Intonation problem

[Hobobob74]

Set'n up a Squire Strat (I know, not a bass, but same principal and i trust you guys.) and the low E string is still sharp at the 12th with the saddle as far as i will come back.

Different gauge strings?

Crappy guitar?

Thanks.

[202dy]

If everything you are saying is correct there are only two possibilities. The problem is either at the nut or at the saddle. Inspect the saddle. If there is no hump or burr then the problem is at the nut. There can be a hump in the string seat. The remedy is to file the bottom of the slot so that there is a breaking angle back toward the tuner. Take a pencil and run the tip in the bottom of the slot so it is easier to see the hump when the slot is being filed. Use the proper sized nut file (.042") to resurface the bottom of the slot.

[Billw97]

Hey! I had this problem on a Fender Strat. I have also seen this problem on others. I like tree truck size E-strings, .052". What I did was to remove the saddle and trim the spring, it worked fine after that.
Be careful not to tighten the intonation screw to much as this will cause lifting of the saddle and give you a buzzing problem!

Bill

[202dy]

Originally Posted by Billw97

Hey! I had this problem on a Fender Strat. I have also seen this problem on others. I like tree truck size E-strings, .052". What I did was to remove the saddle and trim the spring, it worked fine after that.
Be careful not to tighten the intonation screw to much as this will cause lifting of the saddle and give you a buzzing problem!

Bill

It is good that it worked for you.

If the problem is at the nut it cannot be corrected by extreme adjustment to the saddle. While the "intonation" or agreement between the fretted note at the twelfth fret and the harmonic at the same point are spot on, the string will still play out of tune on other notes because the overall intonation is not in agreement with the scale length.