A guitar can feel “nearly right” while still producing small, repeatable problems that chip away at confidence. You tune, you play, and the result sounds slightly sharp, slightly flat, or simply unstable across positions. Chords may feel acceptable near the nut, and then drift as you move higher, and lead lines that begin clean can lose accuracy after position shifts. This usually isn’t your ear failing you. Its precision and intonation are slipping because tension distribution and alignment are no longer balanced.