Tuning issues...

[King Elvis]

I have an old guitar that I have been working on for a while. I am having some problems with the tuning of the thing and I need some help. The high E,B & G strings are having some tuning issues. When I tune it and play for a bit the high strings dont stay in tune. Also when I tune it and play say a G chord is sounds good and in tune, but if I play an E chord then it sounds out of tune??? If I tune it to sound good playing an E, then a D chord sounds out of tune...you get the idea. What is going on and how can I remedy the situation???

 

[Fed]

Is it el. or acc guitar?... if el... what bridge does it have?

 

[King Elvis]

Fender Strat with hardtail bridge.

 

[NoiseFactory]

Hi,
Since you have a hardtail Strat (My favorite kind of strat, by the way), it sounds like you need to have your guitar's intonation checked.
If you've never done this yourself, look for a guitar tech in your area.



Take care,
Tony

 

[King Elvis]

can you give me a rundown on how to do it??

 

[Gidge]

http://www.fenderplayersclub.com/front_office/intonation.htm

 

[Gidge]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...lectric+guitar+intonation+&btnG=Google+Search

 

[NoiseFactory]

Hi,
You will need to use a tuner (strobe tuner if possible) when doing your intonation, as well as a screwdriver to adjust the bridge saddles.
When setting intonation, you are trying to get your 12th fret "harmonic," to be the same as the 12th fret "fretted note."
If the harmonic is HIGHER than the note, you have to move the bridge saddles towards the neck.
If the harmonic is LOWER than the note, adjust the saddle until it moves away from the neck.
You will need to retune after every saddle adjustment.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Take care,
Tony

 

[Kramer]

Hi,
You will need to use a tuner (strobe tuner if possible) when doing your intonation, as well as a screwdriver to adjust the bridge saddles.
When setting intonation, you are trying to get your 12th fret "harmonic," to be the same as the 12th fret "fretted note."
If the harmonic is HIGHER than the note, you have to move the bridge saddles towards the neck.
If the harmonic is LOWER than the note, adjust the saddle until it moves away from the neck.
You will need to retune after every saddle adjustment.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Take care,
Tony

You have that backwards Tony.

If the 12th fret harmonic is "Sharp" you wanna tighten the saddle and move it back away from the neck and pickups towards the bridge,lengthening the string.

If the 12th fret harmonic is "flat" you wanna move the saddle forward toward the pickups,shortening the string.

Been setting the intonation on guitars for years now.

 

[King Elvis]

muchos gracias, I appreciate all the help fellers!!!

 

[Fed]

No problem

 

[NoiseFactory]

You have that backwards Tony.

If the 12th fret harmonic is "Sharp" you wanna tighten the saddle and move it back away from the neck and pickups towards the bridge,lengthening the string.

If the 12th fret harmonic is "flat" you wanna move the saddle forward toward the pickups,shortening the string.

Been setting the intonation on guitars for years now.

Hi,
I just re-read my post, and I have to repectfully disagree with you.(I have also been setting up guitars for years, 27, to be exact)
I've also just visited the fender link, and here's what they had to say about it.
"If the note is sharp compared to the harmonic, lengthen the string. If the note is flat, shorten the string."

Take care,
Tony

 

[Kramer]

I've also just visited the fender link, and here's what they had to say about it.
"If the note is sharp compared to the harmonic, lengthen the string. If the note is flat, shorten the string."

Take care,
Tony

Thats exactly what I said.RE-read my post.

Sharp=lengthen the string length{bring the saddle BACK AWAY FROM THE PICKUPS THUS LEGNTHENING THE STRING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SADDLE AND NUT}

Flat=shorten the string length{Bring the saddle FORWARD TOWARD THE PICKUP>THUS SHORTENING THE STRING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SADDLE AND THE NUT}

 

[NoiseFactory]

Thats exactly what I said.RE-read my post.

Sharp=lengthen the string length{bring the saddle BACK AWAY FROM THE PICKUPS THUS LEGNTHENING THE STRING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SADDLE AND NUT}

Flat=shorten the string length{Bring the saddle FORWARD TOWARD THE PICKUP>THUS SHORTENING THE STRING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SADDLE AND THE NUT}

Hi,
I'm not trying to break your chops, but the you were talking about the harmonic, and I was talking about the fretted note.

Take care,
Tony

 

[Kramer]

Hi,
I'm not trying to break your chops, but the you were talking about the harmonic, and I was talking about the fretted note.

Take care,
Tony

We are talking about the same thing."I" should have said "12th string fretted note" instead of 12 th fret harmonic.The 12th fret harmonic should be tuned to standard 440 and the 12th fret "fretted" note should match....if the 12th fret "fretted" note is sharp you do exactly like I explained to correct it.If it is flat you do exactly as I explained to correct it.It's not rocket science.

There is only one way to do it.

Your original post is still backwards.

The end.

 

[King Elvis]

allrighty cats, no need to argue.
You guys have ALL helped me and given me the advice I need to get it done. I do appreciate you guys going into the detail that you have. Thanks

 

[NoiseFactory]

Hi Kramer,
I'm really not trying to argue, I just didn't want there to be a misunderstanding.

Here's my original quote-

If the harmonic is HIGHER than the note, you have to move the bridge saddles towards the neck.
If the harmonic is LOWER than the note, adjust the saddle until it moves away from the neck.

If the harmonic is higher, then the note is flat, and the string length needs to be shortened, which we both agree upon.
To do this, you must move the saddle towards the neck, again, we both agree on this.
The same holds true in reverse. If the harmonic is flatter than the note, then the note is sharp, and the string is too short.The saddle needs to move away from the neck.
I agree, it's not rocket science, and there is only one way to do it.(If you re-re-read my post, you will see that both of our methods are exactly the same, so we're BOTH correct.)
I won't even get into the fact that guitars can never be perfectly in tune, especially using 12et.
Finis

Take care,
Tony

 

[Kramer]

Hey Tony!

Mike says he's got the info he needs so I'll agree that you're right and Im wrong or we're both right or we're.....well,you get it!

NO Big deal.

Either way,the Lord is good to us all!