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intonation problem...

wailingmiserere	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 11:12 AM Hmm... I have recently noticed a problem with the intonation on my guitar. The strange thing is, it's just on the low E-string. The 12th fret note sounds slightly sharp of the 12th fret harmonic. I'm guessing as it's just on one string, it's probably a bridge/nut thing as opposed to action... but then I'm a bit ignorant when it comes to guitars. Any ideas?
hate9wicket	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 11:18 AM Probably just your guitar adjusting to the weather.
wailingmiserere	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 12:27 PM But why only that string?
GeneHilbert	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 12:38 PM That string is notoriously out of tune on all guitars. As a matter of fact it is impossible to have the low E string perfectly intonated and maintain proper pitch on all notes. The only way to do it is off set the frets. Different string gauges, weather, age, dirt, rust, all effect intonation. Get it as close as possible - and only adjust it on new strings. Unless of course you never change your strings and in that case...... well happy hunting.
wailingmiserere	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 12:53 PM Hmm, ok... interesting... I never noticed it before, mind you I've been playing in dropped tuning a lot recently, maybe that emphasises it a bit more... and I haven't changed me strings in a verrry long time...
GreatGooglyM...	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 1:27 PM "well happy hunting." That's what it is with adjusting the intonation. God I hate it!
shadowself	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 4:41 PM I am so happy that I work a block away from a luthier who will do a quick set-up and restring for like $30.
Alecs	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 6:17 PM what type of guitar is it? electric? acoustic? what brand?
wailingmiserere	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 6:39 PM Tis acoustic, an Encore (cheap British brand).
Alecs	Date: November 17, 2005 @ 6:55 PM ah then i dont know wat to do for ya
Traf	Date: November 18, 2005 @ 6:53 AM Gene's got it about summed up.. I think the " and I haven't changed me strings in a verrry long time... is the main culprit here..
zedsalt	Date: November 18, 2005 @ 11:37 AM If you're tuning it low enough, it may simply be a matter of fretting it too hard. We are talking about the absolute middle of what's often the slackest string, after all. I take my lowest string down to the A below standard sometimes, and I can do a pretty noticeable "bend" just by varying my downpressure. But then, that's one of the things I love about slack tunings- the resultant natural chorusing and in extreme cases, that "wobbly" quality. Sounds beautiful.
wailingmiserere	Date: January 27, 2006 @ 11:34 AM Hmm... I feel the need to resurrect this thread from the dead to say that I just completely restrung my guitar and there is defintely still a problem with the intonation on the lowest string. This is on an acoustic, using pretty heavy gauge strings. The tension is pretty high so I don't think it has anything to do with the pressure of fretting. Does anyone know why the intonation would be out on this particular string and not any others? I find it very confusing...
Alecs	Date: January 27, 2006 @ 1:25 PM Have you ever seen a close-up picture of a perfectly tuned Floyd-rose style electric tremelo? the string saddles are always staggered, with the low E string being the farthest from the neck. The thicker the string, the closer to the nut the fret anchors it. Does it make any sense why the low E would need to be pulled farther from the neck, then?
pog	Date: January 27, 2006 @ 3:01 PM Hold the guitar up in front of you with the body towards you and the next facing away from you. Look down the fretboard and see if it's warped at all. If it is, then a technician may need to warp it back straight (a procedure using steam and lots of patience. Alternatively, You may need to take the guitar into the shop to get the nut replaced in the neck. (Thats the plactic bit the string slides through. If the nut is worn, it will make the guitar out of tune.
Bhairava	Date: January 27, 2006 @ 3:20 PM How much does it cost to get a guitar refretted. I've had my current guitar for about 2 years now and it certainly looks like it needs it.
celtaidd	Date: January 27, 2006 @ 9:08 PM Have you tried putting graphite on the nut, just in case its sticking?
celtaidd	Date: January 27, 2006 @ 9:10 PM Sorry, I should have mentioned; graphite= pencil "lead"
tooles	Date: January 28, 2006 @ 3:45 AM Maybe your strings are actually made of dried cow tendons. It's not often that this happens, but some string companies accidentally package the elbow tendons of our bovine friends. Usually the cow is healthy and it doesn't make a big difference, but if a cancerous cow gets through and you string your guitar with its elbow or knee tendons, your guitar will probably not sound very good. I would recommend calling the string manufacturer and interrogating them on the topic of bovine (or even ursine) tendon use. You will not regret it.
tooles	Date: January 28, 2006 @ 3:46 AM Man, I'm so drunk.
