New Les Paul Standard--Couple problems

Hey Guys,

Well, I got my new guitar and it has two problems. First, the strings buzz on open, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd frets. And I can hear it over my clean channel. I had the store set up the guitar, and they also sanded the frets evenly and straightened the neck. The problem will not go away.

Second, when I put the selector switch in the middle, I cannot control the volume of an individual pickup. For example, if I turn the neck pickup knob to zero volume, both pickups shut down. And if I turn the bridge pickup knob to zero, again, both pickups shut down at the same time. Both pickups are active, but you cannot control them individually with volume. The two tone knobs work correctly and you can control them individually. It's just the volume controls that don't work correctly.

I am very tempted to ask them for a different guitar all together because these guitars are supposed to be superb in quality.

What would you guys do?

Thanks

Mineral Mike said:

Second, when I put the selector switch in the middle, I cannot control the volume of an individual pickup. For example, if I turn the neck pickup knob to zero volume, both pickups shut down. And if I turn the bridge pickup knob to zero, again, both pickups shut down at the same time. Both pickups are active, but you cannot control them individually with volume. The two tone knobs work correctly and you can control them individually. It's just the volume controls that don't work correctly.

Click to expand...

That's the way the volume controls are suppose to work, so everything is normal there. Some players use this inherent feature for a special effect by turning one volume to zero, with switch in middle position, strum a chord or hit a note, then rapidly toggle the switch to the position that has the volume turned up.


As far as the string buzz, could be that the shop did a bad set-up, or maybe lowered the strings at the nut by filing the slots deeper. A local music store here tends to do that, saying factory set-up is too high at the nut. I guess some techs like their action very low. I tend to be quite content with most of the Gibson factory set-ups, although I have had a couple that I had to lower the bridge in order to get a comfortable string height.

check the clearance at the nut, see here:
Nut action on Frets.com
As Les45 said above, the shop might've cut it too low. I'd be questioning why they were filing the frets on a new LP.

If you want to change the wiring, you can. Do a search here for 'Wiring Library'.

why did they sand the frets? isn't that outside the limits of a normal set-up?

If a string buzzes when played open, it could be a nut. Once you fret the string, the nut is out of the equasion. Look at neck relief and frets.

As far as dressing frets on a new guitar, I bought a new '05 Standard, and it could stand a light fret dress right off the bat- it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. I need to throw mine on the bench and do that one of these days...

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad the knobs are normal. I did not understand that the knob format was like that. Thanks for the advice.

To try and get rid of the buzz, I took the guitar back to the store yesterday and they raised the strings. That really did a good job of minimizing the buzz. I took it home and after an hour of practicing, the buzz suddenly came back and was really bad. The store guys warned me that the shape of the guitar neck can gradually change after the setup, such that everything sounds great at the store, and then after I get the instrument home, things change. And that's what happened. Those guys are real nice and don't act mad when I keep coming in, so I guess I'll go in again to have them adjust it. Actually, I would rather like to learn how to make the neck, intonation and bridge height adjustments myself, but I am scared I will wreck something!

I'd recommend buying a copy of Dan Erlewine's book "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great," and reading it. Dan's forgotten more about guitars than I'll ever know. Even if you end up paying someone else to do the work, the information in this book will show you what's involved. You'll be in a better position to explain the problems to your tech, and understand what he tells you, too.

Mineral Mike said:

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad the knobs are normal. I did not understand that the knob format was like that. Thanks for the advice.

To try and get rid of the buzz, I took the guitar back to the store yesterday and they raised the strings. That really did a good job of minimizing the buzz. I took it home and after an hour of practicing, the buzz suddenly came back and was really bad. The store guys warned me that the shape of the guitar neck can gradually change after the setup, such that everything sounds great at the store, and then after I get the instrument home, things change. And that's what happened. Those guys are real nice and don't act mad when I keep coming in, so I guess I'll go in again to have them adjust it. Actually, I would rather like to learn how to make the neck, intonation and bridge height adjustments myself, but I am scared I will wreck something!

Click to expand...

I bet if they raise the brigde 4-5 feet it will stop buzzing, maybe you could have them put longer bridge mount on it! Did you buy a guitar or excuses?

Your complaint are 100% bonefide. There is no reason to buy a BRAND NEW fixer upper when you could have one that's been built correctly. Me I would take it back and grab another. Spend some time with it before you go. Make sure your happy. Today, it's annoying...tomorrow you will be pulling your hair out! Your being SOLD a guitar. You know "caveat emptor". Get what your paying for and if the place gives you any flak about a exchange/return...then really know your getting rooked (and run!).

There are many "superb quality" LP's out there and there are many more gooofs. Just because the headstock says "Gibson", don't expect that it is the former, right now chances are it's the later. Lots of folks been bought and paid for by the Gibson marketed department and were sold before they even walked into the shop...thank you Slash!

There are (should be) plenty of non-fixer uppers in the inventory...I'm sure you'll be happier with one of them. You just got to find it. Good luck!

+1 for what Les45 said about the wiring and how the switch works. One volume of your choice "On" and the other "Off" -and toggling the selector switch will cut the sound on and off. The song "Voodoo Chile" by Jimi Hendrix comes to mind, as that effect is used there rather nicely--and I've heard Van Halen use it too.