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Post subject: String Intonation Problem
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 11:22 am
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Hi, guys

I have a Fender American Stratocaster Deluxe HSS with locking tuners and deluxe locking tremolo. Since I bought my guitar (1 year and half ago), my strings intonation never endured as much as 2 months, meaning, the 12 fretted note (specially in in the "e" and "b" string) gets extremelly flat compared to the harmonic (as much as 1/8 of a tone).
When I change the strings, the guitar intonation immediately is fixed, so I suppose it's not the "guitar's fault". However, the intonation in my friend's guitar lasts for almoust 6 months before it gets really perturbing.
I used several strings, including Elixir Anti Rust and the problem still lays on.

I would like to know if this is normal for a "pretty good-leveled-guitar" and if it's not, how can I solve this problem? Is it the strings fault or the guitar?

Cheers and rock on 8)


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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:57 pm
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I think its the setup ... it has to be setup well in order for the intonation to remain good the strings shouldnt affect intonation that much .. at least on my guitars it doesnt happen :)


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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:51 am
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Hmmm....... contradictory to the last post, I think the string has a lot to do with it. How many times do you play a week? The fact that you mentioned that when you changed the string it got fixed proves that it is the string and not the setup. If it was the setup(supposing that you don't get it set-up between string changes) then no matter what string you put on there it would not have proper intonation.

As string wears out on the frets it stars to lose it's shape and it "technically" becomes shorter making the intonation at the twelve fret higher. That's why personally I changed my string every 2 weeks because I play at least an hour each day.

Try getting it properly setup first like Sykronized said and see if it works. If not, just remember to changed your strings at the time the intonation starts slipping.


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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:30 pm
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What gauge was the guitar set up for? This has a big influence on the intonation. If you set up your guitar for 10's but then you change them out for 9's, it's going to cause some problems.


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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:35 pm
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As strings are used more they lose the ability to not only stay in tune but they lose intonation too.

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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 1:22 pm
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I agree with the strings being the cause. I had the exact same problem on my standard Strat. My EB Super Slinkys just don't get good intonation beyond the 12th fret.

However, I just changed to Dunlop 9's and it sounds great. Sweet Child O' Mine actually sounds less crappy than it did before when I play it, lol.


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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:17 pm
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Thnks for the info, guys

I don't know the gauge this guitar was setup for but I'll try to use 10's, because I only used 9's since I bought it.

I just didn't know that the strings intonation only lasted like 2 weeks for regular players, and considering that, on average, I play like 2 hours a day, its understandable that after 24 weeks, they are totally weared out.

I guess I'll have to change my string more frequently :P.

By curiosity, how frequently did you change your strings and how many hours do you play a week?


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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:34 pm
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I change my strings every 36 hours of play. I also found some fender guitars respond better to different gauges. I have 9s, 10s, and 11s depending on the guitar. I dont know what causes it, i think its just something idividual to guitars. Put 9's on my hotrod and no ammount of setup makes it good. If i put anything but 11's on my squireseries it goes to pot.
A mate of mine had a early 80's gibson that had the same problem as your guitar. He sold it before he solved it. He ended up changing strings every 2 weeks.


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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 8:21 pm
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Find someone who is qualified to do repairs, and have full set up done. Locking tuners/bridges can be real pain, but if you have set up done, I would suspect it might make a differnec. I had a similar problem with a tele, and it turned out be the nut was the problem. The set up will most likely fix your problem


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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:58 am
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i also noticed an improvement once i started using graphite in the nut when I change strings. Holds tune better and is much easier to stretch and re-string with that.


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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:45 am
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I believe that Aliens are coming into your home at night and screwing with your guitar while you are asleep, unbeknownst to you!!!!!
Truly, guitar strings do lose there ability to intonate thru oxidation, use and the stress of tension. I have found that good strings(GHS, Ernie Ball, Fender) do tend to work and sound better than cheaper strings, and for longer periods of time. Do you clean your strings regularly?? That also has an effect on intonation.


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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:53 pm
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Assuming we really are talking about the guitar's intonation them I'm confused. I re-do my guitars' intonation perhaps every year - but I doubt I really need to.

On the other hand, if we are just talking about the strings staying in tune (you understand the difference?), well then as everyone is saying, it is surely the strings not getting changed often enough. I suspect the problem is being caused precisely by the quality of your very expensive Elixir strings, which is encouraging you not to change them often enough.

I like Nikininja's "36 playing hours" principle. For myself, depending on how much use a given guitar gets I change the strings every two to six weeks. Though always a new set before playing live or (rare for me) recording. If you ever need to replace a broken string in front of a waiting audience with no spare guitar to hand - well, that's a lesson you'll only need to learn once!

:oops: - C


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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:42 pm
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Aw C'mon Ceri, REALLY!!!!! How many of us only have ONE guitar??? I know I'm obsessed. My wife tells me that all the time. "Why do you need so many guitars??" She just doesn't understand!! I need them in a sorta metaphysical, spiritual, obsessive way.


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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 3:10 pm
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paisley strat wrote:
Aw C'mon Ceri, REALLY!!!!! How many of us only have ONE guitar??? I know I'm obsessed. My wife tells me that all the time. "Why do you need so many guitars??" She just doesn't understand!! I need them in a sorta metaphysical, spiritual, obsessive way.


Hahaha! Well, honestly there really was a time in my life when I did only own one guitar. And even after the second (and third and -) came along I sometimes only dragged one out to play in front of people.

Till that moment when a string broke - a G, if memory serves, which made even finishing the number quite hard. Then, squatting down trying to restring, stretch and tune it as fast as possible. Which made the fingers clumsy so the job took even longer. All in front of an audience who to be frank probably were not quite sure why they were bothering to listen to this horrible noise in the first place...

I break out in sweats just thinking about it.

Learn from the mistakes of others, kids!

Cheers - C


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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:49 pm
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Well, I guess I'll give my guitar one more chance before trying to chage the setup. But, having in mind that for a regultar player, it's normal to change the strings every 4-6 weeks (on average), I assume that after all there was no problem with my guitar.
Like Ceri said, maybe I expected too much for a more expensive set of strings (Elixir Anti-Rust) and it encouraged me not to change them oftenly.
Anyway, I don't think the nut is the problem. I have a roller- nut that, as is said, its very compatible with the locking tuners and bridge of my guitar. However, I won't exclude that possibility.

I also have to recognize is extremelly difficult to make little adjustements to improve my guitars intonation. To move the bridge paddles I have to follow a lot of procedures and the screws are located "inside the guitar". That's one of the problems of having the Deluxe Locking Tremolo. I don't know what the guys that created this bridge where thinking when they organized the screw's location :P.
So it's extremelly hard for me to make home-made adjustments and as soon as I see that my intonation is out of order, I have no choice but to change the strings.

Tnks for all the info and Ceri, I will learn from you mistake - always a backup guitar properly tuned up in a live concert ;)


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