Category Archives: Blog

Les Paul String/Action Height and Pickup Height – Factory Settings

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Les Paul Setup

Neck Relief

1957 Les Paul Goldtop

To check neck relief: fret the low E at the first and 15th fret (not 12th) reach to the 7th fret and tap string. There should be a small space between string and fret – no thicker than a piece of paper. Do the same with the high E.

Action

Fret low E at first fret and measure the distance from the bottom of the to the top of the 15th fret. It should be 5/64″. Do the same with the high E, measurement should be 3/64″. Now measure the string height at the nut; underside of the string to the top of the fret. Low E and A should measure 2/64″, D and G =1.5/64″ and B and high E = 1/64″. If string height at nut is correct, recheck string height at 12th fret with strings open. Measurement for low and high E’s should be the same as measurement taken at the 15th.

Pickup Height

Fret low E at 22nd fret and measure pickup height from underside of string to point on pickup closest to string. Bridge pickup should be 3/64″ (I think the 3/64″ is a typo, it should be 3/32″) , neck pickup should be 4/32″. Fret high E at 22nd fret, distance for both pickups should be 3/32″.

Play Test

Play every string at every fret checking for buzzes. Bend High E string 1 and 1/2 steps, beginning at the sixth fret and ending at 22nd, checking for “choking” and to make sure string stays in nut notch.

Repairing and Restoring an Alesis Quadraverb/GT LCD Display

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NOTE: Use at your own risk. Author is not liable or responsible for mishaps.

This is a re-post from http:/www.johanforrer.net/Guitars/QuadraverbFix.html as this site is no longer available

–UPDATE–(December 2010)–
Since I wrote this article, many repaired LCD displays have found their way into Quads all over the world. I am grateful to all that took the time to write to me about their experiences — am pleased to hear the material was useful.

PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE DISPLAYS AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

The Alesis Quadraverb is one of my favorite guitar effects units. These vintage units regularly show up on eBay, often listed in “AS IS” condition with the LCD display being dead or erratic. Nowadays, replacement LCDs are hard to come by, probably cost more than the Quadraverb is worth.

Here is how I fixed my broken display.

After reading various discussions on lists regarding replacing these LCD displays, it was evident that almost any 2×16 LCD module that followed the HD44780 LCD controller protocol would work. However, most OEM LCD modules has a 14-pin (or 16-pin) inline connector instead of the 14 pin header found on the stock module. This is an eazy fix as its just a matter of reworking the Quadraverb connection to the LCD.

I did a search for a suitable LCD module, something that looked like a good physical fit, a greenish/yellow backlight, and inexpensive. The KEST 1602A-01 LCD display available from All Electronics (www.allelectronics.com, CAT# LCD-120) looked like a good prospect. I believe these are all gone by now, but there are several available on eBay (search for “16×2 LCD”). Just check that it is HD44780 compatible and the size of the module is something like “80 x 36 x 13.5mm”. You’ll have choices for color preference. Also make sure about how to power the backlight. Ideally you’ll want something that will work off 5V. Some backlights will need an external resistor to regulate the backlight current to manufacturer’s spec. If you are not careful about this, the backlight might have a very short life!

Note the 1602A is slightly smaller than the stock module, however, loosening the LCD fixing screws on the Quadraverb panel just slightly, allows the 1602A module to fit snugly in position. While you are at it, using small fiber washers on the screws will help tighten the display in position. A dab of glue on the screws holds the module in place permanently.

Reworking the electrical connection is fairly straight forward. There are two ways to do this; either cut off the connector at the display side and solder the ends to the new LCD, or make up a transition cable. For more on how to directly wire the display, see the note at the end of this page.

I made up a transition connection using a short piece of 14-way ribbon cable and attached a 14-pin female IDC header at one end.

TO avoid a lot of confusion: NOTE THE IDC HEADER ORIENTATION. AS SHOWN, START COUNTING FROM THE BLUE STRIPE SIDE OF THE RIBBON CABLE … that will be wire #1. Wire #2 will lay next to it and so on. Strip and tin the other end of the transitional 14-way ribbon cable wire ends as these need to be soldered to the 1602A module. 

