G string goes WAY sharp when fretted hard?
Tim B
really sharp.
The thing is that I can use a really light touch, so the note is
barely fretted, and it will play in tune, but if I push it all the way
down so that the string touches wood like I'm used to the pitch goes
too high. It's as if this slack in the string magically appears.
It's really noticeable on the first several frets (like 20 cents), and
gets less worse as I go higher up the fretboard, and it's only the G
string. It's not like I'm just being sloppy and doing a regular bend,
either. I checked very carefully that my fingers were moving straight
up and down.
It seems possibly the string is up too high, but I'm really just
guessing. Maybe I need to adjust the nut or the bridge
(tune-o-matic) somehow?
Thanks in advance,
Tim
cjt
>
> I have a Washburn PT60, and when I fret a note on the G string it goes
> really sharp.
>
> The thing is that I can use a really light touch, so the note is
> barely fretted, and it will play in tune, but if I push it all the way
> down so that the string touches wood like I'm used to the pitch goes
So don't do that.
> too high. It's as if this slack in the string magically appears.
Slack? You said it goes sharp.
Don Evans
"Tim B" <wunde...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5f29ed40.02100...@posting.google.com...
Hi Tim,
I'm assuming that your nut isn't too high, because you said your guitar
stays in tune with a light touch. If the guitar stays in tune with a light
touch, it's set up OK. However, when you push the string all the way to the
fingerboard, you're effectively bending the string, just vertically, instead
of horizontally. Look at it from the side, and you'll see what I mean ...
Do you use really light strings? That would make the problem harder to
control, IMO. You need to lighten your touch. Once the string is fretted
pressing harder isn't gonna fret it *more*. If you practice playing with
just the amount of pressure needed to fret the strings and no more, you
might find that, in addition to better intonation, you get more speed and
control, and less fatigue.
You also might try heavier strings??? Maybe the slack that "magically
appears" is just a too light string gauge. If it's only the G string, maybe
you could just go up a little on the gauge of that string.
Don
Jeremey Poparad
could try is adjusting the tuning on the G string at the bridge. Tune the
string with a tuning using the 12th fret harmonic and then fret it at the
12th fret and check the tuning. I'm assuming for you it'll probably be
sharp, so you need to lengthen the string at the bridge. Take a screw
driver and turn the screw right (right to lengthen for sharp, left to
shorten for flat). Just a half turn or a full turn if it's really bad will
do at first. Then retune the string at the 12th fret harmonic as the string
will be very out of tune now. Once that's in tune, check the fretted note
at the 12th fret. If it's still off, adjust accordingly. I also recommend
getting a thicker (preferably wound) 3rd string. I had intonation troubles
on that string and I moved to the D'Addario strings with a wound 3rd and it
has been much less of a hassle with intonation.
Jeff Liberatore
"Don Evans" <GtrDo...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:3d9f...@snipnews.snip.net...
> Hi Tim,
> I'm assuming that your nut isn't too high, because you said your guitar
> stays in tune with a light touch. If the guitar stays in tune with a
light
> touch, it's set up OK. However, when you push the string all the way to
the
> fingerboard, you're effectively bending the string, just vertically,
instead
> of horizontally. Look at it from the side, and you'll see what I mean ...
> Do you use really light strings? That would make the problem harder to
> control, IMO. You need to lighten your touch. Once the string is fretted
> pressing harder isn't gonna fret it *more*. If you practice playing with
> just the amount of pressure needed to fret the strings and no more, you
> might find that, in addition to better intonation, you get more speed and
> control, and less fatigue.
> You also might try heavier strings??? Maybe the slack that "magically
> appears" is just a too light string gauge. If it's only the G string,
maybe
> you could just go up a little on the gauge of that string.
Another thing is, there's a possibility the frets are worn down low in the
lower register, or at least the crowns are probably real bad down there...
Bad crowns will cause this problem in a heart beat... So will action that's
too high down there. And a combination of both can be REAL bad... If he got
the guitar used from someone that played first position and was a brute on
strings most of the time and the guitar is more than a few years old, that
could be the reason for flat frets (bad crowns) in the lower register... And
If the guy rarely played lead in the upper registers, this would explain the
intonnation being better higher up on the neck... There are many
probabilities... It probably needs a geetar doctor for a crown job and a
professional set up. Where I live, I can get a good crown job for 50 to 75
bucks.
Jeff
Andy
Are you using light strings Ie: 9s ?
I had a similar problem when I fitted 9s on my new Epi Sheraton last week
but was on "A" 2nd fret..
everyone I spoke to said use 9s on an electric so I tried them.
I usually play acoustic with 11s strings.
so I changed the strings to back to 11s on the Epi & it is O.K. now.
I think lighter strings require a different style.
Carlfia
or standard.
georgio
because you are too strong for this one..
some 10-46 would be ok..
georgio
--
Remove the *NOSPAM* part in my email if you reply..
Jeremey Poparad
since they are lower than than the higher frets. The origional poster
didn't mention anything about htat so I'm not sure that's the case. And
just a couple years of use wouldn't wear down the frets like that... I have
a strat I played for 5 years just about every single day for serveral hours
and there aren't any intonation troubles with that one. But that's just my
experience.
