LP Special Lightning Bar

[Jonathan Hands]

This is my first post here, but I have read many threads here, so I figured I should post my own experience with the Epiphone LP Special TV Yellow, 2020 model.
Well, I hadn't bought an epi since 1072, when I scored a 68 Riviera. I wanted a 335, but in the store I was in, there was a beautiful Riviera, next to a 335, but for $350, compared to about six hundred for the Gibson. Anyway, it was my main electric for many years.
Now this last January I saw the NAAM release of the Inspired by Gibson line and thought the yellow Special looked nice. After a string change up to elevens, it was great! I love the p90s, neck and frets and pots are great. Well, innocently enough I thought I would get one the intonatable bridges that I'd read about, so I could get exact intonation. I bought the StewMac version for $62. To my surprise it had this sitar like sound coming from the high e. No amount of tweaks on the truss rod could eliminate it. I lowered and raised the bridge, consulted StewMac, and was told this was common and to file down the angle on the nut a little. So, long story short, I cut the strings off and put the original Epiphone piece back on. Instantly the sitar sound was gone, I lowered it a little to get decent but not great height up past the 10th fret. So, I am going to try to be satisfied with this arrangement. I've read the one piece Tone Pros aluminum is also very good. Any thoughts you folks have would be appreciated. This is only my second Les Paul and my first with a wraparound bridge and p90s. My other was a Heritage and I loved it until my cat knocked it over and snapped off the headstock. It never felt the same sadly. But now I am digging the fat neck and pickups of the Special. It's become my favorite guitar over my Strat, Squire Cv 50s Tele, old vintage Starfire lll and a couple Ibanez older artstars. Thanks Jonny H

 

[BGood]

That Stewmac bridge is the worst design ever.

My 2020 Special has perfect intonation and low action. You have a great guitar in your hands. Make it better perfect by going to a luthier or a good tech. Ask around for the best one. You will not regret it, money well invested.

 

[Steven Westberg]

This is my first post here, but I have read many threads here, so I figured I should post my own experience with the Epiphone LP Special TV Yellow, 2020 model.
Well, I hadn't bought an epi since 1072, when I scored a 68 Riviera. I wanted a 335, but in the store I was in, there was a beautiful Riviera, next to a 335, but for $350, compared to about six hundred for the Gibson. Anyway, it was my main electric for many years.
Now this last January I saw the NAAM release of the Inspired by Gibson line and thought the yellow Special looked nice. After a string change up to elevens, it was great! I love the p90s, neck and frets and pots are great. Well, innocently enough I thought I would get one the intonatable bridges that I'd read about, so I could get exact intonation. I bought the StewMac version for $62. To my surprise it had this sitar like sound coming from the high e. No amount of tweaks on the truss rod could eliminate it. I lowered and raised the bridge, consulted StewMac, and was told this was common and to file down the angle on the nut a little. So, long story short, I cut the strings off and put the original Epiphone piece back on. Instantly the sitar sound was gone, I lowered it a little to get decent but not great height up past the 10th fret. So, I am going to try to be satisfied with this arrangement. I've read the one piece Tone Pros aluminum is also very good. Any thoughts you folks have would be appreciated. This is only my second Les Paul and my first with a wraparound bridge and p90s. My other was a Heritage and I loved it until my cat knocked it over and snapped off the headstock. It never felt the same sadly. But now I am digging the fat neck and pickups of the Special. It's become my favorite guitar over my Strat, Squire Cv 50s Tele, old vintage Starfire lll and a couple Ibanez older artstars. Thanks Jonny H

I just put a British Vanson bridge on my TV yellow.
It works good! It was reasonably priced too. Nice and chromey.

 

[Raiyn]

@Paruwi We got another one looking for your wraptail expertise.

 

[Paruwi]

I bought the StewMac version for $62.

this Gotoh 510UB is not much more $ - though works perfect

 

[Alex73013]

Sounds like you should get a precision ruler and feeler gauge and follow Gibson setup guide or something similar and go from there. You should be able to get a great setup on the guitar to make it play really smooth. I have the same guitar. The only issue mine had is it had a high fret I had to spot level on the high B and E to alleviate buzz. The frets aren’t as level as my Gretsch Electromatic Jet but there’s no buzzing or fretting out. The stock bridge intonates reasonably well except I play with wound G so that one’s a tad off. I also had to file the nut slots to accommodate the Jazz light 12-52 string set but I think the stock 10 gauge strings sat well in the nut when in stock setup. I also changed the wiring to 50’s wiring.

That Gotoh bridge above may be my next mod so I can get my wound G better intonated.

 

[Jonathan Hands]

I put the stock bridge back on to see if the sitar sound coming from the high e, at the nut would disappear. It did! But in my search for new and better wraparounds, I ordered a Tone Pros, which has a one piece bar, that is asymmetrical on the horizontal axis. It hasn't arrived yet but when it does, I'll swap it out, consult the Gibson setup details, get out my set of feeler gauges, and go from there. It should be fine, I think. I'm trying to stay away from adjusting the truss rod, if possible. The neck looks fine, with a small amount of relief, as was set at the factory.

 

[BGood]

I'm trying to stay away from adjusting the truss rod, if possible. The neck looks fine, with a small amount of relief, as was set at the factory.

I sent you a message about tuning up that beauty ... which we haven't seen yet

 

[Raiyn]

I'll swap it out, consult the Gibson setup details, get out my set of feeler gauges, and go from there. It should be fine, I think. I'm trying to stay away from adjusting the truss rod, if possible. The neck looks fine, with a small amount of relief, as was set at the factory.

The truss rod is the single EASIEST adjustment on the guitar and the only one that needs to be done regularly based on season. It's a 4mm Allen that you need to adjust maybe a 1/8 to a 1/2 turn one way or the other based on humidity. It's when it isn't adjusted regularly that things get screwed up. Do consult the Gibson set up guide, do NOT attempt to set it up without doing measurements. Adjusting your guitar "using the Force" is a recipe for disaster if you don't know what the **** you're doing.

 

[Supersonic]

I'm trying to stay away from adjusting the truss rod, if possible.

No reason to be nervous if you need to adjust it. That's why they include a truss rod wrench when you buy a new guitar. Just don't go crazy with it. Like Raiyn said, measure first and then if need be just turn a very small amount at a time. Then let it rest for a bit, re-tune, and check again. Always get the neck relief set correctly first before you get into the other stuff.

Oh, and always check everything in playing position, not when it's laying flat. Because gravity.

 

[Raiyn]

, and always check everything in playing position, not when it's laying flat. Because gravity.

Really doesn't make any difference using feeler gauges.

 

[Supersonic]

Really doesn't make any difference using feeler gauges.

Then you gotta send me a link to these magic, physics-defying feeler gauges you have because that's just not true.

 

[Raiyn]

Then you gotta send me a link to these magic, physics-defying feeler gauges you have because that's just not true.

If your measurements move the much from bench to upright, you've got bigger problems than a feeler gauge. You wanna use a ruler or something, move it to where the best light is (usually playing position) but don't tell me that "gravity" is changing your measurements when all you're doing is getting a better angle.

 

[Supersonic]

If your measurements move the much from bench to upright, you've got bigger problems than a feeler gauge. You wanna use a ruler or something, move it to where the best light is (usually playing position) but don't tell me that "gravity" is changing your measurements when all you're doing is getting a better angle.

You would argue with someone if they told you the sky was blue.

 

[Raiyn]

You would argue with someone if they told you the sky was blue.

Only at night, or if there was some weird atmospheric condition.