This Is Not A Gibson Problem
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#Gibson #Problem
Originally posted by UCUMBIYslSt3wQgJwWrDP5dQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx20kDrIGZU
what tool is that i don't have my glasses on ???? seriously
I’d expect to have to take my Gibson to a tech maybe once every 3-4 years living in the uk.
Epiphone do the same thing every new guitar has an awful blocky nut.
Would it hurt if you just requested your setup preference and they delivered.
( Gibson that is )
For the price you’re paying they should deliver the guitar how you want it.
Failing that most players would lean to something on the lower side not on the higher side.
Having to swap parts on these is a joke as well everything should be premium and change so only occur because the player really wants a certain sound from the pick ups or a particular type of tuners they’ve always used not because they’ve put some cheap parts on.
Do better Gibson
Sounds so good! I would like one of these but with two pickups.
Set up is quite dependent on the player, there are other parameters that can cause necessity of a different setup for a player based on silly things like how hard that persons strum is… For me a lower action is problematic because I get a lot of fret buzz with a low setup… one like you are describing…
The second time you measured, you were measuring from the 13th fret. How does that work out.
great vid Dylan
I swapped my original bridge on my LP Special for the lightning bridge and found that I had to adjust the screws way too far out. The bridge felt like it was going to fold forwards over the studs. Maybe the studs were drilled too close, but it just wouldn't work. Later I found the Faber TPWC which has the breaking point further down so that it doesn't need to be adjusted so far away from the studs. Big improvement in overall fit, feel, and intonation.
I love that guitar. I have a kit SG in the works and I may do it as a single/Junior…w/the world's best P90 of course.
Man I wish I had this vid 15 years ago great job
We assume a Gibson will be set up already.
It's a shame you didn't demo how your nut adjuster works. Feeler guages work by feel rather than sight and they do work well. It looks like you're adjusting intonation with string tension, which is likely to strip your adjustment grub screw threads in your bridge (esp if alu) . Nut adjustment matters far more for open chords than it does when playing further up the neck – because of trig. How can you adjust intonation with a tape measure when your bridge clearly shows different fixed positions for each string? If done properly, you can measure the difference the new bridge made in cents, which is prob why you didn't. Intonation on those fixed bridges is a compromise between all the strings. Try watching more twoodfrd!
I wish Gibson had a version of the Ibanez short stop II. Prs has one now and it is such a huge improvement over a tom or a wrap around with Tom like saddles.
Definitely agree with pretty much everything you mentioned as well Dylan, that initial setup is certainly key ???? if you’re out somewhere else your intonation will be as well. Using those tools to do this is ‘right’ is a good idea, even though the proper files and gauges get costly in the long run they’ll return that extra money you spent. Saving you a hell of a lot of time and the end product of your set up will be spot on.
A well set up Gibson Special plays like a dream, I love both of the ones I currently own.
I own two Gibson Specials and I went down this rabbit hole, two things I thought I’d mention to save some grief for anyone else. If you pic with a fairly heavy hand ( like I do usually ) be very careful when filing those nut slots down and particularly on the D and G strings. I’ve found I leave a hair more on the slot before taking them down all the way because there’s a good chance you’ll get some fret buzz when hitting those two strings open and it can be pretty annoying.
On my two I finally went with the bridge made by John Mahn, it’s a pretty expensive bridge however I found them to be just fantastic. They do look like PRS style bridges though so if that ‘look’ Will bother you then obviously don’t get one but they really are exceptionally nice. Spot on intonation, no harsh metal feel if you rest the heal of your hand on it either.
Lastly, I’ll mention this too honestly… if your Special is equipped with the factory OEM bridge ( The SG or the Les Paul Special – they are indeed different, the Les Paul is simply an arched piece of aluminum with no intonation ledges for the strings however that one is mo-muted to the body at an angle where the SG bridge is just mounted straight hence having the other style bridge. ) I’d just leave that one, it’s an expensive endeavor and the intonation using them even if not ‘bang-on’ it’s damn close enough lol.
Gibson quality: requiring a tech to make your new $2.5k guitar play right
????????????
Great video. I'm actually really happy to hear that the way I've been setting up my guitars is correct.
I'm learning to spot high frets and get them level. Have to take care and measure constantly to get a proud fret in line with its siblings, but it's great when you find the buzzer or choker and subdue it! I just use a fret rocker and Sharpie to find and mark the offender. Then masking tape, flat jeweller file, fret crowning file, and 3000-grit to polish. I notice pro 'luthiers' have about ZERO interest in this kind of repair even though you'll pay them for it. So why bother with them? Also, it's done in an evening!
I honestly think as long as your neck angle is right, first 3 frets are level, nut height is the first step, then neck relief, then fine tune the action, and intonation is the very last step in a good setup
Because you fell in love with it. It's all you needed.
