Low E string vibrates andm akes loud noise when left untouched and plugged in on Epi G400

[Chaoslava]

Yeah, long title, sorry.

 

First post here...

 

 

Basically when my Epi is plugged into my Marshall MG-15 DFX, the low e string buzzes, and then I presume the magnets from the humbuckers keep the string vibrating more and more.

 

And it's really loud, like, someone standing next to you humming as loud as they can.

 

I suspect my action is all wrong, and the height of my pickups is off too.

 

Any help?

 

I think it would be great if someone could tell me the standard action height, and bridge height, and humbucker height. Because i've totally messed it all up. I was fiddling about with it for ages tryign to lower the strings. I've learnt my lesson.

 

 

Also, i'm from UK, so inches are no good here.. I have a tape measure not a proper ruler.

 

It'll cost £35 ($70) to get it fixed which is a real pain.

[jcwillow777]

I would just experiment. Lower the pickup on the low E side untill the string doesn't vibrate any more. You didn't say which pickup, I am assuming the neck. Make sure you selector switch is set to either rhythm (neck) or treble (bridge). Find out which one is causing the vibration and lower that pickup.

[Chaoslava]

Oh also the thumbscrews on the bridge (to lower it or make it higher) have always been too tight to adjust with my fingers, it won't budge at all..

[Chaoslava]

[Whoops, no idea what happened here, sorry.]

[jcwillow777]

Oh also the thumbscrews on the bridge (to lower it or make it higher) have always been too tight to adjust with my fingers' date=' it won't budge at all..[/quote']

 

Use a screwdriver. Turn to the right to lower it and to the left to higher it. If you are making the bridge adjustment higher, loosen the strings first.

[Chaoslava]

I would just experiment. Lower the pickup on the low E side untill the string doesn't vibrate any more. You didn't say which pickup' date=' I am assuming the neck. Make sure you selector switch is set to either rhythm (neck) or treble (bridge). Find out which one is causing the vibration and lower that pickup.[/quote']

 

Sorry ^^

 

When it's on treble, it vibrates

 

When the switch is in the middle (both pickups) it vibrates

 

When it' on Rhythm, it still vibrates.

 

 

So I guess the strings are too low, but they were really high before... I could almost fit my pinky under the 18th fret and beyond.

 

Thanks for the reply

[Chaoslava]

 

Use a screwdriver. Turn to the right to lower it and to the left to higher it.

 

Yes I have been and you'll think i'm a major idiot (so do I) but while adjusting it, the screwdriver slipped off and scratched my beautiful Epiphone. My flawless, shiny, smooth epiphone...

 

Oh how I was gutted. I would of gone back intime and kicked my past self in the face before I even picked up the screwdriver.

 

So yeah.. i've learnt not to apply so much downwards pressure now. Which is fine when you're fixing PC's but not gutiars.

[jcwillow777]

Sounds like a combination of strings being too low and pickups being too high.

[jcwillow777]

 

Yes I have been and you'll think i'm a major idiot (so do I) but while adjusting it' date=' the screwdriver slipped off and scratched my beautiful Epiphone. My flawless, shiny, smooth epiphone...

 

Oh how I was gutted. I would of gone back intime and kicked my past self in the face before I even picked up the screwdriver.

 

So yeah.. i've learnt not to apply so much downwards pressure now. Which is fine when you're fixing PC's but not gutiars.[/quote']

 

You aren't the first to do that. I usually put a towel or something on my guitar when using sharp objects on my guitar. The first scratch is always the worst.

[Chaoslava]

 

You aren't the first to do that. I usually put a towel or something on my guitar when using sharp objects on my guitar. The first scratch is always the worst.

 

Yup, I suppose it's the same with everything, scratch on the back of an Ipod (you get one the second you look at it, then about a hundred the second it goes in your pocket.

 

First smudge on a monitor.

 

 

It's not too bad (truth be told I scratched it twice, once near the bridge pickup on the left, and once across the scratchplate onto the body.

 

 

Ok, so... strings too low and pickups too high. Can I keep the strings the same height, but lower the pickups ever more? They're pretty low already, i'm just taking a pic.

[Ricochet]

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial1.htm may come in handy. :-)

[Chaoslava]

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/tutorial1.htm may come in handy. :-)

 

Thanks, i'll give it a good read in a bit. I'm just uploading pics now. My camera phone is useless in the dark, so bear with me.

[Chaoslava]

 

 

 

THE SCRATCH!

 

[Chaoslava]

Umm.. so string height is supposed to be 3/64" off the 12th fret, this I know.. just 3/64".. is that 3 64ths of an inch?

 

I need that in mm haha.

 

Ok new discovery, when I have the buzzing, if I lay the guitar flat on my lap with the strings facing up, it stops.. but when I hold it normally, it starts again.

 

 

Also, it only buzzes when the volume knob is above 1, and when the gain on my amp is turned all the way up.

[davidg3333]

That would be about 18mm - ((3/64)/25.4) = 18.5

[pohatu771]

Definitely not 18mm... that's 1.8cm... which is almost an inch.

[Ron G]

Feedback? How close are you to the amp when this happens?

[Bill V]

Am I missing something here, but aren't 18mm and 1.8cm the same thing since 1/10 of a centimeter = 1 millimeter?

[Chaoslava]

Feedback? How close are you to the amp when this happens?

 

Don't think it's feedback, I can visibly see the low E string vibrating as I can't see the coils, and when I touch it it stops, but as soon as I let go it sort of builds itself back up again..

[Chaoslava]

Am I missing something here' date=' but aren't 18mm and 1.8cm the same thing since 1/10 of a centimeter = 1 millimeter?[/quote']

 

Yeah but an Inch is 25mm (2.5cm) and the proper string height is apparantly 3/64ths of an inch.

[Ron G]

Don't think it's feedback' date=' I can visibly see the low E string vibrating as I can't see the coils, and when I touch it it stops, but as soon as I let go it sort of builds itself back up again..[/quote']

 

Dude, that's feedback. Can't see what coils?

[Bill V]

Well, here's a suggestion, read this post http://forums.epiphone.com/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=26 , then use the following sites for conversions. These should be of some help. Good luck!

 

for fraction to decimal conversions: http://www.1stdaytona.com/converter/index.html

 

for inches to metric conversions: http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/length_conversion.php

[davidg3333]

 

Yeah but an Inch is 25mm (2.5cm) and the proper string height is apparantly 3/64ths of an inch.

 

Dang, nothing like a bad math day - good thing there is no blushing smiley!

 

(3/64 inch) * (25.4 mm/inch) = 1.19 mm

[RotcanX]

 

Don't think it's feedback' date=' I can visibly see the low E string vibrating as I can't see the coils, and when I touch it it stops, but as soon as I let go it sort of builds itself back up again..[/quote']

That's exactly what feedback is. Don't expect to leave the guitar untended in front of a working amp without that happening.

 

Your action looks WAY high.

 

Proper string height on the E string at the 12th fret is 3/32" (NOT 3/64") = 2.38 mm.

[RotcanX]

 

Dude' date=' that's feedback. Can't see [i']what[/i] coils?

I think he's referring to the winding on the string.