My High E string just wasn't sounding right so I whipped out the tuner, checked the 12th fret harmonic, then the 12th fret. They weren't in tune with each other. This happened on my last set of strings, exact same situation. When I put a fresh set on, everything is perfectly in tune but 3 or 4 months down the road... What could be the problem? Are the strings just wearing out? I am using DR light gauged.

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2010 American Special HSS Olympic White
2010 Mustang I Amplifier

That's the problem, assuming you play more than once a month.

With the amount I play, I'm lucky if my strings stay perfectly intonated after a week.

Dead Strings. It's not unusual to change strings once per week,as soon as the "brightness" and sustain starts to fade. Buy them from Musicians Friend or a similiar online outlet. They are about $4 per set. In music stores they can be $10 for same strings.

I play daily, and I change my strings about once a month. Another thing you could look at is a professional set up by a reputable guitar tech.

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--- John

Yes you need a good set up . Neck curve must be wrong and a sadles adjustement is needed

If your guitar is set up the way you like (string height/neck relief) and intonation correct, that's all you need do. It does not take more than a couple of days to pound the strings into about 50% of life left. By the dozen @ Musician's Friend about $36.00 for D'Addario .010 thru .046.

If the intonation is correct at first but later not anymore, then I'd say you need new strings.

But check the string saddle first, maybe the spring is worn out!! When you restring the guitar, the saddle sits perfectly. With time and playing it might start slipping slightly backwards due to a weak spring. Check if the head of the screw sits tight on the rear end of the Bridge or if it "pokes out" a little!! If so, change the saddle spring. If not, it's worn out strings.

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

I don't see strings being the issue. If a new set of strings fixes it then there's something more going on there than meets the eye. I can't think of what that might be but there is more. Dead strings don't throw your intonation out. Yes, they can cause tuning issues with your ear related to harmonics but not in the fundamentals. If you are tuning and checking your intonation with harmonics then that's part of the problem right there. Never tune with harmonics despite what some people will tell you. It is NOT more accurate than a tuner. That is an old wives tale. You also need to fret the string when checking intonation, harmonics don't work there either. Harmonics are for playing with, not testing with.

If that's not it, if harmonics are not the issue then check your setup. It's possible you have a saddle that likes to drop. One of my guitars has a saddle that slowly falls and requires periodic adjustment. It's a pain and someday I will address it with more than a routine twist of an Allen key.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Comments in quote

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

Didn't mean to offend, Smokin'. I was not directing my previous post at you and I also did not quote you. I simply spoke my mind to whomever wanted to take note of it.

BTW, I'm not sure by your quote of me and accompanying comment if you are with me or against me on the harmonics issue but either way I stand by my position, which is ... Harmonics should never be used for testing, tuning or intonation purposes. Harmonics are far too easily pushed out of whack by several factors, dead strings being one of them.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Belzer33 should have fix is problem since december .......

To bad we never heard about him.

Oops, I didn't look at the date! ha ha ha

Nevermind, it might help somebody else with the same problem.



I know, no offense taken.

My first comment was just to agree with you in that point.

My second comment was because I thought you might mix up tuning by harmonics and checking the intonation by harmonics, which is two different topics.
I just thought you might have misunderstood his first post.

Using harmonics over the 12th fret is the basic way to check intonation. It's not 100% accurate, there's more accurate ways like adding the 24th fret harmonics, given that there's a 24th fret on a guitar and the tuner is good enough to pick up that frequency.
Old and worn out strings do affect the tone but not the harmonics, since the harmonics are related to the length of the string, not the condition.
It may sound dull with old strings but it still does show, whether the 12th fret has the same frequency as the 12th fret harmonics. I at least agree that it would be better to check intonation with fresh strings, since old strings, depending on the degree of wear, are more difficult to produce harmonics.

By your last post I get the impression again, that you mix up tuning and intonation, which have two very different meanings? Correct me please if I'm wrong.

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

About harmonic I agree with BMW-KTM . I read often ( in serious book) it not the best way to do harmonic. And I try it too, I did not use it. it do not work for me
But I had a gutar teacher , profesional musician who use it with success. I think he should have something more than me , good ears , experience ?

Agreed!
That's why I said "basic way".
It's good enough for less experienced players or for doing a quick setup.

A professional way of setting a proper intonation is more complicated.

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

There is only one way to check intonation and that is to actually fret the string at the 12th using normal fretting pressure. If you don't physically stretch the string by bending it in towards the fret board then you cannot possibly get a good reading because you have not changed the tension on the string by simply touching a harmonic. There is no point whatsoever in checking intonation with harmonics. Does anybody ever play an entire song using only harmonics? No? Then who freaking cares if the harmonics are properly intonated? It is only the fretted notes that matter and nothing else. Period.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.