Should I care about this?

[LucSulla]

I recently had a new nut cut for one of my Les Pauls. I also needed to buy a new bridge because the original was sagging (it's 40 years old). 

After throwing a new bridge on and setting the intonation, I ended up with the saddle alignment seen below. Now, I know that technically for the G string saddle needing to be set this close to the pickup rather than toward the stop bar means this nut is more than likely cut wrong. Physics dictates that this should be toward the back rather than the front unless something else is screwed up somewhere. However, it does intonate, and it plays fine. So should I really give a shit over a technicality, or are there problems ahead of me as yet unforeseen? 

[Jimbilly]

how's the intonation around the 7th?, if your nut is cut wrong you would see it there. You can use the harmonic vs fret at the 7th fret and maybe that will help see if your nut is good, (sidenote/coincidentally) I've recently added checking intonation at 19 using the harmonic against the fret (along with the 12th), it has been helpful to me, 7th should be the same note.

[tbonesullivan]

Have you checked the string height at the first fret with an action gauge or radius gauge? That would be the quickest way to see if there is an issue with the nut.

[LucSulla]

4 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

Have you checked the string height at the first fret with an action gauge or radius gauge? That would be the quickest way to see if there is an issue with the nut.

The nut is fine as far as height. As I understand it, the reason bridge saddles move up from the E to D string and then back for the G string is because the diameter of the core string is what matters, and the G string is roughly the same diameter as the E string's core. When not fretted, if the break at the nut is in the same place for both strings, the saddles should be roughly in the same place. 

I need to give what Jim said a shot. 

[topekatj]

This may be obvious (trying to be helpful) but if you’re still ‘not quite there’ as far as intonating the G string you can always remove the bridge piece, reverse/rotate the piece 180 degrees on the set screw, reinstall it and re-intonate. Intonation over ‘looks’ for me (I need all I can going for me, playing-wise).

[Dutchman]

I always have my bridges with the screw heads reverse of what you have there. Easier to get to the intonation screws. Try turning the bridge around. You'll reduce string splay if you top wrap also. Just something to try....

[LucSulla]

20 hours ago, Dutchman said:

I always have my bridges with the screw heads reverse of what you have there. Easier to get to the intonation screws. Try turning the bridge around. You'll reduce string splay if you top wrap also. Just something to try....

I've done that before in the past. I prefer not to top wrap my strings, and I find the issues with the strings clearing the intonation screws when breaking toward the tail piece on some guitars, plus the tension on the string between the bridge and the tailpiece when trying to move the string a little to get to the screw, is more a pain than having them facing the pups, at least for me. 

 

On 1/17/2025 at 3:27 PM, topekatj said:

This may be obvious (trying to be helpful) but if you’re still ‘not quite there’ as far as intonating the G string you can always remove the bridge piece, reverse/rotate the piece 180 degrees on the set screw, reinstall it and re-intonate. Intonation over ‘looks’ for me (I need all I can going for me, playing-wise).

I may have to do that, but it seems to work right now. 

 

On 1/16/2025 at 12:10 AM, Jimbilly said:

how's the intonation around the 7th?, if your nut is cut wrong you would see it there. You can use the harmonic vs fret at the 7th fret and maybe that will help see if your nut is good, (sidenote/coincidentally) I've recently added checking intonation at 19 using the harmonic against the fret (along with the 12th), it has been helpful to me, 7th should be the same note.

It's very, very slightly sharp at the 7th, but not problematically so. 

I know it's weird, but I guess if it works, it works. The guitar plays great finally after three years of getting nuts, working on the frets, and swapping through pickups. I should probably just leave it be. 

Edited January 19 by LucSulla