G string problem

[blenk]

im having a major problem, when i tune the g string its fine playing it open but if i fret anywhere on it, it sounds of tune, however if I fret 1st fret of the g sting(G#) and tune that everything fine apart from whenm i play it open.

anyone had this problem before or have an idea of what it is?

Thanks

[Mrjones2004x]

Is your intonation setup properly?

Tune up g string as normal

Fret at 12th, is it g? Adjust as nessasary and retune open g again then recheck.

I think you need to check the difference between the harmonic on the 12th and the fretted note on the 12th also.

Others could explain better tho

[Wendigo]

Yes, tune the open string (use new strings) to G, and the fretted note and the harmonic on the 12th fret both have to be G. It can take a while, and remember, there is o such thing as close enough....even if it's a tiny bit off you may notice problems. I'm guessing this is a Gibson? The nut may also be at fault (too high).

[blenk]

No it's my strat, I've recently replaced the nut, tees and saddles but it was working fine only in the last week had it been like this. I'm sure the intonation is right but I'll check again. I re-wired it all again yesterday, took me 5hrs, it was a right mess inside and this problem is now all that needs sorting.

[Jondog]

No it's my strat, I've recently replaced the nut, tees and saddles but it was working fine only in the last week had it been like this. I'm sure the intonation is right but I'll check again. I re-wired it all again yesterday, took me 5hrs, it was a right mess inside and this problem is now all that needs sorting.

If it's not the intonation, I would definitely be suspicious of the nut. ESPECIALLY if you changed all those parts. String guage is a factor with all of that too. If your nut isn't right, your intonation won't be either.

[Ohara]

No it's my strat, I've recently replaced the nut, tees and saddles but it was working fine only in the last week had it been like this. I'm sure the intonation is right but I'll check again. I re-wired it all again yesterday, took me 5hrs, it was a right mess inside and this problem is now all that needs sorting.

If it's not the intonation, I would definitely be suspicious of the nut. ESPECIALLY if you changed all those parts. String guage is a factor with all of that too. If your nut isn't right, your intonation won't be either.

+1 seems a tad too coincidental considering it was working fine prior to that.

There is also the question of "have you had it in a spot with less than optimal humidity? this can cause the neck to warp slightly as the wood dries out, granted mostly in acoustics, but it can happen in electrics." I would still tend to lean towards either the nut, tees or saddles as odds are it is one of the three components causing your problem

[StonieSlagg]

from what I've been told, it's almost impossible to intonate a plain G. I know a lot of guys who use a wound G in the studio for just this reason. Personally, I always use a wound G and never have any trouble...

[Emilio Estevez]

from what I've been told, it's almost impossible to intonate a plain G. I know a lot of guys who use a wound G in the studio for just this reason. Personally, I always use a wound G and never have any trouble...

+ 1

I've been using 10-52 for a long time. Then, I moved on to 11-52. Wounded G string. Never ever had any G string problem. Even on my Gibson, wich seems impossible !

[Randy Bass]

Darn - this thread is about guitars .

[nguideau]

I use a wound 3rd just because it feels better. I don't usually have tuning problems... so maybe there's something to it.

[jason41224]

apart from the wound G (which is a great idea), you might also want to look at your action, both at the bridge and at the nut. usually the first 3 frets can be slightly sharp compared to the rest of the guitar, even when properly intonated. that's just how it's gonna be; guitars are imperfect instruments, they have slight tuning problems here and there. but so do pianos for example; try listening to an old, slightly out of tune grand piano. it's gorgeous sounding and full of character. i much prefer that sound to a perfectly tuned, digital keyboard.

if you want to be perfectly in tune (like for recording purposes), try spot tuning. instead of tuning the open string, tune to a note on the string where you will be playing the most. like if you're playing a solo near the 10th fret, tune to the F note on the G string. it's not ideal, but it works in a pinch.

[bclaire]

It's common for this to happen... if you're just noticing it, you've been blessed all these years with not noticing it.

Most guys I know, when they go into the studio specifically tune the guitar to compensate for this. So if you're playing a lot of cowboy chords tune the G string for that... if it's other chords, tune the chord.

[Borderline Productions]

If you use harmonics at the 5th and 7th frets the G string will sound out of tune. It is the first string to go out of tune when you play. Use a good tuner, a wound G string, and check the tuning on various frets and find the tension that gives the best overall closeness to being in tune. It is also is hard to tune by ear.

Have fun!

[brianr0131]

sounds like the nut is too high to me

[Ddjembe Mutombo]

Darn - this thread is about guitars .

I knew I'd see this from you, Randy.