Intonation

HELLonWheels187 · #1 05-29-2006, 05:42 PM

I've been thinking about getting a new bridge, but i was sure about intonation. Is hard to do yourself? How do you do it? I know you have to make the open note equal the 12th fret.

werbo1 · #2 05-29-2006, 06:49 PM

It isn't very hard to do, but supposedly you need a strobe tuner to get it really accurate.

www.garywillis.com has a great set up guide

Bass · #3 05-30-2006, 01:30 PM

It isn't hard to do, just finnicky. Any bass player who tunes their own guitar should also know how and be able to set the intonation. Here's how I do it:

1. Starting with the low E string, place a piece of foam under the other three to deaden their sound.
2. Tune the open E to pitch.
3. Play the E on the twelth fret, placing the finger towards the dot on the fretboard.
4. Using a tuner, observe how sharp or flat the fretted note is.
5. Pluck the 12th fret harmonic. Notice how flat or sharp the harmonic is.
6. If the fretted note is flatter than the harmonic, move the bridge sadddle forward.
7. Repeat until the notes match. Repeat for each string. Repeat again.

lpdeluxe · #4 05-30-2006, 02:43 PM

...do it again at the 5th and 17th frets.

A Peterson Virtual Strobe II works really well for intonating.

lilboo77 · #5 05-30-2006, 02:49 PM

All bridges will be different, but a good starting point would be to set the new bridge up similar to the old bridge, if the intonation is currently correct.

If it is not currently correct - try and set it on the old setup first before you change them out.

orlfl · #6 05-30-2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

...do it again at the 5th and 17th frets.

A Peterson Virtual Strobe II works really well for intonating.

Absolutely, because just putting your hand on the neck will change the way it lies. If you only intonate to open strings and the harmonic, you will only be in tune when you are not touching the bass.

HELLonWheels187 · #7 05-31-2006, 12:00 AM

How accurate of a tuner do I need to intonate?

JansenW · #8 05-31-2006, 12:25 AM

Make sure you do all your other adjustments first (neck and action).

IMHO: Get as accurate a tuner as you can.

steveb98 · #9 05-31-2006, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HELLonWheels187

How accurate of a tuner do I need to intonate?

The typical guitar tuner isn't that accurate, but bettter than nothing. The Peterson Virtual Strobe is a good tuner to use for doing intonation. Cost more but worth it.

tkozal · #10 05-31-2006, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HELLonWheels187

How accurate of a tuner do I need to intonate?

If you can't afford a strobe, get a tuner with a slow needle. Not LED's or something like that. The needle is the easiest. And by slow I mean like the needles in Boss tuners, which I have used for years to set intonation.

FL Knifemaker · #11 05-31-2006, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

...do it again at the 5th and 17th frets.

A Peterson Virtual Strobe II works really well for intonating.

I always wondered what you do if it's slightly off on the 5th and 17th and dead on, on the 12th

At that point I would say it's frets that are off!!