8/30/2012

Fixing Intonation On Your Guitar

By Martina Garrett


There are many opinions on the methods for fixing intonation. Guitar enthusiasts always find that there are almost as many opinions as there are guitars. When you are trying to find the method that helps you the best you can be literally overloaded with too much information. Too much information makes it much harder to get it right.

You can start by using specific model names to get assistance. Company websites that offer suggestions by brand name can be helpful, but you still need to find the exact model. Professional sites can be helpful as well, especially those with an in depth section on the topic. If you run into a road block there are other avenues to take.

Message boards are loaded with opinions. This is probably one of the least helpful places that you will find. You will find too many people disagreeing with a suggestion, and ultimately you can end up confused. Arguing on the boards just creates unnecessary reading for other people, so often it is best to stick to these if you are looking for more basic information.

You do have to check and see if you need to tune first or if you have a string length that needs adjusting. If you have sharps where flats are supposed to be the tuning is off. Move the saddle after marking the original position. You may discover you wish to move it back.

The saddle should generally be moved toward the neck if you are looking to straighten out various sounds first. This is most likely to correct guitar string length and create a more perfect sound. Usually, this is a step that has to be taken prior to actually applying instructions that address the original issue.

Some suggestions will include small disclaimers like it is not possible to get the intonation right on your own. Some will say it is really about adjusting the harmonic in order to achieve the same result. This really means that they have not yet figured out how to set it right, and thus they believe it cannot be done. By most standards, this is not accurate. You do need to know how to go about the process and make sure you are starting with clarity and understanding.

The more you adjust the greater your chances are that you will end up with an out of tune guitar. You have to be able to note the adjustments you are making so that you do not end up with a lot of unnecessary guessing trying to get things as they are supposed to be. If you adjust beyond what you write down or what your memory can hold you can end up with a mess.

Most people will eventually just take the guitar into a professional. Fixing intonation can be difficult, especially with so much varying information online. You can either choose your website and information carefully and be willing to make mistakes or you may have better luck having someone else do the job for you. The more you can understand the complexities of the instrument and how each part relates to another, the better your chances are of coming up with a workable solution to allow you to fix your own issues. This is a learning process that takes some time.




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