Tele Player 2 Modified cant get intonation correct

[SpiseStol]

Hi,

I recently bought a Tele Player 2 Modified that I have tried to intonate with no luck, all of the string were sharp, the worst (low E and G) over 10 cents and with the individual bridges moved completely to "the right" and the springs fully compressed they are still around 5 cents sharp. I love the guitar, but I expect this to be working correctly on a brand new instrument. Any tips on how to proceed?

 

[Doublechinmask]

Did you try with the new strings?

 

[Guerilla Electro]

you can either cut the sptings , or add small washers behind the bridge if you don't want to cut the springs .
I just put flatwounds on my Bullet Mustang and I had to add 3 tiny washers behind the bridge for the low E string : worked just fine !

 

[msalama]

add small washers

How's that work if the spring is all squeezed in? The saddle can't move further back if it's fully compressed.

 

[SpiseStol]

@Doublechinmask - Yes I just changed the strings.

@Guerilla Electro, so you replaced the spring with small washers?

 

[Doublechinmask]

That really only happened to me with old strings. At one point I pushed my first saddle so far to front it was comical and E and B were still not in tune.

Put new strings and I had to back off that saddle to its regular place to be in tune again.

Thought maybe something similar is happening here.

I d try with spring that has less coils/resistance so you can get saddle to move more to the right.

But It seems weird it happens on new guitar. Should be a breeze to set up intonation.

 

[Wrighty]

you can either cut the sptings , or add small washers behind the bridge if you don't want to cut the springs .
I just put flatwounds on my Bullet Mustang and I had to add 3 tiny washers behind the bridge for the low E string : worked just fine !

I’m not getting this, where do you put the washers in order to lengthen the string? Probably me being thick but…………….

 

[msalama]

so you replaced the spring with small washers?

This'd work, but you'd need an exact thickness there or it'd still be off.

 

[msalama]

being thick but

Can't see how it'd work if you leave the springs in there, either.

 

[SpiseStol]

That really only happened to me with old strings. At one point I pushed my first saddle so far to front it was comical and E and B were still not in tune.

Put new strings and I had to back off that saddle to its regular place to be in tune again.

Thought maybe something similar is happening here.

I d try with spring that has less coils/resistance so you can get saddle to move more to the right.

But It seems weird it happens on new guitar. Should be a breeze to set up intonation.

Thanks! I thought the strings might be the problem so I replaced them but they are still sharp. It feels like the whole bridge is just to far in front somehow.

I also expecteded this to work flawlessly on a new guitar.

 

[Matthias]

If your pickups are very high they mess with intonation at the higher strings. It can create some very unusual effects. Not really a cause of saddles shifting though.

Otherwise, the order you do the set up makes a lot of difference. Intonation should be the last thing you do, and after the neck has settled from the last truss rod tweaks.

Another culprit, perhaps most likely, can be the neck being loose/misaligned in the pocket and either the neck or saddles shifting when you start playing. If the issue is truly the saddles moving, it could be due to a misaligned neck or a badly cut nut. A pic of the nut and strings at highest fret would help, and a pic of where the neck heel meets the body. Neck alignment issues can be an easy fix on a bolt-on.

 

[BigPapa-53]

Try a different tuner or put a new battery in yours.

 

[bumnote]

@Doublechinmask - Yes I just changed the strings.

That's probably a major reason. In fact I'd bet money on it. Old strings are better since they've already been played in and stretched, I swapped a neck on a Strat body a few weeks ago and did my set-up with the old strings first...then put on new strings.

Pickup up height? Too high and the pull on the strings will be effected.

Method. What method are you using? They are different ways of setting intonation, I check using the 3rd and 15th fret instead of the 12th harmonic and open string method. It simply works best for me.

 

[SpiseStol]

That's probably a major reason. In fact I'd bet money on it. Old strings are better since they've already been played in and stretched, I swapped a neck on a Strat body a few weeks ago and did my set-up with the old strings first...then put on new strings.

Pickup up height? Too high and the pull on the strings will be effected.

Method. What method are you using? They are different ways of setting intonation, I check using the 3rd and 15th fret instead of the 12th harmonic and open string method. It simply works best for me.

Thanks for the suggestions!, will try 3rd - 15th and adjusting the pickups. I did try to intonate with the old strings first with a similar result.

 

[Buzzgrowl]

It's your nut. It's cut to high, which is normal for newly bought guitars.

Find a good repitable luthier or tech and get them to file/adjust your nut. They will ask you what action you like and how flat do you like your neck.

If they don't ask you this, they may not know what they are doing.

On a minor note I hope you have a precise quality tuner.

 

[sammy1974]

@SpiseStol can you measure from the 12th fret to the saddle contact point and give us a reading?

 

[Ricky D.]

Brand new guitar. Return it.

Likely the bridge is not in the correct position. You should have ample adjustment available.

 

[Wrighty]

@SpiseStol can you measure from the 12th fret to the saddle contact point and give us a reading?

This is always my starting point, should in initially about the same as from 12th to the front edge of the nut.

 

[Alex_C]

To check if the nut is the issue, hold the string at the first fret (capo) and check at the 13th fret. If that works, then the nut needs to be re-cut.
You can move the spring to the screw side. That will give you more range. The guitar should be somewhat intonated from the factory. For me, that would warrant a return.

 

[Peegoo]

@SpiseStol

Do me a favor: measure the distance from the front of the nut (the side of the nut against the fretboard) to exact spot where the high E string breaks over the top of the bridge saddle. It should be 25.5" or 647.7mm, or just a teensy bit longer.

What is the measurement on your guitar?