Stewie Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I recently purchased an 08 Gibson Studio in Fireburst. I am really trying to like this guitar but there are a couple of things that are really bugging me. There is a hum when I do not have my fingers in contact with the strings. It goes away when I touch them. I have this on my cheap Squiers but I would think the Gibson would not have this. My Epi Elitist does not do this. I assume it is a problem with the ground? Also the frets seem "sticky" that is the only way I can describe them. The strings seem to drag when I try bends and finger vibrato. They are not physically sticky to touch, but they do not slide as smoothly as I would expect. I was just wondering if there were others with this problem. I assume there are some quick fixes for these issues. I was also thinking of buying a Standard or Classic Antique, but if this is what I will have to put up with I am having second thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I recently purchased an 08 Gibson Studio in Fireburst. I am really trying to like this guitar but there are a couple of things that are really bugging me. There is a hum when I do not have my fingers in contact with the strings. It goes away when I touch them. I have this on my cheap Squiers but I would think the Gibson would not have this. My Epi Elitist does not do this. I assume it is a problem with the ground? That's normal for a guitar and have no explanation why it doesn't occur with your Epi. Also the frets seem "sticky" that is the only way I can describe them. The strings seem to drag when I try bends and finger vibrato. They are not physically sticky to touch' date=' but they do not slide as smoothly as I would expect. I was just wondering if there were others with this problem. I assume there are some quick fixes for these issues. I was also thinking of buying a Standard or Classic Antique, but if this is what I will have to put up with I am having second thoughts. [/quote'] Weird. Perhaps getting the frets polished or simply polishing the fretboard yourself might help but I would expect a Gibson to come with the frets all set to go. Since it's a recent purchase, I would take the guitar to the store where you bought it and you can probably get them to take a look at it free of charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I agree, take it back and make them look at it. If you're a hands on guy and want to do it yourself and sand the frets. http://www.gibson.com/magazines/amplifier/1997/12/tip.html But you shouldn't have to do this on a brand new guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 I sent an email to the store and the tech said that the noise issue is common to Les Pauls. He offered to clean up the frets with 000 steel wool, but I can do that myself. I have had one reply that the noise is normal, and I am wondering if others have the same problem with the noise on their LPs. If that is so I guess I will have to live with it. I am also wondering if it is the "feel" of the medium jumbo frets on the Studio, that I am not used to. I hate to say it but my Elitist Les Paul Custom makes the Studio look bad, in several respects. But one thing stands out on the Studio. The tone is amazing. And that is why I bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Yeah, it's normal with Les Pauls and every other guitar I own including my LP and SG Junior, several Fenders, a Reverend, a Guild, a couple of Ibanezes and a Yamaha. The fret size was the first thing I thought of but couldn't find info on what comes on the Epi Elitist. Most players like the medium jumbos because it's supposed to make bending easier. Personally, I like the small, "vintage style" frets on my LP and Fender 57 RI Strat and 52 RI Tele and much prefer them to the larger frets on my SG Junior, not because of bending, but just for feel and because I tend to play pretty aggressively and sometimes end up bending the strings over the frets which makes the guitar sound sharp. If I were you, I'd let them do the polishing just in case something goes wrong. If they mess it up, they'll fix it or give you another guitar; if you mess it up, you're stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 http://www.automotivepartsnetwork.com/store/pc/catalog/7373_L.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 No Shortage of those tools at my place. My other hobby is restoring muscle cars. I am surprised at that Rich. I have 15 guitars including an ES335, Gibson SG, and 8 Strats and the only ones that are this bad are the cheap Squier Standards. My MIA Deluxe Strat, and even my Deluxe Player don't have this same noise problem. As far as frets go the Elitist are almost vintage style. I will give it some time and down the road I will let them work on the frets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I have owned lots of guitars over the years... and all of them have presented a litle noise while playing with medium to high gain or distortion... if played clean or at low gain, a guitar shouldnt make any noise, maybe if it has single coils and through an amp with no grounding tip (dont ever remove that in your amp or any other electrical equipment), but i havent experienced that ever, and i happen to own a 60s or 70s fender princeton tube amp that came with a "normal" cord (no grounding tip) and it has never given me any noise (just a little hizz while the tubes heat up as it doesnt have a standby switch). What i have noticed is that, when somebody comes with a cheap guitar, sometimes it doesnt make any noise at all, but it doesnt go all the way up to 11 in distortion... so maybe the laack of noise is because they are weak pickups and of course they distort less... