Learn how to set up your Gibson Les Paul guitar with expert guidance at OwningaGibson. Our comprehensive guide on “How to Set Up a Gibson Les Paul Guitar” provides step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to optimize your instrument’s playability, intonation, and action.
This article will discuss seven essential tips for a proper Les Paul. We’ll cover such things as picking up height, neck relief, and pickup polepieces. Also, we’ll go over the wiring on the guitar. Learn the correct way to connect the pickups and the volume control to get a quality tone from your new instrument.
Table of Contents
How to Set Up a Gibson Les Paul
What Does a Guitar Setup Include?

Guitar setup is a process of adjusting the various parts of your guitar. The goal is to get the best performance from your guitar and to ensure that it stays in tune.
A professional setup can include adjusting the bridge height, the truss rod, and the intonation of your guitar.
Setting up your guitar is an essential part of your guitar hobby. It makes it easier to play and can improve your tone. Depending on your playing style, your guitar will require different setups.
When you are learning to play, setting up your guitar yourself is not advisable. You can learn the basics from a music store employee or on the Internet.
However, if you are a regular player, it is recommended that you take your instrument to a professional twice a year for maintenance.
Gibson Les Paul Models Through Time
While some adjustments may be simple and easy, some require expertise and special equipment. These include adjusting the truss rod, the strings’ action, the guitar bridge’s height, and the guitar’s intonation.
The nut is often overlooked during guitar setup. However, it might be time to adjust the nut if you have trouble with volume swells. This is a once-in-a-lifetime procedure and will require moderately expensive tools.
Most guitars are made overseas. This can lead to wear and tear on the guitar. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended that you keep your guitar in good condition.
How To Set Up A Les Paul: 7 Essential Tips
Pickups play a massive role in the sound produced by your Gibson Les Paul guitar. There are several pickup options available. Some of the best options are those that have ceramic magnets and are ideal for modern sound.
Bare Knuckle, Seymour Duncan, and EMG pickups all produce bright, articulate sounds. But you can also use unconventional pickups like humbuckers and ‘humbuckers.’
When setting up a Les Paul, make sure that you use both pickups. You should set up the volume and tone controls to maximum levels.
Adjusting the volume and tone controls separately allows you to tweak your tone to your desired level. Be patient and experiment until you find the tone that suits you best. Have fun! Your Gibson Les Paul will be your favorite instrument, so make the most of it.
Bridge: Many guitarists avoid upgrading the bridge because they’re apprehensive about drilling holes into a quality guitar. But many bridges, tailpieces, tremolos, and tuners are available today.
And while not all parts need upgrading, it can be a rewarding and creative experience.
However, it is essential to know that not every part of a Les Paul guitar needs an upgrade. So, only upgrade those parts that require it. Adding a new bridge or tailpiece will add to its sound.
Les Paul Neck Relief
How do you measure the neck relief on a Gibson Les Paul Guitar? This measurement is subjective but usually about 0.010 – 0.012″ on a geared guitar. A business card is 0.013″ of relief.
To measure the neck relief, place a string of different thicknesses under the lowest fret and measure the distance to the top of the fret. If the relief is too small, the guitar will have a harsh sound, and playing it too tight will produce unpleasant ringing.
Once you have measured the neck relief, it is time to adjust the bridge. While the tremolo bridge may not feel comfortable initially, it is essential to note that the guitar’s tone will be affected.
Proper tremolo bridge balancing requires several tweaks before you get the perfect setup.
Thankfully, it is a relatively straightforward process. Fortunately, a step-by-step guide is available that will make it easy to adjust the bridge and neck relief on your Gibson Les Paul Guitar.
How much neck relief should a Les Paul have?
There are many ways to adjust your Gibson Les Paul guitar to get the best tone and feel for your playing style. The right combination of pickups and string height is the key to achieving the best sound possible.
One way to make sure your Les Paul is up to par is to check your truss rod for accuracy. Incorrect truss rod adjustment can cause your strings to buzz. While this is not a problem with all guitars, getting it in line as soon as possible is a good idea.
Another way to find out what your Gibson is capable of is to see your neck. This process allows you to set the truss rod to the optimal angle. You cannot adjust the truss properly if your guitar is too high or too low.
It would help if you also considered adjusting the bridge saddle radius. The saddle should be set at a downward angle towards the tailpiece. This will allow the strings to bend at a more natural angle.
