LP Studio issues

rlw

So, much as I love the thing, the Studio is giving me some cause for concern and I would appreciate your thoughts.

The bottom E is too loud, acoustically and amplified.  I have had the guitar setup, a couple of frets levelled, strings changed to a set of 9 - 42 from 9 - 46, action has been lowered to spec, and the neck pickup lowered a lot.  I'm not sure that I like the sound so much now but anyway.

What has not changed is that the bottom E rings like a bell, resonates through the body and takes forever, really, to decay.  I know a solid body should ring a bit but this is silly.  My Dot is not as bad......

There is also a funny situation with the neck pickup whereby, if the volume is up a bit, there is a buzz which goes if you touch the strings.  If you touch the actual pickup with your finger, the buzz gets very loud indeed.

Under some circumstances, if you push the tone controls in, the body actually amplifies the clunk and  the guitar body rings loudly. Even better, laying the guitar across the arms of an armchair, so most of the body is suspended, gives rise to a microphonic effect where tapping the body causes all the strings to resonate through the amp.  And it feeds back occasionally like my Dot but less musically.

I'm beginning to suspect the weight reduction is the problem, with the cavities being just right for the bottom E to resonate wildly.  And the neck pickup issue is probably related too, as the bridge pickup seems OK.

Does this make sense?  It is fucking annoying I have to say, is putting me off the guitar and is making me think take it back and do an exchange, either for a less ringy Studio or something else, but I don't really want to spend any more which is almost inevitable if all the Studios are the same.

I only have a few days to decide what to do and a refund is now out of the question.

Your thoughts please.

xSkarloey

If it's still under guarantee take it back to the dealer.

RaymondLin

DSR is only 14 days, how long have you had it? Set up, levelling of frets....?

rlw

30 days is my limit to exchange and it was bought on the 10th February so a few days left yet.

Only a couple of frets sorted out and there is no sign that they have been touched.  In fact, its improved.   String change?  So...

And its the cause I'm after and if people think there is an actual problem.  Is what I have described typical - they all do that guvnor - or is it unusual.

ICBM

The neck pickup problem is caused by the cover not being grounded/earthed. This is a definite fault and should give you cause to return it if you want to.

The rest of it just sounds like an overly resonant guitar. Most people prefer them like that! Although if it's very pronounced at a specific frequency that's less useful...

57Deluxe

Loosen the string and place a small amount of plumber's PTFE tape across the top of the saddle under the string.

rlw

57Deluxe said:

Loosen the string and place a small amount of plumber's PTFE tape across the top of the saddle under the string.

Its not leaking ........

richardhomer

My view is that if you can return it, you should do so.

Though there 'may' be a fix - but if you don't fully cure it before the deadline, you've lost the chance to get rid of a problem instrument at no loss to yourself.

The problem sounds a bizarre one - I'm struggling to imagine what the cause is - but actually, the 'real' cure is not having it in your possession anymore.

rlw

So....I went to Andertons this morning and after a slow start (with only one chap with fairly poor customer relations skills) I sat down with one of the supervisors and went through the problems. 

First, no question, there is an earthing problem which needs to be sorted out so they are fixing that. 

Second, the ringing; yes they do all that don't they.  I tried a fancy custom shop number in blue with a +£4000 price tag over my Studio and it was just the same.  So, its a feature.  Fine.  I can live with that then and adapt to the sound.

AND, not turn it up loud when using my ID Core 10 which seems to be half the problem.  The Harlequin is much better.

underdog

rlw;551251" said:

So....I went to Andertons this morning and after a slow start (with only one chap with fairly poor customer relations skills) I sat down with one of the supervisors and went through the problems. 



First, no question, there is an earthing problem which needs to be sorted out so they are fixing that. 



Second, the ringing; yes they do all that don't they.  I tried a fancy custom shop number in blue with a +£4000 price tag over my Studio and it was just the same.  So, its a feature.  Fine.  I can live with that then and adapt to the sound.



AND, not turn it up loud when using my ID Core 10 which seems to be half the problem.  The Harlequin is much better.

I dislike too much bass in my sound so my options on my les Paul's are a) hybrid strings (treble from 11s and bass from 10s) or b) lower bass side of pickups. As option A is expensive option B was chosen

xSkarloey

rlw said:

So....I went to Andertons this morning and after a slow start (with only one chap with fairly poor customer relations skills) I sat down with one of the supervisors and went through the problems. 

First, no question, there is an earthing problem which needs to be sorted out so they are fixing that. 

Second, the ringing; yes they do all that don't they.  I tried a fancy custom shop number in blue with a +£4000 price tag over my Studio and it was just the same.  So, its a feature.  Fine.  I can live with that then and adapt to the sound.

AND, not turn it up loud when using my ID Core 10 which seems to be half the problem.  The Harlequin is much better.

So are the Capstan's  mob basically saying there's a design flaw with Gibbos that makes them produce a drone effect on the low e because it's provoking some kind of frequency resonance? 

I thought you wanted a guitar, not a set of bagpipes. 

rlw

It rang in exactly the same way as a dead fancy custom shop guitar. It's what they're supposed to do I guess and I will adapt to that in time.
Even the luthier who did the setup for me thought it sounded perfectly normal for an LP so it's clearly me, not it.
And I love the way it feels and plays and really don't want to change it and to what, anyway, so I think it stays and I adapt .

streethawk

underdog said:

rlw;551251" said:

So....I went to Andertons this morning and after a slow start (with only one chap with fairly poor customer relations skills) I sat down with one of the supervisors and went through the problems. 



First, no question, there is an earthing problem which needs to be sorted out so they are fixing that. 



Second, the ringing; yes they do all that don't they.  I tried a fancy custom shop number in blue with a +£4000 price tag over my Studio and it was just the same.  So, its a feature.  Fine.  I can live with that then and adapt to the sound.



AND, not turn it up loud when using my ID Core 10 which seems to be half the problem.  The Harlequin is much better.

I dislike too much bass in my sound so my options on my les Paul's are a) hybrid strings (treble from 11s and bass from 10s) or b) lower bass side of pickups. As option A is expensive option B was chosen

Faber do a hybridge too with brass and titanium saddles.

I've got one with all brass here but might order some hybridges in too.

I like string/saddle experiments.