Intonation

Pistol Pete · 20-12-2004 6:12pm #1

Yeah so I've had a cheapass Epiphone SG Special for a while and the intonation has always been slightly off, it's becoming increasingly annoying. The G and B strings are the worst affected, the 12th fret harmonic / 12th fret on them are easily distinguishable from each other to my fairly untrained ear - the saddle on the bridge is as far back as it can go in both cases (it gets worse if I move it in the opposite direction obviously).

My question is twofold: should I try messing around with the trussrod - I have a talent for ****ing things up so bear that in mind - or is it worth my while getting it set up by someone who knows what they're doing (i.e. is this just a symptom of a cheap guitar or something fixable)? If so how much will it cost? Cheers.

feylya · 20-12-2004 6:14pm

Do not touch the truss rod.

Google and read everything you can find about setting up a guitar. Once you have read everything, read it again.

It could be handy to find someone who has knowledge of set ups to show you how to do it. A set up is about €30. If you are in Dundalk, I'll set it up and show you how to for considerably cheaper

Doctor J · 20-12-2004 6:17pm

Read this

http://www.mrgearhead.com/ghad/Guitar_Setup.pdf

if you feel confident enough to do it, do it yourself, if not, pay €40 upwards getting someone else to do it. Doesn't sound like anything to do with the trussrod though. In my experience, Epiphones usually have seriously crap cut nuts, put a capo on the 1st fret and try the open and harmonic on the 13th fret. If the problem isn't as bad, you've got a nut problem and that will require a srious repair/replace job which you won't be able to do yourself.

feylya · 20-12-2004 6:19pm

BTW, in the mean time, tune the guitar at the 12th, not the open string. It's not an ideal solution but it won't sound quite as bad

Pistol Pete · 20-12-2004 6:20pm

Spanks you guys!

daram · 20-12-2004 11:25pm

ive a similar problem with a usa strat on the high e string. have done ever since i got the nut replaced. Got that guy in portabello to do it. ****in expensive too.

-=al=- · 21-12-2004 12:18am

hey feyla i see u got some backing tracks on the porjectguitar site,

have ya got satriani's echo and vai's Die to live and Juice????

Eoin Madsen · 21-12-2004 4:43pm

None of the shops in town will do setups at the moment strangely enough.

21-12-2004 4:45pm

I reckon their too busy, which is incredibly irriating as my guitar needs so much done to it and i'm not gonna mess it up again!

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 4:49pm

You should be able to do a decent setup job yourself. Read that Mr Gearhead article, it covers the basics of setup well.

21-12-2004 4:51pm

My problem (les paul standard) is the action, i've been having too many problems cause when i had no idea what i was doing i messed with the bridge height and now can't get anything to match up. It's really very frustrating. i reckon if i get it done properly once, then i can just make the small changes necessary after that.

feylya · 21-12-2004 4:52pm

-=al=- wrote:

hey feyla i see u got some backing tracks on the porjectguitar site,

have ya got satriani's echo and vai's Die to live and Juice????

Nope. Only what's on PG.

feylya · 21-12-2004 4:54pm

Deleted User wrote:

My problem (les paul standard) is the action, i've been having too many problems cause when i had no idea what i was doing i messed with the bridge height and now can't get anything to match up. It's really very frustrating. i reckon if i get it done properly once, then i can just make the small changes necessary after that.

Rubbish. Google it and read. It's the only way you'll learn.

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 4:57pm

Guitar setup is really quite straightforward. Read that article, follow the steps and you'll get the idea. There is no black magic involved, just follow the steps, easy peasy. When you do it, you'll wonder how shoops can get away with charging people €40 and more to do it.

21-12-2004 4:59pm

believe me, twice i've set to work on it with the help of that article, all seems fine untill a week later i'm getting fret buzz off the A and D strings. Just aint happening for me.

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:01pm

Fretbuzz suddenly appears? Do you adjust the truss rod while setting up?

21-12-2004 5:02pm

nope, wouldn't go near it, it's all grand for a while and then it just seems to happen. The only other way i could see around it would be to change the strings every week, which i'm not doin!

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:04pm

Pah, no need to change strings that often. I had a pack of blue Steels on my main guitar for six months and they were still bright! Kinda...

Do you change tuning or string gauge when you set up?

21-12-2004 5:07pm

nope, but i used to, it's my first electric so i tried out a couple of different gauges but i only use 10'snow.

21-12-2004 5:09pm

hmm, i don't know, how do you stretch them? I might do it without even realising it!

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:10pm

Right. So, 10's in Standard? Buzzing appears a couple of days after setup?

Do you stretch the strings?

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:13pm

Deleted User wrote:

hmm, i don't know, how do you stretch them? I might do it without even realising it!

Bloody post jumping!

Eh, well there's two ways. One, tune all the strings up a quarter step and leave it for a night. Two, starting at the first fret, low e string, press the string down, grab the string two frets up (third fret in this case) and gently pull the string away from the fretboard. Move up a fret and repeat until all frets are done then move to the next string.

21-12-2004 5:13pm

okay i'll give that a go.

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:14pm

Don't forget, a little bit of fret buzz is not a bad thing, if the string is choking then you've cause for concern, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Is it an Epiphone? It might need a fret levelling and dressing job, rather than a setup job. Sometimes with cheaper guitars you have to be realistic about just how low you can set it up for.

If you checked the neck bow and string height immediately after setting up and then check when you're getting the buzz, are the results the same?

21-12-2004 5:20pm

Doctor J wrote:

If you checked the neck bow and string height immediately after setting up and then check when you're getting the buzz, are the results the same?

Sorry Doctor J but this means nothing to me

And it starts off as just very small buzz but gets considerably worse after a while

Yep, its an epiphone.

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:20pm

What model Epiphone? Bolt on neck?

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:21pm

Steps 3 and 4 of the setup guide you followed

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:22pm

3. Burn
4. Smash???

21-12-2004 5:23pm

How could i tell if it was a bolt on neck?

IT's an epiphone les paul standard heritage sunburst

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:24pm

Turn the guitar over, look where the neck joins the body. Is there screws there?

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:24pm

If the neck is held on with screws (bolts) it's bolted on. If not, it's glued on.

21-12-2004 5:24pm

Doctor J wrote:

Steps 3 and 4 of the setup guide you followed

just checked that link and its a different one to the one i was following,

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:25pm

OK, follow this one instead

21-12-2004 5:25pm

No screws no

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:28pm

Then it's a set neck. Hmm, thought it might be loose bolts or something like that...

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:29pm

Meh, give the Mr Gearhead setup a try first, then see if it re-occurs.

21-12-2004 5:32pm

Could someone tell me where i could get a set of automotive feeler gauges?

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:34pm

Use a ruler. Don't worry about being accurate to .00000001 of a centimetre. Just follow the basic guidelines illutrated on that page and you'll have a reasonably decent set up afterwards.

21-12-2004 5:35pm

cheers

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:40pm

Feeler gauges! Must get myself some of those. Handy for cutting nuts!

Doctor J · 21-12-2004 5:45pm

feylya · 21-12-2004 5:47pm

Intonation

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