Check Nuts Height
Before you can tune and set up your guitar, you must check the nuts height on the Gibson Les Paul guitar. This is a crucial step as down pressure will pull the strings closer to the frets.
You can easily adjust the bridge’s height by using the same tools used for cutting nut slots.
The string height should be at least two-thirds of the guitar’s overall height. Once the neck is level, you can proceed with the rest of the guitar’s setup.
This is important because it will affect the action. If the nut is too low, the strings will be held too close to the frets, which may result in a buzzy or choking sound.
On the other hand, if the nut is too high, the strings may lift, causing warbling and other problems.
The string height of a Les Paul guitar is usually one-quarter inch higher than that of a treble-side Gibson. The action of the first string is also one-sixth inch higher than the treble side.
If you don’t see any change in the action, check the bridge and nut heights.
If the action is too high, the bridge must be replaced or the intonation screw adjusted. However, there are some fixes that you can do to improve the action of your Les Paul guitar.
Pickup Polepieces
The different heights of the pickup poles affect the sound of the guitar. For example, a guitar with flat pickup poles will sound thinner than one with staggered poles.
Many guitarists prefer flat pickups, while staggered-pole pickups sound fatter. Gibson guitars feature both types of pickups.
In addition, there are blade-style pickups, which replace individual pole pieces with a single metal bar. These types of pickups are more consistent with string bends. The pickups are made from an alloy of aluminum, nickel, and cobalt (Al-Ni-Co).
Unlike Fender models, Gibson pickup pole pieces are spaced about 1/16″ apart. This is an important distinction since the spacing between the pickups and strings differs on both guitars.
In addition, pickup pole pieces are not oriented in the same direction to produce the same sound. Pickup polepiece spacing is, therefore, an essential consideration for Gibson guitars. If you plan to replace your guitar’s pickups, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to prevent poor sound.
How do I set my Les Paul pickups?
Using a pair of pickups on your Gibson Les Paul can affect the tone and volume of your guitar. The pickups are located on the bridge and neck. Depending on the type of music you play, you may want to adjust the height of one or both.
The bridge pickup is often used for clean tones, while the neck pickup is used for a more powerful sound. You will get the volume and tone you want when you play through both pickups. The pickups are located near the bridge, so they’re easy to adjust.
The Gibson Les Paul Standard is the company’s flagship model. It retains the core construction elements of its earliest ’50s models. Several potentiometers have been used in these guitars over the years.
If you have the skills to solder, swapping potentiometers is easy.
You can also find pickups with ceramic magnets, which tend to have a brighter and more articulate sound. Some companies also produce pickups with a triple stack of humbuckers. These pickups are especially useful for lead guitars.
If you’re not into soldering, you can still try to change the potentiometer value on your Les Paul. You can usually find this information on the potentiometer’s base, and the value is generally stamped on the pot’s side.
Action On The 12th
If you want to play your Gibson Les Paul guitar without any problems, you should be able to adjust the action of the strings easily. Action is measured from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string.
Action should be at least 3/64″ on the low E string and 4/64″ on the high E string. You can adjust the action of your guitar to suit your playing style.
To check the action at the 12th fret of your Gibson Les Paul guitar, ensure the string radius matches the fingerboard radius.
If there is an uneven match between the string and fingerboard radius, the strings will be held closer to the frets. You can use a truss rod adjustment nut to adjust the action, usually 1/4″ brass.
The nut should be a box spanner, but a hex nut may be in a Les Paul copy. You can mark the nut’s position with a CD pen.
You must first adjust the truss rod to change the action at the 12th fret. There are three options to adjust the truss rod: concave, convex, or flat. The convex relief is higher, while the concave one is closer to the player.
The choice depends on your preference, but remember that you should never adjust the truss rod incorrectly because this will result in fret buzz.
Pickup Height

There are many ways to set up the pickup height on a Gibson Les Paul guitar. The pickups should be set about 5/64″ above the string’s height, which can be done using a flathead screwdriver or a side screw.
Then, adjust the height of the strings to achieve a comfortable level. Adjusting the pickup height will help you get the most optimal tone.
The height of the pickups on a Gibson Les Paul guitar is critical to the quality of its tone. The magnetic field of the pickup influences the natural movement of the string. When it is set too high, the magnets are pushed out of tune, and this causes “warbling.”
You must first identify the pickups to adjust the pickup height on a Gibson Les Paul guitar. The pickups are usually between 3/32″ and 1/16″ from the string’s height.
