I just went to lighter gauge strings and when I intonate my low E it sounds awful. I have to intonate it a bit flat to make everything sound right. On another guitar that I have tuned down to C#, I have the low E(C#) intonated properly but I have to tune the string flat(to about 437) to get it to sound right. I use a 52, which has plenty of tension, and I have tried all the way up to a 60 but still had the same problem. I have no problem having to tune them the way I do because they sound fine, but are these normal problems?
Intonation quandry.
- Thread starter XPAULPITT
- Start date
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Intonation quandry.
2 possible causes off the top of my head:
High nut.
"Excessive" fretting hand pressure.
If you`re sure it`s neither, it becomes much harder to diagnose w/o having the guitar in front of me.
The reason these 2 are the first things that come to mind is that the low e string is the string that is most sensitive to minute changes in tension, and it seems to be the one you`re having problems with .
2 possible causes off the top of my head:
High nut.
"Excessive" fretting hand pressure.
If you`re sure it`s neither, it becomes much harder to diagnose w/o having the guitar in front of me.
The reason these 2 are the first things that come to mind is that the low e string is the string that is most sensitive to minute changes in tension, and it seems to be the one you`re having problems with .
Last edited:
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Intonation quandry.
Where do you put your fingers when you fret a note? Between two frets, or choked up right against the fret? The latter is the "proper" way to do it. No matter how light you think your touch is, you're always gonna bend a note at least somewhat sharp if you aren't doing it that way...especially if you have just moved to lighter strings.
Where do you put your fingers when you fret a note? Between two frets, or choked up right against the fret? The latter is the "proper" way to do it. No matter how light you think your touch is, you're always gonna bend a note at least somewhat sharp if you aren't doing it that way...especially if you have just moved to lighter strings.
Re: Intonation quandry.
I'm assuming that you are talking about fretted notes on the low E sounding bad, not the open string?
How are you checking your intonation??
If its just the 12th harmonic vs fretted note, then thats a pretty useless way really.
A better way is to capo 5th and do the same procedure at the 17th.
Better yet is to check at the 12th as before, then actually play the fretted notes and see how sharp they read, and adjust accordingly.
I'm assuming that you are talking about fretted notes on the low E sounding bad, not the open string?
How are you checking your intonation??
If its just the 12th harmonic vs fretted note, then thats a pretty useless way really.
A better way is to capo 5th and do the same procedure at the 17th.
Better yet is to check at the 12th as before, then actually play the fretted notes and see how sharp they read, and adjust accordingly.
nsatke
New member
Re: Intonation quandry.
You might want to try some daddario strings, too. They were made better than most brands so they don't have intonation issues. I had these for years with ghs. You also might want it check the height of your pickups, as the magnets can pull the strings sharp
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You might want to try some daddario strings, too. They were made better than most brands so they don't have intonation issues. I had these for years with ghs. You also might want it check the height of your pickups, as the magnets can pull the strings sharp
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Rockstar216
New member
Re: Intonation quandry.
I think it might be the nut or your pups are too close.
I think it might be the nut or your pups are too close.
Re: Intonation quandry.
Sometimes when the string lacks resonance, the tuner may be more easily fooled. I would intonate it by ear, making sure it sounds the best on every fret up the neck.
If you can hear something is wrong with your ear, then you can intonate by ear.
Sometimes when the string lacks resonance, the tuner may be more easily fooled. I would intonate it by ear, making sure it sounds the best on every fret up the neck.
If you can hear something is wrong with your ear, then you can intonate by ear.
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KEAguitars
New member
Re: Intonation quandry.
It seems like you are confused about what intonate actually means.
It sounds like you are just tuning it and then adjusting the strings to what should sound like. You have to adjust your saddles.
It seems like you are confused about what intonate actually means.
It sounds like you are just tuning it and then adjusting the strings to what should sound like. You have to adjust your saddles.
