Stringing up an ES-225

JezWynd

Recently found a pair of the bridge height adjuster 'legs' for my ES-225. (when I bought it, it had a couple of bridge height wheels, which worked fine). I'm uncertain how I should string this up, should the strings fit over or under the bridge? With the strings going over the bridge, I can get an action of 2.75mm at 12th fret with the adjuster wheels at minimum height. If I were to under string then I imagine I could get a much lower action. I wonder if this was the reason a previous owner changed to the jerry built assembly, as I could get it down to 1.5mm with this system.

I recall reading the original LP's were under strung, is this the correct way to set up the 225? How would under stringing affect play? I'm imagining that the whole assembly might have a tendency to pull up away from top and would require wrist to restrain it.

ICBM

It's strung correctly like that - the Les Paul arrangement was a bodge because they made them with the wrong neck angle.

What are the relief and nut height like? Have the frets been dressed heavily?

JezWynd

ICBM said:

It's strung correctly like that - the Les Paul arrangement was a bodge because they made them with the wrong neck angle.

What are the relief and nut height like? Have the frets been dressed heavily?

Neck relief is fine, I’ve just restrung with 11-50 half rounds and it looks dead straight. Nut could be taken down a little, poss 0.60mm on low E, 0.40mm in high E. Frets are quite low and flat topped, I guess that could be the problem? Hard to photo but...

ICBM

No, they're not low enough for it to be the main problem. Looks like the neck angle must just be a bit too flat.

Frustrating, since it's so close... I would say you'd probably be OK if you could get it down to 2mm and the nut as low as possible.

I've seen a couple of these where the bridge had been filed on the bottom at the ends so it will sit lower on the wheels, that might be your best option.

JezWynd

Thanks @ICBM, that sounds like an excellent solution (and one that wouldn’t have occurred to me!). I’ll give it a go. If I were to get it refretted, would the fretboard binding have to be removed or altered at all?

ICBM

JezWynd said:

Thanks @ICBM, that sounds like an excellent solution (and one that wouldn’t have occurred to me!). I’ll give it a go. If I were to get it refretted, would the fretboard binding have to be removed or altered at all?

Not if someone who knows what they're doing does it.

I think it's been done already, in fact - there don't appear to be much in the way of 'nibs' on it.