What is the measurement tool for nut string height?
I seem to recall when you bought this guitar you spoke about the nut height and explained that Gibson does this intentionally because every player is different and it is part of the setup after a new guitar is purchased? Or do I recall incorrectly???
People like to argue over the stemac tool cause of price, but it is definitely better than feeler gauges. I've lost count of how many guitars I own, why would I quibble over a few extra bucks for a tool to get my setups bang on?
man I'm not trying to talk smack but it kind of seems like my guy is huffing some real strong copium. I have only had a guitar be off at the nut so bad to pull it out of tune 1 time and I have had tons of guitars from different brands. the guitar that was off was used and had a nut replaced by an idiot. the guitar needing a truss rod adjust I understand but if you bring that to proper relief and the bridge/ nut are high or super string buzzy that is kind of shitty man. I guess that is just my opinion, but I have had a very different experience with my guitars some as low as 200 most costing around 1000 to 1500 bucks.
Hatred for the 2015 Gibsons was so over the top, that most guitarists failed to understand just how brilliant an innovation the adjustable zero fret nuts actually were. Those adjustable nuts should have become widely adopted as a standard fitting by the entire guitar industry.
Gorgeous guitar
What are ya saying….I can’t see 1 thousands of an inch. Oh yeah, I’m old I can’t. It hurts, just a little.
The BEST tailpiece for these are made by Music City Bridge….bar none.
Try a Music City Bridge . . i think its the savoy . . works perfectly
I strongly believe that nut height, neck relief and intonation is something that should be done by the end user on every single guitar, new or old, regardless of the price. There's too much at play for these manufacturers to "get it right" from the factory. Everyone has different preferences with string gauges, string height, relief etc. The manufacturers have an obligation to set things up at a good starting point and that is it.
SG juniors are pain, sorry but yours sounds out of tune too, I tune by ear, but thats why I dont like SGs stupid design in my mind, I ment SG juniors without adjustable bridge @Dylan if it not intonated good how do you solve it? I see no way of doing it
I understand why you concluded that the replacement tailpiece helped, however, you did violate one of my primary principles — Only change 1 thing at a time! I get that it wasn’t your intention, but you have no real reason to conclude that both ends of your strings needed fixing. Glad you ended up with an improvement, but it appears that the nut slot adjustment was the real answer.. I personally haven’t had any issues with Lightning Tailpiece, but i have had the same nut height issues.. Have a Merry Christmas and a great 2025..
I thought it was gonna be a neck dive video, and say it cant because its just a bridge p90 ????
At a certain point, after all the adjusting, fixing, modding, praying, etc, just to get the thing to play in tune, you start to realize that you should’ve bought a tele ????????♂️
A correctly cut nut is worth having…. makes the playing experience better / easier / more in tune. Once you have it done to a guitar with a poorly cut / slots too high, you'll have it done to all of your guitars. Makes a diff….
How wouldnt a faulty bridge design be gibsons fault? Its theirs
I'm not trying to be a jerk I didn't even know you're supposed to check in nut heights. I just didn't know.
Good Evening,
Of course, this question is for anyone to respond to.
Why would someone purchase a guitar with one pickup when for the cost of "a few bucks more" you could have one with two pickups?
Thank you.
Great reminder about the order of setting up a guitar. Thanks Dylan
So the people at Gibson couldn't be bothered to cut the nut properly not but a decent bridge on a $2000 guitar, yet Dylan swears they did nothing wrong. Too much of a Gibson apologist these days.
There's no reason Gibson can't fix their tailpiece's intonation issue.
3mm is a lot when most makers are sending them out with 2mm at the 12th these days. I'm with Tim Piece on the relief thing – I want my neck flat. But to each their own.
My daughter loves your SG Jr. She's really into dogear P-90s. We didn't hit the lottery so she's making do with an Epiphone SG with the soapbar P-90s we got her for her birthday.
Great vid as always!
why is the bridge not angled like on most gibsons?
Keep it simple. The nut height is based off the fret height. Generally about .004 bump up is ideal. Beyond that both the intonation and playability of the instrument suffers.
A day late Dylan! (Ha!). I was setting up one of my guitars that just had way too high action. Made adjustments from relief to saddle height, etc. nut was pretty close to perfect (absolutely not enough to chance over cutting on one stroke of file), but certain frets just choked/ hard buzz on E and A. Lost my mind, even after adjusting crappier action than I started. Worried I needed to fret level. Changed strings and started over. Perfection. Mind boggled looked at old strings, damaged near dead frets!…. New Strings First, then TRAIN. Let rest and check train again.
“The nut is the heart of the guitar.”
60 watching, only 19 likes…..seriously?