Guitar tech question

carpet
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 3:19 pm

Hiya lads n lasses! Long time no see (or hear, or read, u know what I mean). Hope you're all keeping well and the skills are developing nicely! Hope the collaborations are coming along too!!!

i've got a qustion for all you techies out there, if any of you know.

I've got an electric tuner so i can tune my guitar perfectly. I've noticed something mostly concerning the low E string that I hope you can help me with. When i test the pitch holding the string down at the 5th fret, I notice its slightly higher pitched than an A. Does anybody know what causes this and if/how it can be corrected?

Many thanks guys!

Carpet


AndyT
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:11 pm

If I'm not mistaken, that's an intonation issue and something guitars are subject to. Thats why you see compensated saddles and such. As far as I know, Only a skilled luthier can fix it.


wrench
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:15 pm

I can think of two things, one of which is more likely than the other.

The unlikely cause is the location of the fret crown with respect to the string's scale length, meaning the intonation is way off. Even less likely is a fret job where the frets are crowned badly off center. The likely cause is fretting such that you are bending the pitch. Test this by fretting lightly and somewhat up on the fret, almost (but not quite) like you are trying to make a harmonic. If that doesn't show you a proper A note, what does the 12th fret show? Have you changed the saddle or nut?

Dan

EDIT: OOPS! You said the E string only. If the E is the only string with the problem, and it's only off slightly, the problem is simple intonation (like Andy said), it's not uncommon to happen on the E string (like Chris' clue),and can be corrected by some work on the saddle (like Andy said). Sorry if I over-reacted.


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neverfoundthetime
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:16 pm

Hi Carpet, nice to hear from you laddie! I have checked my Takamine 12 string and I have the same thing on the low E. The rest are ok. The fretting is not always perfect I guess. When you use a Capo, it gets even ropier.


tovo
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:21 pm

Carpet! It's a brit moonlit nit t'nit laddie!

Andy and Dan have taken care of your question, but I just wanted to practice my Scottish accent...and say welcome back.


wiley
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:25 pm



sws626
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:41 pm

carpet wrote:
...

When i test the pitch holding the string down at the 5th fret, I notice its slightly higher pitched than an A.

...

Carpet
Hi Carpet,

By how much?

Stuart


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neverfoundthetime
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Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:23 pm

Hi Carpet, nice to hear from you laddie! I have checked my Takamine 12 string and I have the same thing on the low E. The rest are ok. The fretting is not always perfect I guess. When you use a Capo, it gets even ropier.


carpet
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Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:13 pm

Right guys cheers! It's not off by much - it certainly doesn't make any songs i play sound out of tune or anything, i just like to have my guitar perfectly in tune so it's a little annoying but nothing that causes problems.

I'll leave it as it is.

G'Day Tovo! yeah the advice is fair dinkum. Oh, bonzer accent by the way!

Cheers and cheerio!!


ffsooo3
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Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:20 pm

Something I found interesting is watching the tuner as I press the low E string at the 5th fret. If I don't move my finger after pressing the string to the fretboard, but vary the pressure/force on the string (pressing it harder or softer into the fretboard) I can greatly vary the pitch. Never realized how sensitive it all was....


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