High E string on LP "plinks". What to do?

[jpervin]

I recently bought my first Les Paul and rewired it with new pickups, pots and tone caps. Put everything back together and it sounds good except the high E string has some buzz on it up to the 12th fret. After that, it just "plinks".
Should I raise the treble side of the bridge slightly or adjust the high E saddle, or both?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v341/jpervin/FinishedLPGoldtop003.jpg
Sorry if it seems like a dumb question, but I'm normally a Tele guy and have never owned a guitar with this kind of bridge/tailpiece before.

[mistercoffee1]

Raise the action if you're getting buzz, but check the neck relief as well.
Adjust the saddles if the intonation is off.

[rockinlespaul]

Is the string hitting/touching the pickup when fretted?:huh

[John Coloccia]

Okay.....first things first: My guess is that there's no way that LP intonates correctly with the saddles all set back like that.

Anyhow:
Before you start, drop the pickups down a bit to make sure they're not tugging on the strings. Sometimes people set them too high. I'm also assuming that the nut is OK.

1) tune to pitch
2) put a straight edge down the neck (or use a string...capo on the first and 15th fret, or so) and adjust the truss rod until the neck is nearly flat....no back bow. Flat is OK...a little relief is OK. Don't force it. If you have to use a lot of pressure, just stop right there are take it in for a setup.
3) keep the capo at the first fret and set the action at the 17th fret to somewhere around 1/16th of an inch...the bottom of the string is 1/16" away from the frets. This will give a comfortable playing guitar. I think factory LP specs are just a hair higher on the bass strings and a hair lower on the treble string.
4) remove the capo, and set the intonation.
5) raise the pickups to until you get the tone you like. I like mine lower than most.

Play and see how you like it. The intonation setting will slightly change the action, and changing the action slightly changes the intonation, but this will get you in the ball park of a nice playing guitar assuming the frets are reasonably level. From here, you can drop the strings a bit, straighten the neck a bit (or give a bit more relief), etc etc.

[jpervin]

Is the string hitting/touching the pickup when fretted?:huh

This was the problem.

Neck pickup lowered > problem solved.

And yeah...I felt kinda stupid for not looking for that. :bonk

Neck relief and intonation was fine.

[Pietro]

But is your guitar even intonated properly? Look at those saddles!

[John Coloccia]

And yeah...I felt kinda stupid for not looking for that. :bonk


There's a good reason I always suggest dropping the pickups first before starting the setup. LOL. It happens to everyone at one time or another :)

[jamesrsmith]

i had a similar problem with my older model telecaster, everything was set up just right , BUT, two frets up high about four frets from the end at the high E position were rubbing on bends,, i had to file DOWN those two frets. never had to do that on a guitar before. didnt matter if you raised the strings up a bit, they still rubbed. havent heard too much talk about that sort of small detail

[cdntac]

I agree.... There is _NO_ way the intonation on that guitar is even close to being correct.

Intonation is never "fine". It's either right or wrong.