Tune-O-Matic Bridge Intonation Problem? The 128 Correct Answer

You asked two questions.

First

“What is the G string gauge you should use on your Epiphone Les Paul guitar?”

The correct technical term for what you call the “width” or “gauge” or “diameter” of the string is its gauge.

Take your guitar to a qualified guitar technician or luthier, or at least your local music store, and have the guitar examined. They can use a gauge to tell you the exact gauge of the strings on the guitar, or they can estimate it simply by looking at the strings. They can recommend which set of six strings you should buy to replace the strings that are on your guitar now. They can also sell you individual strings if you don’t need to replace all six.

Epiphone Les Pauls typically come from the factory with a “set of 10’s” in them. H. a set of strings where the highest string is .010″ in diameter and the other five strings form a matching set of gauges that work well with the .010″ string.

Different sets of strings sold by different manufacturers vary in the gauge of each individual string, but typically an Epiphone Les Paul will come from the factory with a G string that is flattened and has a diameter of .017″.

For example, I’ve provided below a screenshot of a chart showing the standard specifications for string gauge in a set of Gibson Brite Wires round-wound nickel-plated steel strings. This is a popular set of string gauges for a Les Paul style guitar.

Second

You asked, “How does string gauge affect intonation?”

It’s less a question of string gauge that affects intonation. Rather, if you choose to play heavier or lighter strings, a guitar will require several different types of calibration adjustments to function properly. Adjusting the position of the bridge tabs is just one of these types of calibration.

This requires a professional setup (a subject I’ve written about many times on this site and that beginner guitarists don’t seem to be aware of). If you want to use heavier or lighter strings on your guitar, you will need to take it to a professional guitar tech and pay him (usually around $50-$150 in the US in my experience) to change the calibration of several parts of the guitar, interactive to work correctly with the heavier or lighter strings, to create the correct intonation, to ensure all notes sound clear, and to make the guitar easy to play (so that the height of the strings does not deviate from the fretboard and frets of both is too high or too low). Adjustments and calibrations need to be made to the nut, the truss rod of the neck, the calibration and position of several mechanical parts in the bridge (especially if it’s a tremolo bridge like a Fender or Floyd Rose) and in extreme cases the frets or the fretboard needs to be modified.

In short, you’re right that it’s easier to keep the same gauge of strings that are already on the guitar. Changing to heavier or lighter strings would likely throw the guitar so far out of its proper calibration that paying for a professional setup would be wise. However, keep in mind that your guitar can benefit from professional maintenance and setup from time to time, even if you keep using new sets of the same string gauge. This is because guitars and their necks, like any precision mechanical device, can lose calibration and change shape or angle due to changes in humidity or temperature, or the wear and tear of playing the instrument over the years.

Most Gibson electric guitars (and many others) use adjustable tune-o-matic bridges with stud-mounted “stop” tailpieces. Installing, adjusting and replacing these parts is a part of every busy guitar shop’s daily routine, and our three Tune-o-Medic tools make the job quicker and more accurate.

The tools are each described below, but first let’s start with some information on setting up Tune-o-matic bridges:

Adjustment screws point towards the neck

The intonation adjustment screws on a Tune-o-matic bridge should face the neck and pickups, not the tailpiece. When reversed, the heads of the adjustment screws can interfere with the strings coming loose from the saddles. When this happens, it changes the string angle and can cause rattling or other problems.

Note the string radius

The position and depth of the string slots in the saddles determine whether the bridge holds the strings in an arc that matches the curved radius of the fretboard surface. Many Gibsons have a 9″-10″ fretboard radius while most Tune-o-matics have a 12″ radius, and this is often overlooked when building Tune-o-matic bridges. Use radius gauges to find the fretboard radius to determine and adjust when shaping and slotting your saddles. Often the string slots need to be off-center to get the correct radius.

Using the bridge jack to adjust string height

The Tune-o-Medic Bridge Jack is a tool used in Gibson’s original factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It raises and lowers Tune-o-matic bridges without loosening the strings. Raise a bridge with this socket to freely adjust the thumbscrews up or down. With no string pressure, you no longer damage the coating of the hardware.

Attach the self-adhesive felt to the bottom of the jack (it is cut to fit the shape of the jack). Always keep the felt covered surface in full contact with the guitar top; Tilting the tool could allow the metal to come in contact with the finished surface.

Use the jack from either side of the bridge – whichever gives the best access. Depending on the height of the bridge, you may need to place a rubber or wooden pad on top of the guitar to gain height. (Choose a backing material that protects the finish of the guitar.)

