Jaguar Intonation

[Ice Tre]

Greetings,

Recently I bought a Johnny Marr Jaguar. I really like the guitar. I think the tone is fantastic, both pickups and all combinations. My only problem is intonation for first position chords. I find that ALL guitars go slightly sharp on the second and third frets, but the problem is worse with the Jaguar. Is that because of the shorter scale length? This is the first 24" scale length? I'm used to the longer scale length guitars, like the Jazzmaster, which has a 25 1/2" scale length. My Les Paul also has a problem with intonation on the 2nd and 3rd frets, although not as bad as the Jaguar, and it's in between in scale length-- 24 3/4". So it seems that there is correlation between scale length and intonation. Is that just something you have to live with if you have a short scale length guitar?

[Larry Mal]

No, and really, even on guitars with poor intonation you would not expect to notice it on the first five frets. Really, I tend to not expect intonation problems until after the twelfth fret, at the worst.

I don't think you have a handle on what your problem is. Maybe the nut?

[Embenny]

Make sure the nut is filed deep enough. High action at the nut will make the first few frets disproportionately sharp.

Other than that, check your technique - a death grip will pull notes sharp, but all the more so on short scales. If you're finding that all guitars are sharp in the first few frets, it's quite likely that you're putting more pressure than you need to. Nobody likes to think that there could be a problem with their technique, but I've had quite a few students who have had this issue, and have seen it in more experienced guitarists as well...

I have noticed that my shortscales go sharper with added string pressure than my 25.5" scale guitars, while my basses hardly do it at all. I suppose the shorter the scale, the proportionately-larger the displacement of the string as you stretch it over the fret with extra pressure or something like that.

[andy_tchp]

Make sure the nut is filed deep enough. High action at the nut will make the first few frets disproportionately sharp.

Other than that, check your technique - a death grip will pull notes sharp, but all the more so on short scales. If you're finding that all guitars are sharp in the first few frets, it's quite likely that you're putting more pressure than you need to. Nobody likes to think that there could be a problem with their technique, but I've had quite a few students who have had this issue, and have seen it in more experienced guitarists as well...

I have noticed that my shortscales go sharper with added string pressure than my 25.5" scale guitars, while my basses hardly do it at all. I suppose the shorter the scale, the proportionately-larger the displacement of the string as you stretch it over the fret with extra pressure or something like that.

Agreed with all of this.

For a long time I used to experience similar, caused by issues with technique - way too much pressure from the fretting hand/fingers.

Also, once I learned to cut nut slots properly I noticed that most guitars I picked up didn't have the slots cut deeply enough from the factory (including my AVRI Jaguar).

Getting them right makes a HUGE difference to the 'in-tune-ness' of the first handful of frets. If they're too high even playing with the lightest touch will still have notes fretting sharp, especially noticeable on the first fret of the G, B and E strings.

[Ice Tre]

Thanks for the tips, everybody. Regarding the death grip, that was definitely a problem in the past, but I've worked on that and gotten better. However, when I'm checking this intonation problem, I very consciously press the strings just enough so they don't buzz, and right behind the fret, but they are still sharp.

Regarding the nut, how can I tell if it's not cut enough? Looking at it, the strings seem to be resting on the bottom of the slot, but they do seem rather snug. If it needs to be cut more, is that something I could easily do myself, or should I take it to a guitar tech?

Thanks again for the help.

[Embenny]

Thanks for the tips, everybody. Regarding the death grip, that was definitely a problem in the past, but I've worked on that and gotten better. However, when I'm checking this intonation problem, I very consciously press the strings just enough so they don't buzz, and right behind the fret, but they are still sharp.

Regarding the nut, how can I tell if it's not cut enough? Looking at it, the strings seem to be resting on the bottom of the slot, but they do seem rather snug. If it needs to be cut more, is that something I could easily do myself, or should I take it to a guitar tech?

Thanks again for the help.

It's simple. If you have feeler gauges or a caliper (or ruler+good enough eyes), check the action at the first fret (distance from top of fret to the string). Now capo at the third fret and repeat. Ideally, it should be the same. If it's higher at the nut, you can file it (or have it filed) down to give consistent action. You'll also need a set of nut files, as you need a number of different widths for the different strings. Lots of good videos on YouTube to show you the technique - go slowly and methodically and keep re-checking to prevent going too low, and maintain the correct angle (downward toward the headstock end) or else you end up with buzzing from a flat slot.

I'm with Andy - until I started filing my own nuts, I never realized how many of my guitars had this issue. TONS of expensive guitars have passed through my hands, acoustic and electric, with nuts that weren't cut deep enough. I like my guitars to play as if they have a zero-fret - for the action to be even across the fretboard.

If you don't have the tools for this, any half-decent repair tech or luthier should be able to do this for you (and some would even include it as part of a standard setup). Makes a night-and-day difference IMO.

[andy_tchp]

I go with the 'press down string between second and third frets and check clearance at first fret' method described here:

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musicia ... ction.html

I aim for about the thickness of a piece of paper, or less. Yes, I mean almost no clearance at all.

My guitars play much, much 'sweeter' on the low frets since fixing (all of) them up.

[Embenny]

I go with the 'press down string between second and third frets and check clearance at first fret' method described here:

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musicia ... ction.html

I aim for about the thickness of a piece of paper, or less. Yes, I mean almost no clearance at all.

My guitars play much, much 'sweeter' on the low frets since fixing (all of) them up.

Whoops, I meant "capo at the third fret and repeat". That's more or less what I do, too.