.

If I remember rightly, 5/64ths on the bottom E and 3/64ths on the top (both at the 12th fret) are Gibson's standard factory measurements for Les Pauls.

Regarding the Tele's with their more curved 9.5" radius - if you are a player who uses lighter strings and likes to bend notes a lot, you'll need to raise the action on a smaller radius fretboard, compared to where you might have it on a larger radius fretboard, otherwise the bent notes will choke.

 

[golfnut]

My experience has been that if you take your guitar to a really good luthier, they can usually improve how it plays, no matter how well it was set up at the factory.

If I remember rightly, 5/64ths on the bottom E and 3/64ths on the top (both at the 12th fret) are Gibson's standard factory measurements for Les Pauls.

Regarding the Tele's with their more curved 9.5" radius - if you are a player who uses lighter strings and likes to bend notes a lot, you'll need to raise the action on a smaller radius fretboard, compared to where you might have it on a larger radius fretboard, otherwise the bent notes will choke.

Thats exactly what I did. After a visit for a professional setup the playability is fantastic.

 

[NIckS]

A dime is about 3/64th and a nickle is 5/64th in case you don't have a ruler.

 

[Strings Jr.]

My experience has been that if you take your guitar to a really good luthier, they can usually improve how it plays, no matter how well it was set up at the factory.

If I remember rightly, 5/64ths on the bottom E and 3/64ths on the top (both at the 12th fret) are Gibson's standard factory measurements for Les Pauls.

Regarding the Tele's with their more curved 9.5" radius - if you are a player who uses lighter strings and likes to bend notes a lot, you'll need to raise the action on a smaller radius fretboard, compared to where you might have it on a larger radius fretboard, otherwise the bent notes will choke.

That's backwards. It's 3/64 on the treble side and 5/64 on the bass side.

 

[sozo]

That's backwards. It's 3/64 on the treble side and 5/64 on the bass side.

?
That's exactly what I wrote. The treble side is the top E, the bass side is the bottom E.

Hence, for example, with Ernie Ball's 'Skinny Top Heavy Bottom' strings, the 'skinny top' strings are the higher pitch strings, and the 'heavy bottom' strings are the lower pitched strings. 'Top' and 'Bottom' refers to pitch.

 

[charliechitlins]

?
That's exactly what I wrote. The treble side is the top E, the bass side is the bottom E.

Hence, for example, with Ernie Ball's 'Skinny Top Heavy Bottom' strings, the 'skinny top' strings are the higher pitch strings, and the 'heavy bottom' strings are the lower pitched strings. 'Top' and 'Bottom' refers to pitch.

Yes.
And...irrespective of how you hold or strum your guitar, the low E is the 6th string.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

I do around .006” - .010” relief depending on the guitar.

EDIT:
Action = .070”ish low E, .060” high E.

 

[Strings Jr.]

?
That's exactly what I wrote. The treble side is the top E, the bass side is the bottom E.

Hence, for example, with Ernie Ball's 'Skinny Top Heavy Bottom' strings, the 'skinny top' strings are the higher pitch strings, and the 'heavy bottom' strings are the lower pitched strings. 'Top' and 'Bottom' refers to pitch.

I'm not familiar with Ernie Ball's descriptions, but in Gibson's book, top and bottom refer to location. Low E on top, high E on bottom.
Actually, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone say any different.

 

[charliechitlins]

I do around .006” - .010” relief depending on the guitar.

With last fret fretted, Action = .070”ish low E, .060” high E.

How do you measure action with the last fret fretted?

 

[Wilko]

I'm not familiar with Ernie Ball's descriptions, but in Gibson's book, top and bottom refer to location. Low E on top, high E on bottom.
Actually, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone say any different.

what do mean by "top" or "bottom"? The Low "E" is always the Fat string "E".

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

How do you measure action with the last fret fretted?

Oops double post

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

How do you measure action with the last fret fretted?

Oh thank you for pointing out my obvious error!
I answered in haste and my brain must have been in how to check pickup height mode!
I don’t fret any string when checking the action height! DOH!

 

[Strings Jr.]

what do mean by "top" or "bottom"? The Low "E" is always the Fat string "E".

Holding the guitar in the playing position, imagine the strings are stacked. The low-pitched E (fat string) is on top. The high E is on the bottom.

 

[charliechitlins]

I'm not familiar with Ernie Ball's descriptions, but in Gibson's book, top and bottom refer to location. Low E on top, high E on bottom.
Actually, this is the first time I've ever heard anyone say any different.

What book is this?
IME, "top", "first" and "high" all refer to the skinny E.
It would be silly to have "top" and "high" mean different things.
Not that nothing silly ever happens...