Won't intonate!!!

[zeegler]

My turn to post a thread about a guitar that won't intonate properly.

My red KV4 is frustrating the hell out of me. I just finished re-wiring it, and I'm almost finished doing a set-up on it. Everything is perfect, except after doing my high E, B and G strings, I get to my D string, and although the saddle is right about where it should be, the fretted note is WAY flat. So I unlock the saddle and move it forward. Still no luck. I move it twice more, until it is as far forward as it will go, and the fretted note is still flat as hell. It doesn't make sense. With the saddle that far forward, the fretted note should be very sharp. I skipped it, and did the low E, and the A string. No problem at all. The saddles end up right where I expected them to be. I'm stumped. Could a bad string cause this? It doesn't seem likely, but I can't think of any other reason for it.

[rjohnstone]

Yes.. a bad string can cause this.

[fett]

How fat are the frets? Fret spacing is exact. Or it could be fett spacing. Is that fret worn? If the string isn't hitting correctly, that would do it. Then again, I may be off my ass. Just an idea.

[jackson1]

The "bad string" answers are killing the Tech Q&A!

Every single problem anyone has reported lately, is caused by a bad string. We might as well shut down the Tech Q&A and leave one single Sticky at top:

WHATEVER PROBLEM YOU HAVE, IT'S CAUSED BY A BAD STRING!


- My Floyd won't return to zero.. BAD STRING!
- My Kelly is neck heavy... BAD STRING!
- My amp is very hot... BAD STRING!
- My bathroom is dusty... BAD STRING!
- My girlfriend smells... BAD G-STRING!
- My strings are bad... BA... eh?

[rjohnstone]

- My girlfriend smells... BAD G-STRING! :ROTF:

But on a serious note, a dead string can make it impossible to properly intonate a guitar.
Not the first time we've seen this and definitely not the last.

[jackson1]

Agree. An improper cut V-slot at the lock nut could also cause this. Changing string type/gauge could make this surface.

[Racerx2k]

I'm wondering if the breaking point on that specific saddle is misshapen, or something, like it breaks BEHIND where it should, effectively screwing up the intonation process.

[Budman68]

zeegs, does the string at least change at all when you're adjusting it or does it just sit there and read the same exact reading over and over?

[jackson1]

@RacerX: Yep, same as my suggestion. It breaks behind where it should. More often it's the string though, no kidding this time.

[fett]

fett sticks by his fret

[zeegler]

zeegs, does the string at least change at all when you're adjusting it or does it just sit there and read the same exact reading over and over?

Actually Dave, you hit the nail on the head. It doesn't seem to change at all, no matter how far I move the saddle.

[zeegler]

It's definitely nothing to do with the nut. If a string was not seating properly at the nut, then that string would end up ringing sharp when fretted at the 12th fret, not flat.

My first thought was that the saddle was funky, and the break point was too far back, but I inspected it very closely, and it's fine. The string breaks at the exact same spot as all the other saddles.

[zeegler]

fett sticks by his fret

Sorry Fett, the frets are in perfect condition, and straight.

[shredhed]

I once had a guitar that I had to use the rhythm pickup to get an acurate reading during setup. Have you tried that?

....And yea, It could be a bad string.......

[straycat]

Well I had a problem with the 3 wound strings sounding muted.Changed strings no change every thing looked fine.
It turned out to be the new nut, tried an older R4 nut and the problem went away.