Buzzing Issue with a Les Paul

[McCain]

I am getting a deal on the planing and re-fretting, imo.

 

 

Yes you are...that seems like a REALLY good deal.

[AlexMC]

I have a LP Studio P90 WB. It is a nice guitar, and all, but, even after a fret-leveling and proper set-up, I cannot get the action down to where I want it to be (which I have no trouble at all doing with my other guitars, and, no, I don't like my action too low). The frets are definitely level, and the relief is correct. The buzzing tends to occur anywhere between the 4th and 10th frets.

 

I have a theory: if the fret level was done whilst there was *way too much* relief in the neck (i.e an excessive up-bow, with the headstock 'leaning forward to check out the bridge'), following which the truss rod was tightened to give the (still excessive) 1mm relief it currently has, this would leave frets 5-9 (i.e. right in the centre of the truss rod) with higher frets than the others, resulting buzzing in that area... i.e. exactly the symptoms described in the OP.

 

You may wish to ask you luthier if he used a notched straight edge *laid directly on the fretboard NOT the frets* to check neck straightness before performing the fret level.

 

 

To repeat: levelling frets then tightening the truss rod will result in buzzing around frets placed near the centre of the truss rod. Ask your luthier how he levels and you may have your answer.

[Glenn F]

Ok, I've just got the guitar back. He said there was a serious bump in the wood around the 12th fret, which caused the problem. He removed the old frets, planed the fretboard level, and installed jumbo frets, which are far more comfortable than the old ones, which seemed like speed bumps when I would try and fly up the neck. The guitar is now perfect: excellent action, no buzz, and I am very pleased.