Bizarre string-changing experience

[Norm Nelson]

I'm one of those baaaaad people that hates to change strings on my basses, but I gritted my teeth and dug in yesterday (I put a set of LaBella Super Polished IMAs on my old JP-90, replacing a set of DR Hi-Beams that were way too rock and roll for the stuff I'm playing lately). I'm not ashamed to admit that my hands were slightly shaking because I was so nervous about screwing up the process.

Everything went fine, and when I got them tuned up I checked the intonation and it was spot on. Didn't have to adjust a thing.

Unreal. Anything like that ever happen to anyone before?

 

[jeff62]

On the odd occasion, yes. More likely everything is close enough except one string. I, however, am OCD about the intonation and since it's so easy to take care of (except on my 8-string), I do a quick adjustment to ensure everything is perfect when changing strings.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I'm one of those baaaaad people that hates to change strings on my basses, but I gritted my teeth and dug in yesterday (I put a set of LaBella Super Polished IMAs on my old JP-90, replacing a set of DR Hi-Beams that were way too rock and roll for the stuff I'm playing lately). I'm not ashamed to admit that my hands were slightly shaking because I was so nervous about screwing up the process.

Everything went fine, and when I got them tuned up I checked the intonation and it was spot on. Didn't have to adjust a thing.

Unreal. Anything like that ever happen to anyone before?

Open = 12th harmonic = 12th fretted? If so, go buy a lottery ticket.

Riis

 

[five7]

This has happened to me and I feel like I am in the Twilight Zone for at least 5 minutes.

 

[Norm Nelson]

Open = 12th harmonic = 12th fretted? If so, go buy a lottery ticket.

Riis

RIGHT?!?!?! Solid advice

 

[tubedude]

Only off if I change brand or gauge of strings.

 

[Geri O]

I'm one of those baaaaad people that hates to change strings on my basses, but I gritted my teeth and dug in yesterday (I put a set of LaBella Super Polished IMAs on my old JP-90, replacing a set of DR Hi-Beams that were way too rock and roll for the stuff I'm playing lately). I'm not ashamed to admit that my hands were slightly shaking because I was so nervous about screwing up the process.

Everything went fine, and when I got them tuned up I checked the intonation and it was spot on. Didn't have to adjust a thing.

Unreal. Anything like that ever happen to anyone before?

On a regular basis...

(unless the new set isn't identical to what they are replacing)

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Anything like that ever happen to anyone before?

If it did, I don’t remember it. I check my intonation occasionally as strings age and adjust as needed, so even if I use same brand and gauge, it’s not likely the intonation setting of my new strings would match my old ones.

I have had “one” string that didn’t need any adjustment a few times, but very few.

 

[Ostie]

I bet you guys break into a cold sweat on an acoustic guitar with a fixed bridge.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

I check the intonation every once a while when I have not changed the strings and sometimes it is off

 

[stevensivak]

As long as this conversation has drifted into a discussion about intonation, I have a question.

Using the 12th free to compare to an open string, I can easily get those two point to be in tune, but if I check a variety of notes
along the way, they are frequently if not always out of tune.... now I admit I am using a strobe type of tuner and it is very accurate.

What do most people see for intonation in between the ope string and the 12th fret?

 

[JutMitch]

lol. I actually love changing my strings. I tend to enjoy making sure my bass is well intonated and set up. Typically though I don’t ever let my house get either extreme damp or dry so it’s pretty much set it and forget it. If I do jump down string gauges I will loosen the truss rod maybe 1/16 of a turn.

I usually like a fretboard with maybe paper thickness of relief and 2.5-2.75 string height but it’s all down to feel at this point and no my measuring tools.

Once my string height is set and intonation set you really shouldn’t ever have to touch those again (albeit you keep your relief adjusted perfectly)

 

[sheesh]

Other than seasonal truss rod adjustments, once I set up the bass it's generally pretty good. That said, I am not traveling to gigs in all kinds of different climates all over the place.

 

[JutMitch]

As long as this conversation has drifted into a discussion about intonation, I have a question.

