Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Epiphone Les Paul Special II won't stay in tune


drad

Recommended Posts

I took my Les Paul Special 2 in to be set up. The set up costed 50 bucks.

 

When I got it back it still had all the same problems it did when I first got it. For one the aciton is messed up. It's REALLY low at the bottom and REALLY high when you go up the fretboard. If I lower the bridge the strings will make contact with the first 3 frets.

 

Even when the action is the way it is after the set up, I get HORRIBLE fret buzz. if I push down the 12th fret, the string is in contact with EVERY fret.

 

Another problem is the intonation is completely off. When I try to fix it the guitar will never stay in tune.

 

Should I go back to the music store and ask them to re-set it up free of charge since I spent 50 bucks 2 days ago and they didn't solve my problem? Or is the Special 2 just a bad guitar? It wont' stay in tune for more than 5 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Should I go back to the music store and ask them to re-set it up free of charge since I spent 50 bucks 2 days ago and they didn't solve my problem?
Yes, and tell them to do it properly this time.

 

Or is the Special 2 just a bad guitar?
Not if it's set up properly.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know what to do I am so frustrated I want to just quit guitar I wasted 50 dollars on a set up that didn't even do anything. I tried to fix it myself but I can't.

Don't try and fix it yourself, take it back to the store and have them do the job over and right. If you've been messing with it they can say you've been messing with it and it's your fault. If you're going to try and do it yourself then go over to the lounge and look at the DIY sticky first to see if your problem's there and, if it is, you may find the solution , but I stll say take it back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't try and fix it yourself, take it back to the store and have them do the job over and right. If you've been messing with it they can say you've been messing with it and it's your fault. If you're going to try and do it yourself then go over to the lounge and look at the DIY sticky first to see if your problem's there and, if it is, you may find the solution , but I stll say take it back.

 

Epiphone LP Special II guitars are the low end of the "Les Paul" type guitars that Epiphone manufactures. I had one, played it hoping it would approach the playability of a higher end guitar. Sadly, that was something that just was not going to happen, no matter how much "tweaking" was done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I learned guitar from the ground up, on my sunburst Epi

LP SPECIAL-II. A fine grand little guitar !

Nothing wrong with mine... it served me fine for the first

year, it's my back-up guitar now.

I rewarded myself with a anniversary present to myself

with a Epi LUCILLE after the first year.

 

So, I'd say....

IF I were you...

 

I'd take that sucker back to the store and talk

to management, and even IF the manager IS the

technician as well... have a frank talk with him.

 

Tell him that the person who TRIED to set up the

guitar here last time failed and you want a

competent tech on it and this time you want it

set up properly.

IF unable to provide such competent service...

then I'd like my money back.

 

Then, find another store.

 

I will stop now.

There are other solutions, but i won't

post them here... they'd be considered

Private Solutions...

 

CHEEKS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Epiphone LP Special II guitars are the low end of the "Les Paul" type guitars that Epiphone manufactures. I had one, played it hoping it would approach the playability of a higher end guitar. Sadly, that was something that just was not going to happen, no matter how much "tweaking" was done.

There should be no difference between the playability of a $1500 guitar and a $150 one. They both have adjustable bridges and trussrods, the nut can be fettled into shape and, if necessary, the tuners can be changed. You must be prepared to accept that it won't sound the same, may not feel the same or be constructed of the same high class materials but a guitar that won't play properly is an ornament. If the guitar can't be adjusted to give a good level of playability then it is faulty and instead of throwing money away on incompetent setups the whole guitar should be returned for replacement or refund.

These guitars, like the lower end Squires etc, are aimed at beginners and should be of a standard that will inspire brand loyalty. How likely is this guy to buy another Epiphone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Take the guitar in, and talk directly to the tech who worked on the guitar; not the storefront guy.

Show him the problems you've told us about. Seeing is believing.

I do setups part time, and if a customer has a problem after I work on his guitar, I will gladly change whatever needs changing.

If after showing the tech your problems, he changes things, still not to your satisfaction you might have to find another tech.

 

As to the inexpensive nature of the guitar, that should not matter too much in a setup.

I've taken absolute junkers and made them very playable.

The quality of pickups is not there, or the quality of some of the hardware, but if the truss rod works, almost any neck can be made playable with a bit of effort.

