Is this normal for a Les Paul bridge?

[Guithartic]

This is new Les Paul Standard 50s. I’m trying to set it up to factory specs. I got the relief at .010”. When I get the low E string (6th string) at 5/64 and the high E string (1st string) at 3/64 (at the 12th fret) the bridge is slanted a lot, and it just about touches the guitar body on the high E side. Is it normal for the bridge to be so close to the body when the action is 3/64 at the high E 12th fret? I’m asking because I can’t get rid of buzzing on the D, and I’m wondering if it has something to do with how much the slants down.

 

[LPTDMSV]

My first thought is that your string angle behind the bridge is really not helping, with the tailpiece bolted down all the way like that.

There could be other problems with loose or misaligned string posts that would be hard to gauge from photographs, but the first thing I would try would be certainly to raise the tailpiece several turns, especially on the bass side (it doesn't have to be horizontal). Or top wrap. Or both.

I don't see any advantage in having the tailpiece slammed down like that, I know some people think it improves sustain but I am not convinced.

Bridge height and action look fine to me, looks like your bridge is half a turn or more off the body on the treble side.

 

[LPTDMSV]

My tailpiece height, fwiw.

 

[Skit]

My first thought is that your string angle behind the bridge is really not helping, with the tailpiece bolted down all the way like that.

There could be other problems with loose or misaligned string posts that would be hard to gauge from photographs, but the first thing I would try would be certainly to raise the tailpiece several turns, especially on the bass side (it doesn't have to be horizontal). Or top wrap. Or both.

I don't see any advantage in having the tailpiece slammed down like that, I know some people think it improves sustain but I am not convinced.

Bridge height and action look fine to me, looks like your bridge is half a turn or more off the body on the treble side.

Moving the tailpiece has nothing to do with the angle the bridge is at. If the strings clear the back of the bridge it's fine. Misaligned string posts?

For only a 1/32" difference string height between the bass and treble side the bridge does look a little low on the treble side. Maybe the neck angle is off a smidgen. How do the nut slots look? Are they cut to the proper height?

 

[LPTDMSV]

Moving the tailpiece has nothing to do with the angle the bridge is at. If the strings clear the back of the bridge it's fine. Misaligned string posts?

Fair point.

 

[dju]

just an idea here so take it with a grain of salt. aren't the top carves of LP's hand finished? and if so I would think it would be possible that maybe the treble side of the top is a teeny wienie bit higher than the bass side. and since the treble side of the bridge is a little lower than the bass side then maybe all these tiny difference make the treble side of the bridge look the way it does on this particular guitar. just a thought.
as far as factory specs go they are just starting points. you may have to adjust to what makes the guitar play the way you want it to.
buzzing D string? maybe nut slot, does it happen only when played on open string or up to a certain fret? maybe a high fret.

good luck and enjoy

 

[pshupe]

just an idea here so take it with a grain of salt. aren't the top carves of LP's hand finished? and if so I would think it would be possible that maybe the treble side of the top is a teeny wienie bit higher than the bass side. and since the treble side of the bridge is a little lower than the bass side then maybe all these tiny difference make the treble side of the bridge look the way it does on this particular guitar.

For the last 30 yrs or so the top carve of the guitar should be quite consistent because they would've been CNC'd at the factory and then just finish sanded, which shouldn't really change the top at all. But having said that, it is entirely possible that there was a ding or an imperfection that was sanded out, much like what would've been done with a slack belt sander back in the 50's and 60's. The important thing is that it can be setup properly to play. The more I see vintage guitars, the more I see things that are way off to my eye, but wouldn't make any difference to the playability of the instrument.

In an answer to your question I would say yes, this is probably pretty normal. There are a lot of things that could make this happen. A slight neck twist, a slight mortise issue, the fret board could be slightly thicker on one side over the other. That is the reason that these bridges and tailpieces are adjustable in that fashion. You could adjust the tailpiece to suit, it may look a little better. The bottom line does it affect the playability of the guitar?

Cheers Peter.

 

[Guithartic]

Moving the tailpiece has nothing to do with the angle the bridge is at. If the strings clear the back of the bridge it's fine. Misaligned string posts?