Once you’re comfortable using the Bridge Jack, you can hold the guitar in the playing position and jack up the bridge with one hand while watching the action at the 12th fret – if it looks right, turn the thumbwheel to that height to keep.

Tip: Keep the bridge level

For a good, solid setup, the underside of the bridge must be flat on the thumbwheels and not skewed. This means that the thumbwheels must be level at each end. Use the saddle slots to fine-tune string heights.

string spacing

When a guitar ships from the factory the strings are usually well adjusted but allow room for fine tuning to suit your preferences. Two important things to check are the string spacing on the sides of the neck and whether the strings line up with the pickup pole pieces. Spacing on the sides of the neck is a matter of personal preference, and often there is a trade-off between that spacing and proper string alignment with the pickup pole pieces.

Mathematically equally spaced strings do not feel even. The thicker bass strings feel a bit crowded, while the thin treble strings feel too far apart. Place your strings so that the bass side strings are slightly further apart than the treble. Our string spacing rule is a convenient way to place strings correctly.

We prefer to start with unslotted saddles so the saddle slots can be cut where needed for proper string spacing on the Tune-o-matic bridge. You can slide the strings over the unslotted saddles until you find the correct spacing. Once positioned, tapping the string lightly with the plastic face of our Fretting Hammer will make an impression on the saddle to show where the slot needs to be cut.

Cut the slits to a depth of half the diameter of the cord. Angle the slot on the side of the tailpiece by “ramping” the slot to the tailpiece at a similar angle as the tailpiece.

Using the post tool for posts and knurling wheels

If the threaded posts that support a Tune-o-matic bridge are bent, the bridge will tilt out of place. The intonation suffers, as does the tone. It becomes difficult to turn the thumbwheels and adjust the bridge height. Bent posts should be straightened or replaced. Bridge posts should be long enough to reach the top of the bridge they support, but they should not overhang the bridge. If they’re too high, they probably aren’t set far enough into the wood of the guitar top. Also, posts that are too high are uncomfortable for the player’s hand.

The post tool makes it easy to remove or install bridge posts and straighten bent posts. Two threaded inserts snap into the handle of the tool – one is a 6-32 thread (for Gibson) and the other is a metric M4 x 0.7 thread (for imports). A properly installed Tune-o-matic bridge post extends 1/2 inch across the top of the guitar, with the other half of the 1 inch post screwing into the body.

Screw the tool onto the post until it is flush with the thumb wheel. Tighten the thumbwheel against the stylus tool and hold the two together to rotate the stylus in or out of the guitar.

When screwing posts in or out of the guitar, hold them perpendicular to the guitar top and don’t let the post wobble as you rotate it. Wobble will roll out the post hole so it will fit loosely when you replace the post (wobble can also chip the finish). Once the post is removed, you can straighten it or replace it. You can also reinforce a damaged post hole in wood with superglue or TiteBond.

Tune-o-matic Contribution Tips:

The posts should be perpendicular to the top of the instrument.

The bridge should be flush against the knurled wheels. It mustn’t rock.

The posts should protrude about 1/2 inch from the top of the guitar.

Posts that are too high protrude beyond the top edge of the bridge.

Stop the tailpiece wrench

The Stop Tailpiece Wrench has a screwdriver tip recessed into a smooth-walled socket that fits the 1/2″ diameter of the tailpiece stud. The socket keeps the wrench centered on the post and prevents slippage that could damage either the plated studs or (even ) would damage worse) the guitar top. The blade of the tool is thicker than a regular screwdriver, so it fits snugly in the slot. This wrench is great for tightening TonePros® locking studs.

key to good form

For good tone, the components should be tightly connected and the strings should be properly “terminated” at the saddles and tailpiece. There should be enough downward force and string angle across the nut to properly “notate” the string – like a properly fretted note.

A good string angle from the back of the saddle to the stop tailpiece is in the 13-17 degree range. Some players prefer a slacker angle, sometimes players even wrap the strings over the top of the stop tailpiece (this is “reverse wrapping” popularized by Billy Gibbons. Here you have to find a compromise that suits your preference; a flat String angle makes it easier to bend the strings, while a steeper angle improves solid energy transfer into the bridge/body. Consider the angle of a violin’s strings as they travel across the bridge to the tailpiece. Ultimately, your preference for string angle might come down to how how the components feel under your playing hand.

Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece replacement parts are available at stewmac.com/tuneomatic

Bridge for electric guitar

“ABR-1” style tune-o-matic bridge with thumbwheel adjustment and stop bar

“Nashville” style tune-o-matic with “strings through the body” construction (no stopbar) and screw slots

Tune-o-matic (also abbreviated as TOM) is the name of a fixed or floating bridge design for electric guitars. It was designed by Ted McCarty (President of Gibson Guitar Corporation) and was introduced on the Gibson Super 400 guitar in 1953 and on the Les Paul Custom the following year.[1] In 1955 it was used on the Gibson Les Paul Gold Top. It was gradually accepted as a standard on nearly all Gibson electric guitars, replacing the previous wrap-around bridge design except on the Budget series.

Function[edit]

Guitar strings, especially steel strings, are not ideal vibrators. In general, the thicker the string, the shorter the effective length. This refers to the length of the string involved in producing a tone, as opposed to the length between the nut and the bridge. Many fixed-bridge guitar designs have the bridge sloped or stepped so that the nut-to-bridge distance is greater with heavy strings. The Tune-o-matic extends this idea to make the distance for all strings adjustable within limits.

construction [edit]

Tune-o-matic disassembled

Both the ABR-1 and Nashville Tune-o-Matic bridges consist of an elongated saddle that contains 6 saddle inserts and the appropriate string length (intonation) adjustment screws. Later ABR-1 bridges also have a saddle retaining wire that holds all saddle inserts and bolts in place. Both mount to guitars via two threaded posts that screw directly into the guitar’s solid body (old style) or into threaded anchors that are pressed into the body. These bridges are also used on some archtop hollowbody guitars such as the Gibson ES175D, which use a floating rosewood or ebony base (or foot) with two threaded posts screwed directly into it.

To adjust string height (action), the Tune O Matic bridge sits on two threaded wheels that are bolted to its threaded posts. Some have integral wheel posts that thread into anchors, but they’re less common. Non-Gibson models often have screw heads on the bridge posts.

Each saddle insert has a small groove that matches the string gauge and shape to prevent the string from slipping off the saddle insert. When fully assembled, each string sits astride a saddle insert, thus “marking” the end of the string’s vibrating length – from the string nut to the saddle insert.

After passing through the saddle insert, each string makes a slight downward angle toward the stopbar tailpiece, vibrato, or on hollowbody guitars, a trapezoid tailpiece. Some solid body guitars have a “strings through the body” construction. Regardless of how the strings are held, the fact that the string forms a downward angle after the saddle creates a “break angle”. The angle of break prevents the string from jumping out of the groove of the nut insert because the angle causes the string to sit tightly over the nut. The break angle also contributes to the guitar’s sustain and, in the case of an acoustic guitar, to its loudness. There is also a break angle above the nut caused by the headstock tilting back.

The tune-o-matic bridge is not perfectly flat, and standard Gibson tune-o-matic bridges have a 12-inch radius.[1] Ideally, the radius should match the fretboard radius for the most comfortable playing experience.

Due to the symmetrical design, it is possible to accidentally attach the bridge to the two posts upside down. This can cause some confusion if the bridge is ever removed for any reason. Traditionally, the string length (intonation) adjustment screw heads of the ABR-1 bridge face the neck and the screw heads of the newer “Nashville” bridge face the stop bar. Unless the player wants to completely readjust the action and intonation, it is important to put the bridge back on in the same orientation it was in before changing strings, regardless of which orientation you started with.

Varieties[ edit ]

Various versions of Gibson and other companies have emerged since its invention:

• ABR-1 without tether: 1954-1962

• ABR-1 with tether: 1962-1975

• Schaller Wide Travel Tune-o-Matic a.k.a. “Harmonica Bridge”: 1970-1980 (Gibson SG/ Kalamazoo plant)

• Modern TOM aka “Nashville” Bridge: 1975 – (First introduced when Gibson moved Les Paul production from Kalamazoo to the new Nashville facility). It is still a distinctive feature of guitars from the Gibson USA line.

There are several well-known Tune-o-matic models that differ in the following parameters:[3]

Measurements of a typical Tune-o-matic bridge

Model 1st to 6th Spacing, mm Between Posts, mm Posts, Diameter × Length, mm Thumbwheel Diameter, mm Saddles, mm Width Height Thickness Hole Gibson BR-010, ABR-1 (“Vintage”) 52 73.8 M4×30 [ 4] 15 8.8 6.5 3.0 M3 Gotoh GE-103B, GEP-103B[5] 52 74 M4×30 16 8.8[3] 8.0[3] 3.0[3] M2 ,5[3] Gotoh GE-103B-T, GEP -103B-T[5] 52 74 M8×33.5 15 8.8[3] 8.0[3] 3.0[3] M2.5[ 3] Gibson BR-030 (“Nashville”) 51.6 74.3 M5×25.1 16 8.8 10.8 2.55 M3

