How to Set the Intonation on a Guitar
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditGuitars and basses will be difficult to play well unless they are set up properly. You may own a Fender or Gibson but can never get it to sound tuned in when fretting different chords. The point is - even quality instruments will sound bad if they are not set up properly.
Steps
- Tune the guitar as close as
you can get it.
- Starting on the bottom
string, fret the 12th note.
- Fret the harmonic at the same
position. If the pitch of the harmonic sounds the same as the fretted
note, then that string is ok.
- If the sounds are not the
same, adjust the length of the string in order to re-calibrate its
intonation. The pitch generated by the harmonic is the natural pitch for
reference.
- If the fretted note
sounds lower than the harmonic, then the length of the string should be
shortened. Move the saddle towards the headstock. Try one millimetre at a
time.
- If the fretted note
sounds higher than the harmonic, then the string should be lengthened.
This is achieved by moving the saddle in the opposite direction to the
headstock, one millimetre at a time.
- Repeat this process with each
string.
Tips
- Using a digital tuner can
help when comparing the harmonic with the fretted note.
Related wikiHows
- If the fretted note
sounds lower than the harmonic, then the length of the string should be
shortened. Move the saddle towards the headstock. Try one millimetre at a
time.
- If the fretted note
sounds higher than the harmonic, then the string should be lengthened.
This is achieved by moving the saddle in the opposite direction to the
headstock, one millimetre at a time.
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a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the
original wikiHow article on How to Set
the Intonation on a Guitar or Bass. All content on wikiHow can be shared
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