Fret Buzzing on Brand New Gibson LP

[ecjohnny]

I'm taking this LP to the Doctor tomorrow for a set-up. If it still has significant fret buzz or they say something is defective' date=' its going back to where it came from. $1900 is too much $$$ for that! I'll follow-up later.[/quote']

 

Ok, I took my LP Trad Pro to a Gibson Authorized Repair Center for a set-up. Now, it has significantly less buzz than before.The A string still buzzes openly(not as bad) and the G slightly. The action is now higher than it was when I received it, but its about where I am used to on my Fenders. Although I am still a little dissapointed, I have decided to keep it. I love playing it and the "new variety" in my collection will keep me playing!

[jamman]

Ok' date=' I took my LP Trad Pro to a Gibson Authorized Repair Center for a set-up. Now, it has significantly less buzz than before.The A string still buzzes openly(not as bad) and the G slightly. The action is now higher than it was when I received it, but its about where I am used to on my Fenders. Although I am still a little dissapointed, I have decided to keep it. I love playing it and the "new variety" in my collection will keep me playing![/quote']

 

 

It's good that it's playing better,but imo you should be completely happy with it. Play it for awhile and see what happens. good luck.

[BillyGibson]

Ok' date=' I took my LP Trad Pro to a Gibson Authorized Repair Center for a set-up. Now, it has significantly less buzz than before.The A string still buzzes openly(not as bad) and the G slightly. The action is now higher than it was when I received it, but its about where I am used to on my Fenders. Although I am still a little dissapointed, I have decided to keep it. I love playing it and the "new variety" in my collection will keep me playing![/quote']

 

 

Even a little buzz on open strings with "factory spec" action would bother me everytime I play it. Now with the action even higher, I would be even more frustrated. I'm pretty fussy though. Since you're still within MF's return period, send it back and get a different one.

 

I lucked ou on mine and got to play it before taking it home, so everything checked out. With internet sales, you have to buy first, then check out. If it doesn't check out, it should be sent back. That's why MF sells "used" customer returns ones at a discount.

[Col F]

Buzz on open strings is usually indicative of an improperly cut nut, a back-bowed neck or a twisted neck. You need to have the guitar checked by a competent guitar technician. Fretted string buzz can usually be resolved by a proper set-up (bridge/action and neck relief adjustments). Open string buzz requires a competent technician to properly identify the cause and correct it. A severely back-bowed neck or a twisted neck might require a factory repair. Call Gibson Customer Service if you need a referral.

[gearhead]

Well I'm a Gibson man through and through (even though I own a few Epi's), my very first "real" guitar was a 1965 SG Special and was awesome! In fact ALL the Gibsons I have ever had the pleasure of owning have been fantastic! The big problem I see, that everyone complaining has in common, is that they ordered their guitars, without playing them first! They are only WOOD! And all guitars are able to have some sort of problem in their lifetime, new or old. I agree that when you spend that kind of money for a new axe that it shouldn't have any issues, but I've learned over the years that if you don't put your hands on it first, you may be disappointed! You wouldn't marry a woman without dating her first, would you? Or buy a new car without taking it for a test drive? So before you bash Gibson, please, go try the guitar out that you want to buy, not one "like" it! And even then you may find something about it you aren't happy with after you take it home. Keep on jammin guys!

[oldefrothingslosh]

FWIW, my quick thoughts on what I am reading here:

 

1. Legitimate to be annoyed with a lot of buzzing on a new and somewhat expensive guitar - they are wood, but Gibson is not all that great at times with quality control.

 

2. We cannot all live near a Gibson dealer (nearest for me is 70 miles away and is a Guitar Center, which is not worth the drive), so trying before buying is just not an option for everyone.

 

3. If you are ordering online, one of the guys here recommended Sweetwater and they were great to me - at least you know that it is being looked at/set up prior to shipping (unlike MF).

 

4. A good setup works wonders and eliminates just about all of the issues that I have ever encountered.

 

All of that being said, for those who bash Gibson I will say this. Quality is a bummer sometimes, but there really is nothing like playing a Gibson guitar when things work right. The tone, feel, and mojo are things that you just won't find in other brands.

