Help needed: Intonality

[ishalleatyou]

I have a problem with my bass at the moment. Basically the problem is whenever you go beyond the 12 fret on the e-string, the bass is out of tune.

For example, i plug my bass into a tuner, and play a low g and it is perfectly in tune. Yet i play the g an octave up on the 15th fret and it becomes a note somewhere in between f# and g. And i know it is not my tuner, because it is obvious that the notes are out just by ear.

I showed this to my teacher and he said it was called intonality, he said i need to show it to someone to sort it out, butive been wondering, what with tis forums advanced knowledge of all that is bass , if you could give me some guidence.

I dont think i will try to fix it myself, unless it was incredibly simple (which im guesing it isnt), but do you lot know anything about this sort of problem? At all?

Cheers

[Stumbo]

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/fo...c-guitar-bass/

[Solarmist]

If you have the tuner you're halfway there already. Tune the bass with the tuner -then check the 12th fret note with the 12th fret harmonic. If the fretted note is sharp of the harmonic - move the saddle back. If the fretted note is flat of the harmonic - move the saddle forward.

[Turock]

Originally Posted by ishalleatyou

I showed this to my teacher and he said it was called intonality

It's called intonation.

[Stumbo]

^^^Couldn't find intonality in any online dictionary.
Found a bunch of people using the word as if it means "being out of tune".

[JTE]

Here's the point. THe 12th fret is supposed to be the exact center of the string's speaking lenght. But the string stretches when we fret it, so we need to ajdust the string length a bit to get all the notes in tune (well, technically, so they're all equally out of tune, but that's a whole 'nother discussion). So, we compare where the strings real center point is (the octave harmonic) with where the 12th fret is. So, play the open string and get it in tune with your tuner. Exactly in tune. Then fret it at the 12th fret.


Note that you need good strings good shape. If the string is gummed up with dead skin cells, barbecue sauce, stale beer, nicotine, and dried sweat it won't play in tune over its whole length. Likewise, if the string is worn at certain frets, or is so dead that it's not vibrating evenly, this won't work. That's because the whole idea of a vibrating string being shortened by frets to produce specific pitches assumes the string vibrates evenly over its whole length. So maybe you need new strings.

Now if the fretted note is sharp, that means the string is too short from the bridge to the 12th fret. The solution is to move the bridge saddle further away from the 12th fret, generally by tightening the intonation screw (clockwise- "righty tighty, lefy loosey"). But if the fretted note is flat compared to the reference check, that means the string is too long between the 12th fret and the saddle. So if you loosen the intonation screw it shortens that distance.

Retune the open string, and check again. Repeat. Repeat as often as needed. Does it get frustrating? Stop and take a break. After you've done it a few times, it gets easier and you learn to judge how far to move the saddle based on the variance on YOUR tuner.

jte

[Rickett Customs]

Originally Posted by ishalleatyou

I have a problem with my bass at the moment. Basically the problem is whenever you go beyond the 12 fret on the e-string, the bass is out of tune.

For example, i plug my bass into a tuner, and play a low g and it is perfectly in tune. Yet i play the g an octave up on the 15th fret and it becomes a note somewhere in between f# and g. And i know it is not my tuner, because it is obvious that the notes are out just by ear.

I showed this to my teacher and he said it was called intonality, he said i need to show it to someone to sort it out, butive been wondering, what with tis forums advanced knowledge of all that is bass , if you could give me some guidence.

I dont think i will try to fix it myself, unless it was incredibly simple (which im guesing it isnt), but do you lot know anything about this sort of problem? At all?

Cheers

Firstly, A little insight please.

Is this bass:
A parts bass and/or used (DIY)?

or

Did you purchase this new?

Having the f# or g on your G string you mention, on the 15th fret, almost sounds (to me) like the scale length may be slightly off (although I could be wrong).3 frets away seems a little further that just a slight adjustment, but without more info, thats all you can get from me.

BTW tell your teacher it's "Intonation".

[mjolnir]

Any updates?

[ishalleatyou]

Originally Posted by Turock

It's called intonation.

yeah i meant that