It may take a fret level, or some bridge filing, or fret end dressing, or a new nut, but it can be done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a Epiphone LP Special back in 2001 and when I got it, the 1st thing I did to it was give it a setup. After I did that, I had no problems with it at all. For the 3 years that I owned it, it always stayed in tune and sounded just fine. Maybe it wasn't a 600 dollar guitar, but if you take the time to do a proper setup, you can get any guitar IMO, to function properly. If you take a guitar to somewhere like Guitar Center, 75% of the time, you're going to have your guitar come back to you with a half assed setup that looks and sounds like it was done by one of Jerry's kids. That's why I always reccommend to everyone that they should take the time out to go and learn how to do their own setups. It's not as hard as you think it is. I've been playing for over 37 years and just started doing mine over 15 years ago and don't regret it. You save a lot of money and grief by doing it yourself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd agree that the setup was not done correctly.

 

The LP special is an inexpensive guitar, but it's not a piece of ... barnyard material. It should play well.

 

There is a possibility that the playing technique of a beginner has something to do with the problem, too.

 

That's all the more reason to get with the store manager where they did the setup and try to have things done correctly. The manager may wanna snow you, but probably realizes you may have friends - and word of mouth is a pretty powerful weapon.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd agree that the setup was not done correctly.

 

The LP special is an inexpensive guitar, but it's not a piece of ... barnyard material. It should play well.

 

It really does sound like a re-visit is in order for another set up. I, too

have done set ups for folks, and I make sure they PLAY the guitar before leaving

to know that they are happy.

 

I just did an LP Special II as a "project guitar. I stripped it down totally, did

my thing, then reassembled and "set it up" and intonated. No problem. It played quite

nicely, I dropped the action to 4/64ths on both E strings, made sure neck was straight.

I sold it on Craigslist, and after the buyer played it, he gave me my asking price with

ZERO haggling, and I had bumped the price up a bit for haggling room.

 

YES, a Special II CAN be a decent playing git. I hope you can get yours set up the way you

like it. I really did like mine while I had it.If I can totally strip one apart, then

reassemble, and end up with a good set up, the local tech/manager certainly ought to be

able to do it as the guitar is still in one piece for HIS purposes.

Just my rambling thoughts.....

 

EVERYTHING GONE:

 

100_0534.jpg

 

EVERYTHING BACK:

 

100_0561.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. a special-II, while not an expensive guitar, can be a quality guitar

2. you paid for a quality service and deserve to get what you paid for

 

my two cents:

 

if you take your guitar in, as has been suggested, and "demand" anything at all, be sure that you are firm in your intentions. NOBODY is going to grant your desires if you don't act like you feel like you deserve what you want. i don't not mean, in any way, that you should be a jerk. firm talking is completely different from being obnoxious. what i mean is, walk in to the store, talk to whoever needs to be talked to, be respectful but demand to be treated like the quality customer you are.

 

example:

 

"excuse me, i'd like to speak with a _________ (manager, luthier, etc) about some problems i've encountered with a product i bought from you..... i'd like to have this set up redone because i'm unhappy with the outcome of the previous service."

 

sounds completely different than

 

"hey, where's a manager?.... hey, this piece of crap won't stay in tune, your luthier TRIED to fix it and it didn't work and it's still dumb and won't stay in tune! i want my money back!"

 

/end

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Andrewjr hit it well... Courtesy can go a long way and usually is a thousand times better than a verbal punch in the nose.

 

The LP junior strikes me as an almost ideal sorta solidbody for a lotta music. Yeah, the SG has a bit better high fret access, but a light body and a nice neck, decent pickups... and as Animal Farm noted, even one with strictly cosmetic issues can be a wonderful project guitar that can howl any way you want it to.

 

The neck, the body and ability for a good setup are what give a guitar real "playing" value. Any new Epi should have that.

 

OTOH, one reason to talk personally to the mgr or repair person is to make it easier for everybody - you included - to see why there seems to be a problem. Understanding the problem always makes solving it to everyone's satisfaction a lot easier.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread goes a long way exemplifying the needless overcomplication and confusion of so-called setups. IMHO, there really is no such thing as a "proper" or "correct" setup. There is no magic, the luthier doesn't sprinkle pixie dust on the guitar, etc.. It is not rocket science! And as shown, a guitar can just as easily be screwed up by a paid "technician". The relatively few adjustments of a setup are not universal, as guitars and player taste vary greatly. Nor is a setup a permanent thing due to changing player desires/style, string changes, weather, etc.. And let's not forget experimentation to get one's guitar "dialed in" just right. If you're new to guitar adjustments, the first thing to do is to understand what the adjustments are and what they do. There are myriad sources available in books, magazines and websites. To pay for a guitar "setup" is unnecessary, a waste of money, and in some cases makes things worse than they were to start with.

 

Car repair places still sell tune-ups, when there is no such thing as a tune-up in today's cars. But people pay for them anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...