 

Best of luck.

 

 

My gear:

[Les Paul Fanatic]

I can't believe it went out the door at Gibson with a quality card that admits there is buzz on 4 open strings.

Unacceptable if you ask me . Like the other guys said it probably can be fixed but Gibson should have fixed it before leaving the factory. Shame on you Gibson for $2000 is BETTER be perfect especially when it is pleked.

 

Um how does one say... REFUND! Thanks.Oh and yeah pleked love the plek system. Take it in.

[80LPC]

I agree that when you spend that kind of money for a new axe that it shouldn't have any issues' date=' but I've learned over the years that if you don't put your hands on it first, you may be disappointed![/quote']

 

In other words 'I have no faith in Gibson to produce consistently good guitars, so I have to sift through a bunch of them to find a good one'.

 

This is a sentiment often expressed...

[sok66]

Ditto, it is a consistent issue with new Gibsons. They have to know these issues exist but they apparently are in such a rush to get product out the door they just don't care. Yes, they are made of wood and woods expands, contracts, twists, buckles, etc. One should expect the need to have any new instrument adjusted some time after it is built. OTOH, when a basic fret leveling has been botched, nut slots aren't cut to the proper depth, and so forth, and these problems go on year after year, someone in charge just doesn't care, period.

 

I've bought three new Gibsons in the last three years, an R9, '61 SC RI and a '59 RI ES335. This was an outlay approaching $10,000. The two most expensive ones needed nuts replaced, frets leveled and dressed, the R9 needed the bridge studs reset and new bridge saddles because their slots weren't cut right, the 335's bridge was collapsing and required new studs to get it to stand up straight, and a host of other small niggles that make you wonder if you're really a fool for continuing to buy Gibson products.

 

Oh, and as for the least expensive of the three, the '61 SG RI? Its setup has been fine, but the thing apparently got short-cut during the finishing process, the lacquer is wavy and the wood underneath seems like it swelled or something. You can still smell the fresh paint over a year later, which probably means it wasn't blended right. Oh, well, it was only $1500 after all, what would you expect?

[jamman]

Buzz on open strings is usually indicative of an improperly cut nut' date=' a back-bowed neck or a twisted neck. You need to have the guitar checked by a [u']competent [/u]guitar technician. Fretted string buzz can usually be resolved by a proper set-up (bridge/action and neck relief adjustments). Open string buzz requires a competent technician to properly identify the cause and correct it. A severely back-bowed neck or a twisted neck might require a factory repair. Call Gibson Customer Service if you need a referral.

 

 

I agree with you and i pointed this out before. But I think that he likes the guitar so much he doen't want to return it or sent it back to Gibson. Complaining about Gibson and their quality control does not solve the problem. It's up to him. I think the guitar should be sent back , but that is something he has to do. For the money he has spent his guitar should not buzz. Plain and simple. I hope he reconcsders. BTW , I was at Sam Ash today and took out a New Les Paul fresh from the box and i checked it out, perfect . almost bought it. They can make them right.

[Col F]

His guitar clearly needs to be evaluated (and hopefully repaired) by a qualified and competent guitar technician (not the typical "in store" guitar "tech"). Gibson Customer Service can provide referrals to authorized technicians in his area.

 

As regards the quality of instruments being distributed, I am compelled to remark that there were "issues" (ranging from cosmetic, to functional, to minor damage from careless handling in the factory) on many of the new Gibsons that I have handled in the past couple of years.

 

Of two fairly recent Gibsons straight out of factory sealed boxes, one of them was very nice overall, with only a couple of very inconspicuous cosmetic flaws resultant from factory carelessness. However, that guitar, which was Plek'd, has one high fret. Go figure? The other also had a couple of very minor costmetic defects, again incurred during manufacturing, but the neck (and thus the setup) was very bad and required several hours of work over a period of time to get it playable... and it too has one high fret (this guitar is not Plek'd). Comparatively, those two guitars were better than many of the Gibson samples I've handled.

 

It is true that every guitar is going to require periodic setup work and adjustment. But quality control should reject damaged or defective guitars, as well as guitars which have utterly wretched playability, and send them back to line for correction prior to shipment. However, the very high volume of guitars being produced, and the tenure, experience and capabilities of the personnel on the manufacturing line can clearly affect final quality.

