• Registered: 2009-11-29
  • Posts: 21

Topic: what's your JBLP setup?

HI to everyone, this is my first post on this part of the forum.

I would be very pleased to hear how owners of the Joe's signature Les Paul have their guitar setup.  I have kept with the 11-48's , but I find them a bit of a struggle at times.  I also find that I play more freely on my guitars strung with 10's.  I am just wondering if I am missing something in my setup.

I would be very pleased to hear about:

string gauge (of all 6 strings as some sets offer say a 17 rather than an 18 for the 3rd)
string make/model (ie nickel steel or pure nickel)
string height at 12 fret
neck relief dimension at 7th or 9 th fret (please specify)
number of winds and type of winding on string post (ie locking winding)
top wrap - yes/no
tail piece height.

Has anyone had a chance to check out one of Joe's actual guitars to see how it's been setup?

Thank you kindly for your assistance.

Best wishes.

  • Registered: 2007-09-30
  • Posts: 556

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

I played his #1 Gold Top - it was awesome and set up very similar like my LP's are set up, but I'm not giving any details on Joe's guitars... I'll let Joe do that if he wishes.

Ben

  • From: The Gates of Delerium
  • Registered: 2008-05-07
  • Posts: 1,412

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

To be honest I never measured the string heights or even adjusted the pickups as it sounds and plays just fine. I do top wrap the strings over the tailpiece, but haven't changed strings since the thread came up about adding an old string end to each string to get the double wrapped part of the strings below where it passes over the tailpiece. I've gone to Ernie Ball coated 11-54s (I think they are called Coated Beefy Slinkys) and drop the tune by a half step. That and the top wrapping helps with bends on the heavier strings. Sorry, I only had about 30 seconds to admire #001 so I can't comment on Joe's set up.

Major Tom to ground control...
  • From: over yonder....in PA
  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 240

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

RICjunkie, what do you mean by adding an old string end to each string? This intrigues me...

"The way I like to look at it is....if that's the last time I ever got to play, I'd better give it everything I've got." -SRV
  • From: The Gates of Delerium
  • Registered: 2008-05-07
  • Posts: 1,412

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

TubeSaturation wrote:

RICjunkie, what do you mean by adding an old string end to each string? This intrigues me...

Check post #16 on this thread:

http://www.jbonamassa.com/forum/viewtop … 37&p=2

Major Tom to ground control...
  • Registered: 2009-10-27
  • Posts: 250

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

Use a string gauge that makes you play your best and for a long time without injuring yourself, sorry I have a hard time believing ears hear a large tonal change from .10's to .11's.  Play what feels best, not because of what others use- heck Jimmy Page plays with .09's.  Sounds like you already know you should get your guitar set-up with .10's - Joe would sound the same with .09's, .10's, .11's, etc.

  • RamiLP
  • Silver Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-11-15
  • Posts: 63

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

^^  +1 on that. i have messed with my guitars for quiet sometime, and i finally found the setup that i like.

i have been using .009" gauge for a while on my LP. i do alot of bending, and i like to play effortlessly sometimes, i have my action set real low, im talkin 3/64"-4/64" at the 12th fret. i top wrap the strings on top of that as well, although i string them right through the TP if i'm being lazy and want to get a string change done real quick.

i do have other guitars with thicker gauge strings as well, my acoustic is strung with 11's although i tend to slap 10's on it sometimes, and i have a Taylor T5 custom, that is always strung with 11 gauge electric guitar strings, i love the way that guitar plays because you can use it as either a full electric guitar or an acoustic guitar, but i tend to find some 2 step bends to be a bit hard on it. but i still keep the 11's on it cause i tried 10's on it once and it sounded like crap when playing it as an acoustic.

on the other hand i used to have an old Tele before i got my les paul, i used to have high action setup on that guitar, because it used to fret out in the higher bends, and i used to swap between 9's or 10's on it depending on how i was feeling that week.

so in the end, try to find the setup that is the most comfortable to you.

its all a matter of principle...

8 Reply by Tripod (edited by Tripod 2010-02-09 08:20:58)

  • Registered: 2009-03-12
  • Posts: 410

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

t92780 wrote:

Use a string gauge that makes you play your best and for a long time without injuring yourself, sorry I have a hard time believing ears hear a large tonal change from .10's to .11's.  Play what feels best, not because of what others use- heck Jimmy Page plays with .09's.  Sounds like you already know you should get your guitar set-up with .10's - Joe would sound the same with .09's, .10's, .11's, etc.



i don't agree.

using 0.11 definitely adds more "body" to what you play.

  • HRJ
  • Platinum
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-03-30
  • Posts: 178

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

Tripod wrote:
t92780 wrote:

Use a string gauge that makes you play your best and for a long time without injuring yourself, sorry I have a hard time believing ears hear a large tonal change from .10's to .11's.  Play what feels best, not because of what others use- heck Jimmy Page plays with .09's.  Sounds like you already know you should get your guitar set-up with .10's - Joe would sound the same with .09's, .10's, .11's, etc.



i don't agree.

using 0.11 definitely adds more "body" to what you play.

Exactly, theres a quite a big difference in tone with different string gauge, i reckon joe would disagree that he would sound the same with 9's. I find theres a big difference between 9s and 11s.

  • From: Missoula, Montana
  • Registered: 2008-08-18
  • Posts: 308

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

std80 wrote:

HI to everyone, this is my first post on this part of the forum.

I would be very pleased to hear how owners of the Joe's signature Les Paul have their guitar setup.  I have kept with the 11-48's , but I find them a bit of a struggle at times.  I also find that I play more freely on my guitars strung with 10's.  I am just wondering if I am missing something in my setup.

I would be very pleased to hear about:

string gauge (of all 6 strings as some sets offer say a 17 rather than an 18 for the 3rd)
string make/model (ie nickel steel or pure nickel)
string height at 12 fret
neck relief dimension at 7th or 9 th fret (please specify)
number of winds and type of winding on string post (ie locking winding)
top wrap - yes/no
tail piece height.

Has anyone had a chance to check out one of Joe's actual guitars to see how it's been setup?

Thank you kindly for your assistance.

Best wishes.

My set up was done for me (I am not that good)

I do use Ernie Ball 11-52 strings, top wrapped. At first it was hard to get used to the big neck and the heavy strings; but I have come to really like both.

Tom

#275 JB LP

tmcguire's Website

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: what's your JBLP setup?

As I've said before, I have one guitar with 11's for experimentation, one with 9's and all the rest have 10's. The jump from 10's to 11's is not as drastic as the jump from 9's to 10's... so 10's is the winner for me.

string gauge 10's
string make/model Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (green package) or DR Pure Blues
number of winds and type of winding on string post: I used to go once around the top and the rest below, now I go all below. I like to get at least 3 wraps around the post.
top wrap - yes
tail piece height: my stopbar/tailpiece is tight to the body

this isn't necessarily for a JBLP (since I don't have one), but it's what I do on my LesPaul and Gibson Explorer.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool