Last night I discovered a weird intonation problem on the "D" string of my 2009 MIM Standard Strat. I have had the guitar for about 2 years (purchased new from Sweetwater) and have used Fender 10-46 Superbullets (Pure Nickle wound for the last year) since new and have never had an intonation problem. The standard bridge saddles have been replaced with GFS stainless steel saddles which work great. I also have a GFS steel trem block (the trem is decked with 5 springs tightened fully), Schaller locking tuners, and modern string tees on both the E/B and G/D strings.

Anyway, while playing last night I noticed the D string did not sound right. I tuned it to pitch (Boss TU-3 tuner) and checked the intonation. The 12th fret harmonic was dead on, but fretting the string at the 12th fret was very flat. I adjusted the saddle to shorten the string length and retuned. Once again, the open string was good, the harmonic was good, but fretted was still flat. I adjusted the saddle several times in each direction with the same result: open and harmonic match, fretted was always flat by the same amount.

I checked the saddle, nut, string tee, and block and found no problems. Obviously the string has failed (the strings are about a month old and the other 5 exhibit no problems) and I need to change the strings. However, I am curious as to what would happen to cause a string to fail like this. I can find nothing wrong with the string either. Any thoughts?

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Bill

hi , the string has reached the end of it's life , tuning /intonation problems are a sure sign the strings need replaced , hth , cheers
Alan

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You might have kinked the string slightly while installing it. Or it might be twisted a little bit.

I'm betting a new set if strings will fix it. Good luck!

Uh, I realize that and said so in my post. I have never had a string fail in this manner and I am trying to understand the exact failure mode.

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Bill

Actually, although I did not remove the string last night (it was late and I plan on changing them tonight), I did loosen it enough to check for kinks at the nut and saddle and did not see anything out of the ordinary. No kinks along the vibrating length of the string either. The nice thing about the GFS saddles is that they allow for a much smoother transition across the top of the saddle then the stock pressed steel Fender saddles do. I use them on all my Strat-type bridges.

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-Sta ... p_773.html

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Bill

you want to know why a string thats been on a guitar for a month sounds or is fecked ? but you that anyway

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Do you understand what "failure mode" means? THEHAZE did. I have 5 guitars that I alternate play. I do not gig. I play for fun. Each guitar gets played a few hours a month. I have very dry hands so the strings do not accumulate a lot of grease and oil. I normally change strings every two months on all the guitars. In that time I have never experienced a problem exactly like this one. This is clearly not a case of the string simply "wearing out". It appears that something relatively "catastrophic" occurred like a kink or failed winding or something along those lines. I am looking for thoughts on what could cause such a failure so suddenly when the string was in perfect tune and intonation the night before. So if you have any helpful suggestions, I am all ears. And yeah, I intend to change the strings tonight.

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Bill

bluesky636

I do not know if your problem was the string. I've used the Boss Tuner TU-12 H and I often noticed that the intonation was sometimes difficult to do.

As if the volume or the age of string or the resonance of the wood affect the reading of intonation on the tuner ? Sometimes it was very easy for cons.

A few years ago, I bought the Peterson stroboscopic VSII tuner.
Since then I have set my intonation " problem ". This is the day and night compared to the other tuner. Intonnation are now accurate and easy to do .

When I compare a guitar whose tone was done with the Boss, or other similar, I have to start all over with the Peterson. For if I use against Peterson, the other receiver confirms that it is right.

I believe that many luthiers use Peterson and it's not for nothing.

I would say try some new strings. If you haven't changed gauges or brand you shouldn't have issues like that.
Probably just a bad string or set. For me EB's 10-46, D'Addario XL or GHS Boomers on my Strats,

Hi, stratele52.

Actually, a tuner problem was my first thought, but I checked a couple of my other guitars and they were fine. Intonation was a little off due to the wacky weather here in the States (It was 65 degrees in Virginia yesterday and today) but nothing like compared to the D string on my Strat. New strings tonight. I would love to have a Peterson Strobo Tuner but after building my 5F6A clone, the bank account is a little light for any new guitar gear.

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Bill

I'm an engineer. I like to try and understand "why" when something goes wrong.

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Bill

Bill,

I see this sporadically, not to any monumental degree, maybe three or so a year. This is not a brand specific either.

As you know, there are acceptable parameters of a proprietary nature when it comes to a metal's tensile strength for a given purpose. Your D might have been part of a lot which was at the extreme of 'within acceptable tolerances', thereby just squeaking by in conformance to the specs as and of, said D string. What's left? Being on the fringes, the metal(s) fatigued prematurely.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

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You dig?

Hi, Martian.

You may be right. I just finished changing the strings and everything tuned and intonated just fine. I will recheck things and adjust tomorrow after everything has a chance to settle overnight. I examined the old D string closely and could find nothing wrong. I'll be changing my other four guitar's strings this weekend. I like to keep them all on the same schedule regardless of how much they are played.

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Bill

i'm a joiner / carpenter , if something fails i replace it , be it strings , car components or parts of timber structures , once i've done that i just get on with life instead of trying to work out what went wrong , things wear out , when they do , it's a well known fact they need replaced . cheers
Alan

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I understand very well.

You have understood that my remarks were intended only share my experience with the tuner Peterson VS II.
For those interested to do tune-guitar is an indispensable tool. The price is "high" but it's a purchase that does not regret.
I would venture to say that this tuner would perhaps (I say perhaps) managed to make the intonation of your string problem.