Awhile ago I started a thread asking for information on guitar strings. Lots of people gave me some great advice. After a little more research, I went out and bought some strings. I got a friend's 14 year-old brother to put them on for me and now my guitar sounds so much better!
But there's a problem. Nick, (the 14 yo), tuned the lowest string and then tried to tune the others to match it. Somehow, it didn't quite work, but he had to leave and couldn't mess with it any more. Later, I tuned each individual string and then played the matching note on the string one lower.
I suspect your new strings need to be stretched out a bit. Part of putting new strings on a guitar involves stretching the strings and re-tuning them several times over the first 2 or 3 days. They should stabilize in a few days, but for now you will find they have a tendency to go flat rather quickly and need to be re-tuned often.
What and how are you tuning to ?
If you have an electronic tuner, and you tune each note perfectly,then compare them by fretting and they don't agree, then you have an intonation problem. You can cause this quite simply by having a perfectly-well set-up guitar, then changing the string guages. You might also have an inaccurately fretted instrument ( usually this would have to be quite a cheap one in this day and age) . Try playing the octave harmonics by just holding your finger lightly aginst the string over the 12th fret and plucking it, then fret it and pluck again. If there is any difference in the note you have an intonation problem.
If it's any consolation all tuning is a compromise, and I'm sure some of the other members here could bore for their country on this subject.
I reckon you should take it round to your local guitar shop or luthier. I bet there is five minutes of advice that could save you years of worry.
Definitely. There's no point in replacing the strings, tuning it and leaving it. It's an excuse for spending the evening playing something: a tune, a few riffs, a song - and then retuning the the thing. And then playing something. And then retuning. And keep doing it until it sets, or you can't take any more. Beer and whiskey help. When you've replaced the strings it really needs to be used, as well, to stretch those strings.
It's possible that the strings aren't clamped properly and are slipping. I play classical acoustic and strings can slip from either end if you're not careful. If they slip from the bottom they can come loose completely and whip you across the face. If they slip from the top end they just unravel around the gearbox cylinder. Once you've twigged to the sound of a string slipping, you'll always recognise it again.
I am not an engineering expert but I understand that tuning each string exactly with an electronic tuner will not give perfect tuning so wait before thinking about intonation.
I amd not sure how much experience you have with the guitar but it might be worth asking someone to tune it up for you until you get used to tuning.
If this is redundant I apologize, but for future reference (i.e. the next set of strings) you might consider the old under and over approach. Put the string through the hole in the head, wrap it back around under itself, then immediately fold it over itself, and then turn the head in such a direction that the string traps itself with it's own tension (this is a lot easier to do than to explain...) - strings very rarely need to be re-tuned after this; invaluable in a gig. Oh yeah, and it's no harm to tune them for a couple of seconds about a semitone/tone higher than desired (kind of lets the string know who's boss, if you will). No idea what the equivalent is for a classical guitar - superglue? Again, sorry if I just stated the blindingly obvious, but I remember being very glad to discover this method. Good luck.
The intonation problem that people are referring to might be because your guitar has a movable bridge that is now in the wrong place after having strings replaced.
Most guitars have a fixed position bridge, but some of them have a fixed tailpiece (where the strings attach at the back end) and then a movable bridge.
If this is the case with your guitar, then your bridge might have been moved. The general rule of thumb is that the bridge should be exactly twice the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. (the nut is the fixed "bridge" on the neck by the tuners)
In reality, string gauges, string tensions, and other factors actually alter the best bridge placement a bit. It's not a bad idea to get your guitar to a professional to have them check it out.
The technique to keep strings from slipping that people are trying to describe might be best shown with an illustration: http://www.uncletim.com/setup.htm
I don't think the strings are slipping. Now, I don't exactly have proof to back that statement up, but I just don't think so. I check with an electric tuner and with the guitar itself on the tuning right after it's done, so the strings wouldn't have time to slip, would they?
Pete- the bridge very well could be moveable. I don't know. From playing violin, this makes sense. The whole situation is worse on the lower strings than the higher, so that could be it.
Don-I have no clue what gauge of strings were on the guitar before I replaced them. How much of a problem would that cause?
1. Are you saying that if the 5th string is A and the 4th string is
D, and they both are in tune when using the tuner, then pressing the A string at the 5th fret does not produce an in-tune D note?
