How to asses Les Paul sustain properly?

Short of bringing my LP into a music store and playing it along side of other LPs (using same amps), how can I tell if my sustain is 'proper' for this particular LP?

I've noticed that using my POD 2.0, the sustain is awesome. Using my 60W SS amp with Blues Driver pedal, it's 'so so'. Playing clean, it's also weak but I don't know if it's the amp or the LP that's the problem.

A few days ago, I was trying to play Gary Moore's 'Still Got the Blues', and nailed the tone using the BD pedal, but couldn't get that sustain.

In short, should I get my axe checked out or is it probably just the lack of good amplification that's causing sustain issues?

(That guy from 'Spinal Tap', talking about the sustain on his LPs always gets me going. He says you can play a note, go get a bite, come back, and it still goes whaaaaaawaa.... THAT's WHAT I WANT TOO!)

I don't like to rely on the POD, since it (in my case at least) seems to filter out too many 'natural' LP tones.

Thanks Ron

1999 LP Studio Standard (no mods) 60W Lab Series L3 (SS) 50W Vox Valvetronix (hybrid) POD 2.0 BOSS BD Fulltone 70's

If you're talking about sustain when playing with lots of gain than it's probably your amplification or the fact that you can't get the same feedback as you would from a tube amp.

Clean it wouldn't make much difference.

You don't need to plug in your LP to compare it to other LPs - play it unplugged to along with others unplugged. Before I bought the LP I have, that's exactly how I was checking out them all. After I found one that I liked unplugged, I then listened to it through an amp.

You're going to get more sustain when using an overdriven sound simply because it's a compressed signal. If you want more sustain using your current guitar and amp while playing clean, you might consider trying a

most definetely. i play a hollow PRS and use a compressor most of the time...i can go take a wiz and come back to the same note.

Ron,

A lot of things will affect sustain- wood, strings, bridge & tailpiece setup, pedals and amps, etc.

One of the first things to try (if you haven't already) is to lower the tailpiece all the way to the body. See if that helps. You can also feed the strings through backwards and wrap them around the bottom of the tailpiece. I think Billy Gibbons used to do this (maybe he still does).

If that doesn't do it, try adjusting your amp. A little more preamp gain wouldn't hurt. Does the L3 have a built-in compressor? I had the Lab L7, and the comp in that amp was great- sustain for days (and I used a Strat back then, not an LP).

- Rich Johnson

No, the L3 ony has 3 tone controls and reverb. What's considered a good compressor pedal?

On the expensive end of the scale- lot of people love the Keeley and Analog Man compressors. On the cheaper end- the DOD Milkbox and MXR Dynacomp are both good.

- RJ

You seem to be confusing gain and compression with sustain. To check sustain, play unplugged. Hit a note, and pay attention to how it rings out. Also, pay attention to tone. There is a variation in guitars of the same model, because all wood is not created equally.

As for your amplified sustain tone, the more gain, the more sustain. It just makes sense, because the higher the amplification factor, the longer the time you will hear it ring out (along with the noise that is inherent with high gain).

The only way to check sustain is unplugged.Everything else is just being generated electronically and has nothing to do with the guitars sustain.That includes pickups.If you've got good sustain unplugged then plugged in it should sustain a note until you feel like dampning the string.

Ron,

A lot of things will affect sustain- wood, strings, bridge & tailpiece setup, pedals and amps, etc.

One of the first things to try (if you haven't already) is to lower the tailpiece all the way to the body. See if that helps. You can also feed the strings through backwards and wrap them around the bottom of the tailpiece. I think Billy Gibbons used to do this (maybe he still does).

If that doesn't do it, try adjusting your amp. A little more preamp gain wouldn't hurt. Does the L3 have a built-in compressor? I had the Lab L7, and the comp in that amp was great- sustain for days (and I used a Strat back then, not an LP).

- Rich Johnson