|
|
|
|
|
| |
If you are seeing this text, you need to download the latest version of Flash Player here.
|
Welcome to the Guitar For Beginners & Beyond Forum, the fastest growing Guitar Community on the Internet.
You are currently viewing our site as a guest which limits your access to many of the great features available. By joining our free community you will gain access to over 100 free guitar lessons, be able to post topics, ask questions and communicate with other members (currently we have close to 80,000 guitar players from all over the World). By becoming a member, you will also be able to respond to polls, upload and get feedback on your playing and access many other special features... Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so why not join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. |
| Guitar Tech This is the place to ask your questions about guitar maintenance and basic guitar repairs. |
|

January 31st, 2006
|
 |
Moderator
Playing guitar for what seems like forever.
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Last Online: January 23rd, 2008 07:22 AM
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 595
|
|
|
Intonating your electric guitar or bass
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!
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Full Member
Playing guitar for over 5 years.
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2005
Last Online: 2 Weeks Ago 09:35 AM
Location: South Africa
Posts: 643
|
|
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.
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Full Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Last Online: August 21st, 2008 09:39 AM
Location: Sweden
Posts: 705
|
|
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...
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Moderator
Playing guitar for what seems like forever.
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Last Online: January 23rd, 2008 07:22 AM
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 595
|
|
Search for a Fender Sparkle tuner.
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Full Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Last Online: August 21st, 2008 09:39 AM
Location: Sweden
Posts: 705
|
|
You mean one of these?
aren't those just for tuning EADGBE? Looks like that to me, but I might be wrong. O.o
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Grand Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2006
Last Online: 13 Minutes Ago 05:21 PM
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 2,059
|
|
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.
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Moderator
Playing guitar for what seems like forever.
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Last Online: January 23rd, 2008 07:22 AM
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 595
|
|
Quote:
|
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. 
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Moderator
Playing guitar for what seems like forever.
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Last Online: January 23rd, 2008 07:22 AM
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 595
|
|
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.
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Full Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Last Online: August 21st, 2008 09:39 AM
Location: Sweden
Posts: 705
|
|
Quote:
|
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! 
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Moderator
Playing guitar for what seems like forever.
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Last Online: January 23rd, 2008 07:22 AM
Location: Columbus, GA
Posts: 595
|
|
how much do they cost in Sweden?
|

July 24th, 2006
|
 |
Full Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2006
Last Online: August 21st, 2008 09:39 AM
Location: Sweden
Posts: 705
|
|
Quote:
|
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
|

May 8th, 2007
|
 |
Grand Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2007
Last Online: 6 Minutes Ago 05:28 PM
Location: The great north (Canada)
Posts: 1,191
|
|
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!
"If we built a ride everyone wanted to ride, that's called an elevator - and that's not an amusement ride." - Stan Checketts, S&S Power
|

December 28th, 2007
|
|
Full Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2006
Last Online: 21 Hours Ago 07:57 PM
Location: kansas
Posts: 465
|
|
|
what am I doing wrong?
Quote:
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
|

December 28th, 2007
|
|
Full Member
Playing guitar for over a year.
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2006
Last Online: 21 Hours Ago 07:57 PM
Location: kansas
Posts: 465
|
|
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
|
 |
The GfB&B Guitar Slide Rule
Download the PDF of the 'Guitar Chord Slide Rule', print it out, fold it together and you'll have at your disposal a very neat tool that will not only show you all the positions for the main flavors of chords, but will also teach you a very important lesson about how the guitar works... It consists of a folded sleeve and six double sided inserts, instructions for cutting it out and folding it together are included with the PDF ... it's very simple to do, and if you botch it, you can simply print it out again!
Buy it now for only $10 |
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:35 PM.
|