DR Strings intonation issues

[rcm78]

So the new guy in our band has had some issues playing in tune. Took his LP to a local tech where they found the strings were worn into the saddles pretty deep. New saddle installed, new nut installed. Guitar plays and sounds great but never seems to be in tune.

Out of frustration, I asked him for the guitar. The open strings were in perfect tune, the bottom D-A-E strings were seriously flat at the 12th fret. These were old DR Tite Fit strings with a few hours of play time on them.

I took the guitar home and restrung it with new DR tite fit 9-46 strings and tried to intonate the guitar. These strings are wacked!!! The D-A-E strings are flat. No matter where the saddle is positioned the string is flat at the 12th fret. I've never seen this happen since I'm not a guitar tech and I use D'addarios myself. My first thought was the guitar was built wrong, maybe the bridge or nut were in the wrong places. Then I remembered some threads about DR strings having intonation issues. A quick search pulled up tons of threads from all kinds of guitar boards complaining about these strings. Most of them were from 2011. So in two years there have been no improvements in these strings.

I restrung the guitar with D'Addario 9-46 strings and it intonated perfectly. No issues at all. Chords ring clear and the whole guitar sounds so much better.

DR strings suck!!!

 

[rupe]

Odd...I've used those for about 15 years now and never experienced that issue.

 

[rcm78]

Odd...I've used those for about 15 years now and never experienced that issue.

It's very weird. I can understand getting a bad string but the set on the guitar and the new set I installed were bad. Put on the D'Addarios and all was good.

Do you routinely check the intonation on your guitars? I'm pretty picky about it and tuning in general. I wonder how many people that claim to not have issues with these actually check and set their intonation or trust their local tech to take care of it.

BTW, just liked your Mutt FB page...

 

[Mr. Willy]

I liked DR for a short time, but I got two bad sets (not every string but one in each set) back to back a few years ago. My bassists had the exact same issue with DR. I've switched to D'Addario and never looked back. They are very consistent from pack to pack in my experience. I also love being able to buy in bulk and save cash.

 

[Greazygeo]

Open the box and read the instructions on how to install those strings.

 

[rcm78]

Open the box and read the instructions on how to install those strings.

The instructions are pretty clear. I did not cut the strings between the crimp and the ball. I did cut the strings at the tuning peg. Tuned to pitch, stretched, tuned to pich, Stretched, tuned to pitch. Attempted to intonate strings and they were flat. The wierd this is no matter where I placed the saddle the strings were flat. Moving the saddle made no difference.

D'Addarios work fine. No hassle. Why would anyone deal with these nitpicky DR's?

 

[projectx102]

I've heard this about DR's. I believe the problem is that the way they wind their strings,the windings tend to break away in sections which causes it to be impossible to intonate the wound strings.

 

[Greazygeo]

Open the box and read the instructions on how to install those strings.

The instructions are pretty clear. I did not cut the strings between the crimp and the ball. I did cut the strings at the tuning peg. Tuned to pitch, stretched, tuned to pich, Stretched, tuned to pitch. Attempted to intonate strings and they were flat. The wierd this is no matter where I placed the saddle the strings were flat. Moving the saddle made no difference.

D'Addarios work fine. No hassle. Why would anyone deal with these nitpicky DR's?

the winding has separated from the core. You have to be careful installing the strings.

Put a bend in the string before you cut it. Also don't stretch the string. That is probably what did it in your case.

The feel of the strings are much more elastic than the Daddarios. Some people like them some dont. Like anything I guess.

 

[rupe]

Odd...I've used those for about 15 years now and never experienced that issue.

It's very weird. I can understand getting a bad string but the set on the guitar and the new set I installed were bad. Put on the D'Addarios and all was good.

Do you routinely check the intonation on your guitars? I'm pretty picky about it and tuning in general. I wonder how many people that claim to not have issues with these actually check and set their intonation or trust their local tech to take care of it.

BTW, just liked your Mutt FB page...

I check it every 3-4 string changes or anytime something sounds wonky. George nailed your issue IMO...you overstretched them.

Thanks for the like!

 

[projectx102]

The Mutt page rules!!!!

 

[rcm78]

Wow, So you cant stretch these strings? I'm really a stickler for tuning stability. I stretch my D'Addarios until they dont go flat anymore. The tuning stability is great and they intonate just fine.

The new guy joined our band about 6 months ago. The singer and I are constantly telling him he's out of tune, he checks and says it's perfect, plays a bar chord above the third fret and its warble city. He was just as frustrated as we were. I'm glad changing string brands will fix the problem...

 

[EnGl]

I've got the same problem with DR Tite Fits.

I remember I used 10-56 set (Jeff Healey set) in Drop C on my Dean VMNT.
No matter how far I moved the saddles , frets from 12-24 were sharp on E , A and D strings. From 20-24 frets sound was about 20 cent sharp ... No shit. I bought another set - the same situation. Od course I installed them according to instruction.
And then I changed to Ernie Ball strings - never looked back. Perfect intonation.

It's sad cause I love the DR stings ... Very smooth and fat sound and brilliant feel.