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 Well I did some research and there have been numerous threads about the noise I am describing on the Les Paul Forum. The bottom line on this is shielding paint. There seems to be some corelation between later models of Gibson and this noise issue. Some of the members on the Les Paul forum discovered that by using a good quality copper based shielding paint the noise has been almost totally removed. It is kind of funny that I was comparing this to my new Deluxe Squier Strat and it is virtually noiseless. One of the major changes was the use of Shielding paint on the lower end Fender. Fender has been doing a lot more on this type of thing than Gibson. I am also wondering if the chambering has something to do with it. I am going to find some paint and do the cavities and the backs of the plates with the shielding paint. This is not a mild noise. It is an actual pop when I touch any of the metal parts on my guitar. It is not my rig, because it doesn't happen with 80% of my 15 guitars. Only the unshielded Strats. Also I am a fanatic when it comes to noise, and I have gone to great lengths to make sure all my power supplies are conditioned and I only plug directly into wall outlets. My grounding on the house has been double checked by an eletrician and it perfect. I am talking Guitar, Cord, Amp. No gain or distortion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I am talking Guitar' date=' Cord, Amp. No gain or distortion. [/quote'] That certainly is strange, my standard faded is a 07 model (sept 07) and it doesnt give me any noise... and at home i have a terrible grounding problem (too much electronic equipment in the same place: 4 computers, 5 tvs, 7 air conditioning systems, 2 refrigerators, ...) and even in that condition i have never had noise while playing clean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 My LP's are all pretty quiet in fact the only guitars I have that make noise clean are singe coil / p90's which of course hum a tad I say pretty quiet because honestly after 25 years of playing electric I'm not sure i could here a hum sometimes I wonder if I would here a clarinet playing. but I would check out grounds or even a bad pickup if you hear it all the time on a clean setting. Sticky frets i don't understand that one i have felt rough frets and I've played guitars that have sticky necks especially new ones that have been in a store with sticky fingers and dusted by who knows what kind of crap but sticky frets I must not have run across that yet edit - forgot my main point thinking about those sticky frets, get it fixed but don't give up on les pauls because of tone or feel thats not the norm trust us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverbursted Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Is the "hum" you are hearing fret buzz or is it feedback? If it is fret buzz, proper action setup would fix that, if it is feedback, then check the cable connection (inside and out), then look to see if you might have a pup wire grounding (or not being grounded at all). Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 I have the exact same noise issue with my Studio Plus. I just touch the strings, bridge or tail piece to make it stop. Do you ever hear an electric "creaking" type noise when you move the guitar? I just deal with it because other than a slight annoyance it doesn't really affect anything. I know that feeling though where it's just the principle of a high end guitar sounding like this. As far as the frets, I know it's not real technical but here's what I did. I just start at the first fret and work all the way down to the highest. I hold the LP in my lap and use my right hand to bend the strings like a wide vibrato for about 10-20 seconds on each fret and do this on all strings. I find it puts a little shine on the frets and wears them in a little. Another thing might be the rosewood. It's kind of grainy and the grain seems to run lenthwise down the neck. When bending, the strings rub across the grain and it causes some friction. I have learned to like this over the slippery feel of a maple neck. But it can also cause a little noise when bending. That's one of the reasons I have said a LP can be unforgiving. If you don't fret everything just right and be careful how you move along the fretboard and mute certain unwanted strings you will get all these extra noises. It takes more work, but when everything is right there's no better tone IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 The noise is not related to feedback or buzzing. If you leave your hands off the guitar there is a humm like 60 cycle hum on an amp. When I touch the strings or any of the parts related to the electronics it stops and if the volume is high enough on the guitar it atually pops. Saturn: I read a thread on the Les Paul forum about the noise you are talking about. A couple of people wrote in with the same sound and apparently shielding paint was the answer. I have had this same issue with my older Strats and P90 guitars, and the shielding was the answer there as well. So I will try it with my Studio. It can't hurt, and if it makes it quieter I will be happy. I got to thinking about the Frets and I think it is a combination of the 50s neck and the med. jumbo frets, and also the fact that the guitar is brand new and the neck itself still has that nitro stickiness on the back of the neck might be why it feels strange on bends. A little tweaking by my tech and I will see how it feels, or it will be gone! My own fault. I should have spent more time playing it before I bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 I pulled it out again and played for about an hour. I realized then that I was being my usual anal self. I thought just STFU and play the dam guitar. I did and it has the tone I was looking for and with a little practice I WILL get used to it. Sorry to waste your guys time but thanks for all the replies. As you can probably tell I retired early from the Accounting field! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 hey man... does it happen whit the guitar plugged or unplugged? (dont even answer that... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewie Posted April 1, 2008 Author Share Posted April 1, 2008 No I wear my tinfoil hat when it is unplugged to ward off alien frequencies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Man, you should have said that first, those alien frequencies are bouncing from your hat down to your guitar! Another mistery solved in the gibson forum! Gibson forum 1 Aliens 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 No I wear my tinfoil hat when it is unplugged to ward off alien frequencies. You too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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