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sizzlingbadger wrote:Might be just the photo angle but the bridge pickup looks a long way from the strings, maybe that's why it sounds weak.

robthemac wrote:Speaking from the experience of setting up Jim's old LP Traditional, it might be different with some pickup height adjustment. He had it playing beautifully, but the bridge pickup was sitting quite low (and the neck a little high). A few tweaks gave the bridge pickup more grunt and the neck pickup more headroom.

Okay, here's a few pics of how they're currently set, hopefully this will show the height a little better

NECK




BRIDGE






Both the neck & bridge pickups are very slightly tilted upwards towards the high E. Appreciate any feedback

You'll definitely get more feedback if you raise them!!

I don't have any experience with these pickups but from my experience with LP's I would drop that neck pickup slightly and raise the bridge slightly. I would also raise the poles on the bridge pickup so they are just above the cover. This is just a visual observation and we all have different tastes so don't read too much into this.

BTW.. Turning the neck pickup around doesn't really have much effect.

sizzlingbadger wrote: BTW.. Turning the neck pickup around doesn't really have much effect.

Yes its just a visual thing

Also (being a Les Paul expert), turn the tailpiece around the proper way so you get a decent break angle over the bridge for better string tension.

And put the matching knobs back!

Some of you's other fullas should swap gear and do some reviews. It's fun!

Conway wrote:Also (being a Les Paul expert), turn the tailpiece around the proper way so you get a decent break angle over the bridge for better string tension.

I’ve never seen a tailpiece around the other way on a Les Paul? I could probably get a better angle from lowering it closer to the body, did notice that all of Matt’s LP’s were pretty much flush to the body. But I kinda like the setup how it is and the string tension is how I like it

I mean put the strings through the other way around.

Conway wrote:I mean put the strings through the other way around.

Ah gotcha. I’ve always top wrapped but can’t completely remember why. Something to do with improving tone or sustain, or something along those lines

Mini Forklift Ⓥ wrote:

Conway wrote:I mean put the strings through the other way around.

Ah gotcha. I’ve always top wrapped but can’t completely remember why. Something to do with improving tone or sustain, or something along those lines

I can’t see how that would do either of those things. I would’ve thought quite the opposite actually.

A comment on pickups...

I became a big fan of Tokai when I got my first good one about 15 years back.
At one stage I had two LS80 models, numbers dated 1981 and about 3 months apart.
The could not have been more different!
The black one which I have kept came with stock pickups. I never liked the neck pickup. Too “thick”. Not quite muddy but no bite like an LP custom can have. The body is very heavy with a huge amount of resonance/sustain.
The gold one I got later was much lighter, tonally very articulate and fitted SD Antiquities. They were a great match for the guitar.
Going back to the blackie, I went through a bunch of pickups to try and find that perfect blend of the best features from both guitars. Sustain and articulation.
Antiquities were really good but finally acquired a total of three vintage Gibson T-tops. A couple from GrantB and another from a long gone forum member.
Not sure what or why they work but they sound powerful when needed, delicate when rolled back and the neck in particular doesn’t clag up like a lot of the LP copies I’ve tried do.

Conclusion... if the body provides a good enough base, dabbling with pickups can get you real close to (maybe even beyond) a really good Gibby without the huge expense.

Conway wrote:

Mini Forklift Ⓥ wrote:

Conway wrote:I mean put the strings through the other way around.

Ah gotcha. I’ve always top wrapped but can’t completely remember why. Something to do with improving tone or sustain, or something along those lines

I can’t see how that would do either of those things. I would’ve thought quite the opposite actually.

Sometimes if you screw the tailpiece all the way down the strings have too much break angle and hit the back of the bridge. Top wrapping avoids this but still allows you to have the tailpiece all the way down.

TBH I started top wrapping after I found out it was something that Duane Allman used to do with his LP’s. Initially for me the main benefit was that it made the heavier gauge strings feel a little bit easier to play with regards to bending, vibrato etc

Mini Forklift Ⓥ wrote:TBH I started top wrapping after I found out it was something that Duane Allman used to do with his LP’s. Initially for me the main benefit was that it made the heavier gauge strings feel a little bit easier to play with regards to bending, vibrato etc

Plus you can do what you bloody well want to