My Gibson Les Paul NEVER Sounded So Good Thanks to the 80% Rule

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So ‪@JustinOstrander‬ talked about this - take your middle position on your Les Paul, and knock the neck pickup volume back to about 20% of where your bridge volume is....
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only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

[@Gilyslas]

Classic LP sound, so spatial and full of character. I have 3 and my heart fills with joy everytime I play them. Outstanding playing as always.

[@Tsak112]

A good Les Paul thrives on the middle position blending the volume knobs. My favorite player to do it is Warren Haynes.

[@southsidejohnny5624]

Same for a John 5 telecaster I used to have. Two humbuckers, two volumes, one 3-way switch set in the middle. That’s it. So easy to make wee adjustments to the tone with the two volumes while playing.

[@kennygardner5041]

Add Jimmy Page as well. Love Warren too!

[@bryanwilliams3665]

​@@kennygardner5041Jimmy Page used the middle a whole lot more After April 1972 when the bridge pickup changed.. I build replicas of that set.. Last vid on my channel

[@kennygardner5041]

@@bryanwilliams3665 I noticed that, especially on the SRTS Soundtrack.

[@bryanwilliams3665]

@@kennygardner5041 Yes, Jimmy had a New 'Gibson T Top' pickup in the bridge position..The 1st concert with it was Amsterdam May 27 1972.. I was lucky to know Jimmys right hand man (Clive Coulson ) ..Clive (a New Zealander ) was a customer of my guitar shop in Auckland New Zealand.

[@RobCowie]

That's where I live with my Les Paul most of the time...sounds super warm and cozy to me.

[@scozz6139]

Been doing that for decades, lol. The middle position and the neck pickup volume control is your friend. Jimmy Page played that way frequently.

[@AlexVonCrank]

Listen to the album version of Moby Dick and you just know he's in that middle position.

[@bryanwilliams3665]

​@@AlexVonCrankThe Jimmy Page "Hollow Chirp" middle tone became much accentuate d after April 1972 with the new Bridge pickup.The pickups are "In Phase" with each other but with Substantial phase cancellation we don't hear in this vid.. I replicate the unique post 72 Page set on my channel last vid if you are a Page fan

[@AlexVonCrank]

@@bryanwilliams3665 I'm on my way...

[@SwinginBluesTube]

That’s a beautiful song you played at the beginning.

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

When you get a beautiful tone like that, even one note sounds amazing!

[@mderning]

Don't think I ever have knobs all open anymore - used to ignore them until I realized, on any guitar, knob control is where the tone and feel resides. It was quite a breakthrough for me. And it's quite personal, depending on your touch, ears, amps, effects, etc.

[@pmacfto]

Somebody on That Pedal Show or maybe Andertons said this is how they set up amps - turn the knobs until you hear where there is a wide sweep and sit it right in that middle spot on all the EQ

[@passionplayer7]

That is the Matt Schofield way, great way to do it 👌🏻

[@pmacfto]

@@passionplayer7 That's the one!

[@pmacfto]

@@passionplayer7 I think it works too - I had front row seats to see him with his trio in Edinburgh a few years ago and he was outstanding - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, however was headline act, but I left after 5 songs!

[@rlogtr]

Phil Keaggy’s playing from the early to late 70s always showcased this kind of pickup mixing. It was always a Les Paul through various fender amps. I loved how he rode the edge of break up, used volume knob dynamics, and pick up switching/mixing to bring out those tones like few others. A few standout songs were on albums he did with a group called Paul Clark and friends, “he’ll do the same”, “come into his presence”, and”Unveiling”. Also, the live at Carnegie Hall album with glass harp.

[@ksharpe10]

He was way advanced for the early 70's. Glass Harp was a Legendary band that few knew about.

[@ggkohler]

Phil's Master and the Musician album from the 70's is my Desert Island album. I believe he used Princeton and vox ac30 top boost amps. Another awesome showing was the work he did live with The 2nd Chapter of Acts 'How the West was One'.