2. If so, is the fretted note pitched higher or lower than D?
3. Do you have a compensated bridge? If so, is it possible that it got reversed when the strings were changed. That would really mess up in intonation.
4. Is the action noticably higher, or lower, with the new strings?
5. What tuning were you using before you changed strings?
6. What tuning are you using now?
7. What are the gauges of the strings that you did put on?
TJ......maybe the action is a bit high. This would mean, say, when you tune to a tuner it says it's right, but if you were for example to press the low E string on the fifth fret, to make an A note, and tune the A string to the E string that way, the E string may be a bit sharp. Likewise if the action was to low the reverse could happen and it's a bit flat.
If you go to dropped D on the Low E string the problem can be more pronounced, because the string is a little lower than it was meant to be, it is stretchier, and pressing the fifth fret, it is alway a bit sharp.....an annoyance to dropped D players. If you don't press it as hard you can have it go sharp hardly at all.
Speaking of which I have asked my guitar building teacher about making a bridge/saddle for dropped D players where this doesn't happen....of course if you then wanted to play in standard tuning the Low E would be flat!....Maybe there is a happy medium.
Back to your problem, I would suspect you are tuning to the tuner, then when you do the fifth fret on each string (except 4th on the G to make a B) method of tuning, the intonation is off. This to me suggests you need a truss rod adjustment or, heaven forbid, a neck reset. Usually a truss adjustment takes care of this to a decent degree and if you go to a local music shop that does repairs, they ought to do it for free, esp. if you buy strings from them, or maybe a few dollars as it just takes a minute or two. You can even do it yourself but let someone show you first and get the right tool.
Also, many people, when they put on new strings pull them at the 12th fret to stretch them out and then retune. I do it a few times, it helps a lot.
I have way way way too many guitars, 15 at this point and I have to take good care of all of them. They are like a living thing, they respond to the temperature and humidity and are pretty delicate. The tops are always shrinkining or expanding, affecting the neck set, and this will always cause minor intonation problems....as well as cracks! So in cool dry weather please remember to humidify them, and in summer remove the humidifier. This will keep the intonation more consistent and avoid cracks. Some people water plants, I water guitars......I ran several stores out of humidifiers and started making my own, cut a sponge in half and wet it (not to dripping) and place it in a baggie, leave the bag a bit open and place it inside the sound hole (away from electronics please). Don't put it in the case, it will just humidify the case and not the guitar so much. Thes last longer than the Dampits and do a great job and cost next to nothing.
TJ,
One more question. Were you having any tuning problems with the old strings? I see that you bought the guitar last August. Have you played it since then and was it OK before the string change?
I'm asking because I think that truss rod problems wouldn't have suddenly appeared with a change of strings unless the new strings were of vastly different gauges than the old strings. I also realize that this is a guitar of unknown origin and quality. However, I also thing many of the suggestions offered are for problems that would have been apparent with the old strings.
On the other hand, without seeing the guitar I'm pretty baffled by your situation. Except for one possiblity. That's the compensated saddle. (I said compensated bridge earlier, but I meant saddle.) The saddle is the white strip of bone or plastic that sits in a slot on the bridge. A compensated saddle has been filed where each of the six strings cross over it. Each string behaves slightly differently due to different gauges, so the compensation creates the best intonation for each string. If the new string gauges were really different from the old strings, that could cause intonation problems. However, if it played OK before, I don't think intonation problems would be apparent at the 5th fret. So I think that the saddle being accidently turned around so that the treble side is now on the bass side is a good candidate for what's causing the problem.
I'm also assuming that the bridge is fixed in place. Are the strings held in place by a tailpiece like your fiddle, or do they go into six holes in the bridge where they are held by bridge pins? If it's bridge pins, the the saddle is almost certainly fixed/glued in place. But if they are anchored by a tailpiece, the the bridge is probably movable and that would be the likely culpret for your problem.
I can talk you through reseting the bridge if need be. If you have a tuner then it's a fairly simple process.
Mick-
I had the same problems with the old strings that I am having with the new. Really, I was hoping that the new strings would help, but they just made the problem clearer.
There's no tailpiece, so everything is fairly well fixed in place.
Something that I forgot to mention (sorry) is that there is a bigger difference in sound on the outside strings. So, D and G match the best being the center-most strings.