 

Gibsons are mostly beatiful guitars that are capable of playing great and sounding fantastic. They do however seem to display more "issues" than you would hope to see given their price point (and the "value" of the name). It is unrealistic to expect perfection. Even the occasional new Martin may have an issue, but that is the point; a new Martin having an issue is a fairly rare occurence. Many of the issues leaving the Gibson factory probably could have been detected and prevented. Hopefully, greater attention to, and emphasis on quality controls will evolve in time, if it is important to the owners and management.

[Les Paul Fanatic]

Hey ecjohnny' date='

 

I've been looking for a Les Paul that doesn't buzz for half a year now. I still can't find a good one. The PLEK Gibsons seem to buzz the worst. I have a $120 strat copy ( a Sammick Malibu ) and it doesn't buzz at all. If I'm going to spend over $2k on a new Les Paul, it better not buzz. Hey Gibson, What's Up With That? The new Les Pauls suck! What's with all the buzzing? And what's with all the FAT NECKS? I can't stand fat necks -- they're too hard to play. You guys should bring back the Les Paul Classic, BUT PLEASE, NO YELLOW INLAYS. Who wants yellow inlays? And get rid of those plastic machine heads. How about some metal machine heads please. We're spending $2k here. Another thing, how about solid colors like black, white, or red? The Les Paul Traditional has a slim neck, which is cool, but the plain tops look so boring. If we can't get a flame top wood grain, then give us the option of solid colors. And if we could get solid colors, please coat the back of the guitar with varnish, NOT JUST THE FRONT, like the back of the Les Paul Traditional. Man, the back of those black ones without varnish looks like someone spraypainted it in some garage. And the back of those necks gets my hand so sticky! What's up with that? I would honestly like to buy a good Les Paul, please listen to me. I've given you some good suggestions. Get it together Gibson. I'm still waiting for a good Les Paul. Thank You.[/quote']

 

Listen up you ungrateful little p*$$ant, quit bashin' Gibson, seriously, all you did was whine and b*tch about Les Pauls, the finishes, and everything else, if you have such a problem with Gibsons, do the rest of us a favor and get off the forums and pull your head out of your @$$.

[tbonesullivan]

ok... what is this about there not being any "varnish" on the back of les pauls? Unless they are a faced model, the ENTIRE back and front of a les paul, except for the fretboard, is coated in nitrocellulose LACQUER. As in, the WHOLE DANG THING. Some guitars have a natural colored back, some have black, some have cherry red. I see no problem with the "black and tan" style LP with a black top and a natural back. In fact they are quite popular.

 

also, the grain patterns on plain maple can be quite pleasing, and I'd still prefer a nice burst finish to something opaque. If you're gonna make it solid, at least make it sparkle.

[z-clay]

I'd get someone on the phone and send it back. I just bought my Traditional from Guitar Center (same people as Musicians Friend I think) and it was perfect. You paid your hard earned money for a Pleked Gibson and it should play like one.....Dont settle for anything less.

 

 

Another thought..........Perhaps they will let you exchange it in person at a local Guitar Center???

 

Best of luck to you.

[jamman]

Col F , I have personal experience with Gibson and problems with their guitars. To make along story short.I bought a New Gibson, I got another $300 off the price , Because of blemishes. The next day I called Gibson and they wanted to have the Guitar back for evaluation. They did all the right things. Yes it was a QC issue , It's' something Gibson need to work out. but it's all worked out now. This was a CS guitar to boot. The problem I have with local authorized technicians is in my case , he works at GC. After past experience's with this guy, I will never , never let him touch one of my guitars again. I am no guitar tech., but I was a mechanic for 22 yrs and fixed his work. So my feeling is if ecjohnny can send it back to Gibson he'll most likley get the best results. imho.

