Horrible Fret Buzz on my brand new Gibson SG

qontheboard
qontheboard Posts: 787
in Musicians and Gearheads
Just picked up my new Gary Clark Jr SG, got it home and the fret buzz is terrible. Especially the bass side E string and A string. The E string is buzzing from the first fret to the very last. I have been reading about fret buzz with SG's online and my head is spinning with all the different info. I can change my strings but after that I'm useless at setup or anything to do with tech. I didn't bother playing it in the store, because it was ordered for me and still in the box. Plus I always miss something that I catch once I get it home, so I figured I'd just go home with it and check it out. Other than the fret buzz without having plugged it in yet, it feels awesome. Anyways, any guitar doctors out there wanna make a diagnosis sight unseen. 
  

Comments

  • PSUS2H
    PSUS2H USA Posts: 2,388
    You need a setup.  They'll be able to make adjustments to make sure the action is right for the type of string you're going to use on it.  Even brand new guitars new a setup.  Enjoy your new axe!
    Pittsburgh, PA September 28, 2005 || Washington, DC June 22, 2008 || Barstow, VA May 13, 2010 || Seattle, WA  August 10, 2018 || Dana Point, CA September 29, 2018 (EV) || Dana Point, CA September 28, 2019 (EV) || Dana Point, CA September 25, 2021 (EV) || Dana Point, CA October 1, 2021 || Dana Point, CA October 2, 2021 || Chicago, IL August 29, 2024 || Pittsburgh, PA May 16, 2025 || Pittsburgh, PA May 18, 2025
  • FinsburyParkCarrots
    FinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Some good tips here for Gibson guitarists:


  • xtremehardy388
    xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    Like said above, get it set up. It helps A LOT!
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,160
    Learning how to do it yourself is pretty easy and fun too. You can save money and make little adjustments as you need to without having to rely on anyone else. 

    Usually, a set of Allen wrenches and a quality strobe tuner are all you need. 

    Congrats on the new guitar too! I love SGs.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • opsopcopolis
    opsopcopolis Posts: 1,214
    edited August 2018
    That's Gibson for you... Their quality control is total garbage. Bring it to a good tech, have them set it up and give it a look over. Chances are it just needs a bit of work, nothing major
    2006: Hartford
    2008: Camden 2, Hartford
    2010: Hartford
    2013: Wrigley, Worcester x2, Hartford
    2015: NYC
    2016: Philly 2, MSG x2, Boston 2, (TOTD Philly 2, MSG)
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    2022: San Diego, Sacramento, Las Vegas
  • DewieCox
    DewieCox Posts: 11,432
    Any guitar you buy is gonna need a setup. 

    Raise the bridge on the low E side until there’s an acceptable amount of fret buzz. I usually end up with a bit in my d strong. 

    Beat bet is to google SG setup and take an afternoon and learn how to do it. Shouldn’t need more than an accurate tuner and screwdriver for your saddle screws. More than that(mainly truss rod adjustment) you might take it back to where you bought it and have them tweak it while you watch. 


    Gibson QC issues are way overblown. No worse than any other mass produced guitars, but they get less leeway b/c of their price and several years of ill will caused by inept leadership.  
  • qontheboard
    qontheboard Posts: 787
    Hey everyone, thanks for your responses and tips. I'm taking my SG in for a setup tonight. Unless I straight up exchange it for something else. I really want this guitar to work out for me. I am a little concerned as I found out that the guitar is setup by Gibson (that I already knew), and then has a second setup by Yorkville, the middleman that brings Gibson guitars to Canada and then distributes them to retailers. If this guitar has been setup twice and still has fret buzz this bad, I'm worried that a setup won't fix the problem. Fingers crossed.
       
