Les Paul Fret Buzz

Find another "shop owner."

Were the same gauge strings installed?

If so, with LPs sometimes when you're changing strings and the bridge is just sitting there with no tension, it's real easy to brush against the height adjustment wheel with a finger or knuckle or the side of the hand and change the height on that side of the bridge. And since the bass side is usually facing you when you change strings (the low E and A side), it could be that's what happened.

Unless of course the bridge has those, what're they called?

Oh yah, TonePros.

But if it's a factory bridge, that's what might've happened.

Unfortunately, I'm tied to this shop. He's a good guy and gives me a lot of free stuff, but I was frustrated with this particular situation. Plus, I'm in a small town with only a few options.

Demo, it was the same guage of string. I was wondering about the bridge, but didn't want to mess with it because I have no idea what I'm doing. Maybe I will tinker with that tonight.

Thanks.

Unfortunately, I'm tied to this shop. He's a good guy and gives me a lot of free stuff, but I was frustrated with this particular situation. Plus, I'm in a small town with only a few options.

Demo, it was the same guage of string. I was wondering about the bridge, but didn't want to mess with it because I have no idea what I'm doing. Maybe I will tinker with that tonight.

Thanks.

Do.... TINKER!! :)

To do it right it can be time consuming but it'll workout fine in the end.

Loosen the strings, yup all six.
Adjust your bridge height say half a turn at a time (just on the "Bass" side of the bridge)
Retune your strings, Test.

Still buzz??? No- Your done

Yes- repeat steps above.

Not that much to it really :)

This is one of those adjustments that is simple enough and has no real risk of damaging things (unlike a trust rod adjustment) so making this kind of adjustment is completely worth it, you can probably adjust your intonation also with relative ease and so I recommend that as being something even beginners do themselves. Did you have the shop change your strings for you or was it you who changed them but then the buzzing started and you took it to the shop? Changing the strings on your guitar is generally not that hard, though reading up on the net on some of the tips for it wouldn't hurt. Make sure you have a tuner though.

The shop changed them, then the buzzing started. I pointed it out, and he adjusted the pick up height. That made it a bit better, but did not totally fix the problem. I'm probably at the point where I should be learning to do some of this stuff anyway, so this will be good experience.

Yours probably looks like this:

It's that thumb-wheel the bridge sits on - one on each side as you've seen - and even in this picture you can see how easy it would be to accidentally turn it while, for instance, pulling a fresh E string from the tail-piece toward the neck. It probably got turned by the repairman, maybe only 3/4 turn or so (I mean they're not that loose, but still), and that would raise or lower the bridge on that side. I would suggest loosening the strings a bit and giving it a full counter-clockwise turn, retune the strings to normal pitch and play. If it still buzzes, repeat the process, giving it a half turn more. If that first adjustment fixed the buzz but it feels too high now, turn it back clock-wise a quarter turn until just before it starts buzzing again.

This is one of the things about LPs, just like Strats have that tremelo/vibrato thing when changing strings. A good way around it (with both types of guitars) is to change only one string at a time, letting the older strings hold the bridge (and adjustment) intact while you put the new ones on sequentially.

I mean like with my LP, I've inadvertantly flipped the thing over in my lap while changing strings (to clean and polish) and had the whole bridge just fall out. And then, yes, I've put it back on backwards with the saddles all wrong and...well, you get the picture. So when I'm stringing it, I make sure to keep away from those thumbwheels as much as possible. When I need to wipe down the dust or do a polish, I hold the thumbwheel in place with one hand while wiping with the other - that kind of thing.

Hope this helps.

Just one more thing and it has been mentioned before..WRITE DOWN what changes you make so that you can get back to square one if need be. After a couple or so tweaks you sometimes start to doubt what you have done!
Robbie

Awesome. Thanks guys. Demo, thank you especially for the pic. I didn't have time tonight, but will definitely hit it tomorrow night. Robbie, I'm sure that is great advice. I will do that.

Just wanted to stop by and let you all know that the bridge adjustment did the trick. Thanks so much.

Tony

Good job man!

Good job man!

Couldn't have done it without you. The picture really helped.