Alien Deluxe Intonation Problems

[sharp5sharp9]

Hi,

I recently bought an Alien Deluxe 4 string, and I'm having afew intonation problems. I have set the bass up so that the open string and 12th fret are as close as theyre going to be (having a fixed saddle and all) but around the 14th fret and higher it is badly out of tune. Any Ideas? Could it be a fret height problem?
Many thanks

 

[2tone]

If you can't get the intonation perfect on the 12th, the problem will be more noticeable as you go up the neck. Adjusting the truss rod will often affect the intonation, but not much. If it is close you can buy some saddle material and try cutting your own, although I have had to move saddles 3/8" or more to get the intonation right. If it is under warrantee I would see about shipping it back. Warwick is really good about standing behind their products

 

[thefitz]

How's your neck relief looking?

You didn't really indicate whether the neck is sharp or flat past the 12th fret. Tightening or loosening the truss rod actually changes the scale length of the instrument somewhat, and you can help your intonation that way. There's a chance that you might end up with a neck angle/action that is undesirable, so it's a bit of a tradeoff.

If you're finding the notes are flat past the 12th fret, you'll need to shorten the scale length - this can be accomplished by adding more neck relief, i.e. loosening the truss rod.

If you're finding the notes are sharp past the 12th fret, you'll need to lengthen the scale length - this can be accomplished by having less neck relief, i.e. tightening the truss rod.

I don't know how much of a difference this will make, but it will make a difference, and it might be significant enough to help you.

If you're finding that changing your neck relief to the maximum amount you're willing to adjust gets you almost there, I suggest changing string gauge. If the intonation is still flat, get lighter gauge strings and loosen the truss rod. If the intonation is still sharp, get heavier gauge strings and tighten the truss rod.

Make sense?

 

[2tone]

Good points, which begs the question, what have you changed (if anything since you got the bass) and how bad is the intonation? Is it bad all the way across the bridge or is one string worse than the others? If it were my bass, I would expect to be able to adjust the truss rod to my liking and still have decent intonation, or back it would go. All this being said, it is an "acoustic" bass, and you will never get the adjustability or accuracy that you will get with an adjustable bridge.....

 

[Florin]

So this is the answer I got from Marcus:

This is quite usual on an acoustic instrument that above
the 12th fret they slightly get out of tune.

The reason is why the string height is higher than on normal electrical basses this
has a little bit to do with the string vibration and construction
of an acoustic instrument.

He could lover the bridge a little by sanding it down, but than
fret buzzing can appear.

 

[schlobodan]

On my 6 string alien intonation is close to perfect
Even on the 24th fret.

My 4 string is not quite that close but still no issue.