Jp15 6 strings with warped neck

[Solidseb]

Hi there,

I just bought a brand new Jp15 online and upon arrival the guitar wasn’t tuned.
After tuning it in standard I noticed a lot of fret buzz around the top of the neck, especially on E A and D while playing some chords or note, open strings not being an issue!

By looking more closely i could see the strings were extremely close to the neck, probably less than a millimeter and looking from the back the top of the neck seemed warped especially from the 4th fret causing the strings being to close!

After contacting the shop they claimed it’s a problem that can happen during transport and asked me to send it back so they can fix it.

Another thing is, the guitar is howling and has some feedback way to easily compared to my other guitars.
Same gear , same settings , noise gate on at its max and still it comes in really quick while having some heavy gain on the overdrive.
Is it normal ? What should I check ?

Now I’m not questioning what they are saying but, should I worry ?
I’m still in the first days so I can still cancel the purchase of the guitar is considered faulty or the quality my isn’t up to expectations!

What would you advise me to do ?

 

[fbecir]

Hello and welcome

For the neck problem, you just need to do a truss rod adjustment. I don't know where you live, but in winter time, during shipment, your guitar can go from very cold to normal temperature ... thus the neck can move quite a bit.
With the Music Man truss rod wheel, it is very easy to adjust the neck.

But the best you can do is to contact Music Man customer support. They will take care of you.

Good luck

 

[EVHFAN99]

I'd cancel the purchase.

 

[johnnyboogie]

The first issue is obviously a truss-rod adjustment issue. You need to add relief. Familiarize yourself a bit with what the truss-rod is and what does it do you'll be fine. Really, nothing to worry about. Also, contact the EBMM Customer Service for any issue that bothers you.

The loud feedback you get is probably because the pickups are too hot for your current settings. The other guitars you mentioned, are they loaded with sizzling hot pickups like the Illuminators?

Another thing, make sure the boost is not engaged. Maybe that's what's causing the extreme feedback.

 

[Solidseb]

Thank you for your reply, it’s a bit reassuring.
I’m in Japan so it’s not that easy for me to get in touch with EBMM and so I’m dealing directly with the dealer !
Noted for the neck, if it’s not such a big issue and tweaking the truss-rod will fix it then I’ll wait and see how it goes once returned.
As far as the sound and my other guitars I’ve got a team j craft Ibanez prestige mounted with Dimarzio/ibz pickups
A ESP E-II SV with active EMG, an US fender Stratocaster and a Schecter Hellraiser-S 7S .
None of them gives me such an horrible feedback except maybe the esp when switching the booster on.
The amp is a H&K Grandmeister 36 coupled with a Friedman BE-OD or a Boss metalcore ml-2
I’m using the H&K noise gate so far.. maybe it’s not performing so well ? Any advice on that ?

 

[Virtuoso]

The truss rod adjustment is something you can easily do yourself. Lay the guitar down with the headstock on the left. Look at the space between the neck pickup and the end of the neck - you will see a ring with some small holes. Stick an allen key or something inflexible in the furthest hole and turn it no more than a quarter turn towards yourself. This will add neck relief. Retune your guitar and test it. If it still needs more, repeat one more time. If it's still buzzing, you may have a bigger problem and might need to return it.

As for the feedback, is this because you have the JP15 set in piezo mode? Is the switch on the upper horn down? If it's up, that means you are only hearing the piezo pickups which would certainly cause terrible feedback with a lot of gain.

 

[Solidseb]

Thanks for the explanation, I will try all that upon the return of the guitar.

As for the feedback it happens with piezo off and boost down as well.
Doesn’t change anything whether the selector is in bridge or neck position.
I’ll try to make a video to show the issue.
As much as I understand each guitars are different, different pickups, but none of my other guitars have this issue.
Especially for such a pricey instrument I would not expect that at all !

 

[johnnyboogie]

Thanks for the explanation, I will try all that upon the return of the guitar.

As for the feedback it happens with piezo off and boost down as well.
Doesn’t change anything whether the selector is in bridge or neck position.
I’ll try to make a video to show the issue.
As much as I understand each guitars are different, different pickups, but none of my other guitars have this issue.
Especially for such a pricey instrument I would not expect that at all !

It doesn't sound like normal behaviour at all. Seems like an electronics issue or maybe an issue with the guitar's jack.

If your dealer figures this out, then all good. If not, they will obviously contact EBMM themselves.

Worry not, it'll just take some time. Keep us posted =)

 

[StereoB]

For truss rod adjustment this seems more than appropriate -

One of the clearer explanations and from the creators.

 

[Solidseb]

Hi,
I finally got it back, so far they fixed the string being too close to the neck issue but I’ve got some pretty bad tuning and vibrato issue.
Here a video I made to ask you guys opinion.
While tuning it in standard, the B string will always be tricky and kinda ´jumps’ when at a specific tension!
Thing is the tension itself being the one needed for a B, whenever I use the vibrato it would make this (more than) annoying noise and untune to some extent

JP 15 vibrato issue - YouTube

What can I do about that... is it normal ?!

 

[Spudmurphy]

It sounds like a binding in the nut - lubricate it and it will probably fix it?

 

[tekwerk]

Hey Solidseb,
Spud is right... Get some lube to put in the nut. Also, always tune UP to a note. Not Down.... In your video you are tuning down to the note. When you do that, the string can still be changing tension a touch even when you stop. Always tune UP to the note.
Hope this helps.
Maddi

 

[beej]

Yep. Graphite or 'Nut Sauce' in the nut should help with that.

 

[Solidseb]

Thank you for the advise but could you point which nut should I put the lube in ?

 

[GWDavis28]

Thank you for the advise but could you point which nut should I put the lube in ?

Top of the neck near the head stock. Where the strings go thru.

Glenn |B)

 

[Solidseb]

Thank you, I will try to do that !

 

[GWDavis28]

You might want to loosen the strings some, or put fresh strings on to ensure the nut sauce is between the nut and the string.

Glenn |B)