"Jeff Liberatore" <jlib...@columbus.rr.com> wrote in message
news:ann9ig$ffo8k$1...@ID-70176.news.dfncis.de...
Tim B
> Tim B wrote:
> >
> > The thing is that I can use a really light touch, so the note is
> > barely fretted, and it will play in tune, but if I push it all the way
> > down so that the string touches wood like I'm used to the pitch goes
>
> So don't do that.
I'm not going to readjust my style when it's the instrument that's
wrong. I'd listen if you were going to make the case that my style is
wrong, but I've still never had this problem with any other guitar.
> > too high. It's as if this slack in the string magically appears.
>
> Slack? You said it goes sharp.
Yes, the slack is taken up when I press down, raising the tension and
thus the pitch.
Dave Stephens
setup correctly
There is a fine balance between the Nut slot depths, string gauge, fret wire
size and bridge saddle height....
These things are all set to a generic level at the factory....even a $3000
Gibson will need a professional setup once you get it home :(
dave
"georgio" <milgs*nospam*@mail.travel-net.com> wrote in message
news:milgs*nospam*-0510021...@trj30.travel-net.com...
Don Evans
Use a heavier gauge, and/or have the nut height checked. You didn't mention
the gauge you use. You also might be a candidate for lower fret height.
This isn't a one size fits all sort of thing.
Don
cjt
>
> cjt <chel...@prodigy.net> wrote in message news:<3D9F1C7F...@prodigy.net>...
> > Tim B wrote:
> > >
> > > The thing is that I can use a really light touch, so the note is
> > > barely fretted, and it will play in tune, but if I push it all the way
> > > down so that the string touches wood like I'm used to the pitch goes
> >
> > So don't do that.
>
> I'm not going to readjust my style when it's the instrument that's
> wrong. I'd listen if you were going to make the case that my style is
> wrong, but I've still never had this problem with any other guitar.
There's no need to press that hard, but if you must, then the other
suggestions of heavier gauge strings might help. Having the frets dressed
might also help -- perhaps they're too high.
>
> > > too high. It's as if this slack in the string magically appears.
> >
> > Slack? You said it goes sharp.
>
> Yes, the slack is taken up when I press down, raising the tension and
> thus the pitch.
I was thrown off by your statement that slack "appears." Yes, slack
disappears if you press down.
Tim B
I'll take the advice to lighten my touch to heart. I got that habit
from learning to play on a very poorly set-up acoustic, where pressing
hard was the only way to fret the string *at all* . But, as I told
the other guy, I've never had this problem on any other electrics, so
I'm guessing there's something with the guitar that needs to be
changed as well.
Right now it's strung with a .017 as the G string (Dean Markley "Light
Top/Heavy Bottom") , I could try replacing that with a .024 wound from
an light acoustic pack I have here.
If all else fails I could take it in to be set up, but it was bought
new a month ago so it's not like the frets should be worn down from
use already, and the price of having it looked at by a luthier is
somewhat prohibitive.
And just to clarify (for Jeremey), it gets *less* sharp up the neck
(towards the smaller frets), and I've already checked the 12th
fret/12th harmonic intonation.
Thanks again for all the responses,
Tim
Tim Asher
>From: wunde...@yahoo.com (Tim B)
>Date: 10/5/02 1:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: <5f29ed40.02100...@posting.google.com>
>
>I have a Washburn PT60, and when I fret a note on the G string it goes
>really sharp.
>
>The thing is that I can use a really light touch, so the note is
>barely fretted, and it will play in tune, but if I push it all the way
>down so that the string touches wood like I'm used to the pitch goes
>too high.
That is the problem.
The string only needs to get mashed onto the fret, not as far as the wood
surface of the fingerboard.
So you have to lighten up.
Tim
Tim Asher
>From: wunde...@yahoo.com (Tim B)
>Date: 10/5/02 7:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: <5f29ed40.02100...@posting.google.com>
>
>Thanks all,
>
>I'll take the advice to lighten my touch to heart. I got that habit
>from learning to play on a very poorly set-up acoustic, where pressing
>hard was the only way to fret the string *at all*
A great piece of advice is to always play an electric guitar plugged in, or you
may develop habits that are good for acoustic, but not for electric.
Tim
Middle C
problem if it plays in tune with a light touch. There is a possibility the
nut slots are not deep enough, notes being sharper as you fret closer to the
nut are a good indication of this. Using a heavier guage string will help
correct this problem, or find somebody to check it and file them if
neccessary.
Middle C
"Dave Stephens" <axes...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:bqJn9.9956$h43....@newsfep3-gui.server.ntli.net...
Lumpy
> If all else fails I could take it
> in to be set up, but it was bought
And I've never seen a new factory guitar,
regardless of price or quality, that had
a nut that was adjusted appropriately.
They're all too high.
Measure your action at 12th fret. Now
capo the 1st fret and measure at the
12th again. If there is a difference,
you need the nut adjusted.
lumpy
--
www.digitalcartography.com