Solder the 14-way ribbon as follows (check your work wiring with an ohm meter).

IDC-end —– LCD-end
————————–
2 ……………….. 1 (GND)…[NOTE POLARITY SWITCH!!]
1 ……………….. 2 (+5V)….[NOTE POLARITY SWITCH!!]
3 ……………….. 3 leave unconnected (see backlight wiring below)
4 ……………….. 4 (R/S)
5 ……………….. 5 (R/W)
6 ……………….. 6 (E)
7 ……………….. 7 (D0)
8 ……………….. 8 (D1)
9 ……………….. 9 (D2)
10 ……………..10 (D3)
11 ……………..11 (D4)
12 ……………..12 (D5)
13 ……………..13 (D6)
14 ……………..14 (D7)
— ……………..15 backlight, connect to +5V (pin 2 above)
— ……………..16 Backlight, connect to GND (pin 1 above)

Finish off the backlight wiring at the 1602A module (you are sure about power requirements for the backlight. Yes??): Wire +5V (pin 2, LCD) to pin 15 (backlight), and GND (pin 1, LCD) to pin 16 (backlight). Note the 1602A module has a built-in series resistor to accomodate a 5V supply. No external current-limiting resistor is needed for this particular LCD module.
On my pictures, these wires for the backlight is actually on the display-side of the module and not visible on the picture.

One final bit of wiring to set the contrast of the 1602A: Connect the ends of a 20K trimpot to LCD pins 1 and 2 respectively, the wiper goes to LCD pin 3. I used a 3/8″ square pot and soldered the legs directly to the LCD. Besure that the trimpot does not interfere with the covers or other nearby components or wiring. Alternatively, connect a 1N4148 diode between pins 1 and 3 (the diode’s ring/stripe end goes to pin 1).

Install the 1602A replacement LCD module and put a dab of glue on the screw heads.

Now there are two female 14-pin headers, one from the Quadraverb side, the other from the replacement LCD. Snap off a piece of 0.1″-pitch, double-header stock (14-pins worth) and use it to interconnect the two 14-pin IDC headers.

NOTE: The Quadraverb’s ribbon cable is a bit unconventional: the red stripe side and the alignment notch on the IDC header are opposite to usual convention. The Quadraverb cable has pin 1 (5V) and 2 (GND) on the opposite side to the red stripe. Be sure to align the LCD header correctly .

Power up the Quadraverb. If you installed a contrast trimpot, adjust for best contrast. Otherwise, for the diode modification, contrast should be good to go.

NOTE: Wiring the replacement display directly:
As mentioned above, the new display can be wired directly to the ribbon cable coming off the Quad PCB to the display. This requres swapping all odd and even-numbered wires. For example wires #1,2 goes to LCD pins 2,1 … wires #3,4 goes to LCD pins 4,3 and so on. The power connections to the backlight remains as above, i.e., LCD pin 1->16 and 2->15. Just ensure your backlight works off 5V, else you will need to determine a proper-valued series dropper resistor.

A final note: Judging from the scratches on the covers of my unit, it has seen a fair share of handling. I stripped all the paint and resprayed with Crylon black “Textured Shimmer” aerosol paint. Looks respectable and sounds great.

Good Luck!

Essex Wedding DJ

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If your in the need for a professional wedding DJ, then please check out Essex Wedding DJ. With over 12 years experience as a resident DJ at one of Essex’s finest hotels, The Orsett Hall, Essex Wedding DJ  have been entrusted to provide quality DJ services for weddings and functions for The Orsett Hall, Laingdon Hills Golf club as well as many venues through out Thurrock, Essex, London and Herts.

