col Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 hi all. just got a les paul junior (after 12 years away from playing guitar...oh my fingers...) and am loving it. apart from when i try to play the high E string at the first fret. it doesn't just buzz...it's all wrong. think the fret might be too low...or the bridge needs lifted...not sure. it's fitted with 10s. i've recorded it if listening to the noise will help. hear it here (on soundcloud). will probably have to take it to get looked at by a pro but if i could save the money i would. there's some 'normal' fret buzz elsewhere on the neck but i don't mind that. i'd appreciate any advice you could give. cheers, col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Hi and welcome to the forums... If the guitar is new or the strings are new, it may well settle down after some playing... Otherwise a trip to a tech... If a fret needed levelling it would generally buzz across all 6 strings... Some Juniors are strung with 0.09 gauge strings...a change to 0.10 gauge can solve problems like this... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 hello...and thank you. the guitar is new and so are the strings. it's the only string on that fret that exhibits this issue. getting some 9.5 gauge delivered shortly so will try a new set. played it for quite a few hours (hence the sore fingers...how i'd forgotten) but it doesn't seem to be settling. if i press the string really hard (and i mean really hard) right next to the fret it almost produces an F. almost. rather disappointed with this to be honest. the first new guitar i've ever owned...maybe it isn't too unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 These are great guitars...many forum members love them to bits... First call for any problems with a new guitar is the supplier... Good Luck... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 It is possible that you may have a bad string, it happens. Before changing strings: 1. Does it do it when the string is played past the 1st fret? If it doesn't do it all the way up the neck, or at least half way, go to 2. If it does it most of the way up the neck it may need to have the bridge raised a little on the high E sting side. A straight edge screw drive will do the trick. Only raise it 1/4 turn at a time and try it. If it needs more, continue until buzz stops. I find with electrics that I do get a little buzz because I like my action fairly low, but I can't hear it through my amp. 2. If not and if you have a short straight edge, see if it will rock past the first fret, say over the 2nd-4th frets. Try this all the way up the neck. If it does, you have a high fret. New strings won't help. I have had high spots on frets that only affect one or two frets on a string, more so when bending and the string frets out (goes dead). If it does rock and since it is new, I'd take it back and have them fix it for you. It should be under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordy01 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 First of all I would like to welcome you to the forum! Stick around, it's a pretty good place to come and talk anything guitar, or otherwise in the Lounge. From the sound of your recording, it sounds like the first fret is low, or the second fret may be high. The sound of the string is definitely being muffled by the next fret. I would send it back and see what the supplier can do, or just take it to a tech. I do setups and repairs, and this type of repair should only take about an hour or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted December 31, 2013 Author Share Posted December 31, 2013 thanks for your quick, and detailed, replies. i tried raising the bridge a quarter turn...no change. intonation's still ok though and i think it has improved some of the other fret buzz. bought the guitar online...can't be bothered with the hassle of getting it sent back. i think it is that the first fret is too low on the high E section. will need to take it to get repaired when i have the money and the time. will just need to stay away from Dm or F barre until then :) appreciate everyone's input...hope you all have a good new year. cheers, col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 If it is new and you take it to an Epiphone dealer they should honor the warranty, just bring in the receipt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 From the sound of your recording, it sounds like the first fret is low, or the second fret may be high. The sound of the string is definitely being muffled by the next fret. Col, I'm with Gordy on this one. As the frets are new the most likely (possibility and hopefully) would be that the second fret was not set properly. It may only need a slight tapping or minor fret dressing by someone that knows what they are doing and has the proper hammer, set tool or files. You can give yourself a clue by using a credit card with a good edge as a fret rocker: Keep us up to date. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 1, 2014 Author Share Posted January 1, 2014 i get the rocking thing now...thanks. just tried it. 2nd, 3rd and 4th frets seem fine. the 1st is definitely low. don't fancy trying to lift it myself so someone will be getting my cash. if i have to spend £20 on a setup i don't really mind...i think the guitar's a quality bit of kit for the price. hope the guitar thing doesn't go the way of my film camera addiction... will update and thanks, again, for all your help folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 hello all. a small update on this...of sorts. rang my most local guitar repair shop. they only do a 5 fret repair/change minimum and that's coming in at around £90 (includes a setup) but that's more than the guitar's worth really. he did mention that a truss rod adjustment may help. could anyone give me any pointers on this? never adjusted one before. think i've got the key that came with the guitar for fiddling with such things. which way would i turn it to try and help my issues? and how much should it be turned? i presume that the strings have to be loosened... sorry to sound like an idiot but would appreciate any suggestions. cheers, col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 A few points to mention... IMX most visits to a tech cost £50+ for seemingly simple fixes...it is highly skilled work with implied warranty at every stage...hence the suggestion for a 5 fret examination... Truss rod adjustment is for the experienced...anti-clockwise(loosen) to put a bow/dip into the fretboard and potentially alleviate fret grounding/choking issues...a 1/4 turn at a time(no need to loosen strings)...still better left to an experienced pro, as 'settle time' is often necessary between adjustments due to wood's tendency to take it's own time to move... Advice would be to pay the tech...many people purchase new guitars then after a short while take to a tech for a personalised set-up... Good Luck... