Intonation help

Stinger2k · #1 06-23-2010, 04:40 PM

This my first time setting up a bass. Fender Jazz. Followed instructions from the sticky post(fenders web site link) and all went well except with my E string. It is still sharp, and moving back the saddle does not seem to correct this. A,D G string all dialed in fine, but not the E.Any tips or suggestions I can try, or should I take it in and have someone look at it?

Thanks,
Steve

testing1two · #2 06-23-2010, 06:03 PM

It's easy to get false readings from the E-string, especially if pickups are too close to the strings. Try soloing one of the pickups and also try turning the volume down to 7 or 8. These are new strings correct?

Stinger2k · #3 06-23-2010, 07:28 PM

Yes, new strings. I will try one pick up or the other and turning down the vol and see what I get. It is close, and since this is my first time trying to set up my bass, I don't know exactly what is close enough. The needle on my tuner says sharp, but I don't know that I hear it. Am I being to picky about this?
Thanks for the reply,
Steve

Xray66 · #4 06-23-2010, 07:32 PM

Is the saddle back as far as it will go? Sometimes if the action is a little high, it will make the string go sharp a bit as you press down, because it has to stretch. And it usually happens on the lower strings.

jschwalls · #5 06-23-2010, 07:34 PM

back the pickups away from strings...

Stinger2k · #6 06-23-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xray66

Is the saddle back as far as it will go? Sometimes if the action is a little high, it will make the string go sharp a bit as you press down, because it has to stretch. And it usually happens on the lower strings.

No, the saddle can still go back further.It is back quite a bit more then the other 3. My G,D A string saddles are just a little back from each other, starting from the g string. The E string is 2 to 3 times further back and still not in tune. Hope this makes sense,
Thanks,

Stinger2k · #7 06-23-2010, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jschwalls

back the pickups away from strings...

I haven't tried that. But why would 3 strings be fine and just my E giving me problems?
Thanks

Zooberwerx · #8 06-24-2010, 06:22 PM

Make sure you have clean witness (contact) points at the nut and bridge saddle.

Riis

walterw · #9 06-24-2010, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Make sure you have clean witness (contact) points at the nut and bridge saddle.

+1, and a big part of that is to make sure your strings (especially the fat ones) are not curving up off the contact points before straightening out towards the middle of the neck.

press down right at both sides of the nut and saddle, creating a sharp angle so the string is dead-straight along its vibrating length.

doing this will often fix weird intonation issues (as well as improving the action).

baldy McBalders · #10 06-24-2010, 06:50 PM

Taper core (or taper wound) E?

Stinger2k · #11 06-24-2010, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Make sure you have clean witness (contact) points at the nut and bridge saddle.

Riis

I will check that out. Thanks

Stinger2k · #12 06-24-2010, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

+1, and a big part of that is to make sure your strings (especially the fat ones) are not curving up off the contact points before straightening out towards the middle of the neck.

press down right at both sides of the nut and saddle, creating a sharp angle so the string is dead-straight along its vibrating length.

doing this will often fix weird intonation issues (as well as improving the action).

Thanks to you as weel. I will be checking this out tonite!!

Stinger2k · #13 06-24-2010, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baldy McBalders

Taper core (or taper wound) E?

Honestly I don't know. My first set of Chrome Flats. been a roundwound guy forever. Can I ask why would this matter?
Thanks,
Steve

baldy McBalders · #14 06-24-2010, 07:51 PM

Sure; I just have had intonation seem really odd (ie not fit into any real pattern) if I had a taper/exposed core E or B. That's all. Not sure about the mechanics/physics of it all, but it always seemed to make the E and B look a little goofy.
Good Luck!
B.

mikezimmerman · #15 06-24-2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger2k

Honestly I don't know. My first set of Chrome Flats. been a roundwound guy forever. Can I ask why would this matter?
Thanks,
Steve

I know what baldy is getting at--taperwound or exposed-core strings have sometimes have a lot of intonation weirdness, depending on how much of the taper there is on the "pickup' side of the bridge saddle.

If these are Chrome flats, though, they do not have taper or exposed cores.

it's possible that the problem is the pickups being too close to the string and being affected by the pickups' magnetism, as jschwalls suggested. This is much worse on the big strings (E and especially a low B on a 5) than on the others, just because there's a lot more metal to interact with. Try lowering the pickups on the E-string side a bit more, and see if it makes a difference.

Mike

mkandolf · #16 08-19-2010, 08:36 AM

Another search, and I find this!

Thanks to all for this advice and to the OP for having similar problems. I have a new Traben Chaos Obsession 5 string bass with new strings (duh) and it wasn't set up properly no matter what the shop says. I got G, D, and A dead on with intonation, but when it came to the E and B, I had trouble.

I'll try the tips from this thread tonight. Thanks to all!

megadan · #17 08-19-2010, 08:50 AM

Hang on, what are you using for a tuner? I suspect that might be more of an issue.
If it's not that, then it's most likely a bad E string, and a new one would fix it.

Also, check that your neck relief and saddle height are correct first, as these will affect intonation.

Zooberwerx · #18 08-19-2010, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkandolf

Another search, and I find this!

Thanks to all for this advice and to the OP for having similar problems. I have a new Traben Chaos Obsession 5 string bass with new strings (duh) and it wasn't set up properly no matter what the shop says. I got G, D, and A dead on with intonation, but when it came to the E and B, I had trouble.

I'll try the tips from this thread tonight. Thanks to all!

Keep us informed.

The E's and B's are problematic due to their increased diameter and stiffness...difficult to to establish the correct bend when setting witness points, moreso when stringing thru-body IME. Sometimes you just have to use a little brute force. Tapered strings are a little more "user friendly" and will probably require significant forward movement for proper intonation. For that fact, you'll also have to jack the saddles up.

Riis

JLS · #19 08-19-2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

+1, and a big part of that is to make sure your strings (especially the fat ones) are not curving up off the contact points before straightening out towards the middle of the neck.

press down right at both sides of the nut and saddle, creating a sharp angle so the string is dead-straight along its vibrating length.

doing this will often fix weird intonation issues (as well as improving the action).

This should automatically pop up, every time the word, "intonation", is in the heading...