Silky999 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 My SR1820 D and G absolutely spot on open and 12th and near as on all other frets. E and A spot on open, very, very slightly flat on 12th but near end of bridge adjustment. Bloody sharp on all frets until about 6th. I must admit I have a good ear and I can hear it sharpness on the lower frets, not massively but just a little off on E and A. On the tuner it’s about 1 bar over the green at 1st which resolves as you fret up the board. So far I have; Checked the relief - perfect for me String height is between 2 - 2.5 mm across all four and no fret buzz Adjusted bridge Set witness points with no obvious large gaps when fretting at 3rd Very slightly filed the nut on E and A which has helped but this makes me VERY NERVOUS as it# easy to remove material but you can’t put it back! I ensured that I sloped the nut back down on the tuner edge. I’m loathe to file the nut any more especially as the saddles are at the end of their adjustment towards the pups. so my questions are...... how accurate does the intonation need to be? should I intonate to pitch at the lower frets but be out at the 12th? am I just playing to the curse of the electronic tuner and back away from the screwdriver? is it possible to get perfect intonation across the board on all frets? any advice or hints please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Are you using very light or low tension strings? They can fret sharp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 If I had a problem with intonation as described I’d set it so the lower frets were “in” as that’s where most of my playing is. 12th fret, why I’d get nosebleeds up that high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silky999 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) The strings are new D'addario balanced tensions. I've even considered that it might be a dead string but I think this unlikely as it's two strings and they are out the same. Lozz, I think that maybe the best way forward as I also rarely venture down the dusty end lol Edited January 18, 2020 by Silky999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) 56 minutes ago, Silky999 said: E and A spot on open, very, very slightly flat on 12th but near end of bridge adjustment. Bloody sharp on all frets until about 6th. Usually (if not always) means action too high at nut. How big is the gap between string and first fret? How does it compare to the gap between string and second fret when you fret the string at the first fret? Edited January 18, 2020 by Stub Mandrel 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 24 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: Usually (if not always) means action too high at nut. How big is the gap between string and first fret? How does it compare to the gap between string and second fret when you fret the string at the first fret? ^ my thought too. The reason that the note sharpens is because you are, effectively, bending the string, albeit vertically rather than horizontally. This is usually at the upper frets, 12th and above, because the string is progressively higher off the fret the further up the scale you go and therefore the amount you are bending the string is more. If, on the other hand, you are going sharp on the lower frets, then you must be bending the string (vertically) quite a bit down near the nut. And yet, normally, the string would be pretty close to the fret at those lower fret positions. And that means that your nut slot is still too high as, normally, you would not be having to press down on the string very far before it gets to the fret - and certainly not enough to audibly sharpen the note. Might be wrong, but that's where I'd look first. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silky999 Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Thanks folks, I think it is the nut that’s causing the issue but the prospect of more filing feels me with dread! As much as I hate to because I like doing my own setups, I think I will have to get it looked at by a luthier rather than bodge it. I have got it as close as I dare lol. thanks again for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 I finish nuts by scraping with the edge of a rounded scalpel, this makes off very small amounts. Also a new nut is cheap as chips so not expensive if you screw up. In fact a luthier probably won't charge much different from doing a nut to fitting a new one unless you want some esoteric material., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silky999 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 So I could have a bit more of a go myself and not be much more out of pocket either way? Also should I be looking to take away from the front, rear or equally across the string groove? I know that the sloping angle down towards the tuners is important for sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 29 minutes ago, Silky999 said: So I could have a bit more of a go myself and not be much more out of pocket either way? Also should I be looking to take away from the front, rear or equally across the string groove? I know that the sloping angle down towards the tuners is important for sound Equally, if you can, just make it deeper uniformly. Just small adjustment, test and repeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silky999 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 16 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said: Equally, if you can, just make it deeper uniformly. Just small adjustment, test and repeat. Cheers mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 I use a set of feeler gauges (couple of £'s from Halfords). I set the feeler gauges at the height I don't want to cut lower than and lay them against the nut on the fretboard. I then file down to the metal and know I'm not going to overdo it. The feeler gauges are tough so the file will slide across them if you get right down to them. Ideally, the slot wants to be angled slightly down towards the pegs but level is OK. Just avoid it sloping down towards the fretboard as that can change the intonation and/or create a sitar-like buzz. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silky999 Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) I though I’d just post an update. Took the bass into Tom at Chiltern Guitar Repair yesterday. Genuinely lovely chap. I had booked it in for a full set up, new nut and strings. Tom had a look at the bass whilst I was waiting and checked the relief, action, nut and intonation. To his absolute credit, he informed me that everything was ok and that there was nothing that he would do to it and in fact the bass is one of those susceptible to heavy fretting causing a note to go sharp. He suggested that as it was new and new to me that I try a slightly gentler fretting technique and maybe change the balanced tension strings to non balanced set to increase the string tension on the lower strings. He also advised me to allow 6 months for the bass to settle before revisiting the set up. He charged me NOTHING for looking at the bass and his advice where a less scrupulous luthier could have done all sorts to the bass and charged! i have followed his advice and put some medium D’addario EXL on it and low and behold, almost perfect intonation. I would heartily recommend Tom at Chiltern Guitar Repair who is based in Westmount Music in Marlow Bottom. Thanks to all you wise sages on Basschat that suggested that it may be the string tension or me! Edited January 30, 2020 by Silky999 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueMoon Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Glad you got it sorted and that you got great service and advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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