Firebird Intonantion Woes...

[Arnie Guitar]

I bought a used '09 Firebird late last year, and finally got around to checking all of the settings. Truss rod was good, action was close, just a turn or two on each nut, but the intonation was way off. I put on a new set of strings, pulled out my big old Conn Strobo-tuner, and off I went. Every saddle needed attention, but the old girl finally came in. I plugged her in and...um, WTF? It was close, but just off a bit, annoyingly so. Chords sounded like crap. I tried several different tuning methods...yukk. I plugged her into the Conn again and did some checking of other things...I remember reading John Suhr stating he intonated and tuned fretted notes, not open strings, so I compared the 6th string fretted at the third fret for a G, to the 15th fret G. the 15th fret was flat. That same 6th string harmonic at the 12th fret was right on with the string fretted at the 12th fret. Huh, WTF? I know tuning a guitar is always a compromise, but this was screwy.

I put the Firebird down, and while I had the Conn out I wanted to setup a Gibson Custom Shop Split Headstock Explorer I just got. Great guitar, easily the fattest neck I own, a real Louisville Slugger, just like I've heard 50's Gibson necks were...anywho, the 1st, 5th and 6th string saddles needed only the slightest adjustment, plugged her in and...aaahhhh, perfect everywhere on the neck, zero dissonance. Chords sounded beautiful.

I'm going to wrestle with the Firebird some more...maybe the string height at the 1st fret is too high.......................OK, just went and checked both guitars, the Explorer is right down in the weeds, just like it should be. The Firebird is higher, not terribly so, but noticeable to the eye...maybe that's it, although I have guitars with similar first fret height and didn't notice any problems...

Like I said, I'm gonna wrestle with it some more...tomorrow...

[Husky]

I bought a used '09 Firebird late last year, and finally got around to checking all of the settings. Truss rod was good, action was close, just a turn or two on each nut, but the intonation was way off. I put on a new set of strings, pulled out my big old Conn Strobo-tuner, and off I went. Every saddle needed attention, but the old girl finally came in. I plugged her in and...um, WTF? It was close, but just off a bit, annoyingly so. Chords sounded like crap. I tried several different tuning methods...yukk. I plugged her into the Conn again and did some checking of other things...I remember reading John Suhr stating he intonated and tuned fretted notes, not open strings, so I compared the 6th string fretted at the third fret for a G, to the 15th fret G. the 15th fret was flat. That same 6th string harmonic at the 12th fret was right on with the string fretted at the 12th fret. Huh, WTF? I know tuning a guitar is always a compromise, but this was screwy.

I put the Firebird down, and while I had the Conn out I wanted to setup a Gibson Custom Shop Split Headstock Explorer I just got. Great guitar, easily the fattest neck I own, a real Louisville Slugger, just like I've heard 50's Gibson necks were...anywho, the 1st, 5th and 6th string saddles needed only the slightest adjustment, plugged her in and...aaahhhh, perfect everywhere on the neck, zero dissonance. Chords sounded beautiful.

I'm going to wrestle with the Firebird some more...maybe the string height at the 1st fret is too high.......................OK, just went and checked both guitars, the Explorer is right down in the weeds, just like it should be. The Firebird is higher, not terribly so, but noticeable to the eye...maybe that's it, although I have guitars with similar first fret height and didn't notice any problems...

Like I said, I'm gonna wrestle with it some more...tomorrow...

Unfortunately some production factories can have fret slotting issues. They dont cut fret slots on CNC's
First make sure your neck pickup is not to close to the strings, in fact lower both and try fret to fret intonation again.
Next
I would try a Plek guy and have him measure your scale length to see if it is right. I could also digitize it for you to check but you would have to send it to me and it would cost 1 hour of labor

[walterw]

well, there's your plan B!

plan A is to get those nut slots down to where they're supposed to be, which will make everything line up better.

[Arnie Guitar]

Is Husky John Suhr?
If so, I'm honored.:bow

Thanks for the responses, I quietly feared that fret location was the problem.
Man, if it is...............

Now Mr. Suhr, about one of these with a fat neck and a 16" Scott Henderson fretboard...with locking Sperzels...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/amgent57/Guitars/Suhr3P90Strat.jpg

[Tone_Terrific]

If none of the strings will intonate properly and the pattern is similar for all the strings that would suggest fret location errors, to me. But if even one string plays nice all the way up you may have something else going on.:dunno

[909one]

Have the nut cut by a professional.

[dougk]

Unfortunately some production factories can have fret slotting issues. They dont cut fret slots on CNC's


I have a friend (well, Wife's boss) with a CS Les Paul that would never play in tune. I wrestled with the intonation for a couple hours much like the OP. No matter what I did, it just would not play remotely in tune across the fretboard. Only conclusion I could come up with was a incorrectly slotted fretboard.

You might want to look at the fret spacing on your 'bird with a mic and stewmac's calculator to see if any the fret positions jump out at being incorrect.

[mike shaw]

I'd first suspect not so much that the nut is tall but the nut slot take off point is not at the leading edge.
Second, I'd suggest measuring the location of the bridge. It might be misplaced slightly. Can you post pics?