Uke intonation issue

merlin666

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Messages
3,548
Reaction score
1,863
Location
Canada Prairies, brrr ....
I have Gretsch G9120-SM tenor which came with Aquila Nylgut strings, and when one of them broke I put on a set of d'Addario Titanium strings. These strings are quite soft and thick and did not fit the nut slots so I took it to the luthier who widened the nut slots. Though the strings now had a good fit in the nut the intonation was way off. Playing anything in first second, third bar etc was sharp. This was enhanced by the softness of the strings that bend easy. The luthier suggested work on the saddle to compensate it, but I wanted to see if it settles and tried with tuning compromises. As this did not improve I took them off and replaced with a Aquila Super Nylgut with a red low G, and I thought it was good for about two weeks.

Now I feel that certain chords (e.g. G, D) sound off and the E string is a bit sharp when fretted, but sounds good open. Is it possible that changes in weather affect intonation? I am inclined to order a saddle on eBay to experiment with compensating it. Can you recommend any instructions on doing that, or have any other suggestions what could be going on. The uke was perfect when I bought it, even stayed in tune for weeks. But since I changed strings it's not right anymore ...
 
Sounds like the action is high at the nut. I had an instrument with a similar issue, Rick Turner did a quick adjustment and all is good. Have a luthier look at it and set it up for the strings you want to use.
 
I met Mike DaSilva a couple years ago, and he said that a big problem from mass-produced ukuleles was nut placement and height. Some manufacturers have the nut so high that the first fret should actually be SMALLER than the second.

Personally, because I'm rubbish at things like this, I'd take it to a guitar tech/luthier and have them shorten the nut. Of course, they might strum it a couple times, and say that the problem is something totally different.

The concept behind intonation is simple. But all the factors that come together in making a note happen, quickly complicate things.

I'd also say, don't underestimate your ability to go a bit mental listening to small details. I'd have someone else listen, just to make sure you hear what you think you're hearing. My ears are not as always as honest as I would want them to be.

Must be revenge for years of abuse......
 
Pardon the pun, but something sounds wrong about the new strings. When strings bend too easy, that can mean inadequate tension exists. Inadequate tension will throw off intonation as much as anything, and can mean problems with the strings in general.

Just compared the D'Addario Titanium strings (tenor size - part number EJ87T) to Aquila NylGut (tenor size) in the high-G GCEA packages. While the d'Adds are listed in inches and the Aquilas in millimeters, the actual string diameters one-for-one are the same. That makes me wonder why the nut was resized, as the existing slotting (unless that was fouled from the beginning) should have been fine.

Is there any chance that the d'Add strings in the package were baritone strings (part number EJ87B) as the diameters of these strings are indeed larger than the tenors?
 
Just compared the D'Addario Titanium strings (tenor size - part number EJ87T) to Aquila NylGut (tenor size) in the high-G GCEA packages. While the d'Adds are listed in inches and the Aquilas in millimeters, the actual string diameters one-for-one are the same.

I just checked the package to make sure and it definitely says EJ87T. While d'addario is pretty good about publishing their string gauges I can't find the equivalent information on the Aquila package or their website, not even a google search helped much. But I find them much thinner and stiffer than the Titaniums.
 
Take a paperclip, straighten it out as perfectly as you can, then (carefully) pass it between the strings and fingerboard between the nut and 1st fret. Move it back gently until it is pressed against the nut and held in place by the tension of the strings. Now try it.
 
D'Addario Titanium strings are thicker than many other strings, which tends to sharpen intonation. Changing to a different brand of strings (e.g. Worth, which are thinner) should get intonation on your instrument back on track, or at least moving in the right direction.

Intonation is defitinely a tricky issue on short scaled instruments, with many different factors weighing in, like string gauges, action height, compensation at the saddle and/or the nut etc. Ideally, you'd have to compensate each brand of strings differently, so the best the builders can do is to set up their instruments to specs that will work with most average strings.
 
I just checked the package to make sure and it definitely says EJ87T. While d'addario is pretty good about publishing their string gauges I can't find the equivalent information on the Aquila package or their website, not even a google search helped much. But I find them much thinner and stiffer than the Titaniums.

I remember D'Addario used to sell their guitar strings as ukulele strings, the outer package said ukulele strings and listed the gauges, but when you opened the pack the individual string sleeves were clearly marked as guitar strings with similar guages, but not the same guages. I don't know if they still do that or not.
 
Top Bottom