# Please teach me how to improve the action on my Epiphone Les Paul Ultra.



## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

...and don't say "sell your Epiphone" although I am beginning to consider it!  I have 3 electric guitars, an old Kalamazoo, a mid 80's Japanese Strat and a newer Epi Les Paul. On the strat the action is very low and I really like it. Same with the Kalamazoo ( but the single coil is so noisy I can't play it ). The epi on the other hand is quite high. The bridge is all the way down on the high e side and it still feels a mile off the fingerboard compared to the strat. Is there a fundamental difference between a les paul and a strat and the les paul will always be higher or is there another way to lower the action such as truss rod adjustment or filing the nut down further or maybe replace the bridge with one that sits lower? I can still lower the action on the strat to the point where it buzzes and frets out but there is no way in hell I could do that with the epi. The way it sits right now deters me from playing it much.

Thanks GC community.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

stringer said:


> ...and don't say "sell your Epiphone" although I am beginning to consider it!  I have 3 electric guitars, an old Kalamazoo, a mid 80's Japanese Strat and a newer Epi Les Paul. On the strat the action is very low and I really like it. Same with the Kalamazoo ( but the single coil is so noisy I can't play it ). The epi on the other hand is quite high. The bridge is all the way down on the high e side and it still feels a mile off the fingerboard compared to the strat. Is there a fundamental difference between a les paul and a strat and the les paul will always be higher or is there another way to lower the action such as truss rod adjustment or filing the nut down further or maybe replace the bridge with one that sits lower? I can still lower the action on the strat to the point where it buzzes and frets out but there is no way in hell I could do that with the epi. The way it sits right now deters me from playing it much.
> 
> Thanks GC community.


My Epi LP plays better than my Strat. Sounds like you need a good set up. Tons of you tube vids to show you or take it to your local guitar tech. There's no reason you cant get it to play like you want.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

I don't understand how the bridge could be all the way down and still be too high .
Post some pics of what it looks like now,we might be able to troubleshoot and get you on the right path.
No reason you shouldn't be able to get a low action


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

Bubb said:


> I don't understand how the bridge could be all the way down and still be too high .
> Post some pics of what it looks like now,we might be able to troubleshoot and get you on the right path.
> No reason you shouldn't be able to get a low action


If the neck is bowed, that's how  Sounds like a trussrod adjustment to me - sight down the neck from the pickup end towards the headstock - see a curve? If yes, then you need to give the trussrod a turn. See youtube for instructions, or the Epiphone service page.


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

Bubb said:


> I don't understand how the bridge could be all the way down and still be too high ?.


That's what I was thinking. I'm at work right now, but I'll post some pics in a couple of hours.

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keto said:


> If the neck is bowed, that's how  Sounds like a trussrod adjustment to me - sight down the neck from the pickup end towards the headstock - see a curve? If yes, then you need to give the trussrod a turn. See youtube for instructions, or the Epiphone service page.


Thanks keto, I'll give those a look. Looks like I'm gonna have to become an amateur luthier because there still isn't anyone in my town that does it.


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## kat_ (Jan 11, 2007)

Is it too high all along the fretboard? Is it worse/better near the nut, near the middle of the fretboard, or near the end of the fretboard? Is it equal across all of the strings?


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

kat_ said:


> Is it too high all along the fretboard? Is it worse/better near the nut, near the middle of the fretboard, or near the end of the fretboard? Is it equal across all of the strings?


Hi. It's too high all along the fretboard. I'll take some pics with a ruler @ the fifth and 12th frets and post them when I get home tonight.


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## kat_ (Jan 11, 2007)

stringer said:


> Hi. It's too high all along the fretboard. I'll take some pics with a ruler @ the fifth and 12th frets and post them when I get home tonight.


Is it equally too high everywhere? It sounds like you have multiple problems - maybe needing a truss rod adjustment and some nut work. If you hold one string down at the first fret and also at the 14th fret is there still space between that string and the 7th fret?


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

kat_ said:


> Is it equally too high everywhere? It sounds like you have multiple problems - maybe needing a truss rod adjustment and some nut work. If you hold one string down at the first fret and also at the 14th fret is there still space between that string and the 7th fret?


