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Double Bass G String tunning a half step higher than other strings...any fix for this..??

T

Thumb Position

Guest
Jul 19, 2011
22
0
#1
Hey there peeps..!!!! I just bought this new bass and for some reason the G-String tunes properly but it's a half step higher (closer to the nut) than the other strings. Which makes playing a little weird since the A (flat and the B (Flat) don't line up properly to the adjacent D (strings) F and E (flat). Has anyone ever encountered this problem, and if so, what did you do to resolve the issue? I guess the weird thing about it is that the D and the C on the G string seems to be fairly aligned to their respective A and G on the D (string)

It has already spent 2 weeks at a Luthier for a set-up. And innitialy when I first picked up the bass it was fine.....and now 1 month or so later it's back to the drawing board..!!

Huge thanks for any help in advance...!!!:help::help::help:
 
#2
Sounds like your G string is very high at the nut... is it needing a lot of force to stop properly close to the nut as well? Is there a larger distance between the bottom of the string at the nut on the G compared to the others? What about the E?

I guess then the question would be, what changed? Has the nut been knocked sideways?
 
#3
Andrew McGregor said:
Sounds like your G string is very high at the nut... is it needing a lot of force to stop properly close to the nut as well? Is there a larger distance between the bottom of the string at the nut on the G compared to the others? What about the E?

I guess then the question would be, what changed? Has the nut been knocked sideways?
Click to expand...


The Luthier lowered the strings at the NUT considerably for easier playability. Since, there is no evidence that the nut was knocked or banged - it's been placed into it's hard shell case after every playing. Checked the distance of the G string, at the nut - compared to the other strings - and all looks even.

Thanks for reply!!!!
 
#4
I don't understand your question. Is the string itself tuned a half step higher than is correct (G-sharp)? Or is it that when the open strings are perfectly in tune, the placement of the notes don't correspond across the strings?

The bridge could be out of alignment, though that would be more noticeable in higher positions, not half position. If a luthier has seen in recently, it seems unlikely you're having a set-up issue.

Do you have a teacher you could take this to?
 
#5
PaulCannon said:
I don't understand your question. Is the string itself tuned a half step higher than is correct (G-sharp)? Or is it that when the open strings are perfectly in tune, the placement of the notes don't correspond across the strings?

The bridge could be out of alignment, though that would be more noticeable in higher positions, not half position. If a luthier has seen in recently, it seems unlikely you're having a set-up issue.

Do you have a teacher you could take this to?
Click to expand...

When the strings are perfectly tuned (Good point and thank you for asking) the A (flat on the G string) and the B (flat) do not correspond with the adjacent strings. They are slightly less than a full half step off. And it corrects itself once you reach the D and C on the G (String). So Bizarre!!!:help::help:

I will present it to my teacher tomorrow at my lesson - just thought I would put it out there in the Bass forum for some feedback and experience..!
 
#6
Thumb Position said:
When the strings are perfectly tuned (Good point and thank you for asking) the A (flat on the G string) and the B (flat) do not correspond with the adjacent strings. They are slightly less than a full half step off. And it corrects itself once you reach the D and C on the G (String). So Bizarre!!!:help::help:

I will present it to my teacher tomorrow at my lesson - just thought I would put it out there in the Bass forum for some feedback and experience..!
Click to expand...

I'm thrilled to hear what he says, this sounds like nothing I have ever heard of, seen, experienced, plus, I can't come up with an explanation other than the string being somehow weird... If it was the string height detuning the string when pressing a note, it would have to be enormously high, I think...

Let us know what causes this, please!

Best
Sidecar
 
#9
MrSidecar said:
I'm thrilled to hear what he says, this sounds like nothing I have ever heard of, seen, experienced, plus, I can't come up with an explanation other than the string being somehow weird... If it was the string height detuning the string when pressing a note, it would have to be enormously high, I think...

Let us know what causes this, please!

Best
Sidecar
Click to expand...

Going out to buy a new G (String), for the Bass....not for me...!!!:hyper:
 
#10
A real puzzler.

If the nut slot is low enough, we can assume there is no major change in string tension when you stop the string at the first "fret". So about the only variable left is string mass per unit length.

Going through the math, in order to have a pitch error of a semitone at the first "fret", the mass per unit length (g/cm) of the string from the first "fret" to the bridge would have to be more than ten percent less than the mass per unit length of the string from the nut to the bridge. And in order for that to be true, the segment of string from the nut to the first "fret" would have to be almost three times as dense as the rest of the string, from the first "fret" to the bridge.

A string with a density that uneven would probably have such a high degree of inharmonicity that it would be immediately noticeable, and also very hard to tune.

String cores do get stretched and worn unevenly, but I can't imagine anything that extreme.
 
#11
tstone said:
A real puzzler.

If the nut slot is low enough, we can assume there is no major change in string tension when you stop the string at the first "fret". So about the only variable left is string mass per unit length.

Going through the math, in order to have a pitch error of a semitone at the first "fret", the mass per unit length (g/cm) of the string from the first "fret" to the bridge would have to be more than ten percent less than the mass per unit length of the string from the nut to the bridge. And in order for that to be true, the segment of string from the nut to the first "fret" would have to be almost three times as dense as the rest of the string, from the first "fret" to the bridge.

A string with a density that uneven would probably have such a high degree of inharmonicity that it would be immediately noticeable, and also very hard to tune.

String cores do get stretched and worn unevenly, but I can't imagine anything that extreme.
Click to expand...

I see no anomalies on the string itself, the nut looks in good position. The strings supplied when purchased were "no name" - so I will try the new strings tomorrow or Tuesday and get back to you all soon..!!:confused::confused:
 
#13
When you change the string, look for shiney spots in the nut slot, they indicate where the string is actually touching. If the string is not touching at the very front of the nut slot it can have the effect of lengthening the string length which would cause your problem.
 
#14
uprightben said:
When you change the string, look for shiney spots in the nut slot, they indicate where the string is actually touching. If the string is not touching at the very front of the nut slot it can have the effect of lengthening the string length which would cause your problem.
Click to expand...

That is super kewl info, I'm still waiting for the strings to be shipped out. Will let you know, but there's no reason I can't check it now!!

Thanks, UprightBen

Marcus
 
#15
just a thought...could you have any bumps or high spots on the fingerboard itself? If you depress the string behind a high spot where the string would actually be stopped (not where your finger is placed), you could experience an intonation issue. I would imagine that it would have to be an extreme anomaly but a high spot could act as a fret of sorts under the right circumstances. Do you have a large straightedge that you could place against the fingerboard under the g-string? Your fingerboard should have an adequate scoop.
 
#16
Hey guys, I just put on the new strings - which I went with the D'Addario Helicore Hybrid - Heavy Tension. And so far, from what I can tell the G string is doing fine. So I would have to conclude that the string on there previously must of been defected.

I really appreciate the comments/possible theory's.

Enjoy today's practice.....

Marcus

:hyper::hyper:
 

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