Floyd Rose Intonation Problem (Help?)

[ricksdisconnected]

skinnier low E string,

is the saddle all the way forward?

your knife edges could be worn forcing the entire bridge forward

a tech worth driving to could have diagnosed that

knife edge was my first thought too.

 

[ricksdisconnected]

I’m pretty sure it’s a 1,000 series.

most likely.

 

[WillyW]

Lets get detailed pics of the knife edge AND the posts, especially the bevel where the knife edge sits.

here’s a pic of a bitchin charvel to inspire you

 

[Dblgun]

Can you post some pictures of the guitar, specifically the trem and pickup areas.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Change the strings. The only time I encoutered that problem, it was a bad string.

It's certainly a cheap enough experiment.

 

[WillyW]

Change the strings. The only time I encoutered that problem, it was a bad string.

It's certainly a cheap enough experiment.

good idea.. toss a set of 8-38’s just to make me happy

 

[crossroadsnyc]

I think I may have just stumbled onto something. Before I took the guitar in, I had taken some of the relief out of the neck, as I prefer the neck to be as flat as I can get it with the lowest action I can get before it starts to buzz. Well, when I got it back, I noticed that the extra relief in the neck was back, so I figured he must have just set it the way he usually does (which actually kinda irked me, as I specifically told him what I wanted). Well, I set it up again last night the way that I like it, and when I just went to pick it up again just a moment ago, I noticed that action was higher … and yep, the relief in the neck came back as well. I’m starting to wonder if maybe there’s an issue w/the truss rod slipping? That would help make sense of what might be going on.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

Yeah, I’ll snap some pictures tomorrow when there is some daylight.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

Change the strings. The only time I encoutered that problem, it was a bad string.

It's certainly a cheap enough experiment.

It’s already been done twice.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Might it be pickup magnet pull? Too strong magnets, too close to the strings, pulling them out of intonation? Lower the pickups to test.

 

[DirtySteve]

Actually, I’d feel comfortable dropping off a guitar with you … you’ve shown some really nice work over the years!

I appreciate the confidence, man, but I don’t know if I could work on someone else’s guitar, especially a friends. I mean, it’s one thing to screw up my own guitar, but it’s something else entirely to screw up someone else’s.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

Might it be pickup magnet pull? Too strong magnets, too close to the strings, pulling them out of intonation? Lower the pickups to test.

Yeah, that came up earlier in the thread, but it’s been my understanding that it would cause it to go sharp rather than flat … am I wrong on this? You’re not gonna damage my ego by telling me I’m wrong … wouldn’t be the first time, and wouldn’t be the last!

 

[PowerTube44]

This is the biggest frustration I’m facing, as I have the saddle literally as far forward as it will go. In fact, given it’s at the max, I’d expect it to be sharp at this point rather than still being flat. It’s a hair pulling frustration level. I literally don’t know what else to do, as everything else is seemingly perfectly in balance.

This is probably a stupid question, but I wanted to put it to rest. When you say that it's as far forward as it will go, I assume that means that the little screw that holds the saddle down is also in the furthest forward (toward the neck) position? Floyd's have three positions for those. I've seen some that wouldn't intonate until the saddle was protruding slightly past the bridge plate.

Also, did you test it with the open/12th fret harmonic method? Personally, I have better success doing open and VERY lightly fretting the 12th.

 

[PowerTube44]

Yeah, that came up earlier in the thread, but it’s been my understanding that it would cause it to go sharp rather than flat … am I wrong on this? You’re not gonna damage my ego by telling me I’m wrong … wouldn’t be the first time, and wouldn’t be the last!

That's easy enough to eliminate. Just lower the pickup down as far as it'll go while intonating.

 

[PowerTube44]

I think I may have just stumbled onto something. Before I took the guitar in, I had taken some of the relief out of the neck, as I prefer the neck to be as flat as I can get it with the lowest action I can get before it starts to buzz. Well, when I got it back, I noticed that the extra relief in the neck was back, so I figured he must have just set it the way he usually does (which actually kinda irked me, as I specifically told him what I wanted). Well, I set it up again last night the way that I like it, and when I just went to pick it up again just a moment ago, I noticed that action was higher … and yep, the relief in the neck came back as well. I’m starting to wonder if maybe there’s an issue w/the truss rod slipping? That would help make sense of what might be going on.

The truss rod should never be adjusted for action. That should be strictly on the height of the bridge and saddles.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

This is probably a stupid question, but I wanted to put it to rest. When you say that it's as far forward as it will go, I assume that means that the little screw that holds the saddle down is also in the furthest forward (toward the neck) position? Floyd's have three positions for those. I've seen some that wouldn't intonate until the saddle was protruding slightly past the bridge plate.

Also, did you test it with the open/12th fret harmonic method? Personally, I have better success doing open and VERY lightly fretting the 12th.

Not a stupid question at all. Yes, it’s maxed out as in it’s in the first hole (toward the pups), and it’s literally maxed out as far as it’ll go. Seriously though, very good question.

Yep, I tune to the open string, and then match the 12th fret harmonic to make sure they match. The problem here is that while I’m able to intonate the other 5 strings, it’s the low E that remains flat.

 

[steveb63]

Might even try a new locking block- insert. Where the string is clamped Lol.

You know, what I mean if you have an extra, or off of another?

 

[crossroadsnyc]

The truss rod should never be adjusted for action. That should be strictly on the height of the bridge and saddles.

I do both. Too much relief makes the action too high for me. I set the neck where I like it, and then adjust the string height from there. I’ve been doing it this way for decades.

 

[PowerTube44]

Not a stupid question at all. Yes, it’s maxed out as in it’s in the first hole (toward the pups), and it’s literally maxed out as far as it’ll go. Seriously though, very good question.

Yep, I tune to the open string, and then match the 12th fret harmonic to make sure they match. The problem here is that while I’m able to intonate the other 5 strings, it’s the low E that remains flat.

Do you mean that the open or the octave remains flat? If it's the octave (12th fret) that's flat, that means there too much distance between the 12th fret and the bridge.

That means the saddle needs to be moved further away from the neck, not closer.

 

[PowerTube44]

I do both. Too much relief makes the action too high for me. I set the neck where I like it, and then adjust the string height from there. I’ve been doing it this way for decades.

I see. Yeah, I do the same. I add or reduce relief until it has a very slight buzz, then take it a bit the other way.