[@b_m3998]

Amazing to see a fellow Keaggy fan. Not enough people know about him

[@Gilyslas]

Phil Keaggy. a must musician to check out guitar hero.

[@john26660]

I think "Full Circle" Really displays Phil's great tone.

[@Nightwinflyer]

It is interesting that I was doing this just yesterday with my Plexi clone. I can go from lead to rhythm to Fender cleans with only the controls on the guitar, never touching the amp. Seems like ol' Les knew what he was doing!

[@youren8]

I think it was more Gibson President Ted McCarty at that time.

[@leehughes7747]

Recognized the tune from the start.. Never surrender by Corey Heary. Beautiful

[@timwhite5562]

This is where ES335s have resided forever. It's also what made PRS's decision to stick with a Master volume on the Hollowbody series so confusing.

[@michaelgriffin5304]

Gorgeous LP. When you find the right one, nothing else feels or sounds quite like it. Beautiful playing, as always. You really are an inspiration.

[@mofomartianp]

I've owned 2 dozen guitars, but I never had a true number 1 until I got my ebony LP Classic. After all these years I finally understand why so many love the Les Paul so much.

[@msmoniz]

I've always done this with my 70's style Tele Custom (neck humbucker). Keeps that bridge Tele single coil bite, but with some warmth and fullness blended in from the neck humbucker. It's always a killer tone clean or with gain.

[@jshearer94]

I discovered this a few years ago. It opened up a whole New World for my Les Paul! Because of it, two volume two tone is my favorite control layout. It is similar to the bridge. Pick up with the tone around five or six, but it is different.

[@ksharpe10]

A lez paul player John Cordy needs to check out is early Glass Harp bands PHIL KEAGGY, any of those early 70's Songs or Videos for sure. Keaggy was really ahead of most Rock players in the early 70's, he had Jazz flavored licks, ala Peter Frampton and Steve Howe style mixed in, Phil must have had a really good guitar Teacher back when he was learning. Mainly played a early 70's Les Paul, and Fender Twin Silverface amps.

[@billknudson7895]

Absolutely lovely playing, especially that intro. Some cool ideas to try out. I often forget how many colors can be had by actually using the volume and tone controls. Thanks for passing these ideas along.

[@Chucksguitargeekery]

When I got my first Gibson (SG) as a teenager, I discovered that setting by mistake but it always is what sounded the best to me.

[@gazb2069]

Sometimes its good to sit down with an L.P plugged straight into a tube amp and realize all the Tone are there , unbeatable.

[@TheGospelGuitarist]

Great way to get to know your guitar better. If you don't know how you guitar and amp sound together first, how can you make setup choices. Every now and then I feel the need to do this, to keep it fresh and make sure I still like my tone. My tastes have changed over 45 yrs of playing. It's a nice easy check to have. Plus it's fun and leads to playing in ways I don't always do.

[@mrmoreton]

With 50s wiring ,tinker with the tone pots ,when you lower them a bit you get a different kind of taper on the volume pot, and much les gain ,whith not much loss on the high end

[@garyshepherd9226]

Worth trying - I am a bit lazy with my Les Paul and mainly use the bridge pickup on full volume and tone - and then change the amp settings (Line 6 Helix Native mostly). Probably better if I try a few things like this!

[@emcg.9655]

This is where you find out just how good your Les paul is. It's all about the neck and the two blended for me, the bridge always sounds great to me. The lower you turn the bass pickup( while both are on) the strattier it sounds. Try same with treble pickup that's a favorite of mine.

[@mattanderson6194]

Yeah treble pick up tone @ about 3 to 4 where ever it starts to clear 👌🏼

[@garywaddell6309]

“Someone started playing with his knobs”…definitely helps 😊

[@stratless]

Nice backing track. Great tones, and amazing playing as always John!

[@davezoradi]

Awesome to see this in a video. I’ve been doing this for some years now on my LP. I have push/pull on my workhorse LP Studio and it’s even better tone when splitting the neck to single coil and blending that in with the bridge on bucker. Usually need my neck volume more in the 9 range when on SC neck, bucker bridge. But that neck only on 9 in a single coil pull’d position gets really round and smooth.