Well.....I still think you need to get to a shop that does repairs and ask their opinion. Sounds like you need a neck adjustment. If this is too difficult, you can try the wet sponge in the baggie trick in the soundhole (or use a humidifier like a Dampit if you have one) for about a week and see if it swells the wood a bit and brings the action back to where it should be. Guitars, any instrument reacts to the weather.
Don't do any guesswork and try to adjust it yourself without someone showing you. It may be the simplest little tweak of the truss rod....does it have one?
How OFF is it, just a little, enough to be annoying, or very bad?
I guess humidifying the poor thing a bit won't hurt. It's off enough to be annoying and my ear is good enough that it is VERY ANNOYING. Being a violinist, too, the slightest bit of out-of-tune-ness is torture and I want to fix it.
As for the truss rod... (this is going to sound quite naive), what is that?
I'm still not convinced that this is a truss rod problem without a little more information.
First, TJ, the truss rod is a metal rod that runs the length of the neck and is used to keep the neck straight. Depending on the maker, it will be accessable either underneath a plastic cover right behind the nut or inside the guitar at the heel of the neck near the sound hole.
But first things first. Is the neck straight? This is something that experienced players do by instinct. Look down the neck, from the bridge toward the nut. It should be flat and straight. No ripples, twists or curves except for a VERY slight curve upward. Without going into detail, that small curve makes it possible to have low action without the strings buzzing on the frets.
If the neck looks straight, then the truss rod is not your problem. If it curves upward or downward, then a simple truss rod adjustment is needed. If it is twisted to the right or left, or if there are ripples in its length, then you have serious neck problems that are probably not worth the cost of fixing on this particular guitar.
If the neck is OK, then the next thing to check is the action, the height of the strings over the frets. Slip a credit card between the first fret and the string. It should be a real snug fit, not loose at all. Then check the distance between the strings and fret at the 12th fret. Two millimeters is a nice value, three is probably OK. If the action is too low, the strings will buzz when fretted. If it's too high, not only is the guitar harder to play, but the intonation will be impacted and the notes will sound sharper and sharper as you move up the neck.
The deal is this: the act of pressing a string to the fret stretches it ever so slightly sharp. So the higher the action, the farther it has to stretch and the sharper it will be. The goal is to get the action as low as possible without causing fret buzz.
So how does the action seem to be on the guitar. If it's OK, then lets move on.
You said that the two middle strings seem to sound OK. So what would cause those to be fine and the outer strings to be off when fretted?
First, make sure that the curvature of the saddle roughly matches the curvature of the neck. Most acoustic guitar necks are essentially flat across their 2 inch or so width while many electric guitars have a slight curvature. Just make sure that the saddle curvature looks about the same, otherwise the action of the outer strings would be different that the action of the inner strings.
Also, just for the record, is there a zero fret? Some guitars, usually cheaper ones, have a fret right next to the nut. Basically, it seems to be so that they can avoid having to set up the nut properly. But regardless of why, if there is a zero fret, check it for wear. If it is worn unevenly, then that will cause intonation problems between fretted and unfretted strings.
At this point, the only thing left is the bridge and saddle. Let me know how the things above check out. If everything looks good, I'll move on the things to check with the saddle.
. . . back to strings and i swear by 'earnie ball' phospher bronze medium guage, but change the 2nd 17 to a 16 _ a valued hint (i've learned) from the legendary 'wizz jones' who knows about these things
Guitars-not just strings this time
Guitars-not just strings this time
Awhile ago I started a thread asking for information on guitar strings. Lots of people gave me some great advice. After a little more research, I went out and bought some strings. I got a friend's 14 year-old brother to put them on for me and now my guitar sounds so much better!
But there's a problem. Nick, (the 14 yo), tuned the lowest string and then tried to tune the others to match it. Somehow, it didn't quite work, but he had to leave and couldn't mess with it any more. Later, I tuned each individual string and then played the matching note on the string one lower.
They didn't match.
I'm thinking there's a problem. Any guesses?
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by TJ
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
I suspect your new strings need to be stretched out a bit. Part of putting new strings on a guitar involves stretching the strings and re-tuning them several times over the first 2 or 3 days. They should stabilize in a few days, but for now you will find they have a tendency to go flat rather quickly and need to be re-tuned often.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by Hanley
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
What and how are you tuning to ?