Gibson competitor Gretsch has its own copy of the Tune-o-matic, called the Adjust-o-matic. Although the Adjust-o-matic was originally introduced on Gretsch guitars in the 1970s, it has been common on modern Fender guitars since Fender Gretsch adopted it in the early 2000s. There is no definitive specification for an Adjust-o-matic bridge, ranging from exact copies of the Tune-o-matic to more curved and narrower versions to match Fender’s traditional 9.5″ neck radius . Often the term Adjust-o-matic is used to describe any tune-o-matic on an FMIC brand guitar such as Jackson, Charvel or Squier. The style of the bridge is sometimes referred to as “F-style” or “F-spaced” by Fender Tune-o-matic competitors to avoid overt references to Fender’s trademarked term.[6]

Saddle groove maintenance[ edit ]

Over time, particularly on the thinner, flattened E, B, and G strings, the groove can cut into the saddle in which the string rests and take on a sharper V-shape as the string bends particularly slightly in the Groove slides during string bending. As this “V” shape tapers, it takes on a slight scissoring characteristic and gradually each new string is worn down as the string tension pulls them deeper into the groove; This leads to increased breakage, especially when bending – right at the saddle. The simplest solution is a light filing of the groove to replicate a more U-shape, while saddle replacement, particularly with very high quality metal alloy replacements, is another option.

spelling [edit]

There is no general consensus on the “correct” capitalization of the bridge name. Gibson’s official website usually writes it as “Tune-o-matic”,[1] while “Tune-o-Matic” and “Tune-O-Matic” are commonly used in advertising and promotional material.

Here we look at how to set up a variety of Gibson themed instruments, as well as their replicas.

The main ingredient we’ll be discussing is the Tune-o-Matic type bridge, so this guide will come in handy if your guitar has one. The Tune-o-Matic bridge is well designed but may have some imperfections due to its age.

So watch out for loose (T-shaped) saddles that rock from side to side and also for collapsed bridges. On many Gibsons, the Tune-o-Matic bridge will bend itself down and collapse – preventing you from setting the guitar up properly.

So we do a cleanup and check the truss rod, nut slot, bridge height adjustment, intonation, pickup height and finally the tailpiece adjustment. This is all important when setting up your guitar as the truss rod, nut slots and bridge height are all responsible for the action (not just the bridge!).

So, let’s crack a fresh one (like in a pack of strings!) and get started.

What you need

Phillips screwdriver

flathead screwdriver

feeler gauge

capo

New strings

string winder

string cutter

tuner

lead Jack

¼” socket wrench

Stanley blade

Engineer’s ruler

Blue roll or tissue

lemon oil

Soft bristled brush

Step 1

Find Your Next Guitar (Image credit: Future) The best electric guitars to buy now for every budget (opens in new tab)

Clean that goo off your guitar, mate! Your bandmates are all talking about it behind your back. With no strings, it’s a great opportunity to lightly scrape your fretboard to clean around the tuners and around the pickups. Gibson’s delicate finish likes a good carnauba wax (aka palm wax) after a clean.

step 2

Dry fretboards are not your friend. Rosewood and ebony fretboards are unfinished and require a little maintenance to keep them beautiful. Lemon oil is most commonly used to re-wet and clean the fretboard. Let the oil soak in and it will prevent the fretboard from shrinking or becoming brittle.

step 3

Your fretboard is set to a specific radius of curvature – so the strings have to match that, right? If not, it means some strings are being held closer to the frets than their neighbors. Here you can see what some downward pressure can lead to over time.

step 4

Remove the truss rod cover. Under the cover you’ll see a truss rod adjustment nut, and on Gibsons it’s almost always a ¼-inch brass nut. You will need a ¼ inch socket wrench to adjust. On Les Paul copies you may find a hex nut that requires an allen wrench. Mark the current position with a CD pen for reference.

step 5

Choose a string gauge, a tuning, and string it up. In the last issue we discussed the best non-improvable method of opening with a lock wrap technique. With the strings in tune, you give the neck a steady forward pull, which we have to counteract to some degree with the truss rod. Smart, isn’t it?

step 6

This is how you get a handle on it. Put a capo on the first fret, press down on the 15th fret, then use the straight string as a guide to see how bowed the neck is. The feeler gauge is placed over the eighth or ninth fret below the string – 0.007″ is the magic distance.

step 7

With a smaller spacing, the string hits the frets when played; much larger than that and the height of the string will be excessive. So how do you change that? Tight on the right, loose on the left. That’s clockwise to close the gap and counterclockwise to increase the gap (causing the strings to pull the neck forward).

