Setting Intonation

[zigzag]

The thread introducing the Compton bridge brought up an interesting point.

 

I have an inexpensive Fender tuner that I use to tune my guitar. When I nail the tuning for open strings and then set the intonation with the tuner at the 12th fret, I find that I am out when listening by ear. My ear is not THAT good, but to me, the difference is obvious. I trust my ear more than the tuner when the difference is that obvious, and once I get the tuning right to open strings, I will also listen to harmonics and tune on 12th and 17th (16th) frets to set intonation.

 

Does anyone else set the intonation by ear? Is the problem that my tuner is just not good enough to properly set intonation?

[EVOL!]

Intonate by ear? I have never tried and do not think I could. It is much more finite than just tuning your guitar by ear.

 

My guess is that your tuner is not accurate enough to intonate. For example, I use a Boss TU-2 to tune up at rehearsal & on stage and its accuracy is 3/100th of a semitone. For intonating I use a Peterson strobe tuner and it's accurate to 1/1000th of a semitone.

[zigzag]

I'm hoping you're right evol. But I am curious, do me a favor, please. The next time you set intonation with your tuner(s), play around with comparing tuning to adjacent strings high up on the neck, and check harmonics, etc. to see if you can hear a difference.

 

FYI, I first heard about this after my instructor told me how he sets intonation. He sent back a brand new Ibenez because he was not able to set intonation properly, the saddle adjustment lengths wouldn't permit it.

[pete c]

i wish i could set intonation by ear. i have to use a tuner all i use is a a 11 dollar quick tune. my birthday is comming up i think a better tuner is in order. always wanted a strobe tuner.

[EVOL!]

I'm hoping you're right evol. But I am curious' date=' do me a favor, please. The next time you set intonation with your tuner(s), play around with comparing tuning to adjacent strings high up on the neck, and check harmonics, etc. to see if you can hear a difference.

 

FYI, I first heard about this after my instructor told me how he sets intonation. He sent back a brand new Ibenez because he was not able to set intonation properly, the saddle adjustment lengths wouldn't permit it. [/quote']

 

Sure, I'll take a look next time I intonate. My SG will be due for a string change soon so I'll check it then.

 

I used to have *bad* intonation problems with my SG due to a poorly cut slot on the nut for the G string (isn't that f'ing string always the problem?). That might have been the problem with your instructor's Ibanez. Please remember that intonating a guitar is a lot like tuning a piano. You get the thing about right up and down the scale. Nothing is exact, but pleasant enough to the ears that only someone with perfect pitch would notice.

[EVOL!]

Should add that when I intonate I only check each string open and then the octave. I generally do not get too deep into it by checking other octaves or comparing strings. Makes my mild OCD flare up and I'll be there a whole day trying to every note exact.

[AXE®]

Makes my mild OCD flare up and I'll be there a whole day trying to every note exact.

 

I feel your pain.