[Yaff]

I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio, purchased new about 5 months ago. Played fantastic, no buzz but the action was a little high. Sent it for a Pro Set Up, action too low, creating a little buzz when playing hard. Lifted the bridge, now has perfect action (low) and no buzz - Fantastic quality

 

Purchased new Gibson Les Paul 08 Standard last week. Plays and feel fantastic, action is in line with Gibson recommendations and no buzz. Thinking about having a Pro Set Up, but is so nice now, not sure if its worth it - Exceptional quality

 

Tried a new Gibson Les Paul Traditional about two weeks ago. Fantastic tone and no buzz, but the feel and neck didn`t do it for me, so didn`t buy it.

 

For me, its very sad to read such negative comments about Gibson, as my personal experience has all been very positive. In my opinion, if you buy a new product and its defective (not fit for purpose), you return it and ask for a quick fix or a refund. Why would you keep something that's not right? Based on feedback on Forums and the Gibson site, there are plenty of exception quality LP`s out there, so it would not take long to find one.

 

If they refused / cannot resolve the issue or provide a refund, then you would have good reason to complain.

 

When you combine a wooden (subject to changing) instrument and the very small tolerances involved, its not surprising that some new guitars need attention.

[pearsonrj]

My first Traditional Pro from Musician's Friend had a neck pickup that had a fault, so I returned it. My second has fret buzz on the D, G and B strings at the 3rd fret up to the 12th. A guitar tech at Guitar Center adjusted the truss rod slightly and raised the action, but there's still buzz. I raised the bridge to it's maximum height and there is STILL fret buzz.

 

Assuming that there isn't an issue with a warped neck or something, I can only assume the truss rod needs further adjustment to bow the neck some more. I will need to get it done by a Gibson repair center so that it can be fixed under warranty if it doesn't do the trick. What p***es me is that the first Trad Pro had no fret buzz, but a faulty pickup. Should have kept it and had the pickup fixed under warranty.

 

It's a fantastic sounding guitar, plays beautifully and looks amazing. But I'm disappointed with my experience, and I have guitars that cost a third of this one with no need for further adjustment or warranty work, out of the box.

[Gino753]

I'd get someone on the phone and send it back. I just bought my Traditional from Guitar Center (same people as Musicians Friend I think) and it was perfect. You paid your hard earned money for a Pleked Gibson and it should play like one.....Dont settle for anything less.

 

 

Another thought..........Perhaps they will let you exchange it in person at a local Guitar Center???

 

Best of luck to you.

 

 

By the way, my 2017 Gibson lespaul trafitional, seems yo only not buzz, if i actually use less relief than the factory setting , like .006 instead of .010. If and 5/64 action onbthe bass side,and 3/64 on the treble side.basically the flatter the neck the less it buzzes,the more relief i add,but only up to factory settings..it gets buzzy

[mihcmac]

The lighter gauge strings you use, the more likely they will buzz. Specially if they are way lighter than what your guitar was originally set up with. Once you have determined what gauge you want to consistently use, take it to a pro to have adjustments done for your setup. Most of the measurement references are based on the 10 thru 46 set. Currently Gibson is using the hybrid 9 thru 46 set on most new guitars. Gibson "D" profile slim taper necks are very sensitive to string tension changes. Unlike the fat "C" profile 50's neck.

 

Note: Light gauge strings have less tension on them so they wobble more, so the action cannot be set as low as heavier gauge strings with more tension..

 

 

Also note: During the punk era the trend was turning to using really heavy strings, because nothing could produce the sound they made while bashing them as hard as humanly possible at high volume.

[Rockgitarristen]

almost every guitar need some adjustments over the year if you dont live in a place where the temperature and moisture is constant, i dont mind a little buzz, nobody hear it when its amplified and i prefere lower action than high action

[Leonard McCoy]

Reviving an 8-year-old thread should be punishable by law.

[Gino753]

Ah ok,so next time make an entire new thread just to answer my questions, Heard...you see? Although this might be common info, sometimes a person feels the need to ask his own question,pertaining to there own issue.

[RowdyMoon]

Reviving an 8-year-old thread should be punishable by law.

 

But then if you start a new one about an old topic you will eventually get the a-hole who says " use the search bar " comment........and you sure don't want to upset the internet police do you?............

[Gino753]

Thats exactly what i was going to say.Some times a person needs to ask his own question pertaining to the same question that was asked.bu someone else...and if i would have started a new thread???lord help me