[Ultimate Garage Band]

Intonating your electric guitar or bass


Ok, today I'd like to walk you through the process of setting your own intonation on an electric guitar or bass. Now there's a couple of things we need to get out of the way first; what I am going to describe applies directly to fixed bridges. I will go step by step through the process of one string and then you just repeat that for the others. Tremelo bridges add the dynamics of string/spring balance that one would have to assume is set and correct. Maybe another post down the road will be adjusting your string/spring balance, but remember my goals in guitar business and help is aimed at the newer player and I hold a personal belief that tremelo bridges are not best suited for the new player and as such, I don't even stock any guitars that have a tremelo bridge. Acoustic guitars are a completely different animal requiring a different skill set and skill level and different tools. I would suggest the new player that needs his acoustic guitar intonated, if he's not very handy with woodworking tools, take the guitar in to a shop and have it done. So, that's that, ok? Let's get started with a definition of what intonation means/is.

I think improper intonation is one of the leading reasons new players quit playing guitar. No matter how many times they tune the guitar and how hard they stuggle to make good chords the guitar always sounds awful and out of tune. Even a veteran player can not make a poorly intonated guitar sound good. So what it is intonation? When a guitar string is tuned to concert pitch, 440, the note that is being sounded is open, that is, the entire length of the string from the bridge to the nut. We do not fret the string to tune it. However, when one does fret a note, now the string yields its pitch vibrating from the bridge to the fret where we are fretting the string. If your guitar can have each string in tune when each string is open, but goes out of tune (usually sharp) when strings are fretted, your guitar is most likely not properly intonated. There can be another source for this problem though, a couple actually. One, is a poorly cut nut that makes you, two, press the string down too hard. When we play the guitar we don't press the string all the way down to the wood. You can, but that's too far and will make your notes go sharp. So, let's determine if it's the guitar or our fretting technique.

TOOLS YOU WILL NEED:

An analog, needle tuner, usually about $20. Don't try and use an lcd meter or an led tuner. You must use a needle tuner. A strobe is the best but I don't expect a new player to pop that kind of money for a strobe tuner. A $20 analog, needle tuner will be fine.

Phillips screwdriver or correct allen/hex wrench for your bridge system.

CHECKING INTONATION:

Tune the guitar to concert pitch. Go directly from your output jack on the guitar to the tuner. Don't use an amp and the tuners' mic. When the strings are all in tune when open, wer're ready to check intonation. Using normal to light pressure, fret the 6th string (the top/thickest one) at the 12 fret and strike the note. Look at the needle on the tuner. We're attempting to strike a note exactly one octave higher than the open note so the needle should be dead on zero as it was when the string was open. Is the fretted note flat? This means the saddle for that string in the bridge is too far away from the nut. Is the fretted note sharp? This means the saddle for that string is too close to the nut. You already know what to do, don't you? First, detune the string so saddle adjustment is easier, then using either the screwdriver or the allen/hex wrench, adjust the saddle whichever direction you need to, retune, and try it again. When the fretted note is dead on zero as well as while the string is open it's dead on zero, then that string is done. Move on to the next one. Perform all tunings and fretted notes with the guitar in your lap in a playing position; do not lay the guitar on it's back and make these adjustment. It's that easy!

Now, combining the post I did on truss rod adjustments and this one, you should be able to set up your guitar yourself fairly easily. I have not discussed adjusting saddles for fretboard radius but that's not always possible on each kind of bridge system. Also, the wrap around stop bar type bridges on some guitars are not adjustable. Also, some Tele models have bridge system where 2 strings share a saddle. I don't stock guitars with wrap around stop bar bridges or guitars that don't have individual, adjustable saddles for each string. It's important to me to know that my customers are getting a properly intonated guitar. If your guitar sounds out of tune when it's actually in tune, and it sounds worse the higher up on the neck you go, intonate your guitar!

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Cool! Who's Carlos?

[coldethyl]

Thanks UGB!
You just saved me about $AUS 80 dollars including strings to have my guitar set up.

Neil

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Great! Now start charging your guitar playing buddies to do their guitars and you'll have money for a new axe in no time!!

[coldethyl]

Originally Posted by Ultimate Garage Band

Great! Now start charging your guitar playing buddies to do their guitars and you'll have money for a new axe in no time!!

Now that's a good idea!

Just a query about the intonation instructions you gave UGB. You know how you said that firstly make sure the guitar is in tune before commencing the intonating and then once that is done, to place a finger down on the twelfth fret and pluck it to see if it goes on zero. Did you mean actually fretting the twelfth fret or picking the harmonic on the twelfth fret?

I ask that because when I did it I picked the harmonic on the twelfth fret and all 6 strings were okay.

But if you meant to actually fret it on fret 12, then I'll have to go back and do it again.

Neil

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Fret it, not the harmonic. The harmonic signals the note in the natural plane of the string; a fretted note, which is what intonation affects, pushes the string out of it's natural plane down to the fret. This is why the note would be flat or sharp.

[wierdsley]

Hey UGB...I know you from the Carvin bbs...right? Really good, down to earth description of the intonation process. Thanks and keep 'em coming.
wierdsley

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Yessir, I used to hang on the Carvin BBS. Had over 5000 posts there. Then management got stupid so I, like a lot of people, left. I thank you for the props on the thread. If I had posted this on the Carvin bbs it would have been deleted because I didn't mention that it was a CARVIN guitar we were adjusting the intonation on.

[wierdsley]

Hey UGB...yeah they got a bit picky over at the Carvin bbs, still lots of good folks there but I have not registered since they changed everything so I just pop in once in a while to see what's up there. The Carvin museum site that Kevio runs is good and most of the old Carvin crowd hang there so I go there pretty often. This site looks to be very informative and relaxed...I think that I am going to like it here.
wierdsley

[USGold]

Question?-when you say to start at concert pitch--ie 440 cycles--you mean the A string is tuned to 440 correct?-all the rest are tuned to their respective frequencies?

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Originally Posted by USGold

Question?-when you say to start at concert pitch--ie 440 cycles--you mean the A string is tuned to 440 correct?-all the rest are tuned to their respective frequencies?

yep.

[USGold]

Thanks-I thought I got it-just wanted to be sure we meant the same thing---great post UGB----Scott

great intonation nostalgia UGB ! I ran off a bunch of copies to feed some of my students who may need them. Keep up the great work, as it proves to be extremely useful for those in need. See ya ! Johnny

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Hey Johnny, glad to help! Hey, I know a guitar dude in Cartersville; bet you know him too. He works at a music store there, his name is Joseph, and he's 6'-7" tall!!!

hey there UGB it's great to shoot the bull with you ! the thing is, i don't deal with the cartersville music stores for they are way to costly. I shop at Ken Stanton Music, and Guitar Center in marietta. but for what ever it's worth thankyou for thinking of me ! peace, love, and good will to you my good man. Johnny

Hey there UGB, hows it goin ? I just got done talkin to a bass player buddy of mine, that knows a tall guitar player named Joey from a cartersville music shop. now if thats the same man you spoke of i don't know, but there is a Joey out here. take 'er easy UGB, talk at ya later. Johnny