If you have an electronic tuner, and you tune each note perfectly,then compare them by fretting and they don't agree, then you have an intonation problem. You can cause this quite simply by having a perfectly-well set-up guitar, then changing the string guages. You might also have an inaccurately fretted instrument ( usually this would have to be quite a cheap one in this day and age) . Try playing the octave harmonics by just holding your finger lightly aginst the string over the 12th fret and plucking it, then fret it and pluck again. If there is any difference in the note you have an intonation problem.
If it's any consolation all tuning is a compromise, and I'm sure some of the other members here could bore for their country on this subject.
I reckon you should take it round to your local guitar shop or luthier. I bet there is five minutes of advice that could save you years of worry.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Definitely. There's no point in replacing the strings, tuning it and leaving it. It's an excuse for spending the evening playing something: a tune, a few riffs, a song - and then retuning the the thing. And then playing something. And then retuning. And keep doing it until it sets, or you can't take any more. Beer and whiskey help. When you've replaced the strings it really needs to be used, as well, to stretch those strings.
It's possible that the strings aren't clamped properly and are slipping. I play classical acoustic and strings can slip from either end if you're not careful. If they slip from the bottom they can come loose completely and whip you across the face. If they slip from the top end they just unravel around the gearbox cylinder. Once you've twigged to the sound of a string slipping, you'll always recognise it again.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Sorry - a bit of cross-posting there. I was agreeing with Piper. GP makes a good point.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by Innocent Bystander
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
I am not an engineering expert but I understand that tuning each string exactly with an electronic tuner will not give perfect tuning so wait before thinking about intonation.
I amd not sure how much experience you have with the guitar but it might be worth asking someone to tune it up for you until you get used to tuning.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by Cuso
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
If this is redundant I apologize, but for future reference (i.e. the next set of strings) you might consider the old under and over approach. Put the string through the hole in the head, wrap it back around under itself, then immediately fold it over itself, and then turn the head in such a direction that the string traps itself with it's own tension (this is a lot easier to do than to explain...) - strings very rarely need to be re-tuned after this; invaluable in a gig. Oh yeah, and it's no harm to tune them for a couple of seconds about a semitone/tone higher than desired (kind of lets the string know who's boss, if you will). No idea what the equivalent is for a classical guitar - superglue? Again, sorry if I just stated the blindingly obvious, but I remember being very glad to discover this method. Good luck.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by hurleystick
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
A golden rule.Wind the string three times round the peg and then push it through the hole.
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by dafydd
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
The intonation problem that people are referring to might be because your guitar has a movable bridge that is now in the wrong place after having strings replaced.
Most guitars have a fixed position bridge, but some of them have a fixed tailpiece (where the strings attach at the back end) and then a movable bridge.
If this is the case with your guitar, then your bridge might have been moved. The general rule of thumb is that the bridge should be exactly twice the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. (the nut is the fixed "bridge" on the neck by the tuners)
In reality, string gauges, string tensions, and other factors actually alter the best bridge placement a bit. It's not a bad idea to get your guitar to a professional to have them check it out.
The technique to keep strings from slipping that people are trying to describe might be best shown with an illustration: http://www.uncletim.com/setup.htm
Cheers
Pete
# Posted on November 17th 2005 by Reverend
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Did you put the same gauge of strings on? If not, then it can effect the neck and the truss rod needs to be adjusted.
# Posted on November 18th 2005 by woops
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
I don't think the strings are slipping. Now, I don't exactly have proof to back that statement up, but I just don't think so. I check with an electric tuner and with the guitar itself on the tuning right after it's done, so the strings wouldn't have time to slip, would they?
Pete- the bridge very well could be moveable. I don't know. From playing violin, this makes sense. The whole situation is worse on the lower strings than the higher, so that could be it.
Don-I have no clue what gauge of strings were on the guitar before I replaced them. How much of a problem would that cause?
# Posted on November 18th 2005 by TJ
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Here's a new set of questions:
1. Are you saying that if the 5th string is A and the 4th string is
D, and they both are in tune when using the tuner, then pressing the A string at the 5th fret does not produce an in-tune D note?
2. If so, is the fretted note pitched higher or lower than D?
3. Do you have a compensated bridge? If so, is it possible that it got reversed when the strings were changed. That would really mess up in intonation.