[@srubel59]

Try putting a 560pf treble bleed cap across neck pot. It really brightens up the neck pickup when not on 10. Very easy and reversible mod and you get a much more useful tonal range when in the middle position. If you have a treble bleed on the bridge volume remove it, throw it away and never reinstall it!

[@MutVolran]

I confirm! I have a kinman style treble bleed installed in both the neck and bridge. The middle position opens up many sound options

[@mrmoreton]

With 50s wiring treble bleed are not much use

[@darwinsaye]

I’m one of those who extensively use the controls on my guitars, but I’m also very particular about the basic pickup setup to get specific tones before I even start messing with controls. Listening to your demo, I’m hearing very little difference between your bridge pickup and middle position sounds before you even start lowering the neck pickup volume. I always begin by setting my pickup heights (with the guitar controls on full) so that the middle position sound is at its most extreme difference from either solo pickup sound. If either pickup height is off by a couple of mm, your middle position will sound very much like either the bridge pup tone or neck pup tone. I find when your pickups’ heights are optimally balanced, the middle position will have a distinctly different tone - kind of quacky, ideal for clean Motown/funk/RnB. And the added benefit is that when you start lowering either pickup volume, you have a wider range of change, and it’s easier to find those sweet spots.

[@compucorder64]

Only learned this trick recently on one of Mr. Ostrander's great videos too. It's made me like Les Paul's a whole lot more than I used to, even when my LP Special was one of my three favourites. It's Strat on neck, Les Paul on middle (neck volume tuned back), Telecaster on bridge (tone rolled back a litte) ftw. And I think I like those Strat neck into some kind of tubescreamer or klon into Marshall JTM, Les Paul clean boosted into Fender Deluxe/Super/Twin, Telecaster into compressor into Vox AC30.

[@AlexVonCrank]

I live in the middle position on my LP. To me, it's the most chimey and usable tone for that type of guitar. It's almost single coil-sh or middle position of a tele type sound but still uniquely an LP thing because if the pick attack 'chirp.' I always wonder why nobody really uses that position in LP demos. MIDDLE! It's the tone zone!

[@sacredgeometry]

I said this right at the start. It's just a process of adaption and learning how to best use its voice. Coming from a strat/tele it can be a bit jarring but once you lean into it good things start happening. I say that as someone that started on a strat then played les pauls for a long time then jumped to a tele/ strat for years then finally came back to a les paul. Its always the same.

[@garybateman6869]

Going through the exact same thing. Play the Stratocaster for 50 years . Bought a Les Paul in a SG this year. Always consider the Les Paul as my enemy. I haven't played my Strat in a whole year

[@chrisrauber6956]

It works well. I’ve been doing it when I need to play some clean rhythms and want to get some of the bass out of the tone of the lower strings. Hit a chord, roll of the neck volume until it sounds right, and keep it there.

[@markroylance1584]

Middle position is the best!! That ,plus make sure you have it wired in the vintage manner

[@Brewhound77]

This is the new hotness on guitar youtube. Works great.

[@TheGospelGuitarist]

Yes in the middle position the volume controls become blending pots. I have allways dialed back the neck because it's too thick and just sounds clearer backed off. When in the bridge needs warming up a tad, I do this.

[@silvestrslusis3007]

Someone has been watching Justin's channel :D I was doing it for years on all my HH guitars without any particular reason other than it just sounded fuller and lost the quackiness that the bridge on its own has. I also saw the Justin's video and it helped me to understand why I was liking it.

[@jnh73]

Cool! Sounds similar in a way to blending the Bright and Normal inputs on a Plexi in the Helix (or its real world counterpart).

