Les Paul Studio HP neck adjustment

[Half Note]

Hello, I recently bought 2016 Les Paul Studio HP from a Guitar Center store. The checklist, in the case, indicated a neck adjustment wrench should have been included, but none was present. (The guitar was the last one in stock and a floor model, so maybe that's why stuff in the case was missing.) At any rate, I need to get the proper tool to enable me to adjust the neck since the D string is buzzing unless I play an E flat on that string, then it doesn't buzz. btw, That is the only string that buzzes. Could someone please provide the socket size I need to get to be able to make the adjustment(s)? (It doesn't use an Allen wrench, but rather has a brass nut the tool needs to fit.)

[capmaster]

Hello Half Note, welcome to this nice place in the web!

 

Missing tools are an old issue. To my own experiences all guitar makers seem to be affected, but the Gibson truss-rod key is an item quite infamous in this respect.

 

A thin-walled (!) 5/16" or 8mm hex key is required for neck adjustment (5/16" = 7.9375mm, so 8mm is close enough to work fine). The Ibanez 8mm keys will do, they also are (and have to be) thin-walled for their Gibraltar 08 bridge.

 

However, when you say the E flat works fine with the D string, do you want to say fretted at first fret? Do the other frets work fine with the D4th, too? If yes, this would probably mean your guitar will need a new nut due to the actual one being grooved too deep for the D4th. I had this trouble on a Gibson USA 2011 L6S with the D4th and on a Gibson Custom Les Paul Standard with the E1st. Their Corian nuts were too brittle in some areas, obviously due to inconsistent material or possibly workmanship.

 

In this case a nut replacement should be covered by warranty.

 

Finally, I would check the nut or have it checked before running the risk of overdoing an adjustment. Slightly more neck relief and string action can be of help in a pinch but are not the real deal.

 

Good luck! And - by the way - post some pics of your new purchase...

[Half Note]

Hello Half Note, welcome to this nice place in the web!

 

Missing tools are an old issue. To my own experiences all guitar makers seem to be affected, but the Gibson truss-rod key is an item quite infamous in this respect.

 

A thin-walled (!) 5/16" or 8mm hex key is required for neck adjustment (5/16" = 7.9375mm, so 8mm is close enough to work fine). The Ibanez 8mm keys will do, they also are (and have to be) thin-walled for their Gibraltar 08 bridge.

 

However, when you say the E flat works fine with the D string, do you want to say fretted at first fret? Do the other frets work fine with the D4th, too? If yes, this would probably mean your guitar will need a new nut due to the actual one being grooved too deep for the D4th. I had this trouble on a Gibson USA 2011 L6S with the D4th and on a Gibson Custom Les Paul Standard with the E1st. Their Corian nuts were too brittle in some areas, obviously due to inconsistent material or possibly workmanship.

 

In this case a nut replacement should be covered by warranty.

 

Finally, I would check the nut or have it checked before running the risk of overdoing an adjustment. Slightly more neck relief and string action can be of help in a pinch but are not the real deal.

 

Good luck! And - by the way - post some pics of your new purchase...

 

Thanks for your reply :)

 

Yes, playing on the D string first fret (E flat) is what I meant. The D string is the only one which buzzes at all. The nut is some sort of metal. It only started buzzing a few days ago, so I thought because wood flexes, that could be the cause, but then again if it was the whole neck, you'd think all the strings would buzz. I guess I will have to contact Guitar Center's guitar service dept and see if they can fix it. I bought the extended warranty, so the repair should be covered.

 

I have 4 electric guitars and 2 acoustic guitars and this is the first time I've run into this problem over the many years I've played and owned guitars.

[capmaster]

Thanks for your reply :)

 

Yes, playing on the D string first fret (E flat) is what I meant. The D string is the only one which buzzes at all. The nut is some sort of metal. It only started buzzing a few days ago, so I thought because wood flexes, that could be the cause, but then again if it was the whole neck, you'd think all the strings would buzz. I guess I will have to contact Guitar Center's guitar service dept and see if they can fix it. I bought the extended warranty, so the repair should be covered.

 

I have 4 electric guitars and 2 acoustic guitars and this is the first time I've run into this problem over the many years I've played and owned guitars.

There have been problems with excessive wear of earlier metal zero-fret nuts used for MinE-Tune/G-Force robot tuning models. I recommend to have it checked at the dealer. As reported by lots of forumites in the past, the defective nuts were replaced with improved ones without charge.

 

Perhaps Searcy will chime in. He is one of our forum's technique specialists and well experienced in everything about robot tuning.

[Half Note]

There have been problems with excessive wear of earlier metal zero-fret nuts used for MinE-Tune/G-Force robot tuning models. I recommend to have it checked at the dealer. As reported by lots of forumites in the past, the defective nuts were replaced with improved ones without charge.

 

Perhaps Searcy will chime in. He is one of our forum's technique specialists and well experienced in everything about robot tuning.

 

Oh yeah, I didn't think about the auto tuners, how they can excessively wear the nut by the way they tighten and loosen the string. I'll contact service tomorrow, make an appointment. Thanks again :)

 

I attached a pic of my LP Studio HP next to my LP Epiphone Special :)