I will admit to being very new to bass guitars. That being said I thought I did real well in picking out my first bass, more than I wanted to pay for starter, but figured I would not be wanting to buy up for a while if ever.
I have had the bass 40 days and played it every day but one. A couple of weeks ago I noticed when playing up the neck especially on the E string It didnt sound quite right. When playing a G up on the E string it was much sharper than the upper G string. I had read about intonation and had believed all the adjustability of the impressively massive bridge might be all that needed adjusting.
I read about adjusting for intonation. I saw they recomended using an electronic tuner which I did and found that intonation was dead on all strings. I had been tuning the E string just a little flat and it was closer to soundign ok, but tuning with the tuner it was almost 1/4 on the gage sharp at the G. I then checked and noted from the very first fret the E string was sharp and seemed to get worst further up the neck. I then observed the Korg electroni tuner fretting other notes and found the A and G slightly sharp but strangley the D sting was pretty good up and down the neck.
When I called the G&L shop that Musicians Friend. where I purchased the bass, recomended I found a full mailbox.
I have come very attached to this instrument and will surley get another L2000, I love the neck width.
Am I crazy if I dont return it or does anyone have any suggestions to remedy? I believe the nut needs adjusting or movement or something but also thought simple adjustment of bridge might remedy.
I would appreciate any suggestions, I like this Korean made bass, the only new ones are made in Indonesia and there may be a wait. I love the sound of this instrument. I would simply like it to be perfectly in tune.

I've had my G&L Tribute L2000 since the spring, and it's made in Indonesia. I have loved every minute of owning it, and never had intonation issues with it.

Try to get another one. You won't regret it.

Color me stupid, but did you try to adjust it? Sounds like you need to tighten the screws to lengthen the E, A, and D strings.

Far more wise folks than I have written about intonation but my little brain understands if the fretted note is sharp you tighten the intonation screw to pull the saddle back and lengthen the string, and if flat you loosen the screw and shove the saddle forward to shorten it. Once you move the saddle retune the open string, then test the fretted note and so on and on and on until the fretted notes and the open string are both in tune.

Be sure to loosen the saddle lock screw first and I test holding the bass and fretting as hard as I typically do.

The strings wear and the wood settles into the climate there and stuff can need adjustment.

Any time you change the type of strings, adjust the saddle height, or turn the truss rod you may need to tweak the intonation on any bass.

I prefer finding and sticking with a brand and model of string to make the adjustments very minor set to set.

Jim

Ring the string at the 12th fret (touch it but don't fret it all the way and pluck to get the harmonic). Adjust with tuner till it's dead on. Now fret the same string on the 12th and see if it is sharp or flat. If it is sharp, adjust the saddle back away from the nut and vice versa if it's flat. Remember to retune the string between every adjustment.

Ring the string at the 12th fret (touch it but don't fret it all the way and pluck to get the harmonic). Adjust with tuner till it's dead on. Now fret the same string on the 12th and see if it is sharp or flat. If it is sharp, adjust the saddle back away from the nut and vice versa if it's flat. Remember to retune the string between every adjustment.

This works to set intonation to a degree- but in reality the nut height on factory basses will tend to not be spot on, so if you use the open string or its harmonic to set intonation it will likely be off. Try setting your intonation using the open note and its octave and then see how far off other notes up and down the neck are- you may be lucky and have a meticulously setup nut, but chances are not... The best thing to do is set intonation using only fretted notes- like the F and its octave on the E string, etc...this takes the nut out of the equation (the weakest link), and assuming the frets were spaced properly should give you optimum intonation on every note except one- the open note (wheras the other method will leave a large part of the neck slightly off).

That said- chances are most people can set their intonation using the traditional method of open string (or harmonic of open) + 12th fret and it will never be noticeably off in a band context. The typical human ear is just not that sensitive!

