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intonation problem on my Sadowsky

quadrogong

quadrogong

Jul 6, 2006
2,388
12
NYC
www.facebook.com
#1
When I get in tune (with digital tuner or otherwise)
I'll check my open notes,
but the C note on my A string is a bit sharp when I fret the
3rd fret,and the problem is also slightly there on my E string's C note! not as bad,but not pefectly in tune.

bad news, alot of songs are in open tunings,C,G..etc
and require me to linger around the 3rd fret C note

I took her to sadowsky,and Lisa.my tech said it was okay,when I got home it was still the same.I guess I didn't really test it at the shop, they set me up for free and I was tired of complaining,and just left.I didn't want to be a pest.
It's NOT bad strings,the problem is always there.
everything else is on the money,but the notes in this area go sharp.(A string,3rd fret)
 
#2
How new are the strings?

I have the same problem on my Precision with new Labella Jamersons, but slowly it's getting better. I figure if it doesn't really sound out of tune to me, it's not that big of a deal.

You may also want to check how your strings are breaking over the nut. Enough winds?
 
#3
quadrogong said:
When I get in tune (with digital tuner or otherwise)
I'll check my open notes,
but the C note on my A string is a bit sharp when I fret the
3rd fret,and the problem is also slightly there on my E string's C note! not as bad,but not pefectly in tune.

bad news, alot of songs are in open tunings,C,G..etc
and require me to linger around the 3rd fret C note

I took her to sadowsky,and Lisa.my tech said it was okay,when I got home it was still the same.I guess I didn't really test it at the shop, they set me up for free and I was tired of complaining,and just left.I didn't want to be a pest.
It's NOT bad strings,the problem is always there.
everything else is on the money,but the notes in this area go sharp.(A string,3rd fret)
Click to expand...


What kind of strings are you using ? You might want to try a set with a taper wound or exposed core E string. I had a bass that was like that, and the taper core string solved the issue.
 
#4
i thought it was my DR loriders at first,but it's every set I use, well, any set of round/steels..I use Sadowsky steels,Diaddario XL's,Loriders,now I have those Randy Jackson Alchemy strings on, the same problem always..I get good tuning in most places,but those C notes are off..
while the open strings are in tune perfectly, I havnt checked out exactly which notes are ok or not,

but if I have to play a song in C, I'll retune the C's,on the first two strings,then play

..it's annoying as hell,especially at these prices..My $99 can tune accurately in almost every position,
...I mean, c'mon!

I should try taperwound strings? really?..
 
#5
If you get the harmonic at 12th fret perfectly in tune (as will be the open string), is the note fretted at 12th absolutely in tune? Don't forget it's not possible to get the intonation such that every note is perfect, but it sounds like it's bad enough for you to hear clearly, and you should be able to get it better than that. Is the c at 15th fret sharp also?
 
#6
quadrogong said:
When I get in tune (with digital tuner or otherwise)
I'll check my open notes,
but the C note on my A string is a bit sharp when I fret the
3rd fret,and the problem is also slightly there on my E string's C note! not as bad,but not pefectly in tune.

bad news, alot of songs are in open tunings,C,G..etc
and require me to linger around the 3rd fret C note

I took her to sadowsky,and Lisa.my tech said it was okay,when I got home it was still the same.I guess I didn't really test it at the shop, they set me up for free and I was tired of complaining,and just left.I didn't want to be a pest.
It's NOT bad strings,the problem is always there.
everything else is on the money,but the notes in this area go sharp.(A string,3rd fret)
Click to expand...
IMHE the first three frets on any bass has that problem, Sadowsky or otherwise. It really depends on how hard you fret and those poisitons are quite stiff. AFAIK new Musicman basses have so called compensated nut to fix the problem, I don't know if it works.
 
#7
quadrogong said:
i thought it was my DR loriders at first,but it's every set I use, well, any set of round/steels..I use Sadowsky steels,Diaddario XL's,Loriders,now I have those Randy Jackson Alchemy strings on, the same problem always..I get good tuning in most places,but those C notes are off..
while the open strings are in tune perfectly, I havnt checked out exactly which notes are ok or not,

but if I have to play a song in C, I'll retune the C's,on the first two strings,then play

..it's annoying as hell,especially at these prices..My $99 can tune accurately in almost every position,
...I mean, c'mon!

I should try taperwound strings? really?..
Click to expand...


Most tech's consider taperwould strings to reduce the accuracy of setting intonation.

There is no such thing as a bass that won't intonate. All the Sadowsky's and other basses use the same formula to set the frets into the board. Yes, a bass will be slightly inherently sharp in the first few frets without a compensated nut, but I'd eat a rat if anyone could hear it in a mix in a blind test.

You might have a wonky set of strings, or just need the intonation reset.