[@thisdyingsoul76]

I do a similar thing with my SG. I typically neave tbe bridge up full, go to the neck and roll back the volume with a dirty amp until I have a clean tone, then I go the middle and EQ my amp. The result is a nice and full crunch, I can go right to the neck for a saturated and bright lead tone, and necl for cleans. Then I make adjustments as needed for other tones and return the neck volume to its starting point when clean is desired again

[@cakeslashdog]

I grew up on a lp studio. And came to this naturally. Over the years. Recently built a warmoth hsh soloist. I had to add an additional volume knob to be able to do just this. I missed the 2vol 2tone versatility. Blending neck and bridge is where the magic happens. There is also a sweet spot for the tone knobs. Love the musicality of your playing! Thank you!

[@JE-western-rider]

Over the years, I have owned three LPC's - one of them was custom ordered and took a year to get from the factory. The Customs are all gone now. Over the years, I shifted to SG's. To fill my LP needs, and over a few years, I bought a LP Classic and a couple of LP Studios. The Studios are overlooked. Like any other guitars, play a bunch and find one that speaks to you. And you have a winner and a keeper. The Studio's have the sound, the neck, and the tone!

[@ksjohnson8197]

Very cool! Thanks for this.

[@AdamGotheridge]

Your playing and tone here is just gorgeous~!

[@ssstenning]

Tried it love it cheers JC!

[@stoneyroberts9118]

Same thing with my se DGT. Although I usually ride with tone control backed off a little but neck pickup volume around 7-8 and bridge pickup at 10 and when your in the middle switch position it’s a really nice tone and response

[@KozmykJ]

Works in 'Coil Split' mode as well.

[@planzed.2]

Yea it’s a l great position on a LP, this is why I love guitars with individual tone & volume control per pickup. You can get a similar sweet spot on the Casino too (which I also have).

[@scottdaigle7594]

I really liked what your playing sounds mesmerizing love it!

[@michaelbaynham5107]

I have an Epiphone LP '59 with the 50s wiring and I've been guided a bit by Joe Bonamassa (on KZbin). Neck pickup volume is 9, with the tone rolled all the way off. Bridge volume is 9.5, with the tone going as high as 8.8 or as low as 3, depending on how rocky I feel. It may not work for you, but it works for me.

[@honkytonkinson9787]

Your LP must be very bright! Once tone knobs get to around 3 it gets very dark sounding. It’s amazing though how much tonal range is achievable in middle position

[@jonpaves2995]

Tried this a Church this morning with my PRS DGT SE and the Praise leader ask where I was hiding that awesome tone. Always rolled off the volume but not like this!

[@kwh1023]

Lovely playing... as always ! May I ask... What drive pedal(s) are you using here ? Great tone !

[@ggkohler]

Great blues tone on my 335 that way (mid pu selector w neck vol backed off a touch) straight into a super reverb or deluxe reverb. Modified a fender hrd (hot rod deluxe) that sounds great as well... Has some bloom and really good interaction with guitar vol variations. Goes from glassy cleans to creamy/chewy.

[@georged9615]

This is why having volume and tone for each pickup is pretty much a requirement for me. It's super versatile.

[@aonortac]

I watched that video, Justin got that from Bonamassa and I think it's important to mention that this trick works well only with 50's wiring LPs...

[@BuffaloTrace602]

Sounds amazing!

[@89digits59]

Still waiting for John to own a Black Les Paul Custom and give us some tasty solo's on it.🙂

[@Gilyslas]

Yes!!!

[@francisbatungbacal1414]

Hello. NEED help. I just bought your HX Native & Kemper packs. Is there a youtube vid that explains how these should be set up. I read that IRs first need to be loaded but I dont really understand the steps nor the concept.

[@paulw6126]

Can I ask what OD/distortion used please? Sounds great

[@daviddunkin7454]

I saw the same video lol, and tried it on my es 335, cool little trick

[@robgroden]

I tried this at my gig tonight and it really sounded fantastic

[@andrewbecker3700]

The pickup heights and obviously output, make a huge difference. I've actually found that I much prefer the opposite adjustments. I set everything wide open, in the middle switch position. Then I bring the bridge volume down until they balance out. This may require some more pickup height adjustment, but once you get them balanced in the middle position. You'll have that sweet spot as a starting point. If you then back both volumes down equally from that initial starting point of volume balance, the whole rest of the way down the range will sound killer! You can always bring the bridge back up a smidgen to get more bite. It's the only way I dial my 2 volume pot guitars now. Way more versatile.

