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JTV-59 Nut intonnation problem


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I have a new-to-me JTV-59 that seems to have a nut intonnation problem.

 

If the open strings are perfectly tuned, each fretted note is slightly sharp (enough to sound off on open chords).

It seems that the nut is not positioned correctly. For the 24 9/16 scale length of the JTV-59 the distance from the nut to the first fret should be 35.022 mm yet mine is 36.1 mm. There is a small gap between the nut and the fretboard - but definately not 1mm worth. I am assuming this 1mm difference is causing my intonation problem.

 

Has anyone else had this problem and resolved it?

I can only think of two solutions:-

1. add a shim to the leading edge of the nut to effectively bring it 1mm forward.

2. replace the nut and remove a small amount of the fretboard so that the whole nut is moved forward.

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It’s difficult to be sure from the picture, but is it possible that the nut is installed backwards? The width of the notch for the high E string seems too wide. Can you try reversing the nut?

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Yes, good point, hard to see from the original photo but the nut is the right way around.

 

I've removed the nut and there was a bit of glue next to the fretboard that didn't help but it wasn't the root cause of the problem.

 

I made up a 1mm aluminium shim and glued it onto the face of the nut. Perfect! problem solved. 

 

So all I can assume is that I got a Friday afternoon model, it is definately out of spec. It's a mystery...

 

Cheers all

Pete

 

 

 

 

 

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Could be a guitar that's been acclimated to another region's climate (temperature and humidity) before ending up Down Under.

Have that temperature and humidity issue with Stevic MacKay's JTV-89 and his Shuriken Variax guitars when he and Twelve Foot Ninja 

are in Los Angeles and I services his guitars. As I recall, he's from Melbourne.

 

Sounds like that shim worked. Very Good.

 

 

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On 3/17/2025 at 10:11 PM, psarkissian said:

Could be a guitar that's been acclimated to another region's climate (temperature and humidity) before ending up Down Under.

Have that temperature and humidity issue with Stevic MacKay's JTV-89 and his Shuriken Variax guitars when he and Twelve Foot Ninja 

are in Los Angeles and I services his guitars. As I recall, he's from Melbourne.

 

Sounds like that shim worked. Very Good.

 

 

Yes, I don't have any history on this guitar so anything is possible. It did have a few frets that needed a bit of a tap down so it may have been through a couple of climates (I'm in Western Australia). But the guitar looks well cared for and now plays well.

 

But I think this guitar has just been made out of specification. I have several guitars with 24 9/16" scale lengths and the distance from the nut to the first fret is very close to 35mm on all of them. The 36mm spacing of my JTV-59 just seems wrong (and the shim proved this). All other fret spacings on the JTV-59 are correct for the scale length and there is no problem with intonation over the rest of the fretboard.

 

I'd be very keen for any other JTV-59 owner to measure that first fret spacing. I'm sure this would have been picked up long ago if it was a common problem.

 

Thanks for the feedback

Pete

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