I have a 2001 D30. I recently started using an open D tuning and notice that when I play chords or notes higher up on the neck, it starts sounding out of tune. There is a noticeable shift in pitch between the 12th string harmonic and pressing on the fret for the high E and B strings. The B has the most variation, even noticeable down on 5th fret.
My F40 has a saddle that isn’t straight across for all the strings, and is “notched” for the B. Intonation is spot on. Not sure what the correct identifier is for this type of saddle.
"Compensated".
Would this type of saddle work on the D30 and alleviate this problem? If so, what is the part #?
Possibly but the problem is more likely to be due to action being too high as Dave mentioned:
Guild's set-up spec at the time was 5.5-6/64ths at 12th fret on bass E and 4.5-5/64ths at 12th fret on treble E.
If it's significantly higher than that then your intonation starts getting out of whack.
Also, saddle profile is supposed to match fingerboard radius. If it's been replaced and is relatively "flat" it may be too high on the treble side, also exaggerating the problem.
Since the problem started when you started using the alternate tuning it's also likely that's the real cause, it's known side effect of alternate tunings: intonation gates a little "wonky"; the instrument's built and set-up to be well-intonated in standard E.
Somebody recently mentioned that the new saddles from Oxnard will fit but I believe somebody else mentioned it's not a guarantee because saddle thickness also changed over time, so need to measure its thickness.
Westerly used 3/32 "IIRC"; but slightly thicker ones may have been used in instruments with under-saddle pickups.
Think a standard '01 D30 got a 3/32" just like my '96 D25.
Guilds typically have very good intonation and except for some early acoustic/electrics didn't get compensated saddles in Westerly, they weren't introduced until Tacoma.
So there's no "original" part number for 'em.
But they're easy enough to get from a variety of sources if you wind up wanting to pursue that angle.
Truth to tell I've considered it for my D25 but just never got around to it.
I actually play it a full step lowered now, too, and there's a very slight intonation issue but I compensate by "sweetening" the tuning.
Brings up another issue:
What kind of strings are you using? Different allays may also respond differently to lowered tensions but I'd put it pretty low down the list.
(I use the stock pb lights. D'A Ej-16's and just remembered:
In Westerly Guild's L350 set
were D'A, but actually used an .025 G string, that could have an effect on what happens with the B as well. I still buy a single .025 and sub it into the EJ-16 to exactly duplicate Guild's L350 set of the time, as they're no longer available from Guild)
Or is this something that can be adjusted?
See all the above, let us know if action's too high, you may need to check neck alignment to be sure that's not going out of whack as well, easy to do yourself with a long strsightedge.
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