step 8

Guitar String Guide (Credit: Getty/Sanda Stanca/EyeEm) The Best Strings For Electric Guitars (opens in new tab)

Next, the mother is checked. So examine it to see if you have a problem, but if there is a problem we recommend sending it to the pros. Attach your capo to the third fret and we’ll check the clearance across the first fret and string. You should have 0.004″ to 0.008″ of play on your feeler gauge.

step 9

Half-timbered: check. Nut: check. Now it’s time to set the bridge height by turning the thumb wheel adjuster. At the 12th fret (without the capo), measure the gap on the sixth string and set it to 2mm. On the first string, set the gap to 1.5mm. Check again to make sure you’re in tune, then check the sixth again.

step 10

After you’ve set your action and tested it for humming, it’s time to set the intonation. Your new strings may require a different intonation setting – never just assume! Play a harmonic on the 12th fret, then compare it to the fret note on the same fret. If it’s sharp, move the saddle backwards. When it’s flat, move it forward.

step 11

Adjusting the pickup height is a little tricky, but it’s not a black art. Fender-y single coils have a stronger magnetic pull and therefore need to be pulled back, but most humbuckers share a bar magnet and aren’t as strong. So set the bridge to around 3.5mm and see how it sounds. Just adjust the neck to match in volume when plugged in and experiment!

step 12

Stopbar tailpiece adjustment. Thought you were done, eh? This tailpiece bar controls a couple of things: the under tension related to the collapsing bridge factor and also the string tension. Higher bar height means easier bending! Use a coin (ideally a 50p piece) to spin it. Don’t be tempted by a flathead screwdriver – you’ll destroy the chrome!

9 common causes of bad guitar intonation

by Frederik Nielsen, 2019-09-02 . 3 min read

Guitar intonation, as the name suggests, is related to the tone of your guitar strings. You’ve probably noticed that certain strings sound wrong no matter how well you’ve tuned them.

Poor manufacturing usually causes poor guitar intonation. Or it could be that you’ve just used your ax so many times that you’ve worn out parts of it.

What causes bad guitar intonation?

Manufacturers set up their guitars in very specific ways, and any mistake, no matter how small, in the setup can have a massive impact on how your guitar sounds. Here are some common causes of bad intonation.

1. Faulty guitar strings

Not all guitar strings are created equal, and maybe you bought a bad set. Eliminate this cause by changing the strings. With the Roadie 3 this is quick and easy.

2. String action too high

When you have the string action high at the nut or bridge of the guitar, sometimes the strings have to bend further when you push them down towards the fret. Adjust your strings to a lower action to avoid this cause.

3. Extreme guitar neck relief

Extreme neck relief is one of the causes of high string action, which leads to poor intonation. Turn your guitar sideways to see if your guitar neck is straight in or bent too much. If it’s not flat, straighten your neck.

4. You didn’t position your intonation pieces correctly

The strings rest on the intonation pieces that form part of the bridge. Incorrectly positioned intonation pieces can cause poor intonation. Set them individually for each string.

5. The nut is worn or not adjusted properly

A worn or misplaced nut can cause poor intonation. A worn saddle will need to be replaced, and a saddle that is set too high should be filed down to decrease string action.

6. You didn’t position your frets correctly

Each fret represents a half step on the chromatic scale and is positioned based on mathematical calculations. Check if you need to re-fret the board.

Further reading: Mattias Eklundh’s True Temperament Guitar

7. The frets are too loose in the slots

The frets can be too loose if you dropped the guitar or they were made incorrectly. As with poorly positioned frets, the only solution to this problem is to refret the board.

8. Nut and collars are worn or damaged

String friction can wear down your guitar’s saddles and frets. As such, you may need to replace the nuts or replace the frets if any of these are worn or damaged.

9. Switching the string gauge

Alternate tunings are great, but sometimes require heavier gauge strings, which can increase tension and cause guitar neck distortion. Combat this by not changing string gauges too often.

Did you identify the problem?

Hopefully the reason your guitar is out of tune is one of these nine reasons we listed above.

Stay tuned for our next article on voicing a guitar!

Do you know of any common causes of bad guitar intonation that we’ve missed? Leave us a comment in the section below and share your knowledge!

Stay consistent with this necessary maintenance.

By Jeff Owens

Voicing a guitar or bass can be a meticulous and time-consuming maintenance procedure, but the basic principles behind it are actually pretty simple.

When an instrument is properly intoned, all open strings and every note on the fretboard will sound at their correct pitch. If your guitar still sounds noticeably out of tune after tuning the open strings, the intonation is wrong—that is, the instrument is out of tune with itself. This effect is often minor rather than dramatic, but even minor intonation imbalances are noticeable enough to be distracting and require adjustment.

