Grrrr Firebird issues

Travisthedog

got my gorgeous firebird courtesy of coda (and mrs Travis of course) but there's been a creeping problem with it that seems to have got worse.

Its the worst ringing frets/strings I've ever heard on open strings and all the major chords specifically frets 1-4 and the G B E strings. I've tweaked the truss rod to no avail. I can't slacken it any more as it's already totally loose and the moment you put any tension on it the problem gets far far far worse.

I can't  feel any high frets but Doug assured me it had a set up before leaving the shop and I'm sure they would have found that.

Could it have taken a knock in transit 

any ideas? I desperately want to use it for Saturdays big festival we are headlining but it's getting progressively unplayable *sad face*

rico

Nut slots or action too low?

sweepy

Or the nut cut too flat with no rearward slope ?

Travisthedog

Yeah I think it has to be nut based  - string height/action has no affect until the strings are so high you could sit under them

ICBM

If it's doing it on frets 1-4 as well as the open strings it's probably not the nut. If it's doing in on the GBE strings but not the DAE, it sounds worryingly like a neck twist.

It may not have been obvious or even present in the shop if they didn't have it in stock long and it's developed since.

Hopefully I'm wrong, because if I'm not then you'll be using a different guitar for the gig .

guitarmangler

Check to see you've not turned the truss rod the wrong way? I'm sure I've got one guitar where the truss rod goes anti clockwise to tighten, and feels positive in both directions, which completely baffled me.

Travisthedog

ICBM said:

If it's doing it on frets 1-4 as well as the open strings it's probably not the nut. If it's doing in on the GBE strings but not the DAE, it sounds worryingly like a neck twist.

It may not have been obvious or even present in the shop if they didn't have it in stock long and it's developed since.

Hopefully I'm wrong, because if I'm not then you'll be using a different guitar for the gig .

@icbm that thought had crossed my mind

Funkfingers

A change in humidity between the shop and your home could be enough to affect the wood. 

ICBM

If you put the guitar flat on a table with the headstock hanging over the end and sight down the neck from the head, does the nut end of the fingerboard look noticeably off level? It may be slightly harder to judge with the asymetrical Firebird headstock than a standard Gibson one, but it should at least give some clue, I think.

Frizer

Check the thumb wheels on the bridge.

Teyeplayer

Sorry to resurrect an old thread!  Been looking at these non-reverse firebirds and was wondering did you ever resolve the problems you were experiencing and what did it turn out to be? Wondered if it was something I should keep an eye out for.