Intonation technique

[XPAULPITT]

I read alot of different info on setting intonation. Some people say its the open string compared to the fretted 12th. Others say its the open string vs. the 12th harmonic and some say 12th harmonic vs. fretted 12th. Which is it?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Intonation technique

I've always done it my way, and so far I don't think I'm wrong.

First, intonate the open note with the 12th fretted note. Get it dead center on a good tuner.
If it's flat, move the saddle toward the neck. If it's sharp, move the saddle toward the butt end.
Do this on all strings.

Then, fine tune it by trying to get every note from the 10th fret to the 17th into the the closest place you can get to dead center on a tuner. Your guitar will ring like a bell on all chords all the way up the neck.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Intonation technique

i do harmonic vs. 12th. seems to work better than open vs. 12th ime.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Intonation technique

I always did 12th fret harmonic to 12th fret fretted

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Intonation technique

Harmonic vs fretted here, too. I never bothered with the fine-tuning part Gearjoneser mentioned. Maybe that explains why my chord tones suck :lol:

I tried the open vs fretted and open vs harmonic, but the harmonic sounds closer to the fretted note in terms of the octave.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Intonation technique

The reason I like to fine tune it on the 15th and 17th fret is because sometimes it seems perfect on the 12th, then you notice that the higher notes are a tiny bit sharp or flat. If you can get most of the high notes on a guitar to read dead center on a tuner, everything below them will fall into place.

This is something you'll notice later, when you're playing open A and D chords, and they seem to ring just right.

I never understood intonating to a harmonic, because you're not playing harmonics, you're playing notes. By intonating to a fretted note, you're accounting for the fact that the string is being stretched a tiny bit.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Intonation technique

I never understood intonating to a harmonic, because you're not playing harmonics, you're playing notes. By intonating to a fretted note, you're accounting for the fact that the string is being stretched a tiny bit.

That's always been my thinking too ... tune the instrument for the notes you actually use, including the open strings, so that the 'sharpening' effect of fretting a note is taken into the equation.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Intonation technique

I first check open string vs 12 and get that the same. I then go along playing every fret from 12 back down to open and see how they relate. Often you'll have to make an adjustment so that some notes are a little sharp and other a little flat. All depends on the string, nut cut etc.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Intonation technique

Natural harmonic at the 12th fret vs fretted note at the 12th fret...this is the standard way of doing it and had been for decades and for good reason.

The more accurate your tuner the moire accurate your intonation will be.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Intonation technique

Dan Erlewine's book "How to make your electric guitar play great" recommends open string vs. fretted 12th.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Intonation technique

Dan Erlewine's book "How to make your electric guitar play great" recommends open string vs. fretted 12th.

This is exactly how I am doing it...

B

 

[Kramer Guy]

Re: Intonation technique

I go with the harmonic at the 12th fret, but using the open string method vs. fretted 12th fret , works as well. Whichever you're comfortable with.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Intonation technique

I never understood intonating to a harmonic, because you're not playing harmonics, you're playing notes. By intonating to a fretted note, you're accounting for the fact that the string is being stretched a tiny bit.

Awesome info, GJ, and I'll try your technique next time. (In fact, I might be doing a setup this weekend.)

But you are either comparing an open string or an open harmonic to the fretted 12th - neither open nor harmonic will have stretch due to finger pressure, so you're comparing apples (open/harmonic) to oranges (fretted 12th) with either technique. Also, the harmonic and the open string frequencies should be in tune with each other regardless of any other factors - that is what makes it a "harmonic" - so I think the different techniques are more about what the tech can hear best rather than which one is more "correct" from a string physics perspective.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Intonation technique

I've always done it my way, and so far I don't think I'm wrong.

First, intonate the open note with the 12th fretted note. Get it dead center on a good tuner.
If it's flat, move the saddle toward the neck. If it's sharp, move the saddle toward the butt end.
Do this on all strings.

Then, fine tune it by trying to get every note from the 10th fret to the 17th into the the closest place you can get to dead center on a tuner. Your guitar will ring like a bell on all chords all the way up the neck.

This is a very good technique.

I don't always do it, because I'm a little lazy, but it's a very good technique.

 

[Vengeance]

Re: Intonation technique

The reason I like to fine tune it on the 15th and 17th fret is because sometimes it seems perfect on the 12th, then you notice that the higher notes are a tiny bit sharp or flat. If you can get most of the high notes on a guitar to read dead center on a tuner, everything below them will fall into place.

This is something you'll notice later, when you're playing open A and D chords, and they seem to ring just right.

I never understood intonating to a harmonic, because you're not playing harmonics, you're playing notes. By intonating to a fretted note, you're accounting for the fact that the string is being stretched a tiny bit.

100% spot on for a better tuning down the whole neck.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Intonation technique

I used to move the nut forward to reduce the sharpening of the fretted notes, but then that theory evolved into compensated nuts, the whole Earvana and Buzz Feinten things, and it all got too much. Now i accept the minor compromises and get on with playing music, plenty of legends have made great music without needing to go that far or ending up with different guitars to play in different keys.

After all, why suffer as a player when you can let the listener's ears do the suffering instead ? :nervous:

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Intonation technique

Thanks GJ and thanks SOSO for thanking GJ.

Your thanking gave more validity to it.

Thanks Grump for thanking Soso for thanking GJ. Your thanking gave more validity to the validity that his thanking gave.

Now where's Frankly?

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Intonation technique

I don't know where Frank is, but I know this: the blackest of all intonation techniques requires goats blood and at least six virgins.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Intonation technique

I substitute bourbon for the goat's blood, but same general idea...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Intonation technique

Thanks Grump for thanking Soso for thanking GJ. Your thanking gave more validity to the validity that his thanking gave.

Now where's Frankly?

Achieving and maintaining a full firm intonation. :jester: