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Can the fingerboard gap give tuning and intonation problems?

Mapleg4

Senior Member
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491
As you all know I have a G4 bass. I have recently changed from GHS strings H3045 (1.15-0.95-0.70-0.50) to Ernie Ball Power Slinkys, (1.10-0.90-0.75-0.55). The Ernie Balls are great, but the strings get very hard and uncomfortable to play before I have them tuned as much as 1 1/2 step down. I tune to Drop-D, and the last time I changed the strings I had to get the neck and bridge adjusted and re-intonated because it was almost impossible to tune it. Once again I feared tuning it because the high D string got very hard before I reached Bb! I didn't even cut any of the top of the string before I put it in the tuning post. It's going back to the local guitar shop tomorrow. Again...
Could the problem be the gap between the fingerboard and the body?
 
NonsenseTele said:

I suppose they just didn't adjust the bridge right the last time. I just fear that if I tune the strings tighter they will be totally dead or snap. I just can't believe that I still have this problem. They strings actually feel right, but they are 2 1/2 note down.
 
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.
 
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.

I'm really frustraded about this. I love Ernie Balls, and they beat both the sound and the feel of the GHS' strings, but it has to be some thing of neck or bridge problem. The problem is that I live in rural Central Norway, and there's one single dude who repairs guitars here. It took them over a week to fix it the last time!
 
You have a 0.75 guage D string, and you think it's too tight? Yeah, that sounds about right.

I'm not a fan of traditional string tensions where the low strings are loose and the high strings are tight, but that's just me.
 
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:
 
rapfohl09 said:
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:

I just can't rememer the correct word and I'm lazy now to search it... But gap and be happy :laughing7:
 
NonsenseTele said:
rapfohl09 said:
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:

I think you mean "slOt" Nando.  A "slUt" is something quote different  :icon_tongue:
:glasses9:


I just can't rememer the correct word and I'm lazy now to search it... But gap and be happy :laughing7:
 
jimh said:
NonsenseTele said:
rapfohl09 said:
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:

I think you mean "slOt" Nando.  A "slUt" is something quote different  :icon_tongue:
:glasses9:
I think you mean "quIte," Jim. A "quOte" is not at all the some.
 
Max said:
jimh said:
NonsenseTele said:
rapfohl09 said:
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:

I think you mean "slOt" Nando.  A "slUt" is something quote different  :icon_tongue:
:glasses9:
I think you mean "quIte," Jim. A "quOte" is not at all the some.

I think you mean "sAme" Max  :icon_tongue:

Hahahaha    :icon_thumright:
 
jimh said:
Max said:
jimh said:
NonsenseTele said:
rapfohl09 said:
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:

I think you mean "slOt" Nando.  A "slUt" is something quote different  :icon_tongue:
:glasses9:
I think you mean "quIte," Jim. A "quOte" is not at all the some.

I think you mean "sAme" Max  :icon_tongue:

Hahahaha    :icon_thumright:
Yep, and I put that typo in in hopes that it could carry on the typo string.
 
Jack Michaelson said:
You have a 0.75 guage D string, and you think it's too tight? Yeah, that sounds about right.

I'm not a fan of traditional string tensions where the low strings are loose and the high strings are tight, but that's just me.

I like the deeper sound of it, but it's just impossible to tune right because the neck or the bridge is set up wrong. It's a little stiffer than the GHS string was, but the sound is better.
 
If the only thing that's different from before is the strings, then I'm guessing it's the strings.

If the action on that bridge saddle is set too high that may cause the string to feel tighter, but not that much.

I'm not sure how the neck could be causing this, please explain.

That string may just be to big for the tuning you want.

To me, a 0.65 is more than tight enough.
 
Changing guages on any stringed instrument requires a new setup.  New truss rod adjustment, new intonation, new action, new nut slots.  And no, the gap between the fretboard and body makes no difference at all.
 
jimh said:
NonsenseTele said:
rapfohl09 said:
NonsenseTele said:
I'm not sure what can it be the problem, honestly. But the gap between the fretboard and the body under it DON'T give any problem.

The adjusting on the bridge is normal to each different tunning you do. Check it and check also if the neck is streight or curved... Perhaps putting carbon powder on the nut's sluts can help too.


Bahaha, sorry I couldn't help but point this out :toothy12:

I just can't remember the correct word and I'm lazy now to search it... But gap and be happy :laughing7:
I think you mean "slOt" Nando.  A "slUt" is something quote different  :icon_tongue:
:glasses9:

Yes, I realized it when I was less sleepy :laughing7:
 
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