[@viktornesovski1884]

Does the same work on your Sire or is it pickup specific?

[@KozmykJ]

I can hardly believe that you only just discovered this sound variation John. 😮 Or is it just now that you decided to highlight it in a video ? Either way, well done for explaining it to the masses. It does, in fact, work in 'Split Coil' mode for single coils as well. Also for single coil guitars when you have separate volume control for them.

[@KozmykJ]

It's one of my main reasons for avoiding humbucker loaded guitars than don't have separate volumes. I DO have one or two without but they are the exception and I've oft considered modding them to include a second. The Gretsch control system with it's third 'Master Volume' is a further step up, allowing that set blend to remain even when needing to turn the guitar down or completely off.

[@christianyanez2449]

Will give it a try.

[@matteuklol]

Lovely. What were you using pedals ect

[@gbaren]

Yup, I've done that since the 70's

[@tomulator]

TREMENDOUS delay and reverb sounds! Can you PLEASE share your effects/settings you used? Thx!

[@SteveL628]

Great tip to getting a sweet tone! On a side note, your Les Paul has one of the most beautiful guitar tops that I’ve seen.

[@jamessouthwellOFFICIAL]

Mate. You're an absolute MONSTER of a player!

[@clownose2831]

Beautiful 😊 lashings and lashings of delay and reverb! Thats all i hear😊 well done 😁

[@janvanzuilekom]

I wish i could have that sound in a live situation , so different in a home environment in comparison to a bad acoustic venue (most of them are) or even worse outdoor gigs , before the gig I’m always excited with the sounds i get from my rig (two rock, H90 , vemurans and klon) but after the gig ……

[@kwh1023]

And are you using your '65 Fender Pro Reverb ?

[@davidkeller6156]

I miss my Les Paul. Had to sell it during the downturn around 2009, 2010.😢

[@ryanbowlby5017]

This is the secret to Jimmy Herring’s beautiful tone! Albeit he does it with an HH strat, but wired like a Les Paul. Middle position with Bridge on full volume, neck pickup volume rolled back a hair for a “sweeter tone with less bite.” Hell yeah 🙌

[@richp67]

I'd love to know his signal chain, the sound is just amazing, what I've been searching for!

[@zsmith977]

It’s kinda like the 2 & 4 positions on the current Revstar.

[@RockstarRameez]

Would this also translate to the helix you think?

[@MartimDurao]

3:05 humbuckers that hum? Hummmm 🤔, nice hint nevertheless

[@BradRocker]

I always use that rule on Paul's!

[@robertritchie2860]

I prefer it the other way around - the neck pickup volume set higher than the bridge. Best place for me is 7-8 on neck and perhaps 6 or so on the bridge. I have an R8. Oh yeah a bit less gain...

[@davidyelland908]

It always amazes why people think their volumes and tones have a magic position that they should be welded into. Look at Jeff Beck: changing both all the time during solos (during being the key word). Also how come many people use loads of hi cut with modellers but would never consider rolling the guitar tone back?

[@GrungyChris]

This is nothing new. I think Orville Gibson taught this trick to Mark Twain.

[@picksalot1]

I think it might have been on a Joe Bonamossa video that I saw this tip about a week ago. Good note choices can make just about any tone sound cool. If the note choices are bad, good tone is not going save it.

[@jean-philippemorin1176]

Works well

[@jacklamont4823]

What's the opening song?

[@bryanwilliams3665]

Jimmy Page and Peter Green both used the middle position a lot.. The Difference ? ..Peter Greens Middle position was Out of Phase whereas Jimmy Pages pickups ( During Zeppelin ) were wired conventionally "In Phase"...The Page 'Hollow Chirp' middle tone we hear with much phase cancellation is often confused with being out of phase ...Its not. Later, in the 1990s, Jimmy had a push pull knob(OOP option) added to his #1 when Seymour Duncan got involved.

