Post by valvetronix on Sept 17, 2006 14:11:39 GMT -5
Intonation is basically how well a guitar plays in Tune. You can spend 10
minutes tuning your guitar with an electric tuner, but if it is not intonated,
it will still sound bad, especially after the 12th fret.
Strings on a guitar have 2 points, the bridge and the nut. The nut is not
moveable, so obviosly, you will have to adjust the bridge, or more
specifically the saddles. The adjustment to the saddles with determine wether
your guitar is 'in-tune'
Many factors make the string longer than the guitars scale (many
Gibsons/Epiphones are 24-3/4").
1; Strings rise at an angle from the nut to the bridge
2; Strings get farther away from each other as they get closer to the bridge.
Now, before intonating your guitar you need to check some things.
1; Frets are level and crowned
2; Adjusted truss rod
3; New fully stretched strings
Now you must decide if you want to tune to the transient or to the
dwell. 'Soft' players usually tune to the decay, otherwise most players tune
to the transient.
ALWAYS TUNE WITH THE GUITAR IN PLAYING POSITION
Now, to actually intonate
Play the open string, then play the 12th fret of the same string. The 2 notes
should be a perfect octave (1200 cents). If the fretted note is flat, move the
bridge saddle forward, if it is sharp, move it backward.
If you have trouble geting a accurate octave, try lowering your pickups. They
can pull on a string, and put it out of tune. Also, try to keep your hand off
of the tuning pegs, and headstock, unless you are making an adjustment. The
weight of your hand can actually bend the note partially.
-Eric
Myth 1: always pluck over the octave, as this sets the string vibration in unison ( equal motion on both sides of the center point of the string ), also when plucking a fretted note the same rule applys.
that would give you a more exact intonation.
BUT
No one actually plays guitar over the octave, which means, intonation with picking over the octave is useless.
minutes tuning your guitar with an electric tuner, but if it is not intonated,
it will still sound bad, especially after the 12th fret.
Strings on a guitar have 2 points, the bridge and the nut. The nut is not
moveable, so obviosly, you will have to adjust the bridge, or more
specifically the saddles. The adjustment to the saddles with determine wether
your guitar is 'in-tune'
Many factors make the string longer than the guitars scale (many
Gibsons/Epiphones are 24-3/4").
1; Strings rise at an angle from the nut to the bridge
2; Strings get farther away from each other as they get closer to the bridge.
Now, before intonating your guitar you need to check some things.
1; Frets are level and crowned
2; Adjusted truss rod
3; New fully stretched strings
Now you must decide if you want to tune to the transient or to the
dwell. 'Soft' players usually tune to the decay, otherwise most players tune
to the transient.
ALWAYS TUNE WITH THE GUITAR IN PLAYING POSITION
Now, to actually intonate
Play the open string, then play the 12th fret of the same string. The 2 notes
should be a perfect octave (1200 cents). If the fretted note is flat, move the
bridge saddle forward, if it is sharp, move it backward.
If you have trouble geting a accurate octave, try lowering your pickups. They
can pull on a string, and put it out of tune. Also, try to keep your hand off
of the tuning pegs, and headstock, unless you are making an adjustment. The
weight of your hand can actually bend the note partially.
-Eric
Myth 1: always pluck over the octave, as this sets the string vibration in unison ( equal motion on both sides of the center point of the string ), also when plucking a fretted note the same rule applys.
that would give you a more exact intonation.
BUT
No one actually plays guitar over the octave, which means, intonation with picking over the octave is useless.
Go for it, once you get it set... its a wonder how you ever played with a bad intonation 