Anyone Know Any GREAT Techs In Los Angeles?

[JeffWiredBeck24]

I know, I live in LA, I have techs everywhere; but I've spoken to many of them and they seem to know the bare minimum about floating trems and I really need some help with my RG.

I know a lot of people have very low action with their Edge/Lo-Pro's and they have minimal buzz. I have this low action but with very, very annoying buzz that is driving me nuts. I could raise the action, but it would be a big jump and if I know it's possible to have very low action with minimal buzz then why settle? I love the feel of low action so I'm pursuing it.

Anyway, if anyone knows any very good techs that could get this done please let me know. It'll be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[reguv760]

... kinda sad that a metropolis like LA should have at least a few Ibanez tech's but I have yet to meet any of 'em. I have a couple friends who worked on Floyd setups at ESP out in the valley a few years backs, I can give 'em a call after I hunt down their phone #'s. :P
A buddy of mine referred me to Eric's guitars but never got the chance to take my 760 for a fret level; i'm occasionally on that side of town but never around when they're open... Otherwise, I'd like to check your axe out; I really think it's either the lack of a neck shim and/or the bridge bottoming out.

Reg

[JeffWiredBeck24]

^Thanks.

I just took it to a guy at a shop that doesn't even have a tech but he's an Ibanez freak. He did a nice neck adjustment (albeit with a bit higher action) there's no buzz. Can a shim in the neck pocket allow for lower action with no buzz?

[Fender868]

Buzz is usually inevitable in a world of low action. There's a way of minimizing it. I used to make a big fuss about it, but it depends how bad the buzz is. I usually get some light buzzing up in frets 1 - 5 , and it doesn't go through the amp, even on clean. I have a lighter touch too, but generally i've never had problems with that. I have none on my SK, but the action isn't as low as it can get. My PBK on the other hand is so low that i can tell where my strings end and where my fretboard begins. It plays that well. Usually neck shims work miracles. You should be able to tell by just eying it if it needs a shim or not.

[reguv760]

as long you're comfortable with the current setup, you should be good for now.
To properly answer about adding a neck shim has a lot of factors: what is it tuned to? has it been intonated? are there shims under the nut? is the neck straight? is the bridge height / angle parallel?
Before I setup up the VBK from whatever state it was to C, I pryed out the neck and noticed there was NO neck shim but it had 1 1/2 shims under the nut (1/2 towards GBE). I usually remove the shims under the nut immediately after removing all the strings. By doing so, the top 5 frets are "lowered" but means another major readjustment...
From there it's mostly trial and error but my experience with fixing my own Ibby's has let me do my own setups faster by figuring what I need to do to the axe after predetermining what strings to get.
So ya, it depends. Low-action is more of a "feel" thing rather than a visual measurement.

darn just read fender's post after this preview. ya, currently, the VBK has some "buzz" after 2 neck pocket bridge-side shims but it doesn't get heard through the amp as well... but it plays like a dream and sounds great both clean and hi-gain

Reg

[JeffWiredBeck24]

^Tuned to standard, intonated, I'm almost positive there's a shim under the nut, and the trem angle as of now is where it should be.

[reguv760]

^Tuned to standard, intonated, I'm almost positive there's a shim under the nut, and the trem angle as of now is where it should be.

for your setup, might not need a neck shim just yet... try lowering the bridge first after you unlock the studs (they HAVE locking studs right? ). do quarter turns at a time then lock... recheck angle and re-tune if necessary. Repeat process until it starts buzzing; If it does, just raise it just an eighth of a turn.

Reg

[isaac]

Jeff, I just posted a thread about the same thing before seeing your thread. I'm also trying to achieve low action without fret buzz. I hope to get it done without having to take it to a tech but if all else fails I would recommend Andy Brauer in North Hollywood. Google him for the link. I've taken my other guitars to him for setups, fretwork, truss rod adjustments and electronics. He's done work for guys like Dave Mustaine and a long list of well known musicians.

[JeffWiredBeck24]

^Thanks a lot Issac.