Guitar intonation problem

Hahaha priceless :D
But I'll take stoned Jimi over Satriani any day.

On the piano stuff, I had a neighbor that restored pianos. Seen him in action. Damn! Wouldn't want that job. But I could swear I've seen pianos in his shop where they were one hanmer per string.

Satriani bores me after 2-3 minutes.

Yeah...the real low strings are singles...they are wound around a single core string, like the low guitar strings...then as you go up, there are some with two, also wound...but then it goes to three strings (I forget where they changes happen exactly), they are all solid steel, like the high strings on the guitar.

There are probably some specialty keyboards with single strings...?
 
Satriani bores me after 2-3 minutes.

Yeah...the real low strings are singles...they are wound around a single core string, like the low guitar strings...then as you go up, there are some with two, also wound...but then it goes to three strings (I forget where they changes happen exactly), they are all solid steel, like the high strings on the guitar.

There are probably some specialty keyboards with single strings...?

You can actually take that much? (Satriani):)

Hmm gonna have to study pianos more, or not. :D
Anyway, I hope the meat and potatoes of my post got across.
(The part about guitars playing in tune.)
Here's another example of a guitar player I can respect for his talent despite my not being fond of his music. Malmsteen. The man plays incredibly fast, precise stuff on a scalloped fingerboard. I can't get one of those to play in tune to save my life. Lol:D
But he can. So fret height, scallops and touch have something to do with intonation as well.
:D
 
I don't recall ever playing with you in any band or anything....?

:D ;)

Yeah, I'm often driven crazy by the small out of tune shit you get with guitars no matter how well set up and tune it.
The #$%* G-string is the biggest PITA going from chords, Major to Minor...then going to leads.
I use highly accurate Peterson strobe tuners...I have three of them, two desktop V-SAM models and one Stomp Classic for the floor....so I can get super-fine intonation and tuning, but the nature of the guitar strings/frets is always going to be working against that.

That said...I know how to "work the strings" as I play to counter that, and I'll also often adjust the string tuners while playing as I move back and forth between certain chords and leads, etc. Of course, this is primarily recording usage, so to me the tuning is always critical.
Odds are when I jam with other people, their shit is substantially more out of tune than my guitar, so then it's not as critical. :p
I'm often surprised by how much out of tune some people are...and they don't notice it...but yes, I does drive me nuts. :)

Heh! There is a series of articles in SoS (earlier '18?) about producing and recording Heavy Metal. In that the guy mentions how vital super accurate tuning is to the sound quality.

H M needs spot on tuning. Who'ed a thought that!

Dave.
 
As already said,, guitar notes/frets are a compromise. Check out a fan fret guitar to see how it needs to be done to be more accurate.
Don't rely just on your electronic tuner on the open strings, and adjust your tuning based on the chords you're playing in a song - "sweeten" the tuning. If you're playing all cowboy (open) chords, then you'll need to adjust the G depending on the key you're in (E/A, G/C) because of both the G and B strings.
 
... Don't rely just on your electronic tuner on the open strings, and adjust your tuning based on the chords you're playing in a song - "sweeten" the tuning. If you're playing all cowboy (open) chords, then you'll need to adjust the G depending on the key you're in (E/A, G/C) because of both the G and B strings.

That's kinda what I usually wind up doing when playing solo. I'll tune to a chromatic tuner and it won't feel or sound right so I just tweak each string a bit
by ear until it gets there. In a band situation, someone, usually the main rhythm player, will get his right then we tune to him until we agree we've got it.
That way even if we're a bit off we still sound good.
 
Hey guys. Someone who knows more about guitars had a look at my Strat and pointed out the neck was bowed (concave) and
the bridge wasn't set up properly for good intonation, of course.

I'm no stranger to swapping necks or turning screws, but I really had no idea what else I'd be getting into with a good setup,
so I caved and took it to a local guy who is reputed to have many (professional) years of guitar work under his belt. I was seriously
considering making the trip over to the repair place @keith.rogers kindly dug up for me, but that was a bit too far for me to comfortably
commute - about 45 miles one way. This other guy is practically down the street at 8 miles. I came across his facebook page by accident, actually.

I have it back now and it sounds much, much better. And using the amp sim tuner is much easier and more accurate now. The indicator isn't
freaking out and bouncing back and forth as it was before. Now I hit the open strings and the indicator scrolls right up to center and barely
squiggles. I'm getting a much cleaner sound in the recording now.
__________________

Many thanks to all of you who helped me on this one. When I get a feeler gauge and a good ruler I'll tackle one on my own next time.

I found Fender's recommended procedures here : How do I set up my Stratocaster(R) guitar properly? – Fender
 
[On a piano every note is it's own string. The key causes a 'hammer' to hit that one string only. Providing that string is propely tuned, its always in tune.]

Just to note, a piano must be intentionally detuned slightly in order to sound in tune, so it seems to be universally similar...
 
The Yamaha bass I just put EMG Geezer pick-up kit in could use a setup. I'm getting some really nice sound out of them but some notes higher up were getting kinda crazy. When I installed the PUs, they sat deeper in the cavities and the original foam blocks under there wouldn't work, so I left them out - temporarily. I just screwed them down nearly all the way and that was a mistake. This afternoon I couldn't take it any more and raised them up about 3/16" on the two necks and 1/4" on the bridge (eyeballing) - still without the foam. That helped tame some of those crazy notes.
 
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