Intonation

[Greg1967]

I have a 2008 SG Special. I was checking the tuning and the intonation on it. It stays in tune really good. I put a dab of graphite on the nut slots and it works like a charm.

 

My question is this. I have a little snark clip on tuner I use. When I have the strings in tune I then hold down the strings on the 12th fret and the tuning is off slightly. Is using a clip on tuner a good way to gauge if the guitars intonation is good or not? And will the tuning be slightly higher (as it is on 12th fret on mine) simply because the note is higher and the snark can’t distinguish the open string and the string when it’s held on the 12th fret?

 

FYI I have a 2014 SG Special. While it isn’t as off on the 12th fret as the 2008 it is still not 100%.

 

Basically I can take it into GC and have the tech check the intonation and action as well as adjust the neck if needed.

 

Thanks for help and suggestions.

[milod]

There are a lot of variables here.

 

Try this: Barely touch a string at the 12th fret - not fretting it, but just enough so that when you pluck the string, it gives a 'harmonic' tone. Then press the string down to the 12th fret to see if the fretted and harmonic are the same.

 

If not, you have several "setup" factors potentially involved. Higher strings from the fretboard can make a difference. Adjustable bridge setup is designed specifically to handle this sort of problem all else being equal. There may be a bit of oddity on the nut as well.

 

Bottom line is that I personally wouldn't wanna say exactly what's the deal unless I actually touched the guitar and looked at it.

 

Strings have to be above the frets. They must be pressed to a fret to give a tone. The thing with a tuner of any sort is that it's going to tell you stuff exactly in terms of where a tone might be. It's inevitable that there will be "some" difference between the harmonic and the fretted tone - the question for functioning guitar picking is the degree to which that is so, and might affect playing.

 

m

 

m

[Greg1967]

There are a lot of variables here.

 

Try this: Barely touch a string at the 12th fret - not fretting it, but just enough so that when you pluck the string, it gives a 'harmonic' tone. Then press the string down to the 12th fret to see if the fretted and harmonic are the same.

 

If not, you have several "setup" factors potentially involved. Higher strings from the fretboard can make a difference. Adjustable bridge setup is designed specifically to handle this sort of problem all else being equal. There may be a bit of oddity on the nut as well.

 

Bottom line is that I personally wouldn't wanna say exactly what's the deal unless I actually touched the guitar and looked at it.

 

Strings have to be above the frets. They must be pressed to a fret to give a tone. The thing with a tuner of any sort is that it's going to tell you stuff exactly in terms of where a tone might be. It's inevitable that there will be "some" difference between the harmonic and the fretted tone - the question for functioning guitar picking is the degree to which that is so, and might affect playing.

 

m

 

m

Thanks for the advice. I will try that this evening. I also want to make sure the tailpiece is at the correct position. I neglected to make sure (although I am almost certain) that the strings are not hitting the back of the bridge. I have allot to learn.

[milod]

Your bridge is designed to be adjusted to handle intonation. That's what the little individual screws are for. Also look at some pix of various guitars with similar adjustable bridges and you'll note that they are adjusted individually per string, and somewhat differently for each gauge string.

 

I'd still suggest not seeking "perfection" as reflected by a tuner as long as it sounds good to you as is right now, given how you play.

 

Because there are several variables, even a "perfectly setup" guitar for a given picker is very unlikely to have "perfect" intonation as measured by a tuner. Ditto any fretted note. As with a piano, the guitar is a "tempered" scale, then add that, unlike a piano, there is an actual bending of the string to press it to a fret. Depending on the setup, it may or may not make a lotta difference, but it ain't likely to be perfect as measured by an electronic machine regardless.

 

m

[Greg1967]

Your bridge is designed to be adjusted to handle intonation. That's what the little individual screws are for. Also look at some pix of various guitars with similar adjustable bridges and you'll note that they are adjusted individually per string, and somewhat differently for each gauge string.

 

I'd still suggest not seeking "perfection" as reflected by a tuner as long as it sounds good to you as is right now, given how you play.

 

Because there are several variables, even a "perfectly setup" guitar for a given picker is very unlikely to have "perfect" intonation as measured by a tuner. Ditto any fretted note. As with a piano, the guitar is a "tempered" scale, then add that, unlike a piano, there is an actual bending of the string to press it to a fret. Depending on the setup, it may or may not make a lotta difference, but it ain't likely to be perfect as measured by an electronic machine regardless.

 

m

Well I got it pretty close. Better than it was. I adjusted the saddles and it helped allot. I did adjust the truss rod too slightly. I need a good straight edge to check the neck though. All and all it was a good learning experience and I'm not as hesitant to do some adjusting as I was before.

 

Thanks for the help.

[milod]

Super...

 

And note too that you have the advantage over those of us who started picking a long time ago - there's stuff on the Internet, from the Gibson web site to various stuff on Youtube, that we simply didn't have. Not to mention "we" didn't have this sort of forum.

 

Best of luck on all - and please, realize how lucky you are to have so many options for learning that us "old guys" didn't have. Keep on a'pickin'!

 

m

[Greg1967]

Very appreciative to the more experienced members on here. And as I learn I will pass it on to new members.