1) Does intonation affect sustain? I just checked the intonation on my strat and it seems to be off a tiny bit and im wondering if that contributes to my lack of sustain.
2) Should intonation be adjusted after adjusting tremolo? im considering either blocking or just setting my tremolo flush with the body to try and boost the sustain a bit more.
3) Where would I go to have fret work done? Would like Guitar Center do stuff like that? One of my frets is too high or something and when I bend the 3rd string anywhere around the 14th fret it just falls flat.


Any other tips on improving my strats sustain? Its an American Highway 1 series which according to the add is supposed to have great sustain but my dads mexi strat sounds better... It kinda makes me sad cause I love how it feels but now im starting to desire a LP just for some tone and sustain

i cant really answer any of the questiosn but i do know that guitar center will do fret work, or they can definetly refer you to some place that could.

other ppl have said things about sustain here though no limited to strings/nut/bridge type material, i dont know much about electric guitars but if i were you, i would just take it to guitar center and ask them, im sure if you tell them whats wrong with it, one of them will be able to direct you to the proper person, or just tell you outright what is/isnt wrong :/

1. Intonation is only related to the length of the resonating part of the string. You only adjust intonation by moving the bridge saddles in/out.
Sustain is an issue of...body wood, string gauge, string action, technique, bridge material...floating/hardtal bridge.

2. I'd adjust intonation after I'd make any adjustments to the bridge/truss rod.

3. Take it to a guitar tech. GC is probably not the best place. The one around here has recently started supplying tech work, but they're all retards. Take it to a local music store, like a Kennelly Keys, Mills Music...they typically have qualified techs who can level your frets.

If you want more sustain get a better amp and use a more overdriven sound and/or a compressor. Raise your string height, using a larger string gauge.

This post was edited by chronowarp on Feb 19 2012 02:38pm

I lowered my action ALOT from when i first got the guitar, and i think now this may be why it doesnt ring as long it would be interesting to set it back to that painful setup to see if it did make it sustain better tho

I was also thinking that the action might be a bit low too. The strings barely have any room to vibrate. It plays so easily that way but id rather adjust and have more natural sustain. Some heavier strings are probably in my future too. I tried some on my LP clone and didnt mind them too much.