Intonation and Earvana shelf nut

Rocker

I have been thinking about getting an Earvana shelf nut fitted to my Epi LP and I am wondering about setting the intonation.  Is it set the same way as on a guitar with a conventional nut, ie twelfth fret harmonic = twelfth fret nut.

Thanks. 

FelineGuitars

Yes - the process once the shelf nut is carefully installed and strings cut to optimum height is no different to before. 

You simply set the intonation as you normally would comparing the open note (or harmonic) with the fretted 12th fret note adjusting as you normally would.

Fretted note is flat - move towards fingerboard 

fretted note sharp - move saddle away from fingerboard


What you find is that the familiar pattern of two angled rows of saddles changes a little with some strings coming forward a little bit as not so much compensation is needed.

Rocker

Thanks @FelineGuitars. ;

FelineGuitars

You're welcome

https://felineguitars.com/collections/earvana-compensated-tuning-nut

cbellanga

Just a small resurrection on this thread.. just had @FelineGuitars guys to put an Earvana on my strat and I really like the results. Thanks Jon and team for that!.

grinder

I had @FelineGuitars also installing an Earvana nut in my ESP Edwards Explorer over 5+ years ago. Jon may remember me... Regardless, yes a compensated nut offers some positive results when it comes to more accurate tuning, but at the end of the day a guitar is a guitar (at least the traditional form we know and love), so we still need to leave with its tuning limitations and pray for the best

Rocker

Thread update.

Several months ago I bought an Earvana shelf nut [Gibson type] from @FelineGuitars. ; Lockdown prevented me from taking the guitar, an Epi LP, to a guitar tech for nut replacement.  A couple of weeks ago I did get to leave the instrument with a guitar tech and he installed the Earvana nut.  The 'old' nut popped off undamaged and it was left in the guitar case.

Many years ago I fitted a retro fit type Earvana nut on a Squier Tele.  And it worked quite well even if my fitting skills were a bit lacking.  There is a lot of information on the Feline Guitar website about Earvana nuts and tuning issues in general.  I hope that Feline Guitars do not mind me posting their link : https://felineguitars.com/pages/earvana-science

I do not have a tuner that tells me how many cents the tuning is out but my old Peterson StroboStomp is pretty accurate and will show that a note is sharp or flat.  I am not blessed/cursed with perfect pitch but I always found that the G note on the low E string to play sharp on the Epi.  The C note on the A string also plays sharp but I did not notice it as much as the G note.  That sharpness is all but gone now that the Earvana nut has been fitted.

I play Country/trad music and the walk up/down lines I play now sound 'right'.  I have not noticed much difference when playing chords TBH. 

Thanks to Jon at Feline Guitars for all his assistance.