Silver Sky Low E String Intonation Problems

[sixstringoverdrive]

Hi Everyone,

While intonation the low e-string on my silver sky (USA), it's acting like the saddle is moving or something. The tuner will read in tune, then flat, then sharp, then maybe flat again - it's just all over the place. Sometimes it will show the note holding one pitch, others it just keeps moving.

It's happened with new strings, week old strings, old strings - doesn't seem to matter. And it only happens on the low e string. Bridge is decked, the screws for the claw and tremolo and locked down tight so the bridge isn't moving.

Am I missing something?

 

[Rider1260]

you could be getting some string pull from the pickup magnets , does it happen in all pickup positions ???
Have you tried a different tuner ?
Is there any string buzz at all ?
Try muting all the other strings.
When you play does it seem as if the intonation is good ??
Try setting the Volume of the guitar to 9 or 8.

 

[andy474x]

Also, what gauge strings? Light strings might cause oddball interfering order vibrations (if that’s even a term for such things) because their lack of tension allows them to behave that way.

 

[sixstringoverdrive]

Also, what gauge strings? Light strings might cause oddball interfering order vibrations (if that’s even a term for such things) because their lack of tension allows them to behave that way.

Using NYXL 10-46 strings, guitar came setup for 10’a from PRS.

 

[sixstringoverdrive]

you could be getting some string pull from the pickup magnets , does it happen in all pickup positions ???
Have you tried a different tuner ?
Is there any string buzz at all ?
Try muting all the other strings.
When you play does it seem as if the intonation is good ??
Try setting the Volume of the guitar to 9 or 8.

Pickups are set to factory spec, but maybe. I’ll try dropping them and see what happens.

A different tuber helps sometimes but not always. No string buzz, when I play it does seem off a bit.

 

[JasonE]

Use a pickup that has a tone knob for it and turn the tone knob all the way down and see if it still does it. I have worked on many guitars where cutting the top end of the signal makes the tuner act more stable.

 

[Lewguitar]

Pickups are set to factory spec, but maybe. I’ll try dropping them and see what happens.

A different tuber helps sometimes but not always. No string buzz, when I play it does seem off a bit.

Temporarily adjust the neck and middle pickups away from the strings, especially on the low E side. Maybe the bridge pickup too.

You want zero string pull from the magnets.

See if you can set your intonation.

If you can, when you're all done, re-adjust your pickups so when you hold the low E down at the highest fret the polepiece under it is about 1/8" away from the underside of the string. 1/16" or so on th high E side.

Find the sweet spot. The best compromise.

You might be able to move your bridge pickup closer to the strings than the neck and middle. It's tighter coming right off the bridge saddles and the string is less susceptible to being pulled out of tune by the magnetic polepiece under it.

Listen for string warble from your bass strings when you're moving the pickups back up again. If you hear more "out of tuneness" than you can stand, move the pickups further away in 1/16" increments until it's acceptable to you.

 

[John F]

Some ideas: I would check the screws on the tuner are tight. A loose tuner can shift tuning. Check the neck screws too, make sure it isn’t moving during play. Lift the string off the saddle, see if the saddle moves excessively. Possible the saddle screw holes are loose making the saddle floppy? The saddle height screws should be adjusted to make the saddle flat to the bridge. Sometimes the saddle is tilted which can cause the string to move sideways in the saddle and change the tuning while playing. Look closely at the surface of the saddle, check for burrs that could cause the string to bind when moving across it. Loosen the string enough to make it floppy and see how easily it slides in the nut. If the nut slot is cut too narrow the string can bind causing erratic tuning. If you don’t have fret files, some very fine sandpaper wrapped around a piece of ‘D’ or ‘A’ string can slightly enlarge the nut if worked gently. Don’t deepen the slot though. Some nut lube or pencil graphite worked into the nut slot might help. Look at the amount of wrap you have at the tuner. I like about half a wrap or more to avoid the uneven surface of the tuner hole where the string exits if the string is pulled tight then locked.

Hope you find the problem!