My guitar is tuned on the open strings, but when I fret the string the notes are actually one fret higher than the played note. I.E. When I fret the third string on the 12th fret the note played is actually the 13th fret. So if I play the 11th fret it is actually the 12th fret. Please help :( p.s. I'm a new player but I am very mechanically inclined and not fraud to do the repair my self. Plus I just had open heart surgery and can't really afford to get it professionally done either.
Sounds like an intonation problem, and if it is then it's fairly straightforward to fix so long as you're talking about an electric guitar.
Does the problem get worse higher up the neck?
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Actually from the head to the body the fretted notes are off by one. I tried to fix the intonation but in order to get the 12th fret on the high e to read e I hand to sharpen the open e.
If you are saying the notes get progressively sharper as you go farther up the neck then either you have WAY too much string to neck height (action) or the bridge is in the wrong place . Is your bridge movable? A properly set up bridge is approximately the same measurement from the 12th fret as the 12th fret is from the nut . I hope I have explained it clearly enough . Has the guitar been modified ? Has it always had this problem ? A little more information would be helpful for everyone who might be able to help you. Good luck !
If I claim to be a wise man , it surely means that I don't know .
