Intonation for high E string still sharp at 12th fret with saddle all the way back

  • Thread starter Thread starter conanthewarrior
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conanthewarrior

conanthewarrior

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Hello everyone, today I was playing and noticed things didn't sound right higher up the neck, so checked my intonation. Every other string was bang on from when I set it up but the high E string was really sharp at the 12th fret, about 40 cents.

I have moved the saddle back all the way, but am still showing the open E string in tune but the 12th fret is sharp by 26 cents.

The 12th fret harmonic is also off of the open string by around 12 cents sharp.

As I have moved the saddle all the way back, what can I do?

I am quite puzzled why this has happened as I set the guitar up previously and did the intonation, and for the high E string to be correct the saddle was nearly all the way forward, but now is really out.

Any help would be much appreciated.
 
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napalmdeath said:
That's odd. A high E is usually up the furthest with gobs of travel to adjust. Maybe a nut issue? Too deep? Too shallow? Those have a Hipshot, no?
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It is very odd. I don't think it can be the nut as I have set the intonation before and it was fine and much further forwards to be correct. It's from 2010 so has a tune-o-matic style bridge I don't believe it is a hipshot.

Findthetone1 said:
Hmm. I'd start with a new set of strings.
You usually don't hear about TOM nashville style bridges running out of intonation room. I've had to flip a saddle around on Les Pauls before for that reason but they were all ABR-1 bridges.
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The strings are under a week old, although I could try this but need to order some more.
I've stuck to the same gauge and brand of strings since I last did a setup, so really am clueless why the intonation has gone so far out of whack.
 
napalmdeath said:
That's odd. A high E is usually up the furthest with gobs of travel to adjust. Maybe a nut issue? Too deep? Too shallow? Is it a Tonepros bridge?
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Thats it, tonepros! I couldn't remember who made the tune-o-matic for this guitar but that reminded me.
 
conanthewarrior said:
It is very odd. I don't think it can be the nut as I have set the intonation before and it was fine and much further forwards to be correct. It's from 2010 so has a tune-o-matic style bridge I don't believe it is a hipshot.


The strings are under a week old, although I could try this but need to order some more.
I've stuck to the same gauge and brand of strings since I last did a setup, so really am clueless why the intonation has gone so far out of whack.
Click to expand...

Probably the strings if you just started having this issue. Was this something that you noticed by ear or with the tuner by chance?
 
NowYou'rePlayingWithPower said:
Probably the strings if you just started having this issue. Was this something that you noticed by ear or with the tuner by chance?
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OK it could be a bad set of strings then.
I noticed by ear when I was soloing that something didn't sound right, so used a tuner to check.
 
Also did you happen to change the height or flip the bridge around when you were changing strings?
 
If all else fails, I'd suggest changing the gauge of that particular string. Another gauge may get you back to the proper range of intonation if the physical aspect of the guitar/bridge setup can be ruled out.
 
From my experience with TOM style ..if you can't get it to intonate, it has a kink in the string somehow....or a impediment, such as a pinch in the nut slot.

Just my 2 cents
 
conanthewarrior said:
It is very odd. I don't think it can be the nut as I have set the intonation before and it was fine and much further forwards to be correct. It's from 2010 so has a tune-o-matic style bridge I don't believe it is a hipshot.


The strings are under a week old, although I could try this but need to order some more.
I've stuck to the same gauge and brand of strings since I last did a setup, so really am clueless why the intonation has gone so far out of whack.
Click to expand...
Regardless, there are bad batches of strings from every manufacturer. I always start with the easiest (and cheapest) solution first when troubleshooting. Lube the nut as well in case there's a hangup.
 
njshred said:
Adjust the relief, that will change the overall string length a bit.
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I have only just checked the relief, it is as flat as possible whilst still having a tiny bit of relief how I usually have it set up.

NowYou'rePlayingWithPower said:
Also did you happen to change the height or flip the bridge around when you were changing strings?
Click to expand...
No, I kept the height the same for the same action and can recognise which way around the bridge goes by the way the saddles are set. All of the other strings are bang on intonation wise it is just the high E.

Devin said:
Try pushing down on the strings fairly hard right in front of the saddle, then retune and check again

If it's still off you just got a defective string (which weirdly is a thing)
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OK, I will try this right now and see what happens. I don't think I have ever had a defective string before but there is a first time for everything.

simonfrewler said:
From my experience with TOM style ..if you can't get it to intonate, it has a kink in the string somehow....or a impediment, such as a pinch in the nut slot.

Just my 2 cents
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Hmm, I can't feel any kink in the string, but it must be something going on as the intonation was set correctly for the strings I use and have never had a problem before.
 
conanthewarrior said:
It is very odd. I don't think it can be the nut as I have set the intonation before and it was fine and much further forwards to be correct. It's from 2010 so has a tune-o-matic style bridge I don't believe it is a hipshot.


The strings are under a week old, although I could try this but need to order some more.
I've stuck to the same gauge and brand of strings since I last did a setup, so really am clueless why the intonation has gone so far out of whack.
Click to expand...
Check to make sure it's in the saddle, and didn't shift and start making a new groove.

I always switch to a Tonepros roller bridge. Yeah, it may sound odd, but you always get true string alignment, you don't have to worry about slots cut correctly or wearing out, and they sit higher so I can get the tailpiece on my Gibsons all the way down to the body without the string digging into the bridge. Plenty of clearance, and they have a tad more travel.
 
napalmdeath said:
Check to make sure it's in the saddle, and didn't shift and start making a new groove.

I always switch to a Tonepros roller bridge. Yeah, it may sound odd, but you always get true string alignment, you don't have to worry about slots cut correctly or wearing out, and they sit higher so I can get the tailpiece on my Gibsons all the way down to the body without the string digging into the bridge. Plenty of clearance, and they have a tad more travel.
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It's definitely in the saddle correctly sitting in the groove.

Regarding the roller bridge, I have never tried one. Do you mean where it sits higher you can adjust the bridge screws lower to the body to get the action you want vs it being higher with the standard style TOM? Also I never realised they had more travel.

I do have the earvana compensated nut on this guitar, that is meant to help with intonation. This is the first time ever I have noticed the guitar sounding out of tune, usually it is rock solid and only needs tuning occasionally.
 
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