Hi. I'm home now. When I hold a string down at the 1st and 14th fret at the same time there is a space between that string and the 7th fret. Not much, don't have the tools to measure, but there is definitely a space. Here's some pics of the action. Excuse the ruler, it's the only one I have. As you can see in the pics the bridge is lowered as far as it can be on the high e side. There is a bit of adjustment left on the low e side. String hight at the 12th fret looks to be about 3 mm and it looks like about 1/16th of an inch at the nut.


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

keto said:


> If the neck is bowed, that's how  Sounds like a trussrod adjustment to me


doh !!! Talk about overlooking the obvious,guess I figured relief was good,I blame a long day and few HNIC beers .

A truss rod adjustment is the place to start for sure,I'd take the relief right out of the neck and start there.
1/8 - 1/4 turns of the trussrod nut at a time,let each adjustment settle in for a bit .
Some guitars need very little bow or even none at all ,depending on playing style .

Check the nut height by pressing the strings down on the third fret,they should just just clear the first and second frets.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

stringer said:


> When I hold a string down at the 1st and 14th fret at the same time there is a space between that string and the 7th fret. Not much, don't have the tools to measure, but there is definitely a space.There is a bit of adjustment left on the low e side. String hight at the 12th fret looks to be about 3 mm and it looks like about 1/16th of an inch at the nut.


whoa...that's a huge difference. gotta be trussrod. when holding the strings down at the 1st & 14th, you should only have a tiny gap (postage stamp sized gap) between the strings and the frets at mid-span. Judging from the photos, I suspect you have a considerable bit more


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

oops browser behaving badly edit.


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

Bubb said:


> Check the nut height by pressing the strings down on the third fret,they should just just clear the first and second frets.


Thanks for that. I checked the nut hight. On the high e it just barely clears the first and second frets, on the low e i can just about fit a .038mm feeler gauge under the second fret and a .076mm under the first, so there is gaps there. Looks like I'm gonna be in the market for some nut files


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

Scotty said:


> whoa...that's a huge difference. gotta be trussrod. when holding the strings down at the 1st & 14th, you should only have a tiny gap (postage stamp sized gap) between the strings and the frets at mid-span. Judging from the photos, I suspect you have a considerable bit more


Hi Scotty. When holding the strings down at the 1st and 14th i can fit a .102mm gauge between the string and the 7th fret.


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## kat_ (Jan 11, 2007)

Start with a truss rod adjustment for sure. Depending on the guitar and your playing style you might be able to get away with hardly any relief at all. Play with the truss rod before you start filing down the nut, since the truss rod adjustments are easily reversible and it really looks like that's where 90% of your problem is.


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

So I gave the truss a bit of a twist, about 1/4 of a turn to the right when looking down the neck from the headstock. I'm gonna leave it for a day to let things settle. Action feels better but I think it still needs some nut work based on what others have said in the thread. It surprises me how different it feels when the changes made are so minute.

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kat_ said:


> Start with a truss rod adjustment for sure. Depending on the guitar and your playing style you might be able to get away with hardly any relief at all. Play with the truss rod before you start filing down the nut, since the truss rod adjustments are easily reversible and it really looks like that's where 90% of your problem is.


I've got a pretty light touch when it comes to playing. Not a shredder at all, I play pretty slow really. I enjoy rhythm and I've been working on some finger picking. Thanks for the help.


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## cbg1 (Mar 27, 2012)

before you start messing with the nut, try putting a capo on the first fret and adjust your action from there......... filling slots, shimming the nut or making a new nut are jobs you probably want to avoid...........is this a bolt on neck guitar?....if it is you may have to shim the neck to adjust the angle.........good luck


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

cbg1 said:


> before you start messing with the nut, try putting a capo on the first fret and adjust your action from there......... filling slots, shimming the nut or making a new nut are jobs you probably want to avoid...........is this a bolt on neck guitar?....if it is you may have to shim the neck to adjust the angle.........good luck


I would like to avoid messing with the nut that's for sure. It's a set neck though so no shimin'.


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## stringer (Jun 17, 2009)

So I've turned the truss rod about half way and only now am feeling some resistance. Strings are still a mile off the fret board with the bridge lowered as far as it will go. I thought at first that the action improved, but it may have been a placebo effect. Will give it another 1/4 turn in a day or so.... I hurt my back and haven't been able to play


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