Tapered .120 B string sounds sharp above 12th fret

[J Wilson]

It's not going to intonate with a bare-wire core over the saddle.

The catch with tapered-core or the open-core wire strings is the length the string maker used for where the winds start back to the ball end will let them work OK with some bridges (you've got the full string on the saddle) and not with others (either a bare wire or the first layer of wrap only is on the saddle). Some cases, the bridge may not have enough vertical travel to allow proper action with only a wire over the saddle.

Even on regular bass strings, occasionally the reinforcing wraps at the ball end may wind up on the saddle, and that's the same, ain't gonna intonate properly problem as well. Or the silk at the ball end over the saddle. More than a few ways to derail this train.

You just have to check that what you bought (check it BEFORE you trim it ! ! ! ) will work with the bridge on your bass.

 

[konaaayukeeenee]

Were you able to intonate so 12th fretted = 12th harmonic? That would be step #1 as you mentioned "The 12th fretted is a little sharper than the 12th harmonic." That will hose-up the balance of the fingerboard. If the conventional approach is ineffective, shelve it and use the 12th harmonic vs 7th fretted vs 17th fretted...this will require some compromises.

As others have mentioned, I rarely explore past the 7th fret / B string.

Riis

Yeah I got the 12th fret matching the 12th harmonic, 12th fret and below sounds fine but 13 and above still sounds sharp. What is the 12th harmonic 7th/17th fretted method?

It's not going to intonate with a bare-wire core over the saddle.

The catch with tapered-core or the open-core wire strings is the length the string maker used for where the winds start back to the ball end will let them work OK with some bridges (you've got the full string on the saddle) and not with others (either a bare wire or the first layer of wrap only is on the saddle). Some cases, the bridge may not have enough vertical travel to allow proper action with only a wire over the saddle.

Wait, maybe I misunderstood something but isn't the point of open-core to have the wire (thinnest part) over the saddle? Mine's just a tapered core and it is over the saddle, just maybe too much is extending beyond the saddle as others have suggested.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Yeah I got the 12th fret matching the 12th harmonic, 12th fret and below sounds fine but 13 and above still sounds sharp. What is the 12th harmonic 7th/17th fretted method?



Wait, maybe I misunderstood something but isn't the point of open-core to have the wire (thinnest part) over the saddle? Mine's just a tapered core and it is over the saddle, just maybe too much is extending beyond the saddle as others have suggested.

Do "13 and above" register as sharp via tuner? Here's the alt procedure: Tune using 12th harmonic then adjust intonation using 7th and 17th fretted....you'll have to jostle between the two. As it stands, are frets 1-12 spot-on then suddenly sharpen past that point?

Riis

 

[Prodigus Filius]

Do "13 and above" register as sharp via tuner? Here's the alt procedure: Tune using 12th harmonic then adjust intonation using 7th and 17th fretted....you'll have to jostle between the two. As it stands, are frets 1-12 spot-on then suddenly sharpen past that point?

Riis

Problem solved. Avoid playing up the dusty end he he

 

[konaaayukeeenee]

Do "13 and above" register as sharp via tuner? Here's the alt procedure: Tune using 12th harmonic then adjust intonation using 7th and 17th fretted....you'll have to jostle between the two. As it stands, are frets 1-12 spot-on then suddenly sharpen past that point?

Riis

Yeah, it actually gets a bit progressively sharper up the neck there, so 24th fret is very sharp. Frets 1-12 are good. I can't get the saddle back any further to make the 17th fret any less sharp, 7th is fine. I think maybe I'll just switch to the .125 untapered for now and try again when I can find something to reduce the tapered portion like some have suggested.