To determine the height of the pickups, fret the low E string at the highest fret and measure the distance between the bottom of the string and the pickup. If you can’t hear the difference, the pickups may be set too high.
What is the best pickup height?
For the neck pickup, the ideal height is a quarter of an inch higher than the string’s string height. On geared guitars, this is about 0.010 – 0.012 inches.
However, there are many different heights. Depending on your preferences and the type of music you are playing, you can adjust the pickups to suit your playing style.
There are two types of pickups on the Gibson Les Paul. The bridge pickup is positioned higher than the neck pickup. This results in a hotter treble tone. In addition, the bridge pickup is a bit more robust.
The perfect pickup height for a Gibson Les Paul is a matter of personal preference. Some guitarists like their pickups a bit lower than others. Others prefer to let the amp do the work.
Regardless of how you decide to adjust your guitar’s height, make sure to take measurements.
Pickups have many effects, from an excellent warm sound to a piercing tone. It is important to note that pickups are not designed to be set up in a way that harms the guitar.
A guitar with a poorly set up pickup can have an uncomfortable sound and can cause tuning problems. Fortunately, there is a simple fix.
Measuring the ideal neck relief is the first step to achieving the best possible pickup height. Using the right lutherie tools, you can measure the exact distance between the fret’s top and the string’s bottom.
If you are lucky enough to have an actual luthier on hand, you can have them help you get the optimal result.
Another trick is to see if you can make the guitar’s bridge and neck equal height. This is tricky, but you may have to unscrew the truss rod cover to achieve the desired result.
Pickups play a vital role in the sound of the Gibson Les Paul guitar. The proper pickup height is essential to ensure you get the best tone.
If your Gibson Les Paul pickups are too high, it can cause warbling and a harsh tone. Lowering the pickup will result in a softer, sweeter sound. Generally, the neck pickup should be one-sixth of an inch higher than the string height.
When you adjust your pickups, you must record your measurements. These are important because your pickups should meet the manufacturer’s specifications. Often, a luthier can help you make adjustments. You should also check for other problems before making any changes.
Strings
You’ll want to invest in the right strings if you’re playing a vintage Les Paul guitar. This guitar’s strings are made of steel and pure nickel and are engineered to reduce ambient noise. That means you’ll get a vintage-style tone accompanied by a studio-quality performance.
The right strings will make your Les Paul sound like a pro! Invest in a Gibson Les Paul guitar string set and hear the difference!
Strings for Gibson Les Paul guitars are a great way to maximize the tone of your instrument. This instrument is renowned for its crunchy attitude, so it is essential to choose the right strings to exploit its potential entirely.
Choose the strings that work best for your guitar’s tone and style. And make sure to pick strings that won’t snap or break easily. The best way to choose the right strings for your Les Paul is to consider its construction and play style.
Nickel-plated strings are the best option for a beginner, and you can upgrade to a cobalt-plated version for a little extra durability.
Nickel-plated strings can be sensitive, so go for the cobalt-plated version if you’re allergic to nickel. Nickel-plated strings are also the most expensive but are often made by Gibson.
Choose the right guitar strings for your Gibson Les Paul, and you’ll play a great gig.
There are many different strings available for your Les Paul. We will help you to find the best strings for Les Paul models.
Which adjustments for my guitar may require a professional setup?
Although most guitars leave the factory ready to play, some adjustments may require a professional setup. A nut height adjustment is one such adjustment that requires a professional setup. New guitars can skip this step.
If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, you can ask a professional guitar repair shop to do it for you. But remember that this procedure may be risky. This procedure requires specialized tools and can damage your guitar.
The setup process involves adjusting certain vital areas of your guitar. The neck and saddle should be in tune with each other, and the action should be finely balanced. This process will help eliminate buzzing strings and reduce action buzzing.
A properly adjusted guitar will also improve the tone and playability of your guitar. Getting a professional setup can make a world of difference. In addition to the basic adjustment, a guitar’s setup includes the tremolo and bridge.
You may need to adjust the stop tailpiece. Original stop tailpieces are made of zinc, but some players claim that aluminum stop tailpieces add woody tonality. Some players also claim that zinc stop tailpieces have better sustain and bass.
Both types of stop tailpieces are relatively inexpensive, with the aluminum stop tailpiece costing only around PS30. In addition, tone capacitors do not change the volume and tone controls when turned fully up. However, they change the frequency of ll-off.
How do you set the action on Les Paul?
