I would suggest a few things before doing this that you didn't touch on. #1 if the neck is bent, that greatly impacts the intonation. Set the neck relief first always. You can't undo a change to the saddle #2 wrong string diameter will change the intonation. Intonation is determined by the mid-point of the string under set tension center point. If someone puts a thinner string than designed for, there is less tension thus flat intonation. #3 bad strings will have bends, fatigue and rust all which impact the vibration energy and produce incorrect tones. Never mess with any adjustment without first having the correct sized set of new strings installed first. #4 are the strings contacting the saddle in the right place? I've seen it multiple times where the slots were cut incorrectly and the string is out of position. #5 check that the frets are in good shape. A poorly dressed fret will not produce the correct note. #6 is the saddle height set correctly? Height at the saddle and nut play a huge part in how the fretted note will sound. Incorrect height makes the notes sharper.
Thank you so much. I have my acoustic on the bench right now and I have experience with my two electrics-1 Floyd Rose and 1 single locking floating trem-but this will be a new experience.
Thanks, Yorel. I recently pulled my old acoustic from the garage from 2009, put new strings, a saddle and tuning heads---but this helped with intonation, which I NEVER could get right. Now, I know how! Thanks
Thank you for making this video Yorel. The close up shots were a little blurry, and I would have liked to see a clearer shot of the new shape of the bridge. But after watching your video I am now confident I can address the intonation on my guitar.
I have a Tusq compensated bridge in my dreadnought. Some of my strings are still sharp even when the bridge can't go any further back. How do you fix that?
Surely if you compare the harmonic against the open string, it is bound to be OK? Comparing the note fretted at the twelfth against the harmonic is the acid test? On my latest guitar, the two middle strings at the 12th are flat compared to their harmonics. I've tried to file the saddle 'forward' on these but I fear that I have a situation as you describe where the bridge needs surgery by an expert.
I've got a Cordoba Mini M nylon stringed guitar, tuned A to A, with a 20 1/8 scale. The 3mm (3mm (>1/8") saddle so I may shorten the scale on the flat strings ?
Read this to better understand If your guitar is perfectly in tune, but plays off on 12th string, you have bad intonation, which means, the notes that you play, sound bad. 12th fret is the same notes as open strings, just octive higher, so when you play open string perfectly in tune, the same note is supposed to be played perfectly in tune on 12 fret.. If your 12th fret is high pitched, you need to lenghten the string, which means, filing off little bit of saddle, so you bassicly put more lenght in the string, tune it again, and the pitch on 12th fret should be lower. If your 12th fret plays flat, you need to shorten the string, which means, you need to add to saddle, which is the worse case, in that case, get a new, higher saddle, or just put the guitar to someone, who does repairs on this kind of stuff. Hope this helped
Nice informative video. If a string sounds higher on 12th then we need to increase the length. I will appreciate if you kindly elaborate which part of the saddle to be filed to increase the length, if it is sounding higher on 12th fret, I mean is it the front part or the back part towards the pin, needs to be filed? I will appreciate if you reply and help. Thank you
I would suggest a few things before doing this that you didn't touch on.
#1 if the neck is bent, that greatly impacts the intonation. Set the neck relief first always. You can't undo a change to the saddle
#2 wrong string diameter will change the intonation. Intonation is determined by the mid-point of the string under set tension center point. If someone puts a thinner string than designed for, there is less tension thus flat intonation.
#3 bad strings will have bends, fatigue and rust all which impact the vibration energy and produce incorrect tones. Never mess with any adjustment without first having the correct sized set of new strings installed first.
#4 are the strings contacting the saddle in the right place? I've seen it multiple times where the slots were cut incorrectly and the string is out of position.
#5 check that the frets are in good shape. A poorly dressed fret will not produce the correct note.
#6 is the saddle height set correctly? Height at the saddle and nut play a huge part in how the fretted note will sound. Incorrect height makes the notes sharper.
Thank you so much. I have my acoustic on the bench right now and I have experience with my two electrics-1 Floyd Rose and 1 single locking floating trem-but this will be a new experience.
I have no idea what's going on with that tuner.
look up strobe tuner
Brilliant video. So informative and easy to follow. Thanks a lot.
Thanks, Yorel.
I recently pulled my old acoustic from the garage from 2009, put new strings, a saddle and tuning heads---but this helped with intonation, which I NEVER could get right.
Now, I know how! Thanks
You know that's what I did when I bought this video on one of my guitars
Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for making this video Yorel. The close up shots were a little blurry, and I would have liked to see a clearer shot of the new shape of the bridge. But after watching your video I am now confident I can address the intonation on my guitar.
Thanks for the help!
I have a Tusq compensated bridge in my dreadnought. Some of my strings are still sharp even when the bridge can't go any further back. How do you fix that?
Thank you sir
something i've been experimenting with and have had good luck with is using an ebow when I intonate to keep the string from detuning due to attack
Surely if you compare the harmonic against the open string, it is bound to be OK? Comparing the note fretted at the twelfth against the harmonic is the acid test? On my latest guitar, the two middle strings at the 12th are flat compared to their harmonics. I've tried to file the saddle 'forward' on these but I fear that I have a situation as you describe where the bridge needs surgery by an expert.
I've got a Cordoba Mini M nylon stringed guitar, tuned A to A, with a 20 1/8 scale. The 3mm (3mm (>1/8") saddle so I may shorten the scale on the flat strings ?
the best
Great video!
Can I ask how sharp the B string was? I 'd like to know how far off intonation can be before you need to get the saddle moved.
Read this to better understand
If your guitar is perfectly in tune, but plays off on 12th string, you have bad intonation, which means, the notes that you play, sound bad. 12th fret is the same notes as open strings, just octive higher, so when you play open string perfectly in tune, the same note is supposed to be played perfectly in tune on 12 fret..
If your 12th fret is high pitched, you need to lenghten the string, which means, filing off little bit of saddle, so you bassicly put more lenght in the string, tune it again, and the pitch on 12th fret should be lower.
If your 12th fret plays flat, you need to shorten the string, which means, you need to add to saddle, which is the worse case, in that case, get a new, higher saddle, or just put the guitar to someone, who does repairs on this kind of stuff.
Hope this helped
Thank you. This helped me quite a bit. It's a great video, but I lack the foundational knowledge to put it in context.
Nice informative video. If a string sounds higher on 12th then we need to increase the length. I will appreciate if you kindly elaborate which part of the saddle to be filed to increase the length, if it is sounding higher on 12th fret, I mean is it the front part or the back part towards the pin, needs to be filed? I will appreciate if you reply and help. Thank you
Hi, i would like your service for my martin acoustic guitar. Can I know your location and how I can contact you?
The D looks real good
thank you. you filed the nut side ofthe saddle for the sharpened ones right? not the pin side of thre saddle
Ben tam anlayamadım da si teli için nereyi, kalın mi teli için nereyi zımparaladı?
Thx a lot
Loosened the strings in like 1/64th of a second.
Now I need a cheap acoustic that I can ruin while trying this.
One thing these videos fail to inform is tell you how the nut, 12th fret, saddle position is calculated. Nice job though.
But your not explaining anything.