Guitar intonation problem

A

aestus

New member
So I'm trying to pinpoint a problem with my guitar. I've done all the intonation work myself, but ever since getting a new neck for my strat, I've been running into problems.

It seems like the b and g string both seem to be "off" on certain frets, yet it is in tune at the 12th fret and the intonation seems set.

Here's the problem, if I tune my G string and is "harmonically" in tune with the d string when playing both strings open, then it is progressively shaper as I fret up the board, but is in tune at the 12th. If I tune it so that it is in tune to the 5th fret of the d string or 8th fret of the b string, then it is flat when played open.

The b string is weird in that if it is "harmonically" in tune when played with the g string open, then it is flat when I go above the 5th fret. However, If I actually tune the b string to the tuner, then it is in tune at the 7th fret but gets sharper the lower I go. Playing a simple open c chord is impossible because the b string will be way sharp at the 1st fret.

Someone told me that it could be that my nut is not filed down enough. It's a new neck (strat neck) and I just wanted some confirmation before I start filing the nut down a little bit.


Thanks.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

I'm very anal about having guitars that are perfectly intonated, because they never go out of tune, and all the chords on the neck are perfect....or as close to perfect as mathematically possible.

Go to the Vault and look up these 2 threads....Intonation and Nutwork Using No Files. I wrote everything I know about the subject on those 2 threads. There's an art and science to a guitar neck, and it boils down to having a nut that is cut perfectly and fine tuning your intonation. I disagree with any "tech" who thinks 12th intonation is adequate. If you fine tune it by checking if everything from the 10th to the 21st fret reads dead center on a tuner, your guitar will be a joy to play.

The true test is getting an acoustic guitar to be perfect. If the nut and saddle are perfect, the guitar is intonated perfectly, based solely on it's design. With an electric, those 2 aspects have to be perfect, but you also have the saddles to fine tune. If you do it right, the guitar can be thrown over your house, picked up, and be perfectly in tune.

I have one thing to say about locking tuners like Sperzels.....they're sold to idiots who wasted their money because they didn't do a pro setup. Everyone bags on vintage tuners, thinking they're the problem.....not true Look at all the guitarists who never buy Sperzels and sound perfect live. They had their guitars set up perfectly, and left everything stock.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

Gearjoneser said:
I have one thing to say about locking tuners like Sperzels.....they're sold to idiots who wasted their money because they didn't do a pro setup. Everyone bags on vintage tuners, thinking they're the problem.....not true Look at all the guitarists who never buy Sperzels and sound perfect live. They had their guitars set up perfectly, and left everything stock.
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I disagree. Locking tuners are a good thing for those of us who do a lot of heavy vibrato usage. They help us not go out of tune, or at least not easily.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

i think he's referring to the fact that locking tuners are not a cure-all, but need to be used in conjunction with a good setup.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

Gearjoneser said:
I have one thing to say about locking tuners like Sperzels.....they're sold to idiots who wasted their money because they didn't do a pro setup. Everyone bags on vintage tuners, thinking they're the problem.....not true Look at all the guitarists who never buy Sperzels and sound perfect live. They had their guitars set up perfectly, and left everything stock.
Click to expand...

I use locking tuners to be able to change strings faster and reduce the time it takes to stretch out a new pair of strings. I don't consider myself an idiot 99.9 percent of the time.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

More-Gear-Than-Skill said:
i think he's referring to the fact that locking tuners are not a cure-all, but need to be used in conjunction with a good setup.
Click to expand...

To that I definitely agree. Locking tuners are "part of a balanced breakfast" for your vibrato guitar, if you plan to use it floating. The formula is usually like this: locking tuners + graphite (or slippery) string nut + well-set-up vibrato tail + slippery saddles. My showmaster has locking tuners, fender graphite nut, and graphtech saddles, and the vibrato has 5 springs and is set floating, and the guitar itself is stable (mine is set neck).
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

guitarded said:
I use locking tuners to be able to change strings faster and reduce the time it takes to stretch out a new pair of strings. I don't consider myself an idiot 99.9 percent of the time.
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I agree.

I doubt they make much difference compaired to a properly cut nut but being able to change the strings in less than 2 minutes makes it well worth having them.

They also add mass to the headstock and according to yngwie, it can help tone.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

Mephis said:
They also add mass to the headstock and according to yngwie, it can help tone.
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Is this why Yngwie doesn't use a paddle headstock? :D Just had to ask, the whole what Yngwie says about headstock mass versus the guitar he owns has always bothered me.:9:
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

TwinReverb said:
Is this why Yngwie doesn't use a paddle headstock? :D Just had to ask, the whole what Yngwie says about headstock mass versus the guitar he owns has always bothered me.:9:
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Have you ever tried a Fatfinger on your headstock? It's a clamp of brass, and it adds quite a bit of sustain and attack, so based on that I would conclude that more mass on the headstock is better....
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

jmh151 said:
Have you ever tried a Fatfinger on your headstock? It's a clamp of brass, and it adds quite a bit of sustain and attack, so based on that I would conclude that more mass on the headstock is better....
Click to expand...

... Or that metallic objects have better sustain than wooden ones :p :D If this were true, people who buy Warmoth and those like them would buy paddle headstocks (more mass = more sustain, right?)

I don't think mass always means better sustain. As of late, I do not see any concrete scientific evidence to support this. I will go online and try to find more evidence, so don't think I'm calling you a liar. I'm only making the comment that, with any guitar that Yngwie could have (because he can afford it) and given that Fender made him a signature guitar, you'd think it would have a huge headstock if it's that important to him for sustain. However, it only has a "CBS" headstock.

So what I'm saying is that I need to research it more, but so far I don't believe it.
 
Re: Guitar intonation problem

Side note is (i'm not an idiot), and if i had the cash for all 22 of my solid bodies Sperzels would be on almost every guitar i own... They are a quality tuner and i really enjoy how fast a re-string can be done with them on an axe... I'll even put them on hardtail guitars.... I also enjoy the way they are staggered in heigth so less string tree's if any are needed....

Quality item... i've had more then one issue with vintage style tuners... I love vintage strat tuners... but every now and then i get one that the gearing is loose and the tuning key buzzes with the strings....

I'm more about solid construction and modern ideas sometimes... but i love vintage stuff too
 
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