Intonation Shuffle

[Pilgrim]

As noted above, I normally check open string and fretted at the 12th string.

If the tuner says it's good and my ears say it's good, no more information is needed.

[Scott in Dallas]

Originally Posted by BritFunk

Friends,

Maybe I'm just uptight (or delusional) but on my 24-fret basses I check the 12th fret harmonic against the 12th fret note to get things close, then check the 12th fret harmonic against the 24th fretted note. I have found that many times a little more tweaking is in order to be certain the notes are all in tune.

It might be overkill and/or might not make any difference in the real world, but I play chords pretty often and the bass just seems to play in better tune all the way up the neck using this technique.

YMMV.

~ Kurt

The fact that it "seems to play better" means that it does indeed make a difference. It's a good tip for someone that still notices a problem after doing it the way I do it (aka the lazy way).

[Phalex]

12th fret, 3rd fret, 5th fret.......

[FunkMetalBass]

On the higher strings of my ERB's, I tend to compare the 19th fret and 19th fret harmonic. On the lower strings, I tend to check that the string is in tune via the 12th fret harmonic, and then verify that the 1st, 5th, and 9th frets are in tune.

[electracoyote]

I compare the 12th fretted note to the open. When they both are in tune, my bass is always intonated. I test this by comparing fretted notes and their octaves all the way up and down the fretboard.

I've never used harmonics, and always had near-perfectly intonated basses and guitars using this method.

[Stone Soup]

12th fret harmonic and the 12th fret fretted. That has always been close enough.

[DigitalMan]

Open and 12th fretted. Intonation is where a strobe tuner really shines.