Wobbly intonation is not uncommon. Guitars are machines, after all, and machines need maintenance. Your guitar is subjected to environmental conditions and events that constantly affect its intonation. Especially climate. Regular intonation is usually required even under normal circumstances and is in fact one of the main elements of a setup that is perhaps the best maintenance you can do on your instrument.

Constant fluctuating intonation is precisely why most guitars come with adjustable intonation mechanisms. Voicing a guitar brings it into harmony with itself by slightly shortening or lengthening each string, which is done with the adjustable string length mechanisms on the bridge. The bridge saddles that each string travels over can usually be moved back and forth; that is, closer to and farther from the saddle (the saddles can also be moved up and down to adjust string height, often called an action).

If an accurate tuner determines that the string is in tune at both the 12th fret and the overtones are sounding at the 12th fret, the string is in tune and you are in good shape. The string is tuned “with itself”.

However, if there is a tuning discrepancy between the fret note at the 12th fret and the overtone at the 12th fret, the string is out of tune and needs adjustment. In this case, the fret note at the 12th fret will either sound sharp or flat compared to the harmonic at the 12th fret, and this is where two basic principles come into play.

First, if the tuner indicates that the 12th fret note is sharper than the 12th fret harmonic, the string must be lengthened slightly until both pitches read as in tune. That is, the bridge saddle must be further removed from the saddle until both pitches are correct.

Second, if the fret note at the 12th fret is flatter than the harmonic at the 12th fret, the string needs to be shortened slightly until both pitches match. That is, the bridge saddle must be moved toward the saddle until both tunings are read correctly. In fact, sometimes raising the saddle slightly shortens the string length appropriately.

Although there are many different bridge designs for electric guitars and basses, most if not all include a way to adjust intonation relatively easily through the use of movable bridge tabs. These are usually adjusted with a small screwdriver.

Adjust your intonation

You can preset the basic tuning of your guitar by taking a tape measure and measuring from the inside of the nut to the middle of the 12th fret (the fret wire itself, not the fretboard). Double this measurement to find the scale length of your guitar. Adjust the first string’s saddle to this scale length by measuring from the inside of the saddle to the center of the saddle.

Now set the distance of the second string nut from the first string nut using the second string gauge as a gauge. For example, if the second string is 0.3 mm (0.011 inch) long, you would move the second string’s saddle back 0.011 inch (0.3 mm) from the first saddle. Move the third saddle back from the second saddle using the gauge of the third string as a gauge. The fourth string nut should be adjusted parallel to the second string nut. Continue with the fifth and sixth saddles using the same method used for strings two and three.

If you want to learn more about your guitar or bass and how to make it sound great, check out the hundreds of lessons on Fender Play. And if you’re not a member yet, click here for a free trial.

How to set up your electric guitar Part 3: Intonation

In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, you learned how to adjust your guitar’s truss rod and string height to maximize your guitar’s comfort and playability. In the third and final part of this series, we’ll tune your guitar intonation so it’s in tune across the fretboard.

The first section of this article explains what intonation is, why it’s important, and when you need to adjust intonation. In the second section, we’ll walk you through the steps that need to be taken to properly voice your guitar.

Guitar tuning explained

If your guitar or bass is playing out of tune, especially if you’re playing up the neck, it might be time to adjust your intonation. An excellent way to check this is to play an open string and then play the same string at the 12th fret. If the note on the 12th fret is out of tune with the open note (more than a few cents off), you probably need to adjust your intonation.

When intonation is set, string length is adjusted by moving the saddle closer or farther from the bridge. A properly intoned guitar improves pitch accuracy across the entire fretboard.

Changing the string gauge can affect intonation

Your guitar’s intonation will likely need fine-tuning every time you replace your strings. If you change the string gauge, the intonation will almost certainly need to be readjusted, as the core of your new strings will be of a different diameter. Intonation can help compensate for differences in string core sizes.

For an accurate reading, hold the guitar in the playing position when checking pitch.

How to intonate your electric guitar

Now that you know what adjusting intonation does and when to take action, it’s time to adjust it. To do this, you need to compare the pitches of an open string and the 12th fret of that string. Depending on whether it’s sharp or flat, move the saddle forward or backward to fine-tune the string length. After doing this for all six strings, your guitar is fully intoned and ready to play! Follow the steps below to voice your guitar.

Compare pitches

Play the lowest open string or, for a more accurate reading, play the 12th fret overtones. Now press down the string at the 12th fret and compare the two pitches.

