Perhaps this is a problem at the bridge?

[project]

Hello! My name's Patrick. I'm new to this forum. I own a 07' Elitist LP Custom and I seem to be having a problem on the first string (high E). When I bend at the 12th fret the note gets choked out. This also happens around the 17th fret and upward. It's odd because all the notes between frets 12 and 17 sustain like they're supposed to. I don't have fret buzz and my action isn't set to low. Could this be a problem with a fret or perhaps the bridge and saddle? Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

P.S. - Oh yeah! I forgot to say that this is only occuring on the 1st string (high E). The rest of the strings seem to be fine.

[lostindesert]

That sounds like uneven fret heights to me, especially if you have a medium action.

Your guitar probably needs a fret leveling job.

Btw what is your action? On my Epi Lucille it's 5/64''(2mm) on the high E-string at the 12th fret.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Peter

[Steven Lister]

I agree that your likely problem is frets. 12, 17-22 are too high on the 1st string side.

You may be able to fix it w/o a complete fret level. With the right toools/touch you can lower and/or dress down the high spots and be playing on in no time. Search the forum for fret dressing tips or do a Google.

 

Welcome to the forum and good luck!

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-"

[project]

I think I might have read somewhere that if your tailpiece is bolted all the way down against the body and your bridge is set to high, it doesn't allow enough clearance between the bridge and the strings. Which in return would cause the notes to choke out.

[lostindesert]

Leaving the saddles the strings shouldn't touch the bridge on their way to the tail piece.

If so, heighten the tail piece. But imo this has nothing to do with the high strings choking out.

 

Peter

[danielaraujo]

It's a very common problem. There's probably a kink on the scale that made your 13th and 18th frets raise up a little in the middle.

 

The easier solution would be leveling/crowning the frets. I have done to my guitars with great results but you'll need specialized tools for the crowning.

 

Another possibility is that you'll have to reseat those frets. That can be cheaper but I never tried it so I can't say how hard or easy is it.

 

If you're not in the DIY mood, a pro luthier will probably suggest you have all the frets replaced and the scale resanded to radius, but I don't think it will be worth the price unless your frets are too low and need to be replaced anyway. Having him level the frets should be enough.

 

Daniel

[TWANG]

Hello! My name's Patrick. I'm new to this forum. I own a 07' Elitist LP Custom and I seem to be having a problem on the first string (high E). When I bend at the 12th fret the note gets choked out. This also happens around the 17th fret and upward. It's odd because all the notes between frets 12 and 17 sustain like they're supposed to. I don't have fret buzz and my action isn't set to low. Could this be a problem with a fret or perhaps the bridge and saddle? Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

P.S. - Oh yeah! I forgot to say that this is only occuring on the 1st string (high E). The rest of the strings seem to be fine.

 

I'm going to get called a hack I suppose..

but

 

I wouldn't go with a complete level and crown over on string and a few frets.

 

I've fixed this problem on my own epi, and that area is typically where you find problems on many guitars.

The other area is low E and A.. from 2 to 7 frets.

 

You are lucky, in my opinion, as it's only on one string.

 

What I have done, with great results, is simply level the area than needs it.

 

I place black magic marker, I use a sharpie, lines on top of the fret, just beneath the problematic string, to indicate

where the problem is.

you want to play the string, fretted.. if it makes noise. .mark the next higher fret. because that's where it's

making the noise.

that's the high fret.

 

bend the string.. when it frets out.. hold it there and mark the next fret up even though that will be off the straight

string path of the string you're playing, that's where it frets out, so that's the high spot.

 

Bend everywhere you find a problem and mark the next fret where it starts to fret out.

 

When you're done you should have just a few black lines on the tops of a few frets.

 

That's the only area that needs any work.

 

Since this is all on the high strings, you don't even need to set the truss rod so the neck is as straight as possible.

Because you aren't going to do any work lower down the board.

 

I then take off the strings that are over the frets I want to work on.

I mask the pickups with masking tape so they don't get any metal filings on them.

 

I use a straight flat piece of wood, with 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper on it.

just wrap it around tight, and tape it on.

 

In your case about 5" long.

 

I then run that over the problem area, no pressure to speak of, let the paper do the work..

Until there is a thin line of clear metal showing.. just taking off the black ink!

I then drag it sideways over the frets.. smooths it out just a bit.. a couple of times.

again.. very little pressure.

 

Now.. what you have done is filed the most off the fret where it's high..

and barely touched the other frets.

 

put the strings back on.. and see if it worked.

It probably didn't.. in fact, it shouldn't if you did it right.

But it will be a tick less..

 

My point here is that this lets you reduce the high frets just enough.. eventually.

I don't want you to get it right the first time, since you haven't done this before, and by

doing it very lightly, you wont mess up.

 

after you test it.. mark it again..

and repeat.

play some other notes in that area, too, when testing.. you'll see that I'm right. It hasn't affected the other frets unless you were leaning on it while working.

 

Usually, on epis, it takes just a couple of times.. maybe three for you if you are as paranoid as I hope I'm making you.

and a crown isn't even necessary. They are usually that close. even on g310s and lp100s I've done.

 

In short, you can, with patience and care, reduce those high frets yourself. to good effect.

 

think about it. you're only taking the ink off the top.. and not even all of it.

you wont have a big flat spot, you'll just have a very tiny one.

when done, mask the fretboard between those frets and use very fine steel wool to polish them out.

clean the ink on the sides of the frets with lemon oil.

don't press on the steel wool, either, as it will also cut. you just want to polish, not take off metal.

 

 

If you don't feel like this is something you want to try, then at least find a tech or luthier who will take care of

just the area you have problems with.

There is no sense in doing a complete level on all the frets that are good.. it just decreases their life.

Remember there's a curve in the frets. the radius. and take that into account when you do it.

 

But really, it's doable even by an amatuer if he feels comfortable with tools.

 

And you don't need to shell out a hundred bucks for something like this.

 

TWANG

 

 

The

[snookelputz]

Sometimes, fretwire works loose and pops up a bit with changes in temp and humidity. Sometimes you can LIGHTLY tap the high frets with a leather hammer or block of wood and reset them.

[project]

Thanks for all your comments guys! I appreciate it!