Guitar notes are in tune when open but out of tune on the fretboard!

[lewysg]

I just bought a new Squier classic vibe Jazzmaster.
The shop did a basic set up when I bought the guitar but after a few days I decided to swap out the 9s for 11s. I noticed after a few days of playing that my notes sounded a little off.

When I ran my guitar through a tuner I noticed that the strings were in tune when open but were sharp by about a quarter step when I played on the fretboard - even on the first fret.

I thought the intonation may be a little off but the fact that the notes are so out of tune on just the first fret made me think it may be a little more to it than that!

Has this happened to anyone before? Any advice on how to solve it?

[marqueemoon]

Out of tune at the first fret often means the nut slots are too high, so you’re pulling notes sharp when you fret them.

That’s a decent change in string gauge, so it probably needs to be re-intonated and set up.

[Embenny]

Yep, high nut slots. Almost every single factory-made guitar I've played has come from with the nut slots cut too shallow and/or narrow to some degree. I really wish more guitars employed zero frets, it's such an idiot-proof way to ensure great action with less variability.

Once that is sorted, the other issue can be death-gripping the neck. The taller the frets, the sharper you can pull a string by using more pressure than is needed. Unless the frets are tiny, you can pull just about any note sharp by pressing too hard.

[zhivago]

I suspect the nut slots are also too narrow for the thicker strings, so they would probably need to be looked at too.

Plus the extra tension may have affected the neck, so the truss rod would most likely need an adjustment.

Juts take it in for a setup.

[jorri]

First Fret being sharp is just a high nut. And elsewhere, like high up the neck, require the bridge intonation screws.

[jvin248]

.

If you upsized the strings it's not the factory setup.

+1 nut slots need to be fixed. Test is fret the 3rd fret and you should only have 1-2 sheets of paper gap at the first fret.
+1 intonation due to larger strings. Some guitars have trouble moving the low-E intonation far enough back.

Careful cutting the nut, the slots need to fall away faster than the strings on the headstock side or you'll have sitar sounds when playing open strings.

.

[gusgorman]

As jvin248 has said the reason you have this problem is because you changed string gauge from 9 to 11s.

Jumping up string gauges like this will always require some sort of set up. Worth remembering in future. For example, I did this on a Les Paul a few years ago and the extra tension on the neck meant it needed a truss rod adjustment. On a strat it would prob mean you need to adjust the springs for the tremelo etc.

[DeathJag]

I have a set of files but have been too scared to use em. I’m wondering if one can file nuts using the desired strings, running em back and forth until there’s no gap?

[gjn]

I have a set of files but have been too scared to use em. I’m wondering if one can file nuts using the desired strings, running em back and forth until there’s no gap?

You can but it's a lot harder going than using the files. I use the files along with feeler gauges and i find it works well. The gauges stop you filing too deep.

https://www.stewmac.com/articles-and-vi ... depth.html

[jthomas]

I just had a guitar tech fix a similar problem with a Squier Deluxe Strat. I had played around with it for about 2 years and it still was slightly sharp when fretted, all the way up the neck, but ok when tested with my tuner with open strings (with 9s). I thought that it was the nut.

It took the tech (a very nice guy up here in Maine who I can recommend very highly) only a moment to tell me that the neck had too much relief (so too much string height). I have never been good at evaluating a guitar neck by sighting down it.

If the OPs tuning issue only started when the strings were changed to 11s, then it may indeed be due to the nut slots. If there is any chance that the problem was there before the strings were changed, then the neck should be checked. I suppose that it could also be 1/2 the nut and 1/2 the neck. Heavier strings may have also increased the neck relief.

[timtam]

Some simple inexpensive tools allow you to check if you're in the right ball park: feeler gauges for 1st fret action and neck relief, action gauge for 12th fret action. And saves us assuming what your problem is (although your symptoms do suggest nut slots/first fret action too high).