how to perfectly intonate a guitar.

rockman1994

okay so I've been watching make videos on how to intonate guitars but my guitar just won't intonate. Like on video tells me to tune the guitar first. Then it said to do harmonic on the 12th fret and make sure thats in tune. Next is to play the strings 12th fret. Then if ist sharp take a screwdiver and turn the screw on the saddle and turn it counterclockwise (then is flat turn clockwise). Then tune ur guitar again and do a harmonic on the 12th fret. then it should be intonated right. but my tuner says its still high. wtf either my guitar is crap or that was wrong. Or maybe right after i change strings I'm suppose to intonate it. I dunno but can u guys (who most seem to have alot of experience with guitars 😁 ) can tell me how to do it. 😕

AnotherTool

Follow the video, but instead of using a tuner, use a piano/keyboard or some loop program like fruityloops, tuners can be off.

And you want to do it with new strings.

Install the new strings, play them and bend them in a little, then tune and intonate.

tragictravisty

guitars are pieces of #### when it comes to intonation. without fretting compensating for intonation it will never be close to 'perfect' we just try to get close enough that it sounds ok to our ####ed up eardrums

rockman1994

k so i intonate the 12 fret right. then when im done all the open strings are flat. then when i tune back to standard the intonation in the 12th fret is sharp again. I keep doing it and it never works. its pissing me off. 😠

tragictravisty

try this:

put all saddles as far to the tailpiece as possible. then put on new strings, stretch them out and LET THEM SETTLE over night. then do the intonation.

danny

you could try to intonate your B string a bit lower and your G a bit higher,..this could improve your sound million times better.

tune and intonate,...and the next day again!

funtoosh

last but not least, make sure your hardware is not broken: is the nut firm in place and evenly cut? are the saddles okay? the neck firm in place? strings are not old & rusty? are you using a good quality tuner, w/ fresh batteries?

(oh, what kind of guitar are you using anyway?)

and keep going, this may be frustrating

rockman1994

funtoosh said: last but not least, make sure your hardware is not broken: is the nut firm in place and evenly cut? are the saddles okay? the neck firm in place? strings are not old & rusty? are you using a good quality tuner, w/ fresh batteries?
(oh, what kind of guitar are you using anyway?)
and keep going, this may be frustrating

tragictravisty

theres your problem! the guitar sucks.

rockman1994

tragictravisty said: theres your problem! the guitar sucks.

the whammy bar in the guitar is horrible. My friend put in a block of wood to block out the whammy so its a little better. but yea this guitar kind of sucks and its weird too. I'm hoping to get mustang soon. 😲

einseins

danny said: you could try to intonate your B string a bit lower and your G a bit higher,..this could improve your sound million times better.

This is seriously good advise! Either intonating or just tuning as above. I won't go into the whys and hows, but when you play the B and G together it will sound a lot sweeter.

funtoosh

danny said: you could try to intonate your B string a bit lower and your G a bit higher,..this could improve your sound million times better.

that

einseins

No, not at all. Its more to do with the pure tuning temperament (very old school) versus the equal temperament which is used on guitars.

tragictravisty

if the B is lower and the G is higher, wouldnt the G just sound sharp? and is the B lower relative to the E or the G? is the G higher relative to the B or D?

danny

imagine yourself a perfect intonated instrument,.... like a organ.

you'l notice that some chords sound real flat and fals,...its the same thing.

i believe its the same way to tune a piano.

try it ! you'll love it, i'm sure 😉

it don't really matter wat strings you use,... i used them al and it worked for me. ...009,..010,....011,..012

funtoosh

groetjes danny,

i was told that, on a 12string, one should always keep the doubled strings slightly out of tune

tragictravisty

no, thats different. when two strings are played together, they will never be perfectly in tune with each other. so, at some times they will be in phase, and gradually go out of phase, and loudness will change. if they are slightly out of tune, this will happen more quickly, so it will sound like a chorus effect, and not slow changes in volume

funtoosh

well explained, trav, cheers!