pmscpc	Date: January 28, 2006 @ 11:30 AM Sounds like you might need to "upgrade" to a better guitar.
mattbanx	Date: January 28, 2006 @ 11:41 AM I know very little about an electric guitar outside of a beat up 40 year old harmony I hammer on. But I accidently rolled a string in the opposite direction when I put it on that was badly out of tune, and it did'nt go out of tune so much after that. That guitar probably has so many nicks in it I don't know about. But I play out of tune anyway, so maybe it can sound in tune that way.
mattbanx	Date: January 28, 2006 @ 11:46 AM My string went bacwards with the bridge, perhaps?
tossom	Date: January 31, 2006 @ 1:05 PM I'd hazard a guess that seeing you're using heavy strings that the E string may have worn a groove into the bridge, thus altering the scale length of the srting and so affecting intonation.
PlasticPenguin	Date: February 11, 2006 @ 5:31 PM its probably just the guitar id imagine, depending on what guitar you have if it has a floating bridge you can tighten/loosen the screw behind the low e saddle to change the intonation. hope that helps.
EtherEclectic	Date: February 11, 2006 @ 7:52 PM your guitar might be demonically possessed and you should set it on fire and destroying it to prevent the demon from leaving your guitar and entering your body... leaving you possessed to the point that you will all of a sudden break into a catholic convent completely nude covered in human blood as you try to dry hump the virgin mary...
zedsalt	Date: February 12, 2006 @ 6:01 PM Yeah, blood doesn't make very good lube. My uncle used to keep a hatchet beside the t.v., to be used in case of demonic possession. True story. I don't know if he still does or not...
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 4:18 AM my wife has a weird uncle with a glass eye, and he will pull the glass eye out toss it on you and say: I'VE GOT MY EYE ON YOU!!! he didnt mean it as a joke, he really was psychotic lol
Bhairava	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 6:17 AM ^ Americans
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 7:19 AM rolling eyes at us americans? tell me...whats so bloody fab about your damn country?
Alecs	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 2:26 PM rolling eyes at americans? I thought this was about TOSSING eyes at americans...
FebruaryBattles	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 2:31 PM i think it was safe to say bhairave was joking hence the wink..
patrickbulch	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 3:28 PM Here are my thoughts: Could be the string is flacid and needs to be replaced or the nut is too narrow for the guage you use. Try lubricating the nut grooves with graphite from an HB pencil.
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 3:54 PM i have an artcore that has nasty intonation on the low E string at the octive fret "12" took me a long time to adjust it... weird thing was that it only sounded flat when using alot of gain.
patrickbulch	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 4:37 PM We all know how to adjust our intonation - right? Pick a harmonic at the 12th fret. Now fret the note and pick again. Adjust accordingly if there is any difference between the tones. Your guitar will be properly set up if these tones are a perfect octave apart. If you make extreme string guage changes (ie: 9's to 12's) you will have to re-set up your guitar.
wailingmiserere	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 4:46 PM Well, I know how to adjust the intonation on an electric guitar, that's easy. But as I pointed out earlier on in the thread, this is an acoustic guitar I'm having the problem with.
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 4:49 PM believe someone already said this but you might need to take it to a guitar tech, let him examine it.
wailingmiserere	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 4:54 PM Yep, I'm thinking that will be the only solution That or just get a better guitar, I've had this one for years and it's just getting progressively useless as time goes by..
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 4:56 PM what brand
Distilled1	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 5:33 PM Upgrade man thats it if it is a cheap brand as you say it may be cheaper to buy than have someone work on it. Acustics I would almost 100% bet on the nut and 50% its the bridge worn.
Bhairava	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 9:28 PM [Quote] rolling eyes at us americans? tell me...whats so bloody fab about your damn country? [/Quote] I'm not one for distinguishing countries, as far as I'm concerned we are a world. [Quote] i think it was safe to say bhairave was joking hence the wink.. [/Quote]
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 9:50 PM sorry bhairava, i've been strange lately, alot of stress. making me rather jumpy!
FebruaryBattles	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 9:54 PM lately? sorry haha couldnt resist
EtherEclectic	Date: February 14, 2006 @ 10:50 PM well up till last week i have been rather silent, so yes lately.
Bhairava	Date: February 15, 2006 @ 5:44 PM Thats ok man. Hope it works out whatever the problem is. I know everyones got problems so I give them a lot of trust for them to use up before I judge too much. You've got plenty left.
JeraldHenry	Date: March 15, 2006 @ 10:47 AM Did you get your intonation problem taken care of?