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New Epiphone AFD Les Paul set up

4,704 views · Published 16 July 2018 · 2:10:53 · Indexed 25 September 2026

Channel: Sam Deeks · 2018 · Howto & Style

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In this video I'm setting up Rich's brand new Epiphone AFD Slash guitar. Now I shouldn't have to point this out but I will: it doesn't matter to me how much a guitar costs, it can be improved with some set up work and improving it takes as much or as little time and effort as a top brand name guitar. 

Some people in the past have suggested that when someone asks me to set up a budget guitar like this I should tell them 'no, keep your money and buy a better quality guitar instead'. Fine advice - but then my experience of 600-700 set ups in the last few years tells me that they'll need to spend time (or additional money) setting that up too. Where does it stop? Apparently nowhere but some of the most expensive boutique brands. So when someone asks me to set up a guitar they've chosen to buy I certainly don't insult them by telling them they should have bought something else! I respect their choice and set the guitar up for them the best I can. 

This bolt-on necked Epiphone AFD has a lot going for it for the money including that very useful little pickup ring-mounted tuner unit. Apart from that, it looks good, is simple and very playable. I even like the tone of the pickups...personally. The tuners are a bit crude I will say but that only relates to smoothness of operation and doesn't affect the guitar's tuning stability. 

Like so many guitars this one needs the set up work shown here if it's to play with a low light action at both ends. But nothing in this set up any different from any other guitar; the same principles apply - only in this case the neck is a little more responsive to adjustment than a glued-in neck.

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