Advice on a ukulele with intonation issues

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daydreamyrrh

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Hi

Over a year ago I purchased a Kala KA-CG from a well-known and highly-recommend uke vendor with the set-up included. It was my first uke and really enjoyed playing it. Now after playing it and learning what ukes are supposed to sound like, I'm finding that the intonation is off (a bit sharp) along the fretboard for the middle strings. I wasn't sure what to do so I called the store and explained the issue. The person seemed concerned and recommended that I change the strings. So I purchased new strings and gave them several weeks to stretch. Still sharp. I read some intonation threads about pressing the strings too hard and I'm pressing them normally. It is weird or unreasonable to ask the store to check the set up? Or is this just the results of buying a $100 uke? I would like to buy a really nice uke this year, but I would still like to be able to use this one for travel. I want to believe my experience is not the norm, but I'm very hesitant to buy from them again. I even thought about trying to fix the nut myself but I don't want to make the problem worse.

Thanks in advance,
daydreamyrrh
 
Can you quantify for us just how sharp its going in cents? Do you have an accurate electronic tuner?

Going a little sharp is unfortunately normal on ukuleles and the smaller sizes are more difficult to make accurately. How much of an issue comes down to how sharp its going and on what frets its going sharp.
 
Is a high nut something that I should fix myself? Would it be weird to take it back to the vendor or should I not bother them about it? Should I expect these issues with every uke I buy?
 
Thanks for responding. I think it is off by more than 2 cents. I have pictures from the E string just in case I am reading it incorrectly.View attachment 107510View attachment 107511View attachment 107512View attachment 107513

That's quite a bit out and you can expect better. I'm guessing either a really HIGH nut or more likely the nut is inaccurately placed. Take it back.

EDIT: When you take it back show them exactly what you have shown us in the photos and ask them to fix this specifically. If you don't point it out and just make a general complaint they will likely ignore it and say they checked it and was fine.

Its not fine.
 
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Yes, looks like the nut slots might be a bit high. Easy to fix yourself and not really a warranty issue. An additional way to go would be to try strings of different gauges.
 
Could be a range of things depending on where it’s going out - low frets or high.

Like most things the fixes range from the easy to the difficult.

First thing I would do is change strings - large proportion on intonation issues I see are down to duff strings, even new packs can have flawed strings,

Beyond that you are looking at adjusting saddle (easy ish) - height above crown of 12th fret should ideally be lower than 3mm

Or it could be high but slots (more difficult) - check thst by fretting at the third. String should only just kiss top of first fret or leave minuscule gap. If there is lots of daylight this could be issue.

Beyond that looking at whether fret positions and bridge are in right place (much more difficult fix)
 
I'm not buying the argument that its the strings that are usually at fault. Can they be at fault? Well yes they can be at fault. If your ukulele has been playing in tune for a long time and starts to play out of tune then yes, its the strings.

I've got out my ruler and measured up a lot of ukuleles and I've seen a lot of errors in construction on the rule. Changing strings won't fix a thing in this case and inaccurate construction is common in ukuleles.
 
Could be a range of things depending on where it’s going out - low frets or high.

Like most things the fixes range from the easy to the difficult.

First thing I would do is change strings - large proportion on intonation issues I see are down to duff strings, even new packs can have flawed strings,

Beyond that you are looking at adjusting saddle (easy ish) - height above crown of 12th fret should ideally be lower than 3mm

Or it could be high but slots (more difficult) - check thst by fretting at the third. String should only just kiss top of first fret or leave minuscule gap. If there is lots of daylight this could be issue.

Beyond that looking at whether fret positions and bridge are in right place (much more difficult fix)

I agree with Baz that the strings might be the best place to start, bad strings are more common than people realize. It could have been OK when it left the dealer, sometimes strings stretch out unevenly and can cause those problems. I don't think it is the bridge placement or it wouldn't just be the middle strings out of intonation.
 
Thank you everyone for your feedback. It sounds like a few are saying that need to change the strings even though I just changed them several weeks ago. If so, at what point do I stop changing string and ask for a better set up?
 
Ha ha - that is something of a dilemma. Those of use advising on strings first comes from the fact that, as hoosierhiver says above - bad strings are more common than most people think. They can launch into adjusting things that don’t need it, and we are trying to advise to avoid that. Whilst two sets of bad strings on the bounce is likely to be uncommon, it ‘could’ happen I guess. Still, worth the string change once I would say.

Oh and DONT do that tugging stretching stuff when you put them on. Sure fire way to create issues
 
...or do I even go back to the store to fix the set up? Sorry for all the questions but I'm unsure of their ability to fix it to the way it should be.
 
That depends if you want a quick resolution or want to get to bottom of it yourself I suppose. Understanding what is causing things like this is a valuable thing to learn.
 
I would try messing around with it yourself. You'll learn a few things about your ukulele.

What does messing around mean? I've seen videos of a real setup (something that I'm obviously lacking) and there are special tools and supplies involved. Where do I get these tools? If I make it worse how will I be able to go back to the store to get it fixed? I will be blamed for messing it up. While I'm not opposed to learning about my instrument, I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick... especially since I paid for a professional setup and did not receive it. Sorry to vent my frustrations, but this doesn't seem fair.
 
Thank you everyone for your feedback. It sounds like a few are saying that need to change the strings even though I just changed them several weeks ago. If so, at what point do I stop changing string and ask for a better set up?

Its NOT the strings at fault. Strings are BLAMED for the fault far more than they actually ARE the fault. People BLAME the strings for the fault so often that some come to believe that strings commonly are at fault. The most common error in ukuleles is inaccurate construction. Its endemic but no one in the industry cares to admit this.

In years gone by they got away with it but these days with everyone having accurate electronic tuners it easier to pick up on but the industry is still unwilling to fix the problems because it costs money to do so.

Take it back to the shop and ask them to fix the specific problem. The most likely cause of the problem is an inaccurately placed nut.
 
Thanks for responding. I think it is off by more than 2 cents. I have pictures from the E string just in case I am reading it incorrectly.View attachment 107510View attachment 107511View attachment 107512View attachment 107513

OK. this thread is likely to get a little heated between me and some others.

Can you draw yourself up a little grid and check each fret of each string up to fret 12 and write down if its going sharp or flat and by how much? There are going to be to many pictures to post but we need a better idea of the trend and whether its all strings or just one or 2.

What you have picture strongly suggest that its the nut at fault but more data would be good.

Is it just one string or all the strings going sharp that's a very important question to answer.
Do they start sharp but get better up the neck stay the same up the neck or get worse up the neck is also a very important question to answer.
 
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