Strange intonation issue

[syciprider]

Last night while playing my Sterling 5 I experienced an intonation issue I never encountered before. I was playing Eb on the A string and it was a tad flat. Later on I played it again and it was in tune. I examined it closer and noted that if I fingered in the middle of the fret then I am flat. Moving the fretting finger up towards the fret gets me in tune. It's kinda like playing a fretless. Now I am presently in Israel and so the bass has gone through a few climate changes since California so I am pretty certain that I need to tweak the set up but what exactly is causing this and how do I fix it? Thanks!

 

[Hellboy]

Last night while playing my Sterling 5 I experienced an intonation issue I never encountered before. I was playing Eb on the A string and it was a tad flat. Later on I played it again and it was in tune. I examined it closer and noted that if I fingered in the middle of the fret then I am flat. Moving the fretting finger up towards the fret gets me in tune. It's kinda like playing a fretless. Now I am presently in Israel and so the bass has gone through a few climate changes since California so I am pretty certain that I need to tweak the set up but what exactly is causing this and how do I fix it? Thanks!

You solve it by always trying to press your fingers down as close to the the fret as possible. Slightly behind. You get a better tone too. There are only drawback by pressing down the string in the middle of two frets. Think fretless. The closer to the fret, the better.... Trust me, you´re tone will improve. Try it and listen carefully.

Sincerely//Jan

 

[Big Poppa]

E Flat...its flat! I cant tell you without seeing it but like hellboy says the best practive is to play just behind the fret...Im sure your dargie wont do it!

 

[five7]

Yes, play close to the fret.

 

[syciprider]

See, I thought that it did not matter where I pressed the string between the frets because the higher fret took care of the intonation. But somehow the string in relation to the neck is not "seeing" the fret and therefore is behaving like it would on a fretless fingerboard. Anyway, this was the only time I ran into this and only last night and only on the A string of my Str 5. However, I just got done playing it a moment ago and it's not doing it anymore. I did note that the neck hardly has any relief ATM that I can see. I should be amazed that it is perfectly playable despite that!

 

[Basspro]

I would contrubite this to the climate changes as you already stated.Wood will move
with temperature and humidity changes.

 

[T-bone]

Yes, play close to the fret.

As a fairly new musician (got my first bass at 40 and am the same age as B.P.) I'm just hearing this for the first time. Now, I know I'm a slow learner, but dang, I never knew this. And here I always thought is was the length of string between the bridge and fret that caused intonation.

Maddog - break out your physics book.

tbone

 

[bovinehost]

If you have a sensitive tuner, you can roll your finger between two frets and see it change. Maddog may get out his slide rule and tell me I'm insane, but I can see it wiff my own eyeballs.

 

[RocketRalf]

To those wondering, the physics of this is simple: If you press the string far from the fret that gives the tuning, your finger has more space to press the string down and increase the tension on it, thus making the note sharp. You can counter this by playing just behind the fret like others suggested, or by not applying that much pressure in case you find yourself in a complicated position where you'd have to stretch your hand too much to place the finger right behind the fret.

This phenomena is specially noticeable on the lower strings of a guitar or bass with light gauges or in dropped tuning.

 

[RaginRog]

Yeah...try and play closer to the fret for it to be as close to the proper note as possible.

 

[steve f]

If you have a sensitive tuner, you can roll your finger between two frets and see it change. Maddog may get out his slide rule and tell me I'm insane, but I can see it wiff my own eyeballs.

I believe it's more related to downward pressure variations causing change in tension, rather than where the finger is between the frets.

 

[Eggman]

I believe it's more related to downward pressure variations causing change in tension, rather than where the finger is between the frets.

Yep - if you push down real hard in the middle of two frets - the note will go sharp. Like bending a string sideways.

As already said - best to play right behind the fret.

 

[SharonG]

I have noticed that both of my Bongos are sensitive to large temperature changes. They are fine instruments, and respond to climate. I'm sure that had some effect in your case, too. The problem resolved because the temperature settled as your gig continued. If my Bongo gets too cold on the way to a gig, I know I am going to have to check the tuning once I've played a song or 2. Once it settles in, though, that's it. It's rock solid!

 

[Hellboy]

I have noticed that both of my Bongos are sensitive to large temperature changes. They are fine instruments, and respond to climate. I'm sure that had some effect in your case, too. The problem resolved because the temperature settled as your gig continued. If my Bongo gets too cold on the way to a gig, I know I am going to have to check the tuning once I've played a song or 2. Once it settles in, though, that's it. It's rock solid!

I usually leave my bass on stage an hour before the concert if possible. I stretch the strings alittle and tune it 5 minutes before the gig and then I´m usually fine for awhile. I do use my ears and I retune during the concert if necessary. As you say, instruments are made of wood and wood is a organic material so it moves around abit when temp and humidity change. Stage lights can turn the heat up for quite abit as everyone knows. Concerts during winter season here in Sweden can be rather interesting since it gets below 20 minus celsius or even colder than that outside and then you bring your instrument inside where it can be around 30 + celsius under the stage lights. Amazing that instruments can handle that temperature change. But it works. Impressive.

//J

 

[Hellboy]

Yep - if you push down real hard in the middle of two frets - the note will go sharp. Like bending a string sideways.

As already said - best to play right behind the fret.

You don´t need to use as much pressure if you press the string down just behind the fret. Better intonation since more pressure between two frets will cause the note to raise. Better tone since it´s easier to get a cleaner tone with less buzz if pressing the string just behind the fret and you won´t strain your muscles in your hand as much since less preasure/muscle force is needed. You will be able to play for a longer time since you use less energy.

Press the string just behind the fret using less force. Thats´s the way to do it.

//J

 

[Psycho Ward]

I blame all tuning issues on the guitar player, unless there is a horn player around to blame it on.

 

[five7]

+1

 

[maddog]

no slide rule needed.

get yourself a fretless.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

I blame all tuning issues on the guitar player, unless there is a horn player around to blame it on.

Zactley

 

[maddog]

To those wondering, the physics of this is simple: If you press the string far from the fret that gives the tuning, your finger has more space to press the string down and increase the tension on it, thus making the note sharp.

Odd that it is going flat then, eh?