Argh!

  • Thread starter Thread starter ZoSo58LP
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ZoSo58LP

ZoSo58LP

rock guy
so, i'm doing my intonation on a stopbar tailpiece on my parker p42....

what the hell do you do when you're at the end of the bridge for the saddle piece (where it physically can't go any further back) and your intonation is STILL way sharp?! my E string just won't go! what do i do? ughhh


also, the open string tunes perfect....but when i hit 3rd string, it's sharp by a bunch as well. what's going on here?
 
Is it just the one string? I hate to suggest the obvious, but it could just be the string. Bad strings do wacky stuff. Try another one if you haven't already.
 
hmm, that's a damn good idea...i kind of just gave up after the string lol. the saddle is ALLLL the way at the back of the bridge, and it's still out. my third fret G is so sharp compared to open G.

giving the A a try..
 
well i think i got the A working, but the E is pretty bad.

also i didn't mention, i'm using d'addario EJ21's on here..they're 12 gauge strings with a wound G. tuned to DGCF, instead of EADG. hmm. it's annoying that the third fret on my first string is sooooo sharp, even the first fret is!


okay, and every other string intonates fine. it's just my first E, which is the big 12 gauge, and tuned down to D. even the first fret is way sharp. any ideas?
 
Maybe your neck is slightly bowed and you need to adjust the truss rod or the strings may not be sitting in the nut slots properly.Have you always used these gauge strings.Going to heavier strings may need a set-up.
 
ZoSo58LP said:
no, what does that do?
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I'm not sure of what the bridge on your guitar looks like, but turning the saddle around may (depending upon the saddle) give you a few more millimeters of adjustment.
 
i just got this guitar, and i think it had the factory 9's on it. i'm messing around with the truss and bridge height as well, but it's not going too well over here lol this first string is giving me so many problems
 
ZoSo58LP said:
i just got this guitar, and i think it had the factory 9's on it. i'm messing around with the truss and bridge height as well, but it's not going too well over here lol this first string is giving me so many problems
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If it's got 9's on it and you are tuning down a step, it's not surprising that the high E string is sharp when you fret it; those strings are like rubber bands even at standard tuning and you're probably squeezing them sharp over the frets. Those tuned down skinny strings are probably why you can't intonate the guitar, too. Put on some 11's (12's maybe?) and I'll bet both problems go away.
 
i tried with a set of hybrids. they're the d'addario EJ21's. it's got the lower strings of an 11 i believe, with a wound G of a 12, and then higher strings from a 12. the intonation was even worse with that big fat E string tuned to D, and the saddle was all the way back towards the bridge, and couldn't go anymore. i replaced them back with the 9's, and i'm pretty much able to intonate that E, and it's tuned back to EADG. i'm going to get a set of 10's today (my standard choice) and throw them on there to replace the 9's. i don't think i'm going to drop tune this guitar, as i've already got a strat that does that...i want a good humbucking guitar finally, and now i've got it, so i'm gonna keep her set to 10's. now i just have to work on setting it up, because i'm not good iwth any of that lol
 
If you are fretting sharp down near the nut it's the nut thats the problem. Probably cut too high so your introducing tension when fretting. If it's fretting sharp near the saddle check the saddle for the same.

Intonation is a balancing act between getting the nut, saddle and relief right for the gauge of strings you are using and your playing style. It is also a flawed compromise.
 
hmm, perhaps it is the nut?

i set it back up with a nice set of ernie ball slinky 10's, rather than that huge gauge. but even when the 9's were on there (the stock ones, i'm assuming), the intonation was TERRIBLE at the 12th fret, everything was very sharp. so i knew i had to adjust that, anyway.

does the truss adjustment, and/or bridge height take intonation into account at all? i'm wondering if i should adjust those as well. hmm. it's playing pretty well right now, and i can't tell if the E is out of tune a bit....but once i plug it into that tuner and see the little bit of sharpness, i get all paranoid and anal and then i hear the off-notes from that part on lol
 
ZoSo58LP said:
hmm, perhaps it is the nut?

i set it back up with a nice set of ernie ball slinky 10's, rather than that huge gauge. but even when the 9's were on there (the stock ones, i'm assuming), the intonation was TERRIBLE at the 12th fret, everything was very sharp. so i knew i had to adjust that, anyway.

does the truss adjustment, and/or bridge height take intonation into account at all? i'm wondering if i should adjust those as well. hmm. it's playing pretty well right now, and i can't tell if the E is out of tune a bit....but once i plug it into that tuner and see the little bit of sharpness, i get all paranoid and anal and then i hear the off-notes from that part on lol
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Read my post above and then read the sticky on tuning and temperament. Don't worry if your tuner says it is a few cents sharp the tuner isn't going to be your critic.
 
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