For only a 1/32" difference string height between the bass and treble side the bridge does look a little low on the treble side. Maybe the neck angle is off a smidgen. How do the nut slots look? Are they cut to the proper height?

Yes, the nut slots were checked by 2 different techs, and I did the test, holding down the strings at 3rd fret and seeing if they just clear the 1st fret by a hair, and that is the case. The neck angle is 4.5 degrees. Thanks for your attention.

 

[Guithartic]

just an idea here so take it with a grain of salt. aren't the top carves of LP's hand finished? and if so I would think it would be possible that maybe the treble side of the top is a teeny wienie bit higher than the bass side. and since the treble side of the bridge is a little lower than the bass side then maybe all these tiny difference make the treble side of the bridge look the way it does on this particular guitar. just a thought.
as far as factory specs go they are just starting points. you may have to adjust to what makes the guitar play the way you want it to.
buzzing D string? maybe nut slot, does it happen only when played on open string or up to a certain fret? maybe a high fret.

good luck and enjoy

The frets were PLEK'd at Sweetwater and seem perfect with a rocker. The not slots were checked by 2 techs who said they were great. Your idea of the top itself being a little nonsymmetrical makes sense. Maybe that could be it.
Thanks for your attention.

 

[Guithartic]

For the last 30 yrs or so the top carve of the guitar should be quite consistent because they would've been CNC'd at the factory and then just finish sanded, which shouldn't really change the top at all. But having said that, it is entirely possible that there was a ding or an imperfection that was sanded out, much like what would've been done with a slack belt sander back in the 50's and 60's. The important thing is that it can be setup properly to play. The more I see vintage guitars, the more I see things that are way off to my eye, but wouldn't make any difference to the playability of the instrument.

In an answer to your question I would say yes, this is probably pretty normal. There are a lot of things that could make this happen. A slight neck twist, a slight mortise issue, the fret board could be slightly thicker on one side over the other. That is the reason that these bridges and tailpieces are adjustable in that fashion. You could adjust the tailpiece to suit, it may look a little better. The bottom line does it affect the playability of the guitar?

Cheers Peter.

Since I've gotten it, there is a ringing kind of buzz that occurs on the G and D string a bout a half second after the strum or the pick attack on those strings, even when I set the action to like 3.5/64 on the treble E and 5/64 on the bass E. Relief at .010. It'll probably be my only lifetime Les Paul and would like it to be one that doesn't have an issue.

 

[LPTDMSV]

Hard to diagnose buzzing online, but a few questions may help?

Open strings only, or fretted?
If it buzzes on open G, does it also buzz on a fretted G on other strings?
Does it happen when you pick/strum very softly, or only when you hit the strings hard?
Does the buzzing appear to be coming from the string itself, or could it be something like loose pickup covers, loose screws, etc.?

 

[cmjohnson]

Are you sure that buzz isn't due to other hardware? I've had pickups where the suspension springs were resonating at certain notes and it sounded like it was coming from the string.

 

[Michael Matyas]

If it's buzzing on the two middle strings your TOM bridge might be collapsing. That has been known to happen when the tailpiece is screwed down all the way. Do you have a set of radius gauges? If so, you could check if the bridge radius conforms to the fingerboard radius. If the bridge is collapsing it might be able to bend it back to the correct radius. (A good repair book will show you how to do it.). If you can't restore the proper bridge radius you could get a replacement and in the future keep the tailpiece about 1/8 inch off the top so this doesn't happen again.

 

[Skit]

If it's buzzing on the two middle strings your TOM bridge might be collapsing. That has been known to happen when the tailpiece is screwed down all the way. Do you have a set of radius gauges? If so, you could check if the bridge radius conforms to the fingerboard radius. If the bridge is collapsing it might be able to bend it back to the correct radius. (A good repair book will show you how to do it.). If you can't restore the proper bridge radius you could get a replacement and in the future keep the tailpiece about 1/8 inch off the top so this doesn't happen again.

It is a new guitar I doubt that the bridge is collapsing.

 

[Guithartic]

Are you sure that buzz isn't due to other hardware? I've had pickups where the suspension springs were resonating at certain notes and it sounded like it was coming from the string.

I’ll check that out. Thanks.