I'm out of tune

[Napthol]

When I played a perfect fifth up the neck it sounded out of tune. I then checked the intonation on both the G and the D strings. According to the tuner, the fretted G string at the 12th fret is quite a bit sharp when compared to the 12th fret harmonic.

Problem is I can't turn the intonation screw on the G string any further back. The G string saddle needs to go further back in order for me to get that string better intonated.

What is the solution?

Put in a shorter spring?

Should I just take the current spring and a pair of wire cutters and cut some of the spring off to make it shorter?

 

[ErikH]

Put on a fresh set of strings and go from there.

 

[Napthol]

No. The strings are fresh. The saddle needs to go back.

 

[beaubrummels]

Is the action high? Can you lower the action at all?

 

[Napthol]

The action sits pretty well where I like it. Not sure why you guys are recommending this stuff.

 

[beaubrummels]

The action sits pretty well where I like it. Not sure why you guys are recommending this stuff.

Because I've never in 45 years had a G that had to be that far back that you couldn't adjust it.

 

[Napthol]

I had a Carvin Les Paul copy that also had a G string that would not intonate properly. The G string is usually the string that has to go the furthest back.

 

[Napthol]

I got it a little better now. But it should go just a little bit further back.

 

[Mincer]

Can you find a smaller spring?

 

[NegativeEase]

When I played a perfect fifth up the neck it sounded out of tune. I then checked the intonation on both the G and the D strings. According to the tuner, the fretted G string at the 12th fret is quite a bit sharp when compared to the 12th fret harmonic.

Problem is I can't turn the intonation screw on the G string any further back. The G string saddle needs to go further back in order for me to get that string better intonated.

What is the solution?

Put in a shorter spring?

Should I just take the current spring and a pair of wire cutters and cut some of the spring off to make it shorter?

Did you check the crown of the frets -are they Jumbos? Ive seen this probably on big fat miscrowned 6000 and 6100 fret wire sometimes.

Also, is the nut slot perhaps cut wrong compared to the others.

 

[Top-L]

I had a Carvin Les Paul copy that also had a G string that would not intonate properly. The G string is usually the string that has to go the furthest back.

On none of my guitars is the G string farther back than lowE or A. This has to be user error.

My guess is that your tuner is not accurate enough to set intonation. Of my tuners, only the Korg Pitchblack is accurate enough to set intonation. There are harmonics which could trick the tuner or your ear.

Also, you shouldn't be intonating the 12th fret to the 12th harmonic. Instead, intonate the 10th fret to the 22nd fret, or the 12th fret against the 24th.

If the string is legitimately back too far because the guitar was built wrong, you can use a different gauge of string (smaller, larger?) to change string length at a given tension.

You are getting all this free tech advice yet you don't seem thankful. This is my last freebie.

 

[ErikH]

Another question: What brand of strings? I ask because in the past I gave DR a shot on one of my guitars, my #1 in fact, and it was perfectly intonated with the Dean Markley's I had on it. As soon as I put the DR's on (same gauge), it was all over the place and I could not get it to intonate for anything. I yanked the DR's and put a fresh set of Dean Markley's on and it was perfect as it was before. I've been using Ernie Ball strings for a long time too and never had an issue with those. So, yeah, that's why we are asking. We've been there.

 

[NegativeEase]

You are getting all this free tech advice yet you don't seem thankful. This is my last freebie.

I get that vibe too, but sometimes in the past it was someone who isn't a native english speaker and when they scribe in english a cultural norm in their language it comes out harsh...

not sure about this case.

 

[NegativeEase]

Another question: What brand of strings? I ask because in the past I gave DR a shot on one of my guitars, my #1 in fact, and it was perfectly intonated with the Dean Markley's I had on it. As soon as I put the DR's on (same gauge), it was all over the place and I could not get it to intonate for anything. I yanked the DR's and put a fresh set of Dean Markley's on and it was perfect as it was before. I've been using Ernie Ball strings for a long time too and never had an issue with those. So, yeah, that's why we are asking. We've been there.

Yes -I had that experience with handmade/wound strings like DR as well.... I avoid them now -the variation is too great

 

[ICTGoober]

It's the nut. NOT the bridge.

 

[beaubrummels]

You are getting all this free tech advice yet you don't seem thankful. This is my last freebie.

I can't even comment further because they never said what guitar make and model and what bridge is on it, though if the G needs to be that far back I believe something else is contributing. Goober knows what he's talking about.

 

[Napthol]

I got it much closer by shortening the spring. I will have the nut checked. Strings are S.I.T pure nickel. I've noticed they do in fact stay in tune better than either GHS or Ernie Ball. Frets were done at Sweetwater by a PLEK machine. $299.00.

Guitar is a Player Strat. Two-point bridge.

 

[NegativeEase]

Goober knows what he's talking about.

Goober is no Goober when it comes to Guitaring

Also, when ICTGoober posts something, I read it in my head like a superheavy Jayhawker accent -like Danny Cary for example. :lmao:

 

[ICTGoober]

Also, when ICTGoober posts something, I read it in my head like a superheavy Jayhawker accent -like Danny Cary for example. :lmao:

I have no idea who Danny Cary is.
Decades ago I had a girlfriend who told me I sounded like a redneck geechee from Georgia.
I found that hilarious, saying I sounded southern - but it was southern Kansas.

I posted this awhile back - the only vid of me talking...Judge for yourself.
Chris and the Toby DX 4 - YouTube

 

[jeremy]

It's the nut. NOT the bridge.

care to expand on that? as long as the nuts in the right place and cut cleanly and properly, and understanding the guitar is a flawed instrument, not sure how the nut would mess with the intonation that much. ive built guitars from blocks of wood, but im no luthier