Remember, play with a soft to medium touch for the most accurate reading. If both notes on all strings are perfectly in tune, then you’re lucky and you’re done! The more likely case is that the two notes are slightly too high or too low. To correct this you need to adjust the saddle.

Adjust the string length

Now that you’ve compared the pitches, the next step is to make the changes to get the string in perfect tune. This is accomplished by adjusting the string length with a flathead screwdriver.

If the fret note is flat, adjust the saddle (towards the neck). When the fret note is sharp, move the saddle back (toward the bridge). A good trick to remember how to conform can be remembered with this phrase:

Flat forward, sharp backwards

DO NOT REMOVE SCREW HEADS! Be careful when adjusting the intonation screws as you can easily strip the skins. If you are having trouble moving the saddle, consider loosening the string tension.

Make slight adjustments of 1/4 turn as you do so until you have a good idea of ​​how much the saddle needs to move to affect the tuner. If the intonation is too far out, it may take several full turns to get the exact saddle position.

Repeat the process for each string

You should now re-pitch the guitar and compare your settings to the tuner. If the 12th fret pitch does not match the open string, you should repeat the above process. This must be done for all strings. While this process can be insanely tedious, the results are worth it! Your guitar will play exactly the way you want it to, and you can fall in love with the sound of your guitar all over again.

That’s a wrap!

Now that the art of electric guitar setup has been demystified, get out there and start setting up your friends and bandmates’ guitars. Practice creates masters! Who knows, you might have a future as a touring guitar tech.

Floating bridge adaptation

Gretsch® guitars use a variety of “floating” bridges coupled with fixed or vibrato tailpieces.

A floating bridge has an arched wood or metal base held in place only by the downward pressure of the strings on the top of the instrument. If the bridge is moved even slightly when re-stringing, the intonation will be out of tune (some Gretsch instruments have “pinned” bridges that eliminate this possibility).

To set the floating bridge intonation on a guitar, first check the 12th fret harmonic and 12th fret tuning of both E strings (high and low). With proper intonation, the fretted and harmonic 12-fret pitches of both E strings match, with neither being sharp or flat.

If the pitch of the 12th fret note is high relative to the pitch of the 12th fret overtone, lightly tap the foot of the bridge to move it back toward the tailpiece until both pitches match.

If the pitch of the 12th fret note is flat relative to the pitch of the 12th fret overtone, lightly tap the foot of the bridge to move it forward toward the neck until the two pitches match.

To fine-tune fully adjustable bridges, adjust each saddle forward or backward with the individual intonation screws while checking the tuning of the 12-fret harmony versus the 12th fret pitch.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When restringing a guitar with a floating bridge, change the strings one at a time. Do not remove all the strings at once, as only the downward pressure of the strings will hold the bridge in place.

OK, in this case we’ll assume you have a Tun-O-Matic bridge. This is generally installed on a large part of the Gibson range and is almost certainly what is installed on your Les Paul, SG, Firebird, Explorer, 335 etc etc. There are several types of Tun-O-Matic, however, the basic operation is the same. If you have a wraparound style tailpiece bridge, read this article.

The adjustment screws can be a bit fiddly to access, so be careful. Try not to damage your strings, your guitar top, or the screw itself. Use a reasonably sized screwdriver (usually a small to medium flat blade)

HOW TO ADJUST THE INTONATION OF A GIBSON TUN-O-MATIC

But first, let’s summarize the prerequisites.

The rest of your setup needs to be right for you before you begin. Intonation is the last thing to set, so sort out your action, relief, nut and pickup first. You should have fresh strings (your usual gauge and brand) installed, properly tensioned, and tuned as usual.

Also, remember to always check intonation and tuning with the guitar in the playing position (i.e. not lying on a table or counter, but upright as if you’re playing it).

The basic theory is this:

If you play guitar, you’ve probably heard the term intonation. It is often used in connection with the setup of a guitar. A setup is a method of fine-tuning the relationship of guitar components such as the guitar strings, bridge, nut, nut, neck angle and, on electric guitars, pickups to optimize the guitar’s feel and tone. (Think of tuning for a car or bike.) Luthiers set up their instruments to their own specifications, and any guitar service technician can easily perform either a basic setup or a more customized setup to suit a seasoned player’s preference and playing technique to become .

What is intonation?

In musical instruments, intonation refers to pitch accuracy—the extent to which the notes formed are in tune, as opposed to being flat or sharp. When a player tunes a guitar with an electronic guitar tuner, they do so by plucking the open (unfretted) strings. However, when a string is fretted, the tension on the string increases, causing the note’s pitch to bend up slightly. The effect is subtle, but this change can affect intonation and, in some cases, cause “sour” tones and dissonant chords if the guitar’s intonation is not set correctly. Often, intonation issues arise when playing higher up the fretboard (closer to the guitar body).

