Strange tuning problem

[darnright]

I carefully reattached the neck on my nephews 1/2 size guitar. Its very solid, straight and is lined up evenly on both side for strings. I put a new set of strings on it. and tuned and tuned and tuned. What I have discovered is the guitar is in tune and sounds in-tune when playing Barre chords. Any time I play an open chord it's like the whole guitar has suddenly lost all tuning. Without touching anything, go back to a barre chord and all is fine. The string heighth at the nut is 1/16" to 3/32" and only slightly higher at the other end of neck. So, I don't believe it's string heighth. Any ideas? Bad strings possibly?

thanks,

-dave

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Strange tuning problem

Might be a intonation problem

 

[Bludave]

Re: Strange tuning problem

Those 1/2 size guitars are notorious for being off. They have a real short scale and its likely that the bridge is in the wrong spot. I bought one for a young boy(3 yrs old? And I fought with it until I realized I could not get it in tune properly same thing as you are experiencing

 

[AlexR]

Re: Strange tuning problem

With shorter scale guitar, the intonation is harder to get right. If there's no adjustment with the saddles then you might be out of luck.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Strange tuning problem

^^ Agreed 100% on the short scale -intonation issue the shorter a scale gets the harder it is to intonate precisely. Add onto that that most of the "kids size" axes are built as a noovelty more than an instrument, it' s quite commopn for bridge placement to be totally off.

As far as the action goes: 1/16" at the nut sounds unbelievably high, or is this the distance between string and fretboard (which is itself irrelevant)?

The correct way to measure action at the nut is: fret the string at the third fret. If you can slip a piece of paper no thicker than a business card between the string and the first fret, you´re golden. Any thicker is too high, and no paper at all is too low.

 

[darnright]

Re: Strange tuning problem

Thanks guys, you're probably right. The shorter scales and it being just a novelty guitar. He just wanted it fixed as a memento to his past. he's 17 and plays very well. It looks good and is back together...will return it to him as such..

Thanks Zerberus for the tip on string height, I didn't know that. I can get a piece of a magazine cover under it barely.

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate it.

-dave