big intonation problem

i have a big problem with the intonation on my guitar i have tried adjusting the sadles and the closest i can get on the high E string at the 12th fret is a D# when the open string is tuned exactly to E i have similar problems with the other strings but not quite to this extent so is there any other way of adjusting the intonation other than the sadles? or any ideas at all that may help

There are a ton of methods to adjusting intonation... may I ask which one you are using?? ie... are you tuning to E then using a harmonic at the 12 fret to tune the saddle?? That is the method that is most used. Fretting at the 12th fret is largely inaccurate in comparison.

iv been fretting the 12th fret, i can cope with it being a bit out because its a cheap guitar i just need it alot closer to E than it is, i will go try harmonics thanks

With all due respect, a guitar should be intonated by fretting the twelfth fret. The reason for this is that you are trying to get fretted notes to sound the right tone - the twelfth fret harmonic will always be a perfect octave (depending on where your finger touches the string). You can use a harmonic after the initial intonation to get the twelfth fret harmonic directly over the 12th fret - though the initial intonation should take care of that.

There are three main things to consider that will drastically affect your success in intonating a guitar: (1) Don't press down on the string at the twelfth fret very hard - you need to press gently or you will bend the string out of pitch, and (2) set the intonation to the 'attack' of the note on the twelfth fret, not the 'decay' - in other words, read the tuner right after the note is picked, and (3) make sure all strings are in tune after each adjustment made. One last note - I'm not sure what kind of tuner you are using, but it is very difficult to intonate using a digital tuner. A good analog tuner with a needle is the best thing to use.