Most probably, it's just the size and profile of the neck that is causing you to pull a bit when fretting. It's amazing how little it takes to put a fretted note 'out of tune' on a scope.
 
#10
quadrogong said:
When I get in tune (with digital tuner or otherwise)
I'll check my open notes,
but the C note on my A string is a bit sharp when I fret the
3rd fret,and the problem is also slightly there on my E string's C note! not as bad,but not pefectly in tune.

bad news, alot of songs are in open tunings,C,G..etc
and require me to linger around the 3rd fret C note

I took her to sadowsky,and Lisa.my tech said it was okay,when I got home it was still the same.I guess I didn't really test it at the shop, they set me up for free and I was tired of complaining,and just left.I didn't want to be a pest.
It's NOT bad strings,the problem is always there.
everything else is on the money,but the notes in this area go sharp.(A string,3rd fret)
Click to expand...

Might try the Setup & Repair forum...
 
#11
Out of curiosity, I checked my Highway One P and my C's (I just checked the the low C on the A & G strings and the 15th fret at the A string and they both actually will sometimes say sharp....and sometimes flat. But 90% of the time it will register in tune.

I had a teacher once tell me that necks, strings, and tuners all put together are fickle things and sometimes you might not get them 100% dead on all over the neck. So again, unless you can't honestly notice it much (and you may feel like you're noticing it just because you know what your tuner says) I wouldn't worry about it.
 
#12
There are several things to look at here.
Being a Sadowsky, I doubt that the nut slots are too high...but if they are, the extra downforce to fret the lower positions can pull you out of tune.

Given the nut is not the problem...
Tune the harmonic at the 12th fret. Then, play the fretted note at the 12th fret.
They should be the same if the bridge saddles have been set properly.
If they're not the same, adjust the saddle.
If the fretted note is sharp, move the saddle back to lengthen the string, retune and re-test. Repeat as required, reverse this for "flat when fretted."

Now play your trouble note.
Is it still out?
If so, now check your harmonics at 5th and 7th position.

I have met basses where the harmonics didn't all line up, and splitting the diff at the lower positions was required to make them sound 100% dialed in when fretted.

G'luck.
 
#14
quadrogong said:
the c on the 3rd fret is very sharp,2 or 3 little lights on my tuner,I'm fretting carefully,and it's not only this set of strings..
Click to expand...

A few of questions:
  • have you tried tuning with a different tuner? most tuners don't react the same way to every bass.
  • can you hear the note out of tune when you play?
  • have you check the tuning on the B and C# notes? and are they accurate?

hope this helps
 
#16
My Sadowsky tends to rush a little coming out of the bridge back into the verse of some tunes. Anybody have a fix for that:D

Seriously to the OP, get that thing set up by a professional and you should be OK. Anything but a full out strobe tuner will result in some variance in the set-up, and as mentioned above, a pure 'match the harmonic on the 12th fret' set-up will result in some 'sharpness' in the first few fret positions on any instrument with the bridge in the 'classic' position (i.e., the non-Feiten bridge position).

As I posted above, that being said, just digging into the strings when playing will result in your bass going 'out of tune' more than the slight variance in intonation across the neck after a good set-up and intonation. IMO and IME!
 
#19
KJung said:
My Sadowsky tends to rush a little coming out of the bridge back into the verse of some tunes. Anybody have a fix for that:D

Seriously to the OP, get that thing set up by a professional and you should be OK. Anything but a full out strobe tuner will result in some variance in the set-up, and as mentioned above, a pure 'match the harmonic on the 12th fret' set-up will result in some 'sharpness' in the first few fret positions on any instrument with the bridge in the 'classic' position (i.e., the non-Feiten bridge position).

As I posted above, that being said, just digging into the strings when playing will result in your bass going 'out of tune' more than the slight variance in intonation across the neck after a good set-up and intonation. IMO and IME!
Click to expand...
or better yet just send the damn thing back to Roger and let him straiten the problem out
 
#20
KJung said:
Most tech's consider taperwould strings to reduce the accuracy of setting intonation.

There is no such thing as a bass that won't intonate. All the Sadowsky's and other basses use the same formula to set the frets into the board. Yes, a bass will be slightly inherently sharp in the first few frets without a compensated nut, but I'd eat a rat if anyone could hear it in a mix in a blind test.

You might have a wonky set of strings, or just need the intonation reset.

Most probably, it's just the size and profile of the neck that is causing you to pull a bit when fretting. It's amazing how little it takes to put a fretted note 'out of tune' on a scope.
Click to expand...

Ok, I should clear up what MY issue was. My 2 Warwicks would not inntonate properly with having a taperwound B or E string. That's why I suggested it as a fix. You physically couldn't move the saddle far enough back, it would run into the end of the bridge. This was only with non-taper strings.
 

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