Weird set up problem

[Randall]

A Les Paul clone came in for pickup replacement and a set up, all hardware in a bag. Truss took a quarter turn then maxed out. It just barely intonated before two saddles maxed out, I would have liked a turn or so on them, but close enough. The odd thing is I couldn't get the high string side to lower enough before it bottomed out, yet the low string side had to be cranked up maybe 1/4" to match the other side. Also, the threaded inserts for the saddle and tailpiece were uneven and high. Then I noticed the tailpiece was set crooked. Then I sighted down the neck and saw the control side of the tailpiece was noticeably higher then the other side. When I sighted it from the back is when I saw the problem. I control side of the bridge and tail piece was sitting up on the slope of the top arch of the body, and the other side was down off the arch. It took me a moment to realize that the arch of the top was not centered! WTF? Well, not much to be done about that, so this guitar just is what it is, knockoff with stiff action and cockeyed hardware. I told the customer, he accepted his fate well. I don't know where it came from, except he did say it was a prototype. I'd be staying away from that builder if he sold it that way, also had squealing pickups. Good grief.

[xtian]

You need a solid foundation to build your house! That's a rare one, Randall, thanks for sharing.

[Chuck H]

I think most "tune o matic" type bridges have a solid mass at their pole ends. You could probably mill down the treble side from the bottom to get the action down. A bigger concern is that the actual truss relief on the low E side may be less than that on the high E side. Sometimes this is just bad fingerboard workmanship. Sometimes it's badly worn and releveled frets. But at it's worst it can be a twisted neck. I have a guitar with this predicament right now and though the difference is small it's enough to foul a proper setup. I could probably correct it at the frets, but that's not the right thing to do. I'll probably end up planing the fingerboard. Which makes it a back burner project. Maybe this LP knockoff should be too.

[Randall]

Except then you would also be removing the nickle plating. The top was made wrong, it's not worth trying to put lipstick on a pig in this case IMHO.

[Chuck H]

The top was made wrong, it's not worth trying to put lipstick on a pig in this case IMHO.

Agree. But in that case who cares about the nickel plating on the bottom of the bridge? If that's what it takes to make the thing functional then that's what it takes. Nothing to lose really since it can't be made to work right otherwise. I'm not saying YOU have to step up for it. This is an unfixable instrument using standard practices that don't damage parts. Ergo, you're outy. But the suggestion could be made to the customer and he/she can proceed at their own risk. JM2C