[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!

[WernHalen]

Tom it is a gradual process and it might show some de-tunning as you call it but it should be less than the previous time you checked the intonation. Adjust the intonation again, re-tune and check again...

Oh and by the way you shoul dnot try to tune to the exact pitch you are aiming for. By doing this you are moving the string too far the other way... You should rather detune the string and move the saddle in the detuned position. Move the saddle slightly every time you adjust. tune up and check the intnation... repeat if necessary.

[Chaotic Kittie]

Btw... WHERE to find an analog, needle tuner for that price? I've looked around nearly everywhere, and they're not to be found. I only find digital LED-tuners for that price... analog needle tuners start to appear first aroiund $80-$100...

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Search for a Fender Sparkle tuner.

[Chaotic Kittie]

You mean one of these?

aren't those just for tuning EADGBE? Looks like that to me, but I might be wrong. O.o

[fly135]

Tom, If you move the bridge saddle away from the fretboard, you make the string longer. That should lower the pitch at the 12th fret. If you move the bridge saddle closer to the fretboard it will raise the pitch at the 12th fret. After each move, retune the open string and then check it against the pitch at the 12th fret. Eventually it should dial in.

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Originally Posted by Chaotic Kittie

You mean one of these?

aren't those just for tuning EADGBE? Looks like that to me, but I might be wrong. O.o

That's the one and those are the notes you intonate to.

[Ultimate Garage Band]

Tom, it's no bother! I know typing out a question is a different langauge is a challenge; it just takes a bit longer to understand sometimes.

If the note is flat then you need to adjust the saddle towards the nut, towards the tuning keys. Detune to do this because as you slide the saddle forward it will increase the tension on the string and will raise the pitch to be sharp/out of tune.

[Chaotic Kittie]

Originally Posted by Ultimate Garage Band

That's the one and those are the notes you intonate to.

Ah... I see... I always thought you hade to have a chromatic tuner to intonate. :O
Hah, then the tuner was nearly right in front of my nose all the time...
Thank you very much!

[Ultimate Garage Band]

how much do they cost in Sweden?

[Chaotic Kittie]

Originally Posted by Ultimate Garage Band

how much do they cost in Sweden?

Well, dunno about shops or so. The only swedish webshop that has them is http://www.musikborsen.se, and there they cost about 450 kr (about 61 dollars...).
Quite a difference from 18,50 dollars that some site had them for O.O

[JessThrasher]

I set up my own guitar all by myself with alittle help from my "self taught guitar tech" bandmate. He was so surprized so he asked my other bandmate to have me set up his bass. It turned out ok, the bass was acually easier to set up for some reason. Now I can't wait to go around helping all my friends set up their axes!

[hb]

Originally Posted by Ultimate Garage Band

Intonating your electric guitar or bass
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!

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong. I have the guitar in perfect tune and a string is sharp at the 12th fret. I move the bridge back a little to get it in tune at the 12th fret but when I check the tuning of the open string, it is now flat. I seem to be just chasing around in circles trying to get them both the same. Am I doing something wrong or do you just keep screwing the bridge back and forth till it all falls together?
Thanks in advance,
hb

[hb]

Never mind............I got it. I think I wasn't loosening the string when moving the screw. When I de-tuned and then moved the screw, it worked fine.
thanks anyway,
hb

[beyond0085]

I have a gibson sg and my g string is still sharp even after adjusting the saddle as far back towards the bridge as itll go. Any ideas?

[Sentry]

Originally Posted by bone1205

how about the height of the saddles? Do I need to adjust every single one to a specific height or all in the same height?

Easiest way to make sure the strings follow the radius of the fretboard is to adjust the saddle heights of each saddle so that each string is a consistent distance from the frets. Usually I set my 3 thinner strings (G, B, & high E) to 3/64 of an inch above the 12th fret and my 3 thicker strings (Low E, A, and D) to 4/64 of an inch above the 12th fret on my strat with individually adjustable saddles. On my Les Paul clone and my hollow body, both of which have tune-o-matic bridges, I just set the high E to 3/64" and the low E to 4/64". But that's just me. I have the lower strings slightly higher simply because I tend to hit the low strings harder, producing a higher wave amplitude in their vibrations. Different people with different playing styles have different string height* preferences. Some players with a very light touch, like Ynwie Malmsteen, have string heights around 2/64", whereas Stevie Ray Vaughn had 7/64" distance!!!!

For a beginner, I personally recommend setting up your string heights to 3/64" or 4/64". If your strings buzz against the frets, then before you raise them make SURE that the buzzing is audible through your amp before you do anything about it. A very slight string buzz that can be heard without the guitar plugged in usually isn't audible through the amp. If it is audible through the amp, make sure your truss rod is set up properly before raising the saddles more. I believe all this is covered in the "Fret Buzz" thread in this forum. To measure your string heights, you should use either an engineer's steel ruler with 64th of an inch increments, or get a string action gauge. To measure your truss rod setup you will need a feeler gauge. Feeler gauges can usually be found at your local auto parts store.

You should make sure that both your string height and truss rod are adjusted to your liking BEFORE you set up your intonation. How far the strings are from the frets affects how far out of a straight line they are when fretted, which thus affects intonation.

If you're starting to think that a guitar is a finicky instrument that relies upon a delicate balance of way too many factors, well.... you're right. But it's fun to play and once you get everything adjusted properly it will be a long time before you have to do it again (unless you change string gauges, like going from 9 gauge to 11). Also, it doesn't have to be perfect. If your intonation is sharp or flat by a very small amount odds are that no human ear will be able to tell the difference.

Hope this helps.


*The height of the strings above the frets is called "String Action", by the way.