epiphone les paul standard

[invasion]

hi I just went to look at a Epiphone Les Paul standard seconhand . all seemed ok until I noticed at the 12th fret on the E A strings it had fret buzz which I think went up to around the 15th fret??

 

IS this just a setup or could the neck be twisted ?? it seemed fine playing a F shape barchord up to the 12th

 

any help much appreciated and look forward to chatting to you all :)

[AlanH]

Strings vibrate in an eliptical pattern between two points, the nut (or fret) and the bridge. Usually you need to introduce some relief (a slight up bow from the headstock) by loosening the truss rod to maintain a buzz free action, especially if you have a heavy picking or strumming style (= bigger elipse). As frets wear down you may have to introduce some more relief to prolong the need for leveling and crowning them. Relief is usually obtained between about the 5th and 12th frets by loosening the truss rod so buzz between 12 and 15 won't be cured so much by introducing relief. The guitar having buzz on the E and A strings may not be a problem as the thicker strings will hit frets more readily as they vibrate so it could just be that the action, overall, is too low and, while relief in the neck is preventing buzz lower down, higher up you'll still have the problem. Fret wear could also be an issue but you should also be able to notice it on the higher strings where bending mostly occurs. I myself play the pentatonic scale a lot in E and A so the #12-15 frets can get a lot of the attention with the very popular positional patterns 1 and 4 of that scale.

 

Sight down the edge of the neck from the headstock end to see if there is a lot of relief already. Sighting down the plane of the fetboard from the nut would show a discernable twist if this is the problem.

[KX36]

It could possibly be a slightly twisted neck, but that's not the only thing it could be. It could be that your frets aren't completely level. It's hard to tell what's up from the information you've given.

 

To check for a twisted neck, I'd put a capo on the first fret, press the string down past the last fret and measure the gap between the string and 12th fret on both sides. (Same as if you were adjusting the truss rod). Compare the two measurements. To check for uneven frets, put a long straight flat thing along the neck and see if any seem to stick up or leave a gap more than the ones near it. (if they all do the same thing, that's probably just the neck relief).

 

Whatever it is, all you probably need to do to sort it out in the short term is lift that side of the bridge slightly until the buzz is gone, but a proper set up can't hurt. (Actually, it can; I had very similar problems and took it for a set up. Cost me £30 and the guy took out all the neck relief making it completely flat, but my frets stick up around 13-15 and my neck is slightly twisted so that the bass side is further from the strings than the trebble side. Almost every fret buzzed but the guy is one of those guys who seems to only play the first 5 frets and so didn't notice until I arrived to pick it up and pointed it out. He made a quick bodge of an adjustment and I did the English thing of paying the money without kicking up too much of a fuss, while deciding to never to go back to the same person. Took me 2 hours to set it up myself when I got home, stopping off on the way to buy an allen key and a screwdriver)

[invasion]

Thanks for the help much appreciated!

I looked down the neck from the headstock end and it looked ok but maybe if anything it looked as if the neck may be slightley twisted at the first fret if that makes sense ?? or as if the right hand side right up aginst the nut was lower ?? would that make it buzz at the 12th??

 

It is a shame because I really want it but dont want to end up with somthing that cant be sorted:(

 

The neck looks to me as if it is concaved rather than flat or convexed

A full set up would cost me £60 by this guy http://www.jonhaireguitar.co.uk/ he is very good

A shame that guy bodged yours KX36 not sure how far that is from you but he is good.

 

 

it was priced at £180 does that seem good it didnt have a mark on it ?? I am so tempted to go back and get it but the neck bothers me if it isnt correct

 

What do you think ??

[AlanH]

You know what, Invasion. Until you know what to look for yourself, or have a friend who does, it probably isn't worth buying a used guitar especially if it doesn't play nice 'as is'. You can get a brand new LP standard plus in cherryburst from Thomann for £300. Under distance selling regs you have a week to send it back if you don't like it, so buying online isn't that much of a risk. Thomann is in Germany. I ordered my LP Studio from there and it came completely brand new, boxed as factory, extremely well packaged and nicely set up as it was. If you don't want the hassle of buying from Deutschland, UK retailers like GAK and DV247 will match any EU price. You may even have one of their stores near you.

 

Go on - treat yourself. You know you want to!

[invasion]

You know what' date=' Invasion. Until you know what to look for yourself, or have a friend who does, it probably isn't worth buying a used guitar especially if it doesn't play nice 'as is'. You can get a brand new LP standard plus in cherryburst from Thomann for £300. Under distance selling regs you have a week to send it back if you don't like it, so buying online isn't that much of a risk. Thomann is in Germany. I ordered my LP Studio from there and it came completely brand new, boxed as factory, extremely well packaged and nicely set up as it was. If you don't want the hassle of buying from Deutschland, UK retailers like GAK and DV247 will match any EU price. You may even have one of their stores near you.

 

Go on - treat yourself. You know you want to!

 

I think you are right..may as well get a new one not worth the risk I will take a look at thomann as you have recomended them :)

 

Thanks for your help

[AlanH]

Now I think of it Thomann actually offer sale or return for up to a month.