[@erikrummel6277]

Beautiful 3 minutes to start the video.

[@timscarrow9151]

Middle position neck at 8 and turn the tone down on the bridge pickup and it gets kind of snotty.

[@vincet68]

Similar effect can be achieved by dropping the Neck Pup down and raising the Bridge Pup up. My LP is still my happy place guitar.

That's what I was thinking. Just sinking the neck pickup a couple mils will get you some sweet mix of pickups.

[@soapboxearth2]

Page played a lot in the middle. Neck vol. On 8 or 9. Bridge on 10. Green and others had the Neck pickup lowered into the body deeper than the pickup ring to eliminate overly muddy lp neck tones Claptons les.paul had a .015 uf cap on the tone pot (vs .02) 50s style wiring is great . You can roll off vol to go from mean to clean for tele on steroids vibe Some of my go-to settings/setup. Playing through a vintage style single channel amp is a great way to discover this stuff.

[@bryanwilliams3665]

I make replicas of the 'Post April 1972' Jimmy Page set on my channel ( last vid) 'A' vs B direct comparisons between Jimmys and the replicas if your a Page fan.

[@colinrobinson9674]

Please please please this Backing track on Patreon ❤

[@tonykennedy8483]

Don't forget the tone controls too,

[@larryadams1873]

Another thing is to run you bridge tone from around 5-7 depending how you play and back off in the volume. Joe Bonamassa is the KING of this. It’s a fun sound too

[@DukeLetoIII]

"...and someone started playing with his knobs." teehee

[@chuckberry8852]

“Playing with his knobs”. You might want to rephrase that.

[@BillDerBerg]

Page used the middle position a lot

[@bryanwilliams3665]

Especially after April 1972 when the bridge pickup was changed..I replicate that unique pickup set on my channel (Last Vid)..Jimmy had much more "Phase cancellation " (hollow chirp) than here, yet the pickups are still in phase.. Its due to the different magnets.

[@tonymcalister9878]

I forgot how great a Les Paul could sound when played cleaner.

[@Dreyno]

They’re my most comfortable guitar to play so although I have a Tele, Strat, SG etc. I always gravitate back to a Les Paul. So I’ve found you can do most things on one if you really want. Far more versatile than people give them credit for.

[@PhilthyCasual]

The super Strat is aping the LP but is more comfortable than the versatile LP

[@Dreyno]

@@PhilthyCasual I don’t find Strats comfortable. The contoured body slide off my lap, the strings are too close and flat to the body and pickups and I find the controls are too close together.

[@salsplace]

Been doing this for years

[@capitanvonchickenpants8492]

One ofmy position markers has fallen out, haven't played the pos since

[@vitocastiglione7709]

Bellissima

[@kaleoride]

That's NOT a 50s style wiring. When turning one volume down to zero kills both pickups that's modern wiring.

[@johnsaltalamacchia5941]

Jimmy page demonstrated this a long time ago. Watch song remains the same. It's crazy what he coaxes out of the guitar with the volume knobs and middle position. It's also one reason I'm annoyed that PRS's don't have separate volume knobs except on certain models. Also, a lot of times the stock electronics suck even on the expensive Gibsons. And new electronics will open up all kinds of sonic and tone possibilities and also make you want to use the tone knobs because they'll actually have useful functionality

[@bryanwilliams3665]

I make replicas of Jimmys 1973 TSRTS pickups on my channel (last vid). "A" (Jimmys ) vs "B" replica comparisons to hear that 'Hollow Chirp' middle sound on SIBLY , The Ocean Solo, Black Dog etc..

[@johnsaltalamacchia5941]

@@bryanwilliams3665 Hey man, how do I get in touch with you?

[@teslacoil3286]

I just saw that and did this with my Greco SV600 And it sounds better

[@M81_WOODLAND]

As much as I love playing a Les Paul because its comfortable to play....I've NEVER gotten a good sound out of one.

[@ABIGD0NK3Y]

my Epiphone Les Paul classicsounds VERY close to this its got PAFs in it and sounds KILLER