Tune down before adjusting intonation?

[Kzin]

Do I need to tune down my les paul before adjusting the intonation? Can I cause some damage if I try to adjust anything with all the string preasure? Seems like its only the high e-string that is off.

[BigKahune]

No.

 

And no (well possibly a string break that would happen anyway as a matter of wear).

[strat-o-steve]

It will be much easier to adjust with less chance of the screwdriver slipping off and hitting the guitar top if you do tune down first, because you won't need as much force to turn the screw. Otherwise, I don't think you will hurt anything. But you should make sure you tune down a lot if you are going to adjust the thumb wheels to raise the bridge, not only will it make it easier to turn as well, but you will avoid bending the bridge posts, making your bridge lean forward and blowing your intonation again :D

[Kzin]

Ok, thanks. I´ll tune it down just to be safe. I only has to tune down the string I´m going to adjust, right?

 

I have just discovered that the intonation on my new trad pro is off on the high e-string. The E strings pitch is a little to a high at the 12th fret. What worries me is that the intonation issue is realy noticeable betwen the high G and high C on the e string. Usualy if the intonation is off things seem to work inside any limited area of the neck in my experience, but here it doesnt do that. Does that make sense?

[BigKahune]

Hmmmm . . . .

 

When the intonation is off on a string, the higher up the neck you fret a note on that string, the further off tune it will be. This causes the guitar to sound out of tune when you fret more than one string at a time (chords), getting more noticable the higher up the neck you fret chords. Possibly you've got something else going on if the problem doesn't go away with correct intonation.

 

BTW, if you're worried about your screw driver slipping, put a rag/towel on the guitar top and a trimmed to size piece of cardboard in the area under the saddle screws to protect your top. No need to tune down - intonating on pitch will give you a better result.

 

Adjusting the bridge height is a different situation and tuning down for the adjustment will help.

[Fringe Lunatic]

It's basic physics, and physics says it makes sense to detune before adjusting a saddle, just as physics says it's easier to move a chair without someone sitting on it. With a wound string, it's probable that you're going to move a saddle past one or more windings, as well as against string tension, which is an additional reason to detune.

[strat-o-steve]

You are going to have to retune constantly anyway while adjusting the intonation.....so you may as well detune a little! You cannot set Intonation on a tuned to pitch string, cause moving the saddle will either make it sharp or flat, and you will have to tune it to pitch to see if your getting close! :)

[BigKahune]

Let me try to clear this up so as to not let some basic physics knowledge and personal preferences give the wrong impression as to what is the accepted procedure.

 

It is totally unnecessary to detune when adjusting a saddle.

 

Here's some intonation videos, none of which even mention detuning a string everytime you want to move the saddle during intonation. Note that no one is grimacing or straining to turn a saddle screw in these videos (even with tiny screw drivers), no wound strings caught on a saddle, and none of these guys are muscle bound strongmen. However, if you're having difficulty turning those nasty saddle screws, detune if you like.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNoYCdbQHbw

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOV-bMNkiS4

[BigKahune]

More -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLtqcwKwzTI

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZVRCMJLnm4

[Fringe Lunatic]

I may be wr-wr-wr....

 

(thanks!)