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Octave sounds flat

SRVoodoo

SRVoodoo

Feb 2, 2019
197
757
54
Allentown, PA.
#1
Hey y'all I'm new here & I have a very strange question & I'll try to word it correctly...
When I play, say, a low G & then play the octave G, (5th fret of D-string)
the octave sounds flat to me.
I've checked the tuning & intonation using several different tuners & everything checks out fine. Has anybody run into this before? Are my ears messed up?
 
#6
SRVoodoo said:
Witness Point is an identified point in the process where the Engineer or Consultant may review, witness, inspect method or process of work. The activities however may proceed.

I don't quite understand.
Click to expand...
Witness points on a stringed instrument are places where the string transits over a stationary point, the saddle, the nut, the tuner post, the tail piece, or the body. The string angle changes at those points and that needs to be a well defined break angle. If you allow the string to have an arc there, over time that angle will still define itself, but in the meantime your instrument will not hold tune. You can accelerate that settling of the string by forcing the bends. Forcing those bends is called setting the witness points.
 
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#7
sissy kathy said:
Witness points on a stringed instrument are places where the string transits over a stationary point, the saddle, the bridge, the tuner post, the tail piece, or the body. The string angle changes at those points and that needs to be a well defined break angle. If you allow the string to have an arc there, over time that angle will still define itself, but in the meantime your instrument will not hold tune. You can accelerate that settling of the string by forcing the bends. Forcing those bends is called setting the witness points.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the explanation Sissy.
 
#9
Stumbo said:
Did the same thing happen on the previous set of strings?
Click to expand...
Stumbo, I just bought this bass so I don't know about anything "previous". If I'm not mistaken, I noticed the same thing on my P-bass. I forgot to mention that I'm a long-time guitar player who is learning bass on my own. It could be my guitar ears making the flat sounds. Since everything checks out on the tuner, I'm going to just chalk this up to amateur night & call it a day. Thank you all for your replies. It's nice to belong to such a cool forum. Peace!
 
#11
Yeah, it has to be something you’re perceiving, or a string problem if your tuner says your intonation is correct.

I just had this exact issue with a 10-year old set of TI flats. I knew they were goners once that started happening. I did notice however, that the tuner would *slightly* read off on the intonation. I’d fix it, and it would go right back.
 
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#13
Maybe the string in question is not wound properly on the post? Can you post a pic?

If you tune the string by ear, how far off is it according to the tuner?

If you do octaves on a piano, do you hear the same thing? If you compare your strings to the piano, are they still off? Or compare them to your guitar tuning just to hear any difference.

I play some guitar too and my bass octaves sound fine to me after using a tuner.

Have your stretched the new strings?
 
#15
Stumbo said:
Maybe the string in question is not wound properly on the post? Can you post a pic?

If you tune the string by ear, how far off is it according to the tuner?

If you do octaves on a piano, do you hear the same thing? If you compare your strings to the piano, are they still off? Or compare them to your guitar tuning just to hear any difference.

I play some guitar too and my bass octaves sound fine to me after using a tuner.

Have your stretched the new strings?
Click to expand...
IMG_1867[1].JPG
IMG_1868[1].JPG
 
#16
When you say you've already checked the tuning and intonation, do you mean that you've specifically checked the intonation of the G at the 5th fret? (Or did you check intonation at the 12th fret, as many setup guides suggest?)

Does the fretted G at the 5th fret match pitch with the open G string?

Talking us through specifically how you set the intonation will help us troubleshoot the problem. :)
 
#17
The guy I bought the bass from is supposedly pretty good at set-ups...Here's two pics to show the pegs & break angle of the bridge saddles. I don't have a piano to compare to. I'm pretty sure the strings were stretched. I've used my Boss tuner & a brand new snark & everything is in tune & properly intonated.
 
#19
See how the E and A string have an arc at the saddles rather than an abrupt bend? That affects your intonation. Get those break angles well defined by pushing down on either side of the saddles. Do that where ever you have an arc rather than a well defined angle. Then retune and intonate. You may even need to force those angles a second time.
 
#20
Did you "intonate" using the method that Fender suggests (measuring stuff) or are intonating checking that the tone is in tune at the 12th fret as well as the open string? I don't think the measuring method is really very accurate, just kind of close.

Your saddles look like maybe you used the measuring method (that I just learned about yesterday in another intonation thread). I never tried using the measuring method and it's hard to imagine that it can be as accurate as checking against the octave.
 
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