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Col, Basic guitar setup: http://mysite.verizon.net/jazz.guitar/guitarsetup.htm Read carefully. It explains truss rod but, I want to add my 2 cents. I do many setups. I also, tend to be overly cautious. Remember that when it comes to truss rod adjustment.....a little goes a long way. If you try to adjust it and it seems a tiny bit stiff, that's fine. If it seems stuck or overly tight...take it to a pro! Measure current gap with automotive feeler gauge according to above. Then: I usually loosen the strings. Adjust truss rod no more than 1/8 turn. Re-tune and let set for a few hours. Re-measure gap. If more or less relief is needed then repeat process. I never like to give any truss rod more than 1/4 turn total in any 24 hour period. As to measuring; Capo on first fret and press down on 12th, 17th or where neck contacts body...(everyone does it different) Measure gap at 7th fret with feeler gauge. A good setup is always a must but, in this case, I still think you either have a low spot on the end of your 1st fret or a high spot on your second. Best of luck, Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 thanks for your replies folks. after having a look through all that my head hurts and i realise that i don't have the tools or the experience for such an endeavour. might just have to break out the credit card and get them to fix the thing. i suppose if it means getting it properly setup too it isn't a total waste. never, ever, buying another guitar online. should have known better but i had vouchers... thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 It is very common for someone to get a setup right after getting a guitar if for nothing else to get the guitar playing like you want it to. I think a simple set up will have the guitar playing fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 It is very common for someone to get a setup right after getting a guitar if for nothing else to get the guitar playing like you want it to. I think a simple set up will have the guitar playing fine. yeah...it's just the cost. ah well...this wee baby will have to do me for many a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 You have to spend some money to keep the guitar playing well but you'll thank yourself for it. I get a set up about once a year or so and my guy checks the frets, the electrical, the truss rod and action and my two guitars aged 13 and 8 are still playing like a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 she's now under the care of jimmy egypt. the dude decided it was the truss rod right enough (after 2 seconds). very 'tight' he said. will be without her for 10 days while a setup is taken care of. i think that guitar shops, like garages, should offer a 'courtesy' guitar to fill the gap that has been left in my life. i'll probably have to buy another in case this happens again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 hi all. just a wee update. got the guitar back...it's playing rather splendidly. it was great before but the setup has brought it all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonita & Los Gatos Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Others correct me if I'm wrong, but this just seems to be to prove the fact that Epiphone puts the money in the guitar, and leaves you to do the rest if you want to. Which is why you get such such a lot of guitar for the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Others correct me if I'm wrong, but this just seems to be to prove the fact that Epiphone puts the money in the guitar, and leaves you to do the rest if you want to. Which is why you get such such a lot of guitar for the price. this guitar does seem to be of good quality generally but a minor truss rod adjustment, in the factory, would have saved me much time and money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonita & Los Gatos Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 this guitar does seem to be of good quality generally but a minor truss rod adjustment, in the factory, would have saved me much time and money. Yes, but you would have paid for that, the guitar would have cost 250 instead of 200. If you add up all the little extras that many people can and do do for themselves, you get a much more expensive guitar, and it's worth the effort because the basics you can't change ie the wood body neck etc is of good quality. Also it seems to me that Epiphones are a good guitar to learn on because if you do mess up a truss rod on a 200 guitar, it doesn't really matter. Also if you did pay 50 extra for a more detailed set up in factory ( I'm guessing that's a minimum of 2 extra days in production) and you still didn't like it, since set ups are person sensitive, then that's an extra 50 down the drain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yes, but you would have paid for that, the guitar would have cost 250 instead of 200. If you add up all the little extras that many people can and do do for themselves, you get a much more expensive guitar, and it's worth the effort because the basics you can't change ie the wood body neck etc is of good quality. Also it seems to me that Epiphones are a good guitar to learn on because if you do mess up a truss rod on a 200 guitar, it doesn't really matter. Also if you did pay 50 extra for a more detailed set up in factory ( I'm guessing that's a minimum of 2 extra days in production) and you still didn't like it, since set ups are person sensitive, then that's an extra 50 down the drain. i agree with some of your points but i disagree that i should have to pay extra for the truss rod to be adjusted. the guitar should reach me in a playable condition. playable. i'm not asking for a low action, perfect intonation or the pickups to be at just the right height but for it to play a note on all frets. i'm on a tight budget (as many people are) and a cheap guitar has become something more expensive. this might not be the norm...i may have received a bad example...but if this is quality control i probably won't buy a new epiphone again. will, maybe, buy second-hand once someone else has tweaked the setup. cheers...and i do appreciate your views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonita & Los Gatos Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Well, I'm glad it's playing well now, I think the hassle does come from buying a guitar online though, much easier when you play the thing in the shop... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Yes a salutary lesson for all readers...the downside of the internet dealer age... Many purchasers shop around for the lowest price Some prices quoted are rock bottom and can leave little profit to sustain the dealership Moi has purchased 'a few' guitars online...always noting that each guitar is checked and set up before shipping... These have all been relatively local rather than overseas deliveries(where things like temp/humidity can be problem areas)... There are excellent walk-in dealers across the UK, often with group discounts and internet options On occasion I have enjoyed excellent warranty back-up when a problem has occurred V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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