Riaan wrote
I recently restrung my Godin and went from 10's to 9's - much easier on my fingers when bending, but now I notice something new: an apparent intonation problem, but I suspect it results from my pressing to hard when fretting notes, and stretching the strings over the frets. Almost the effect one would get with scalloped frets. It's noticable, even more so now that I've quantified it with a tuner. And it's really driving me nuts... ☹
So what's the best remedy - go back to 10's or even heavier strings and just practice to bend heavy string guages properly, or work on my technique to develop a lighter touch? It seems that my acoustic guitar technique screws up my technique on electric.
When anybody who is even half decent at the job does a set up on a guitar they'll insist on new strings of the gauge that you intend to use. This, to me, suggests that string gauge must effect the various adjustments that are made to the instrument.
Apart from anything else, your guitar now has less tension on it by virtue of the lighter strings, and so it's possible that the neck has bowed a little more and this could well effect the intonation.
