PLEASE help me

[Captain Maddox]

Whenever I play my Epi les paul custom especially on high distortion i get this "tremolo" like sustain when i let the notes ring, even though my i have no tremolo effects. This problem is pretty random. a few weeks ago it only happened when i play on the high notes on the high e string, but now it occurs when i play the D chord and let it ring. I've noticed that the problem went away when i put in some new strings, but the problem came back 2 days later. Dirty strings? Bad output jacks? Help please.

 

[JacobTM]

Re: PLEASE help me

It's likely that you're just a bit out of tune. If it's only certain spots on the guitar, it could be that certian frets are just off a bit, and you can't help being out of tune there.

However, with the single notes, the tremelo like thing is natural. You're just hearing the harmonics your distortion is amplifying.

 

[Osensei]

Re: PLEASE help me

I have recently acquired an EPI LP Standard and I think that I have experienced the same sort of thing. You have to be particular about how you finger the note. Otherwise, you get a really wierd vibration noise that sounds rather like the guitar is trying to gag or something! LOL!

First off my guitar is completely stock right now. Is this the same in your situation? If you have a stock guitar like mine then my unexpert opinion is that you should never assume that a mass produced guitar (especially < $1,000) is gonna perform perfectly out of the box. If I had more $ at the time of purchase then I would have immediately replaced the pickups. Then from there I would have visited the best luthier I could find to check out my truss rod adjustment and check the intonation. A set of solid nickel frets would not be a bad idea either. A good setup by a luthier could make the difference. Better yet I would have bought a more expensive guitar!

I know it sucks when you buy a so called finished product but have to customize it yourself to get the full potential out of the thing. But thats why the price is what it is.