Whether you’re new to playing the guitar or are simply looking for a unique sound, you’ll need to know how to set the action on a Gibson Les Paul. Fortunately, the process is pretty simple.
You can use your fingers to measure how far apart the top of the fret and the bottom of the string is, or you can use a piece of paper.
The first step to adjusting the action on a Gibson Les Paul is to get the neck to level. If the neck is too steep or flat, you’ll have problems with string action.
You can get the neck leveled using a truss rod, a steel rod attached to the affected nut height that can also affect the action.
It would be best to have a nut one-sixth higher than the string height on the guitar. The nut can also be made flatter, which will improve the tone.
The action on a Gibson Les Paul-style guitar is measured by observing the gap between the top of the fret and the bottom of a string at the eighth fret. You can use a piece of paper or a feeler gauge.
A business card is about 13 thousandths of an inch thick, so the correct nut height is about 0.013 inches.
How high should the action be on a Les Paul?
A guitar’s action can vary depending on the type of guitar it is, how it is played, and how it is adjusted. You might opt for high action if you play blues and want a slinky tone. However, a low action would be suited for a lighter touch.
A good nut is also a must for a guitar. Generally, the nut on a Gibson Les Paul should be at least one-sixth higher than the height of the string. This will help prevent a buzzy sound.
Another critical factor in determining the action of a guitar is the bridge. This can be adjusted to create a higher or lower tone. You can do this by unscrewing the truss rod cover and adjusting the rod in quarter turns.
Another thing to consider is neck relief. This can be set straight or concave. Concave relief is more favorable.
Finally, if you are using a pickup, you must ensure it is set up correctly. Too much pickup height can push the magnets out of tune, warbling and ringing.
How do you measure the action on a Les Paul?
If you want to know how to measure the action on a Gibson Les Paul guitar, you can use a piece of paper.
It is important to note that a higher action will yield a better tone. But if you play it too tight, you may experience unpleasant ringing or buzzing. So, it would be best if you were patient when experimenting with the tone on your guitar.
First, you’ll need to set the height of the bridge. This is done by adjusting the truss rod. The truss rod is a steel rod attached to the guitar’s neck.
To adjust the truss rod, you should unscrew the truss rod cover and turn the rod with the appropriate Allen key.
In addition, you will need to ensure that the strings are not too close to the frets. You must measure halfway along the neck using a string or a makeshift gauge.
Once you have a good measurement, you can use the same method to find the distance between the string and the fret. You can also use a piece of paper or a pick. These are less accurate, but they can still give you some idea of the gap.
What are the four dials on a Les Paul?
Using the four dials on a Gibson Les Paul guitar can make a big difference in how the guitar sounds. The four dials include volume and tone knobs, a pickup selector, and a three-way toggle switch. Depending on the guitar model, each control is located in different positions.
The volume knob determines the amount of volar that can produce. It should not be turned up. It’s best to keep it at a level that doesn’t make the guitar sound distorted. High volumes can also produce noise when playing recordings.
The tone knob is used to adjust the high and low frequencies. This helps to make the guitar sound warmer and brighter. It does not affect the lower-end (“bass”) frequencies.
A lower tone setting reduces the number of treble frequencies and makes the bass sound clear. A higher tone setting increases the number of treble frequencies and makes it sound brighter.
A pickup selector allows you to choose which pickup you want to use. This can be done by using the middle position. This position blends the sounds of both pickups.
The bridge pickup is typically used for lead guitar. The neck pickup is generally used for rhythm.
How Much Should I Pay For a Gibson Les Paul Guitar Setup?
Generally, you’ll pay between $50 and $100 for a basic setup.
The cost of a simple electric guitar setup will be less than that of a complex acoustic setup. That includes changing strings, adjusting the truss rod, and polishing the frets.

A guitar setup is a big deal. It can affect how your guitar sounds and how well you play it. And while a guitar setup doesn’t always come cheap, it can save you money.
The price of a professional setup can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on the size and complexity of the work.
However, most musical instrument stores will have at least one person to perform this work.
A guitar that is out of tune will sound awful. You’ll be hard-pressed to play it, so you’ll want to find a way to correct it.
Having a professional do the job for you is a good idea because you’ll know about problems before they worsen.
Although a guitar is made of solid wood, it is also under strain from strong metal strings. This tension will cause various effects, from a buzz to a hump.
So it’s no wonder a guitar’s sound combines its source material and how the player uses it.
The best time for a guitar setup is during the winter months. Having a few days off school or work is expected during this time.