Should not every note on the neck be in perfect tune?

[Brightdaisy]

I am a novice. I been playing the bass for 3 years. I cannot read music. But I think your have .B,E,A,D,G, on a five string. And buy fretting a string. You can get more notes. And variation. Flat sharp.
So. My question is. I just put on a fresh set of strings. And with my tuner. Ajusted all my strings. E,A,D,G. All are in the green. I left the tuner in and started plucking strings. And fretting up and down the neck. Well some places I fret. It makes good notes. And others are horribly off. If it's in perfect tune on open strings. Then should not it be in perfect tune . When it's fretted? Or is my bass in need of a serious set up. ?

 

[InternetAlias]

I may not be the one you're asking this question, but I know the answer.

First off, physics don't allow your bass to be in perfect tune. It just won't happen on a fretted instrument, there'll always be imperfections.

Second, you need to adjust your intonation and action to get as close to "perfect tune" as possible.

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Past that, it comes down to how evenly curved/straight your neck is. In a perfect world, you'd be playing a 100% straight bass with a compensated nut and perfectly adjusted saddles for your intonation. Even then, you wouldn't get to 100% perfect tuning because that just doesn't exist in the real world, but you can reduce your tolerances quite a bit.

 

[StyleOverShow]

agree with the above, close enough for rock and roll. way up on the neck, around the 20th fret things can get a little funky

 

[Brightdaisy]

Thanks for your replys, I was getting worried. Don't need problems.

 

[electracoyote]

Agree with the above posts. If you can get your bass to play in-tune at open strings and the octaves at the 12th fret, you're doing about as good as most. You'll get a lot of intonation up and down the fingerboard, but there will be at least one or two areas that are a tad bit off.

You can reduce intonation problems with lower action and level frets, but you'll never hit perfection.

 

[lowplaces]

In the words of a respected local luthier, " fretted instruments are imperfect instruments "

 

[BassChuck]

In the words of a respected local luthier, " fretted instruments are imperfect instruments "

For sure. Why in the world would you ever trust your intonation to your set up and the quality of workmanship on the frets when you can have a fretless instrument and play every note out of tune by yourself? Own the problem. Be the source of questionable intonation. Spend your time arguing about Just and Real intonation and the mystic peace that comes with perfectly in tune 3rd's. (never mind that the keyboard and every other instrument will sound out of tune).

 

[Groove Master]

Having your harmonics well set-up at the bridge with the twelve fret with a proper neck relief and saddles set-up will get you there. And the way you put the pressure on the strings and where you fret the note( close to the fret) will also help you to be in-tune.

 

[SoCal80s]

There will be some imperfections in any bass, but perhaps your bass needs to be checked for intonation by someone who knows how to do a set-up (in other words, take it to the shop). Also, when you fret a string, try to push down on the string just hard enough so the string touches the fret without buzzing. If you press to hard you will bend the string, which affects the intonation. Also make sure you're not inadvertently bending the string sideways either.

 

[Papuzzo]

Assuming your bass is perfectly set up, there will still be tuning issues. Note that even pianos have tuning issues and it is a real art to tuning a piano. That being said, there is the true temperament approach;

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[thewildest]

Every note on the neck be in perfect tune should not; would be what Joda would have said.