Using the 12th free to compare to an open string, I can easily get those two point to be in tune, but if I check a variety of notes
along the way, they are frequently if not always out of tune.... now I admit I am using a strobe type of tuner and it is very accurate.

What do most people see for intonation in between the ope string and the 12th fret?

There is no such thing as a perfectly intonated bass or guitar. Well there is some weird guitar with compensated squiggly frets (true temperment) but no instrument will ever be intonated perfectly on every fret. Some people set intonation on 3rd and 15th. Some open and 12th. But honestly, no one ever plays perfectly intonated anyways. Any slight pull or push on the string changes intonation.

 

[sheesh]

As long as this conversation has drifted into a discussion about intonation, I have a question.

Using the 12th free to compare to an open string, I can easily get those two point to be in tune, but if I check a variety of notes
along the way, they are frequently if not always out of tune.... now I admit I am using a strobe type of tuner and it is very accurate.

What do most people see for intonation in between the ope string and the 12th fret?

This, you can spend a lot of time here (and maybe get frustrated!) I aim for a balance, meaning if open and 12 are good I try to judge what it looks like at 9 and 17 and try to balance those out.

I would imagine that some of the other players might have some good advice here.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Back in the day before tuners we changed strings and never even thought about intonation or set-ups. We tuned badly to a piano or to the guitar and went on with our lives. I started in '72 and never even had a set-up until 2 years ago.

Were basses better made back then or did we just not care as much, or a little of "what you don't know (or hear) won't hurt you?" My Rick 4001 had many different types of strings, never needed a bridge or truss rod adjustment. At least not one I could tell it needed.

Too much OCD about perfect intonation, which if you play frets you can never have?

 

[JutMitch]

This, you can spend a lot of time here (and maybe get frustrated!) I aim for a balance, meaning if open and 12 are good I try to judge what it looks like at 9 and 17 and try to balance those out.

I would imagine that some of the other players might have some good advice here.

Yes, try to intonate the area you most use. I’d say for me it’s always the 3-5 frets are carrying a lot of the load. Mathematically impossible to have a perfect intonation so just focus where you play the most.

 

[BassicJazzy]

This, you can spend a lot of time here (and maybe get frustrated!) I aim for a balance, meaning if open and 12 are good I try to judge what it looks like at 9 and 17 and try to balance those out.

I would imagine that some of the other players might have some good advice here.

Never perfect across the board, but it averages out, if you get it right at the 12th. You could drive yourself crazy chasing perfection. Best if you want it perfect is get a fretless and choose your finger points based on what your ears tell you.

 

[JutMitch]

Back in the day before tuners we changed strings and never even thought about intonation or set-ups. We tuned badly to a piano or to the guitar and went on with our lives. I started in '72 and never even had a set-up until 2 years ago.

Were basses better made back then or did we just not care as much, or a little of "what you don't know (or hear) won't hurt you?" My Rick 4001 had many different types of strings, never needed a bridge or truss rod adjustment. At least not one I could tell it needed.

Too much OCD about perfect intonation, which if you play frets you can never have?

So true, strive for close to perfect intonation just to be screwed up anyways with slightly less than perfect left hand technique.

 

[Norm Nelson]

As long as this conversation has drifted into a discussion about intonation, I have a question.

Using the 12th free to compare to an open string, I can easily get those two point to be in tune, but if I check a variety of notes
along the way, they are frequently if not always out of tune.... now I admit I am using a strobe type of tuner and it is very accurate.

What do most people see for intonation in between the ope string and the 12th fret?

Yeah, I don't fret about it too much (SEE WHAT I DID THERE) Phil McKnight had a fun discussion on his channel (in here somewhere) about how you can get near perfect intonation with a True Temperament guitar ... but then everyone else with a guitar in the band will sound out of tune, or vice versa. If everyone's tuned guitar-styley with even (regular? even) temperament then you sound better together even not if you're perfectly in tune at particular notes. This may be arguable but it makes sense to me.