Intonation gripe

[Hit&Run]

I've just been sorting the intonation out on one of my basses, and on the E, A & G strings it's sweee-heeet! However, the D string seems to be a bit random; the saddle has virtually dropped off the end of the screw to get it as close as I can to being right, and it's still not spot on. I've taken the saddle back the other way, but that just takes the intonation further out, as you'd expect.

I suspect the strings could be a bit cheapy-sh!t; do you reckon this could be the cause of my spurious intonation?

Any ideas?

Cheers.

[bass_ferret]

Probably - but basses have been known to have the bridge in the wrong place.

[Paul_C]

[quote name='Hit&Run' post='43492' date='Aug 9 2007, 09:12 PM']I suspect the strings could be a bit cheapy-sh!t; do you reckon this could be the cause of my spurious intonation?[/quote]

that's the obvious one, if all the other strings are ok

[synaesthesia]

[quote name='Paul_C' post='43523' date='Aug 9 2007, 10:48 PM']that's the obvious one, if all the other strings are ok[/quote]

check also your action, and the neck relief.

Edited August 9, 2007 by synaesthesia

[Hit&Run]

[quote name='synaesthesia' post='43531' date='Aug 9 2007, 10:57 PM']check also your action, and the neck relief.[/quote]


Action and neck relief seem fine.

I'll throw some new strings on over the weekend, and see how it goes.

Thanks for the replies.

[Muppet]

Don't rule out fret wear either. It's at the extreme end of fault finding but can cause intonation problems (as can poor string seating on slotted saddles!)

[bass_ferret]

On a cheap bass - you have not said what the bass is - dont ruke out the bridge being in the wrong place or crooked.

[Hit&Run]

The bridge could be iffy, or in the wrong place. Or both!

The bass is a Cort [url="http://www.accord.net.pl/sklep/popup_image.php/pID/194?osCsid=9d6b3d36b36087d64237e6ebed89296c"]GB99[/url]

This is the best pic of the bass I could find, though it shows a different bridge design to the one I've got; so isn't that much use.

I've put some new strings on it and am waiting for them to settle. I put some D'Addario EXL165 strings on, and on the E string the outer wrap starts [b]after[/b] the nut if I string it through body. So now I've got the E top loaded and the other 3 through-body!

What a can of worms...

[BOD2]

Most intonation problems I've had have been cured by new strings.

Let the new ones settle down then recheck the intonation.

Also, it sounds like you'll need a longer scale length string if you want to put them all through body. Some sets are available in "extra long" lengths.

[goingdownslow]

[quote name='Hit&Run' post='44491' date='Aug 12 2007, 04:34 PM']the E string outer wrap starts [b]after[/b] the nut[/quote]

I have noticed this myself on some strings, and that the silks are not wound to an equal length on the E,A,D & G string.
I can't think of any reason for this not to be so, as whether they are on a 2 a side headstock (eg. Warwick) or 4 in line (eg Fender), the length from the ball end to the nut is the same on all strings. (ok, within a small amount maybe, like allowing for the shape of the Warwick tailpiece). The silks could be wound so as they all end level before the nut.
I used to use Elites on my Warwicks and the silks stopped just before the nut, then one set I got, the silk on the E string went over. I thought this may have been a bad string so took it back and the dealer opened all the sets of Elites he had and they were all the same, shorter distance between ball end and silk on the E strings. Sloppy workmanship.
Do Elites still have the red or black silk on their strings? I think I have bought a set that were plain.

Edited August 12, 2007 by goingdownslow

[Hit&Run]

[quote name='goingdownslow' post='44599' date='Aug 12 2007, 09:07 PM']I have noticed this myself on some strings, and that the silks are not wound to an equal length on the E,A,D & G string.
I can't think of any reason for this not to be so, as whether they are on a 2 a side headstock (eg. Warwick) or 4 in line (eg Fender), the length from the ball end to the nut is the same on all strings. (ok, within a small amount maybe, like allowing for the shape of the Warwick tailpiece). The silks could be wound so as they all end level before the nut.
I used to use Elites on my Warwicks and the silks stopped just before the nut, then one set I got, the silk on the E string went over. I thought this may have been a bad string so took it back and the dealer opened all the sets of Elites he had and they were all the same, shorter distance between ball end and silk on the E strings. Sloppy workmanship.
Do Elites still have the red or black silk on their strings? I think I have bought a set that were plain.[/quote]

I once bought a set of Elites 'player' nickel strings and they had no silks on them. The last set of elites 'stadium' strings I bought had navy blue at one end and red at the other end.

I've noticed the silk winding sometimes creeping over the nut as well. My solution? Use a razor blade to trim the blighter back!
Most of the strings I buy these days don't have silk windings, except for the odd pack of elites or rotosound.