A Slight Change in Topic

texred

New member
I never knew this before today, but now I see you can intonate with 3rd or 5th fret instead of 12th? When and why is this advisable? And whhy doesn't anybody talk about it?:help:
 
Re: A Slight Change in Topic

If you're talking harmonics, then any harmonic vs fretted/open note will do. Its not some magical process by which only the 12th ever works.
The 12th is often chosen as it is practically halfway through the scale length, has the same note as the open, and the compromises inherent in intonation are (somewhat) averaged out over the whole length. Plus the natural harmonic is strong and sounds out enough for practically any tuner to pick up.
If you are meaning 'capo at the 3rd or 5th fret then intonate an octave above as per standard 12th fret method......well you can do that at any fret you like really. They just are tweaked toward the lower frets being more in tune due to the 'open' note being already a fretted one.
 
Re: A Slight Change in Topic

Yeah, I do check harmonics at different frets vs the fretted notes. Though, the problem with this is that it will never be perfectly in tune all over the place, and it can drive you quite crazy trying to get it in tune one place and it goes out of tune somewhere else.
 
Re: A Slight Change in Topic

Yeah, I do check harmonics at different frets vs the fretted notes. Though, the problem with this is that it will never be perfectly in tune all over the place, and it can drive you quite crazy trying to get it in tune one place and it goes out of tune somewhere else.

Great.
Like everything else to do with guitars.
 
Re: A Slight Change in Topic

Intonation methods is one of personal preference. One player’s in tune can be another’s out, so go with what sounds best to your ear.

I once talked with someone from Peterson (tuners) about the different methods people use, and that lead me to the way I have set intonation for some years now. I started usung the two octave method (in my case 5th and 17th) about 10-12 years ago. Now if I tune using just a 12th harmonic, chords just sound wrong to me. Try tuning your open note to match your fretted (not harmonic) 12th, and then your fretted 5th and 17th should be in tune as well. Compare how that sounds to you over the harmonic method.

FYI, the Peterson tech advised me to choose a method and stick with it. Trying to get two octave intonation to match 12th harmonic is damn near impossible.
 
Re: A Slight Change in Topic

Intonation methods is one of personal preference. One player’s in tune can be another’s out, so go with what sounds best to your ear.

I once talked with someone from Peterson (tuners) about the different methods people use, and that lead me to the way I have set intonation for some years now. I started usung the two octave method (in my case 5th and 17th) about 10-12 years ago. Now if I tune using just a 12th harmonic, chords just sound wrong to me. Try tuning your open note to match your fretted (not harmonic) 12th, and then your fretted 5th and 17th should be in tune as well. Compare how that sounds to you over the harmonic method.

FYI, the Peterson tech advised me to choose a method and stick with it. Trying to get two octave intonation to match 12th harmonic is damn near impossible.

Thanks a lot. Wasn't to encouraging hearing The Mincer say I was going to go crazy. er. :oo
 
Re: A Slight Change in Topic

You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish.

I can top your OT with my OT. Tell me where you put all those Hardtail specs? Need to know diam of pot posts-well, everything else, too. Guitar 2007 Emeans World HQ in Korea.
 
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