eire Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 I have bought a copy of a Gibson SG guitar - Branded Westbury - It is a nice guitar but tuning is poor. I have put on the best set of strings I can buy in my local store in Dublin. I can tune it to play a perfect Chord, say G, but then if I play C it is slightly out? Someone mentioned it might be intonation? Is there any onyone out there that has had the problem and fixed it? If so how? Anyone one who can suggest the best means of tuning an SG exibiting this problem? Anyone who knows about intonation releting to the SG? Setting up the bridge adjustments? I have an elecronic tuner. Can anybody help me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Can anybody help me? Probably the nut slots aren't deep enough, that will affect tuning on the first few frets. It's normal that the slots are left shallow, since string action is a personal thing, and it costs too much to set up a cheapo guitar like that at the factory. Filing the nut is not necessarily a job you should do yourself, unless you have the right tools and the right information (and don't mind screwing up). Otherwise, you can bring it back to the shop and ask them to set up the guitar for you. Doesn't cost that much and it'll make a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertbart Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 I have bought a copy of a Gibson SG guitar - Branded Westbury - It is a nice guitar but tuning is poor. I have put on the best set of strings I can buy in my local store in Dublin. I can tune it to play a perfect Chord, say G, but then if I play C it is slightly out? Someone mentioned it might be intonation? Is there any onyone out there that has had the problem and fixed it? If so how? Anyone one who can suggest the best means of tuning an SG exibiting this problem? Anyone who knows about intonation releting to the SG? Setting up the bridge adjustments? I have an elecronic tuner. Can anybody help me? Tune each string open with your tuner. Then fret the string at the octave (12th fret) If your tuner says the string is sharpe then move the bridge saddle away from the nut thereby making the string distance longer from the nut. Re-tune that same string open and check again by fretting the octave. Keep doing it until the string is in tune open and at the octave. Now obviously the inverse is true if the string fretted at the octave is flat...then move the saddle toward the nut thereby shortening the string distance from the nut. It is always best to press harder when you fret the octave than you intend to when you play. What this does is make you set the harmonics slightly flat. All fretted instruments are a compensation and can never really play everywhere on the neck in tune. It is better to have your guitar set up a few cents flat than dead on or sharpe. It helps when chording and when playing single notes because you can compensate for flat with vibrato but if anything is sharpe it is displeasing to the ear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camhello Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 Yup - definitely intone the guitar. I also own a Westbury - it's an amazing guitar, the height of the Japanese invasion in the late '70s/early 80's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadmike Posted February 26, 2007 Report Share Posted February 26, 2007 have you JUST bought it? most places i know of give a years warranty on guitars and would fix a problem like that for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eire Posted February 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 have you JUST bought it? most places i know of give a years warranty on guitars and would fix a problem like that for free. Thanks for the response - the guitar is 15- 20 years old - I bought it from a friend because I like the action but didn't realise the problem with tuning - the guy who sold it to me does not play and didn't know of the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eire Posted February 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Yup - definitely intone the guitar. I also own a Westbury - it's an amazing guitar, the height of the Japanese invasion in the late '70s/early 80's. Thanks for the responce. Do you have trouble with the tuning or have you sorted it out? I have only owned this guitar for a short time - bought it from a friend who does not play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToneMonkey Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 I'd take it somewhere for a proper set up. It sounds like it could do with it. My luthier mate charges about £30 which includes stoning frets etc, I think that this sort of thing would pay dividends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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