Guitar intonation is a crucial aspect of maintaining accurate pitch across the entire fretboard. When your guitar’s intonation is properly set, chords and individual notes will ring true in tune with each other. However, if your guitar’s intonation is off, it can lead to frustrating tuning issues and sour notes. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to adjust the intonation on your guitar, ensuring that it plays in tune all the way up and down the neck.
Understanding Intonation:
Before we dive into the adjustment process, it’s essential to grasp the concept of intonation. Intonation refers to the guitar’s ability to produce accurate pitches at different fret positions. When a guitar is correctly intonated, the open strings and the fretted notes higher up the neck should be in tune with each other.
Tools You’ll Need:
To adjust your guitar’s intonation, you’ll need the following tools:
- A tuner (an electronic chromatic tuner is ideal).
- A screwdriver or hex wrench (size may vary depending on your guitar’s bridge).
- A Phillips-head screwdriver (for some bridge types).
- A capo.
Steps to Adjust Guitar Intonation:
Follow these steps to adjust your guitar’s intonation:
- Tune Your Guitar: Start by ensuring that your guitar is in standard tuning (E, A, D, G, B, E).
- Check the Intonation: Play each open string and then its corresponding 12th fret harmonic (lightly touch the string above the 12th fret and pluck it without pressing it down). Compare the two pitches. They should be exactly the same.
- Identify the Problem: If the 12th fret harmonic is sharp (higher in pitch) compared to the open string, your guitar’s intonation is sharp and needs adjustment. If it’s flat (lower in pitch), your intonation is flat.
- Adjust the Saddles: Most electric guitars and some acoustic guitars have adjustable saddles on the bridge. These saddles can be moved forward or backward to change the string length and, therefore, the intonation.
- If the 12th fret note is sharp, you need to increase the string length. To do this, loosen the saddle screw and move the saddle away from the neck.
- If the 12th fret note is flat, you need to decrease the string length. To do this, loosen the saddle screw and move the saddle toward the neck.
- Re-Tune and Re-Check: After making adjustments to a string, re-tune it to standard pitch. Then, play the open string and its corresponding 12th fret harmonic again to check if the intonation is now accurate. Repeat the process until both notes are perfectly in tune.
- Repeat for All Strings: Go through this process for all six strings on your guitar, adjusting each saddle as necessary.
- Fine-Tune: Once you’ve adjusted the intonation for all strings, play various notes and chords up and down the neck to ensure that your guitar is now playing in tune across the entire fretboard.
- Double-Check Open Strings: After setting the intonation, check the open strings’ tuning once more to ensure that your adjustments didn’t affect the initial tuning.
- Play Test: Finally, spend some time playing your guitar to get a feel for the improved intonation. You should notice that chords and individual notes sound much more in tune with each other, making your playing more enjoyable and accurate.
Tips:
- It’s a good idea to change your strings before adjusting intonation, as old strings can affect the process.
- Always make small adjustments to the saddle positions and re-tune before rechecking intonation. Patience is key to getting it just right.
- If you’re uncomfortable making these adjustments yourself, consider taking your guitar to a professional luthier or technician for intonation setup.
Conclusion:
Adjusting your guitar’s intonation might seem daunting at first, but with practice and patience, it becomes a routine part of guitar maintenance. Proper intonation ensures that your instrument plays in tune throughout its entire range, making it a valuable skill for any guitarist. By following these steps and making precise adjustments, you can enjoy a more accurate and satisfying playing experience on your guitar.
