LP Standard Sticking e string

[Dooden]

I recently purchased a 2016 LP Standard. Beautiful instrument and plays like a dream. Occasionally the top e string gets wedged between the end of the metal fret and the plastic binding - happening more often between the third and seventh frets. This is a serious problem as I have to stop playing and gently pick it out with plectrum. Common problem or am I just unlucky? Not what I expected from a $4400 guitar let alone a Gibson.

PS: Do LP Standards always come set up with 0.009 gauge strings from the factory?

Cheers

[btoth76]

Hello and welcome to the Forums.

 

As wood moves due to environmental changes, frets can lift, or develop a gap between the plastic nibs and fret ends.

 

There are several methods to solve this. My solutions was this: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/116011-correcting-nib-separation-on-les-pauls/page__p__1574002__hl__nib__fromsearch__1#entry1574002

 

In 2016, Gibson started to deliver it's electric guitars with 0.009" strings. Prior to that, they came with 0.010s.

 

Good luck... Bence

[Dooden]

Hello and welcome to the Forums.

 

As wood moves due to environmental changes, frets can lift, or develop a gap between the plastic nibs and fret ends.

 

There are several methods to solve this. My solutions was this: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/116011-correcting-nib-separation-on-les-pauls/page__p__1574002__hl__nib__fromsearch__1#entry1574002

 

In 2016, Gibson started to deliver it's electric guitars with 0.009" strings. Prior to that, they came with 0.010s.

 

Good luck... Bence

 

Thanks for the method and advice Bence - I'll have to work up the courage to try this - I'm still surprised this has happened to a brand new guitar - I have 6 other guitars with bound fret boards (in this environment) and none have had any problem like this.

 

regards

[capmaster]

Hello Dooden and welcome to this board.

 

Sad to hear about your bad luck.

 

I recommend to return this guitar. They will have to learn that such a deficient product should never leave the factory.

 

None of my nine Gibsons with bound fretboards and binding nibs ever had this problem in 34 years. There has been one I returned for a similar reason four years ago. The fret bevels were that wide on the treble side that a moderate downstroke blew the E1st from the board at 2nd and 3rd fret, and harder attacks blew it off the 4th and 5th fret, too. It was an otherwise beautiful Les Paul Standard Plus in Translucent Amber, awesome top and great sound. I guess they cut it up. That thing was definitely unplayable.

 

No need to say that the eight of my unbound Gibson boards are fine as well as those of all the other brands, partly bound but with frets over binding.

 

To my experience Gibson solid-bodies partly come strung regular light .010"-.046" or mixed extra light top/regular light bottom .009"-.046" from the factory.

[10K-DB]

Id take the strings off,,tape off the frets affected w/masking tape,,and very carefully fill/dab in Marine Epoxy{clear tone} Sounds like a bit of shrinking of fretboard? or binding shrink? You may have to do more than one coat to "fill" the split. They do that sometimes,,or return to MFG.

[capmaster]

Id take the strings off,,tape off the frets affected w/masking tape,,and very carefully fill/dab in Marine Epoxy{clear tone} Sounds like a bit of shrinking of fretboard? or binding shrink? You may have to do more than one coat to "fill" the split. They do that sometimes,,or return to MFG.

I would stand off doing anything that voids warranty or makes return and refund impossible.

[Zentar]

I would stand off doing anything that voids warranty or makes return and refund impossible.

 

Agreed. LPs are the wrong guitar to learn on. Try the epoxy on a Squier first. Luthiers don't work on a Stratavarius their first day in class.

[10K-DB]

I would stand off doing anything that voids warranty or makes return and refund impossible.

Granted,,it might be a sticky for return after that. But Ive done that at least 4-5 times on many of my axes over the years,,and its worked quite well,,as I said you have to do a super clean job+wipe any excess before it dries. With masking tape on before you start,there really wasnt too much problem with it,,but by all means,,do what you feel comfortable with,,just trying to save a bit of time + hassle for Dooden.

[kaicho8888]

This problem was discussed before, and I also had this problem since the high-E nut slot was cut to close to the edge by the Plek machine.

 

You can...

 

Have is fixed (recut nut or fix the gap at nibs) under manufacturer's warrantee.

Have the nut refilled and recut ... or have the whole corian nut replaced.

Fill in the gap with superglue.

 

[capmaster]

This problem was discussed before, and I also had this problem since the high-E nut slot was cut to close to the edge by the Plek machine.

 

You can...

 

Have is fixed (recut nut or fix the gap at nibs) under manufacturer's warrantee.

Have the nut refilled and recut ... or have the whole corian nut replaced.

Fill in the gap with superglue.

 

Wouldn't have done it for me then. The string spacing was as specified, meaning already close to the limit for my wide fingers. No way to sacrifice merely a tad per string. :(

[btoth76]

Hello.

 

Of course, if it's covered by warranty and You didn't bond with it yet, return it.

 

On the other hand, it's really not a terrible thing to fix properly. Nibs can be corrected, - even - totally restored after a refret.

 

Bence.

[Dooden]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It's only a week old but I've bonded with it really, really well - been playing it 4-5 hours a day for the week I've had it - my poor Epi Sheraton, Gretsch and lovely Guild Capri hollow bod haven't had a chance in that time!! I sure don't want it to disappear for a month or more for repairs. Nor do I want to void the warranty carelessly but there seems to be a viable DYI fix (Bence's warm knife treatment). I'll compromise and take it back to the single Gibson dealer here in Hobart Tasmania - (they had the only LP standard in this State) and see what they can do before I attempt anything. I had thought of changing up to my usual "0.010 - 0.046" Elixir strings from the 0.009 it came with but worry that the slightly larger e string might, in time, dig an even bigger gap between fret and nib.

PS: there's nothing wrong with the nut or string spacing - see pic re tiny gap between fretwire and nib

[btoth76]

... I'll compromise and take it back to the single Gibson dealer here in Hobart Tasmania - (they had the only LP standard in this State) and see what they can do before I attempt anything. ...

 

Hello.

 

Good decision to begin with.

 

If it needs to be fixed the other way, You might as well discuss the method I used with a luthier who has experienced and steady hands. Usually, they go with the super-glue method which I personally was afraid of.

 

Good luck... Bence

[badbluesplayer]

If it were me I'd bring that thing back and don't even think about messing with it. This is a problem that Gibson has had on and off for a long time and they seem to be comfortable with putting out more of these defective guitars. It's a manufacturing defect. You got one of the bad guitars when most everybody else got a good one. You didn't "bond" with it. The lousy string's getting caught in a defective space in the binding that's due to an underlying problem. If that's "bonding with it" then keep it and good luck.

 

Just because somebody else had a bad guitar and fixed it doesn't mean you should have to keep a defective guitar. You have one chance to ditch that guitar. If you don't you will regret it.

[Guest Farnsbarns]

I have to say, I'd return it too. It's a defect.

 

That said, whenever I read of this complaint I do find myself thinking that if the string is falling of the end of the fret it'll sound awful even if there's no gap so while this is a defect and the guitar should be returned, it may be worth examining the technique which is allowing the Tring to fall off the fret as well.