Another thing to keep in mind is that the closer a string is to the frets, the less it needs to be stretched since it doesn’t need to go as far. This means that low action tends to produce more accurate intonation. Intonation problems can be subtle or dramatic depending on how a guitar is built. For guitarists recording or performing music live, intonation issues can ruin a recording session or live performance.

How is the intonation of an acoustic guitar adjusted?

While tuning the intonation of an acoustic guitar is conceptually the same as an electric guitar, the processes vary in a few ways due to certain differences in construction (e.g. different types of saddles). Most acousticians take their guitars to a qualified guitar technician when they need to adjust their intonation.

Typically, proper intonation of an acoustic guitar begins with a full setup along with a fresh set of strings. On Taylor guitars, provided fret wear is not encountered, the setup often solves serious intonation problems with acoustic guitars. However, many high-level players still appreciate a luthier’s special attention to intonation, as it appeals to each player’s style and technique on that particular instrument. The technician checks the mechanics of the guitar (distance between the strings and the fretboard) as well as the neck relief of the instrument. This refers to the slight bend intentionally created in the neck to set the action. It can be controlled by tightening or loosening the truss rod, which is located in the neck. Essentially, the technician is trying to get everything right before actually adjusting the intonation of the acoustic guitar. This removes the extra variables and makes dialing in intonation easier.

From there, they usually address the saddle and saddle, where the strings stretch across a piece of bone, plastic, or other synthetic material. Most saddles are placed at a slight angle to the bridge, making the lower strings longer to accommodate differences in string gauges. Likewise, many saddles are made with compensation points for some or all of the strings, which helps tune those points even more finely. When it comes to a player’s particular style and technique, a skilled guitar technician can cut more precise notches in the nut and effectively adjust the intonation of each string by changing the string’s distance from the nut. The technician checks the pitch of each string at the 12th fret to make sure it matches the pitch of the open string.

It is important to check the saddle where the strings rest on the peg head before wrapping them around the tuners. String slots that are cut flat, left highly centered, or left too high, as well as improper saddle placement will prevent a guitar from achieving good intonation. At Taylor, we have the added benefit of our proprietary neck design, which ensures each guitar is built with the correct string action and precise nut and nut placement. The guitar neck design also makes it easy to adjust the neck angle, allowing for setup-related intonation corrections without changing the position of the nut or saddle.

Finally, intonation on a tempered scale instrument can never be perfect. And remember that another factor that can affect the intonation of an acoustic guitar is a person’s playing technique. For example, players with a heavy fingering hand or a beginner might press the strings harder than necessary, causing the notes to become sharp. In other words, in the hands of a given player, even a properly tuned guitar can sound out of tune. Because there are so many variables, we recommend that players change their strings before consulting a service technician to adjust their intonation, as guitar strings naturally lose some elasticity with time and wear. Otherwise, a technician can find the sweet spot on your guitar that delivers the best possible intonation back and forth up the neck.

If you have questions about the intonation of your guitar, contact a Taylor Authorized Service Technician or call our Customer Service Department.

How the new V-Class bracing improves intonation

In early 2018, Taylor released a new internal bracing system called V-Class that dramatically redesigns an acoustic guitar’s top. The V-Class design breaks with the tradition of X-bracing, which has served as the standard voicing architecture in most steel-string acoustic guitars for decades. The V-Class pattern fundamentally changes the way the top responds to the strings, increasing stiffness down the center of the guitar (towards the strings) to improve sustain, while allowing more flexibility on both Sides of the lower part creates the top to increase the volume. But the design accomplishes another impressive feat: It largely eliminates an acoustic guitar’s natural intonation errors. What’s remarkable is that bracing isn’t usually even connected to intonation; Normally, intonation problems along the fretboard are corrected by setting up and compensating for the guitar. But as it turns out, ceiling movement also plays an important role in intonation.

X-bracing, due to its design, creates disordered zones of vibration in the topside that cause colliding sound waves (think choppy sea conditions). Basically, the vibrating ceiling is not completely in sync with the vibrating strings. We experience this chaos as dissonance, the thumping or swaying sound that occurs when you play a chord that acoustic guitar can’t accurately reproduce.

The V-Class bracing resolves this mess by creating a more ordered response from above that’s more of a side-to-side sway. Essentially, the top now matches the strings better. Without those clashing waves, those slightly dissonant chords sound clearer with more harmonic consistency and without the acidity heard with certain voicings.

Learn more about V-Class bracing and how it solves intonation problems here.