ESP Standard Viper: bridge buzzes

[Jomox75]

Hello,

I recently got my new ESP Viper and after some hours of playing I found some problems with it:

1. Intonation: the guitar wouldn't hold it's tune.
2. Strings buzz with lower action. I was disappointed by the low margin I had for lowering the bridge. Especially above the 12th fret and on the 3 high strings.

So I had it set up by my local dealer. After the calibration there are some problems left. The intonation problem is gone but a low string action is still combined with some buzzing on higher frets (I'm using 11 to 46 strings) when played hard. The dealer says, as long as I can't hear it with my amp, it is normal and should be okay. It only makes the sound dirtier on a "healthy level". Many people would want it this way. :confused: If I'm not happy with, I should heighten the bridge a little. Wow, to be honest, even now with the buzz it's not THAT low...

And now I have another new problem:

The bridge buzzes when playing the 14th fret on the high E or the corresponding note on the B string!

I'm feeling a little bit lost now and maybe someone here can help me out with my issues. Maybe I should return the guitar?

Thanx in advance!

Jomox75

[Jomox75]

Sorry, doublepost. If anyone could please close this thread?

[KH Guitar Freak]

The mod will delete the other one, or just let that one die...

Here's a site you can have a read on guitar setup...

http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com

[Jomox75]

Yeah, thanks for the link. I know this site and already went through the workshops.

But what can you recommend for my problem with the buzzing bridge. It's the hardware that resonates there.

What really bugs me is that I didn't hear this buzzing when playing in the shop... :confused:

[Jomox75]

After some playing I am sure, that the bridge is the problem. Something resonates when a certain note is played. It's always and only when I pick the 14. fret on the high E or the 19. fret on B. This occurs even when I bring the bridge up to a point, where the action is beyond some millimeters. There is no buzzing on strings itself at all.

I didn't notice any lose things. I tried to damp every part on the bridge while playing. Nothing helps. It always shows this metallic sound.

Does anyone have an idea, what exactly can cause this behaviour? When not, I think I have to return the guitar.

[thrill74]

You play with 11-46's:confused:

[Jomox75]

Yes, 11-46's. Any idea???

I'm totally disappointed. Qualitywise this guitar was a waste of time so far.

[Jomox75]

Sorry, I have to correct myself. The strings are 11 to 49's :\

After some more playing the intonation problem still exists. I can't get this guitar in tune. Moreover there are big intonation problems on the first frets, even after correcting the overall intonation on the bridge. Some chords are great, others clearly out of tune.

Now the bridge even rattles when playing an open A. It's not my first guitar, but the first one with such problems.

I will return the guitar to the dealer. Playability is great, but these problems with the hardware seem to kill my nerves. Maybe this guitar was build on a monday. Better to stay away from ESP for a while... :(

[thrill74]

Do you tune to standard E or are you in down a little, in standard D? Yeah, it sounds pretty weird. Just return it and see if they can correct it, or better yet, just replace it! That's ALWAYS good!

[Jomox75]

Yeah, it's tuned down to standard D. So I brought the guitar back to the shop and they said, the would calibrate it for the new tuning (action, intonation, truss rod, nuts). Well, to be honest, after yesterday I really doubt, they have done anything beyond lowering the bridge.

Now they want to switch the defective bridge to a new one. Unfortunately in Germany you can't bring back a defect item so easily. You have to give the dealer the opportunity to repair it for 3 times before you can change it or demand a refund... Well, two left to go :\

At this point it's like flushing a lot of money down the toilet for me. I even play my old guitar again, that cost only a little part of this one, but has clearly no intonation problems at all. I hope I can clear up these issues fast.

Thanks for your advice.

[simebag89]

sorry to hear this, good luck.

[rockinhockey]

You could try having a tech set it up. other than that i would send it in and try and get a better one.

[KH Guitar Freak]

Is the bridge a tune-o-matic btw???

And you are certain it is coming from the bridge???

If it goes out of tune when you fret in certain places, even after you have intonated it perfectly, you might need a fret dress...

[Jomox75]

It's a Tune-O-Matic. The dealer and the tech tried to fix the bridge rattle, but it seems like the little bolts are always loosening itself after a while.

The guitar is now on it's way back to the distributor and will be swapped for a new one. Let's hope I'll have more luck with it.

[thrill74]

Awesome. That just sounded like something that would have given you problems here and there no matter what you did. Aside from a weather, a continually wrong setup or just plain abuse, your guitar should be pretty problem free.