Mudd's possibly stupid intonation question

[Skitch it!]

I've had the odd 'rogue' string that seems to need more adjustment to get it in. Usually the E or G for some reason.

With the E (& especially a low B) it might be that your tuner is having difficulty tracking it. Here's an alternative way...

Tune the whole thing up & intonate the G string;
Retune, unplug tuner & plug into amp;
On the D string, play a R5 double stop made of the 12th fret D & 14th fret A on the G. Adjust the D saddle & tuning until that harmonises with the G string;
Rinse & repeat for the A & E strings.

Pete.

+1, That's the way I usually go about it, setting the bass up to itself rather than doing the whole thing with a tuner. I have come across a few basses with fretting inconsistencies that show up by playing double-stops or chords. One thing to remember is to make sure your fretting directly in line and not slightly tweaking the pitch out with a little bending. I've also had a basses that need a little more than usual adjustment, usually on the E or B, string gauge makes a difference in this I've found.

 

[Andyman001]

After adjusting the saddle, don't forget to set the witness point by firmly pressing down on the string just in front of the saddle.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

Make sure that there is a good break over the saddle and as stated above, press down on the string just after the point of contact with the saddle.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

^^^^^

Thats probably why you had to pull the saddle so far back...

 

[makkE]

I usually release the tension off the string a bit, it simply makes it easier to turn the screws properly, and there's less chance to wear it out in the long run. This makes even more sense if you only have a screwdriver that doesn't fit perfectly, or has uncomfortable grip, etc..

 

[My name is Mudd]

^^^^^

Thats probably why you had to pull the saddle so far back...

That I didn't know...thanks, guys.