  • qontheboard
    qontheboard Posts: 787
    Holy Jumping Jeebus! So after 10 days I finally got my SG back and had to hand it right back in as the fret buzz was still really bad. When I finally got it back a few days later I took it to rehearsal to see what was what with this guitar. It was brutally out of tune, no matter what I did. So I called and spoke to somebody who wasn't part of the service\repair department, and he told me that the service people won't look at or address the nut unless you say something, and even then they didn't want to even acknowledge that the nut might be the problem. So I took it back again and pointed out that the nut seemed to be the problem. After about 20min of working on it the tech handed it back and said he got the strings to sit in the slots of the nut more properly than before. So back to rehearsal with it and boom it's almost perfect. Now instead of the G string constantly going out of tune my E string on the bass side is going out but less frequently than the G was. I think the nut needs to be redone or altered somehow but overall I am really starting to love this guitar. They extended my 30 day try out period by a week so I have until next Saturday to decide if I'm keeping it. I'm leaning towards keeping it. If the nut is the only problem, I can take it to a better service centre in the future.

      
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,160
    Yikes! That sounds like an ordeal.

    Glad it's playing better for you now.

    Reading your story made me appreciate the hard working people at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI. They do setups on all new guitars. I've never felt so much as a single sharp fret end on any floor model in the store. 
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • CM189191
    CM189191 Posts: 6,927
    dudeman said:
    Yikes! That sounds like an ordeal.

    Glad it's playing better for you now.

    Reading your story made me appreciate the hard working people at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI. They do setups on all new guitars. I've never felt so much as a single sharp fret end on any floor model in the store. 
    I went to Lansing for work a few weeks ago and I went straight to Elderly from the airport after I landed.  That place is a national treasure. 
  • ChrisFromSeattle
    ChrisFromSeattle Posts: 4
    qontheboard said:
    I think the nut needs to be redone or altered somehow but overall I am really starting to love this guitar. They extended my 30 day try out period by a week so I have until next Saturday to decide if I'm keeping it. I'm leaning towards keeping it. If the nut is the only problem, I can take it to a better service centre in the future.

      
    Isn't it amazing that even with all the trouble it's given you that you still fall in love with it.  Got a Les Paul Studio when I was 19 and still love it to this day.  It's the longest relationship I've ever had :)
  • All Those Yesterdays
    All Those Yesterdays Posts: 2,723
    dudeman said:
    Yikes! That sounds like an ordeal.

    Glad it's playing better for you now.

    Reading your story made me appreciate the hard working people at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI. They do setups on all new guitars. I've never felt so much as a single sharp fret end on any floor model in the store. 
    Elderly is amazing...  Its a two hour drive, but worth it.  We used to have a great store locally, but the old guy finally retired 10 years ago or so. 
    E. Lansing-98 Columbus-00,03,10 Detroit-00,03 (1&2),06, 14 Cleveland-03,06,10 Toledo-04, Grand Rapids-04,06 London-05, Toronto-05, Indianapolis 10, East Troy (1&2) 11, Chicago 13, Detroit 14

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  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,160
    All Those Yesterdays said:
    dudeman said:
    Yikes! That sounds like an ordeal.

    Glad it's playing better for you now.

    Reading your story made me appreciate the hard working people at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, MI. They do setups on all new guitars. I've never felt so much as a single sharp fret end on any floor model in the store. 
    Elderly is amazing...  Its a two hour drive, but worth it.  We used to have a great store locally, but the old guy finally retired 10 years ago or so. 
    It's kind of a hike for me too. Totally worth the drive, though.

    Locally, we have Phat Cat guitars. Excellent selection of new, high end guitars, amps and effects.

    I recently had them do a partial refret on one of my Martins. They did a spectacular job and it cost about a third of what GC quoted me.

    Highly recommend if you're in or near Saginaw.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    What happened to Gibson's quality control over the last few decades?  I bought a new studio Les Paul in the early 90's that came with a life-time warranty.  Good thing, because by around 1998, the truss rod in the neck could no longer be properly adjusted.  I sent it back and Gibson told me the guitar could not be repaired so they sent me another brand new Studio Les Paul.  Sweet.  Except... by around 2005 the exact same thing happened.  I sent that guitar back and, again, it was deemed reparable and was replaced.  I sold that guitar at what amounted to a loss of money but reduction of stress.  Unless I win the lottery and can afford a '59 Les Paul Jr., or a '58 to '60 Les Paul Gold Top, I'll never won another Gibson product as long as I live. 
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,160
    I've had a few over the years. Never had issues like some of you but I haven't kept any Gibsons for very long.

    Love the way they sound when other people play them but I can't seem to settle in with them.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV

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