Karl

When the intonation is dead on for all 4 string tuned properly the notes played at the upper part of the neck are sharp. if I change the bridge to remedy that I think the intonation would not then be correct. Is that right?
thanks for all the input

When the intonation is dead on for all 4 string tuned properly the notes played at the upper part of the neck are sharp. if I change the bridge to remedy that I think the intonation would not then be correct. Is that right?
thanks for all the input

I'm a bit confused. If you are saying the notes are "dead on" with open strings or on the first few frets, that is more a function of tuning than saddle placement. The deviation on note frequency goes up the farther toward the bridge you play, it's not linear. Ringing the string over the 12th fret and then fretting over the 12th fret while adjusting the saddle to being the two in line is the easiest way adjust your intonation. A saddle that's off enough to notice at the 12th may not be that noticable at the first or second fret.

Try setting your intonation using the open note and its octave and then see how far off other notes up and down the neck are- you may be lucky and have a meticulously setup nut, but chances are not... The best thing to do is set intonation using only fretted notes- like the F and its octave on the E string, etc...this takes the nut out of the equation (the weakest link), and assuming the frets were spaced properly should give you optimum intonation on every note except one- the open note (wheras the other method will leave a large part of the neck slightly off).

That said- chances are most people can set their intonation using the traditional method of open string (or harmonic of open) + 12th fret and it will never be noticeably off in a band context. The typical human ear is just not that sensitive!

Karl

I agree... and my local luthier does the same procedure using an oscilloscope.

Not to shag your intonation skills, but it is a little tricky.
Sometimes the fretted/unfretted 12th fret prodcedure works well, sometimes this must be either augmented by, or bypassed for using thirds, fifths and sevenths as well.
I've been doing my own for about 25 years now.
Working nut height, saddle height, and saddle position (and you want to do it in this order) into playability is time consuming and well worth paying for if you're not intimately familiar with it, and having this sort of problem.
The comment by sunbeast is spot on: nut height can indeed throw intonation off, but typically this most often effects only the lower registers.
I'd take the bass back to point of purchase, and suggest that if a complete setup on their end doesn't fix it, that they then exchange the instument.

Ummm - first thing to do is change the strings - 90% of the time when someone has a strange problem like that, it's from dead strings. Change the strings, set the intonation for the new strings and I bet your problem will be gone.

Also- try dropping your pickup height some. The MFD pickups have a pretty strong magnetic pull and can pull notes sharp if the pickups are too high...(I've had to lower mine farther than on any other bass because of this).

Karl

Ummm - first thing to do is change the strings - 90% of the time when someone has a strange problem like that, it's from dead strings. Change the strings, set the intonation for the new strings and I bet your problem will be gone.

+1 on that.

Also- try dropping your pickup height some. The MFD pickups have a pretty strong magnetic pull and can pull notes sharp if the pickups are too high...(I've had to lower mine farther than on any other bass because of this).

Karl

Yupp, mine keep pulling down the E and A so much that I have to have 'em nearly flush with the body to get rid of sounds coming from stings touching the poles.

Yupp, mine keep pulling down the E and A so much that I have to have 'em nearly flush with the body to get rid of sounds coming from stings touching the poles.

That just amazes me that the PU's are that strong. I had an issue with overload and distorted sounds, and along with other issues, lowering these Star Wars "tractor-beam" menaces! :p

Another thought, which leave the DIY work until later, is to do the following:

Buy some new strings.
Take the strings and you bass to a qualified luthier or guitar tech and ask for a set up.

Climates vary quite a bit and result in imperfect set ups when going from one climate to another. I bought a bass recently, used, which shipped from Vancouver, BC. It was perfectly set up there. I got it and had to make a truss rod adjustment to get the neck relief back to cool for here in Minnesota.

A professional set up is must for any new guitar/bass. I've since learned how to do it myself, but I wouldn't bother with that for your first bass.

Another plus of having it done professionally is asking all kinds of questions when you pick up your bass and play it to make sure it's what you want. Ask all of the questions you want about what he did, etc.

hth