4. Is the action noticably higher, or lower, with the new strings?
5. What tuning were you using before you changed strings?
6. What tuning are you using now?
7. What are the gauges of the strings that you did put on?
# Posted on November 18th 2005 by Craymcla
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
TJ......maybe the action is a bit high. This would mean, say, when you tune to a tuner it says it's right, but if you were for example to press the low E string on the fifth fret, to make an A note, and tune the A string to the E string that way, the E string may be a bit sharp. Likewise if the action was to low the reverse could happen and it's a bit flat.
If you go to dropped D on the Low E string the problem can be more pronounced, because the string is a little lower than it was meant to be, it is stretchier, and pressing the fifth fret, it is alway a bit sharp.....an annoyance to dropped D players. If you don't press it as hard you can have it go sharp hardly at all.
Speaking of which I have asked my guitar building teacher about making a bridge/saddle for dropped D players where this doesn't happen....of course if you then wanted to play in standard tuning the Low E would be flat!....Maybe there is a happy medium.
Back to your problem, I would suspect you are tuning to the tuner, then when you do the fifth fret on each string (except 4th on the G to make a B) method of tuning, the intonation is off. This to me suggests you need a truss rod adjustment or, heaven forbid, a neck reset. Usually a truss adjustment takes care of this to a decent degree and if you go to a local music shop that does repairs, they ought to do it for free, esp. if you buy strings from them, or maybe a few dollars as it just takes a minute or two. You can even do it yourself but let someone show you first and get the right tool.
Also, many people, when they put on new strings pull them at the 12th fret to stretch them out and then retune. I do it a few times, it helps a lot.
I have way way way too many guitars, 15 at this point and I have to take good care of all of them. They are like a living thing, they respond to the temperature and humidity and are pretty delicate. The tops are always shrinkining or expanding, affecting the neck set, and this will always cause minor intonation problems....as well as cracks! So in cool dry weather please remember to humidify them, and in summer remove the humidifier. This will keep the intonation more consistent and avoid cracks. Some people water plants, I water guitars......I ran several stores out of humidifiers and started making my own, cut a sponge in half and wet it (not to dripping) and place it in a baggie, leave the bag a bit open and place it inside the sound hole (away from electronics please). Don't put it in the case, it will just humidify the case and not the guitar so much. Thes last longer than the Dampits and do a great job and cost next to nothing.
Sorry to go on so long.....but try these things!
# Posted on November 18th 2005 by irisnevins
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Craymcla----1) Yes
2) Higher
3) I don't know what that is. sorry.
4) It may be a bit higher, but I'm not sure
5) What do you mean by what tuning? Starting at the lowest string it was: E A D G B E.
6) Same one.
7) Medium Elixir strings with nanoweb coating. Gauges: .056w, .045w. 035w, .026w, .017, .013.
# Posted on November 18th 2005 by TJ
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
TJ,
One more question. Were you having any tuning problems with the old strings? I see that you bought the guitar last August. Have you played it since then and was it OK before the string change?
I'm asking because I think that truss rod problems wouldn't have suddenly appeared with a change of strings unless the new strings were of vastly different gauges than the old strings. I also realize that this is a guitar of unknown origin and quality. However, I also thing many of the suggestions offered are for problems that would have been apparent with the old strings.
On the other hand, without seeing the guitar I'm pretty baffled by your situation. Except for one possiblity. That's the compensated saddle. (I said compensated bridge earlier, but I meant saddle.) The saddle is the white strip of bone or plastic that sits in a slot on the bridge. A compensated saddle has been filed where each of the six strings cross over it. Each string behaves slightly differently due to different gauges, so the compensation creates the best intonation for each string. If the new string gauges were really different from the old strings, that could cause intonation problems. However, if it played OK before, I don't think intonation problems would be apparent at the 5th fret. So I think that the saddle being accidently turned around so that the treble side is now on the bass side is a good candidate for what's causing the problem.
I'm also assuming that the bridge is fixed in place. Are the strings held in place by a tailpiece like your fiddle, or do they go into six holes in the bridge where they are held by bridge pins? If it's bridge pins, the the saddle is almost certainly fixed/glued in place. But if they are anchored by a tailpiece, the the bridge is probably movable and that would be the likely culpret for your problem.
