Action Weirdness

[Riptide]

So, I took my LP Junior in to the shop to get a pickup swap (I've had it for over a year and never needed to set it up... well the intonation was always bad) anyway... I got it back from the shop it played the exact same but then I decided that it was finally time to get the intonation as good as I could. So I did that and then I noticed that the action was pretty high so I set it back up for it's original specs (5/64 on the low E and 3.5/64 on the high) and it played fine for a bit and then it started buzzing randomly any ideas? I raised the action and I'm still getting buzzing on the E, A and D strings all the way up the neck. So weird.

[cjsinla]

So, I took my LP Junior in to the shop to get a pickup swap (I've had it for over a year and never needed to set it up... well the intonation was always bad) anyway... I got it back from the shop it played the exact same but then I decided that it was finally time to get the intonation as good as I could. So I did that and then I noticed that the action was pretty high so I set it back up for it's original specs (5/64 on the low E and 3.5/64 on the high) and it played fine for a bit and then it started buzzing randomly any ideas? I raised the action and I'm still getting buzzing on the E, A and D strings all the way up the neck. So weird.

 

 

Check the bow on the neck. Make sure it's not too straight or bowed a little backwards.

[Guest Farnsbarns]

Yeah, check the relief by gently handing the low E down at the first fret and just behind the last fret. Only just enough pressure to get it on the frets. At the 8th to 10th frets you want 1.5 to 2mm. You might need more if some frets are worn.

 

Check all the saddles are well seated (they can rise a little when setting intonation on the "no-wire" abr1 or even the "with-wire" Sometimes).

 

I would assume they put new strings on after they swapped the pups. I find new strings can be a bit more buzzy than week old ones.

 

I have had switches that rattle in the middle position and sound like string buzz.

 

Check the strings aren't touching the new pups and check the pups themselves aren't rattling.

[Riptide]

Thanks guys I have checked the neck relief it's on the low side but nothing extreme. Could the relief have such a sudden change as I had though?

 

Not exactly sure what you're saying on the bridge, anyway I have a wrap around and the strings seem to be seated fine.

 

No new strings... since the wrap around just comes off when you loosen them.

 

No switches to check ;)

 

I'll be sure to check the puckup.

 

I'm going to change the strings, check all that stuff and add a little more relief in the neck. I hope it works! :)

[Guest Farnsbarns]

If your shop loosened all the strings and didn't replace them they should be shot. I assume they would have loosened the truss rod if the strings were slack for that amount of time so I guess they didn't quite get the relief right when they reset it. Just let the truss rod out a tiny bit.

[LPGTCat33511]

Bring it back and ask them to set it up

 

Bring or show an example of a guitar that plays and feels like you like it to play and feel

 

Always try to play and test a guitar repair before you leave the shop

[Riptide]

Bring it back and ask them to set it up

 

Bring or show an example of a guitar that plays and feels like you like it to play and feel

 

Always try to play and test a guitar repair before you leave the shop

 

It played great right after I got it back from the shop, just like it did before. It was after I set the intonation that it went wacky.

 

Anyway, I got some new strings on and set everything up. I loosened the truss rod a bit. It seems like it's gonna work! There is a little bit of buzz but I always get that with bran new strings.

[Riptide]

It played great right after I got it back from the shop, just like it did before. It was after I set the intonation that it went wacky.

 

Anyway, I got some new strings on and set everything up. I loosened the truss rod a bit. It seems like it's gonna work! There is a little bit of buzz but I always get that with bran new strings.

 

I forgot to say, the action is pretty high though.

[Sgt.]

So, I took my LP Junior in to the shop to get a pickup swap (I've had it for over a year and never needed to set it up... well the intonation was always bad) anyway... I got it back from the shop it played the exact same but then I decided that it was finally time to get the intonation as good as I could. So I did that and then I noticed that the action was pretty high so I set it back up for it's original specs (5/64 on the low E and 3.5/64 on the high) and it played fine for a bit and then it started buzzing randomly any ideas? I raised the action and I'm still getting buzzing on the E, A and D strings all the way up the neck. So weird.

 

hmm, my theory is that you can increase the string angle at the nut by tying a piece of leather shoe lace on top of the strings behind the nut. i don't know if doing that helps buzzing, but try it. i'm doing that to address some tuning instability. musician's have done this trick in the studio to reduce unwanted vibrations on recordings (reference carl perkins). life is a learning journey. my lp at factory settings had buzzing on the sixth string on the first to third frets. i switched to medium guage strings because they won't vibrate as much there as the lighter strings will. i had to adjust the truss rod so the neck wansn't so flat. i had the same experience at the shop where i purchased the guitar. i wasn't satisfied with the buzz and asked them to set it up, they did to factory settings and i still wasn't satisfied, so i had to do it to my own perference. i find, as superstitiously as all be, that with the magnetic pickups there's more pull with higher raised pickups. i lower the pickups until the magnetic feel on the strings feels easiest when playing chords in the first position. higher raised pu's will put more magnetic pull on the strings and cause more vibrations.