London to Southend Bike Ride 2012

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15th July 2012 – London to Southend Bike Ride

After training for months, the time finally came to ride the 52 miles from Victoria Park, London to Priory Park, Southend. It started well and I was up at 4.30am (alarm set for 5am and 5.30am but just kept waking up). I had some breakfast, showered and was ready to go. The train was at 6.54am so I’d left home at 6.10am, cycled down to the station and waited for Gary Jones and Paul Heasley to join me.

I’d got chatting to another guy waiting at the station for the train too with his bike, when I suddenly realised I’d left the second most important piece of equipment at home – my water bottles. So I phoned Laura and she very kindly brought them down to the station, after getting a not so pleased Adam out of bed.

We got on the train and was chatting to a few guys, one guy in particular we were talking to, had his bike on the train, but was actually going home after a night shift and had no intention of cycling from London to Southend… 🙂

We planned to get out at West Ham and follow other cyclist in the vane hope that there would be other people getting off and cycling to Victoria Park. Fortunately there were, and there wasn’t just a pack of cyclist following some random fellow home. It was actually a pretty fast pace to the start as we tried keeping up…

We got to Victoria Park and it was pretty relaxed, you handed in your entry card at the start tent, swapping it for a route map. Then made our way up to the start line where a guy in  a very yellow suit, started us off.

Here’s a picture of the route map

We started dead on 8am, our official start time, and made our way out of London. It was stop start at the traffic lights getting out of London and there were a good few cyclists (strange I know) but it soon thinned out.

We had said that we’ll stick together and keep a sensible pace of around 10mph, but we soon found ourselves up at the 15 / 16mph until we hit the hills running up towards Chigwell. Gary had said there was a big hill… there were 3 in succession!!!

We missed the first refreshment stop and get going until “The Windmill” at Mountnessing which is a grade 2 listed Post Mill , which has been restored to working order.Mountnessing Windmill was built in 1807, replacing an earlier mill. There was a convenient place for a comfort break and a place to refill water bottles. We refueled with energy bars and were ready to go again.

 

We were feeling good at this point, pleased by the progress we had made so carried on. We hit some traffic through Stock, as we went up another steep incline, but made good time and soon passed the Hanningfield Reservoir which looked very full indeed, no drought here.

We continued on until Battlesbridge where we were so shocked by the time that we had made and had to call ahead to let the respective other halves know we had 13 or so miles to go. We finished our energy gel packs and had a couple of sports carb sweets. Feeling very buoyant and stating that we would definitely do it again next year, coupled with the knowledge of where abouts we were, we headed off towards Southend.

Spurred on with the knowledge that 13 miles is the same distance as one of our training runs, we were off, a little slow over the actual bridge, we were soon on pace again, however I was feeling it a little now with the occasional cramp in my right thigh and the back of my left leg feeling the strain, but I wasn’t exhausted or out of breath as I expected to be.

We made our final rest stop at the Royal Oak in Great Stambridge so that we could stay close and finish altogether. With c. 3miles to go we should be finishing around 1pm… Fantastic.

We cycled into Southend, passing Southend Airport, with a few hills but nothing too serious as the start; getting stopped twice at the traffic lights to cross the A127, a final hill and on to Prittewell Chase, down hill to the A127 again and across to Priory Park.

We made it by 1.15pm!!! 5Hours and 15minutes journey with actual cycling time of 4hours and 43minutes. A total of 54.85 miles on the route, but actually 60miles including the cycle from home and from the station.

I was very please with myself and crossed the line, with a smile, feeling quite emotional with the achievement and also feeling really please with myself and proud of my fellow cyclists…

Next time, and I will do it again, I think some more photos enroute may be in order, or a helmet mounted camera..

I would like to thank everyone that donated money to the British Heart Foundation by sponsoring me, so far I have raised £246.

I’d also like to thank my riding partners, Gary and Paul, and also my family for coming down to Southend to see us cross the line (and take me home again).

You can view the “mapmyride” details here: http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/152101231

Here are some photos taken, during the ride by me and at the finish by Laura.

[flagallery gid=5 skin=default align=center name=Gallery]

Here are the details of my ride:
[fitmap id=”113511739″ type=”ride”]