I can talk you through reseting the bridge if need be. If you have a tuner then it's a fairly simple process.
Please let me know if any of this helps.
- Mick
# Posted on November 19th 2005 by Craymcla
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Mick-
I had the same problems with the old strings that I am having with the new. Really, I was hoping that the new strings would help, but they just made the problem clearer.
There's no tailpiece, so everything is fairly well fixed in place.
Something that I forgot to mention (sorry) is that there is a bigger difference in sound on the outside strings. So, D and G match the best being the center-most strings.
Thanks so much for your time and thought on this.
# Posted on November 19th 2005 by TJ
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
Well.....I still think you need to get to a shop that does repairs and ask their opinion. Sounds like you need a neck adjustment. If this is too difficult, you can try the wet sponge in the baggie trick in the soundhole (or use a humidifier like a Dampit if you have one) for about a week and see if it swells the wood a bit and brings the action back to where it should be. Guitars, any instrument reacts to the weather.
Don't do any guesswork and try to adjust it yourself without someone showing you. It may be the simplest little tweak of the truss rod....does it have one?
How OFF is it, just a little, enough to be annoying, or very bad?
# Posted on November 20th 2005 by irisnevins
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
I guess humidifying the poor thing a bit won't hurt. It's off enough to be annoying and my ear is good enough that it is VERY ANNOYING. Being a violinist, too, the slightest bit of out-of-tune-ness is torture and I want to fix it.
As for the truss rod... (this is going to sound quite naive), what is that?
# Posted on November 20th 2005 by TJ
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
I'm still not convinced that this is a truss rod problem without a little more information.
First, TJ, the truss rod is a metal rod that runs the length of the neck and is used to keep the neck straight. Depending on the maker, it will be accessable either underneath a plastic cover right behind the nut or inside the guitar at the heel of the neck near the sound hole.
But first things first. Is the neck straight? This is something that experienced players do by instinct. Look down the neck, from the bridge toward the nut. It should be flat and straight. No ripples, twists or curves except for a VERY slight curve upward. Without going into detail, that small curve makes it possible to have low action without the strings buzzing on the frets.
If the neck looks straight, then the truss rod is not your problem. If it curves upward or downward, then a simple truss rod adjustment is needed. If it is twisted to the right or left, or if there are ripples in its length, then you have serious neck problems that are probably not worth the cost of fixing on this particular guitar.
If the neck is OK, then the next thing to check is the action, the height of the strings over the frets. Slip a credit card between the first fret and the string. It should be a real snug fit, not loose at all. Then check the distance between the strings and fret at the 12th fret. Two millimeters is a nice value, three is probably OK. If the action is too low, the strings will buzz when fretted. If it's too high, not only is the guitar harder to play, but the intonation will be impacted and the notes will sound sharper and sharper as you move up the neck.
The deal is this: the act of pressing a string to the fret stretches it ever so slightly sharp. So the higher the action, the farther it has to stretch and the sharper it will be. The goal is to get the action as low as possible without causing fret buzz.
So how does the action seem to be on the guitar. If it's OK, then lets move on.
You said that the two middle strings seem to sound OK. So what would cause those to be fine and the outer strings to be off when fretted?
First, make sure that the curvature of the saddle roughly matches the curvature of the neck. Most acoustic guitar necks are essentially flat across their 2 inch or so width while many electric guitars have a slight curvature. Just make sure that the saddle curvature looks about the same, otherwise the action of the outer strings would be different that the action of the inner strings.
Also, just for the record, is there a zero fret? Some guitars, usually cheaper ones, have a fret right next to the nut. Basically, it seems to be so that they can avoid having to set up the nut properly. But regardless of why, if there is a zero fret, check it for wear. If it is worn unevenly, then that will cause intonation problems between fretted and unfretted strings.
At this point, the only thing left is the bridge and saddle. Let me know how the things above check out. If everything looks good, I'll move on the things to check with the saddle.
Please stay in touch,
Mick
# Posted on November 20th 2005 by Craymcla
Re: Guitars-not just strings this time
. . . back to strings and i swear by 'earnie ball' phospher bronze medium guage, but change the 2nd 17 to a 16 _ a valued hint (i've learned) from the legendary 'wizz jones' who knows about these things
trust me
# Posted on November 22nd 2005 by lisaniska