Luthier's Tips & Tricks # 27, One way to fix a bridge that won't intonate
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
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Invaluable advice, even five years later. I was in the recording studio yesterday with intonation problems. We were troubleshooting other potential problems, but then diagnosed that to be intonation issues in all of my electric guitars. I faced the same problem that when checking my tuning open then taking a reading at the 12 fret and my strings were slightly sharp, but ran out of space to move the saddle to lengthen the string. As I overtightened the screw the ball end of the screw snapped off and my guitar was non-operational. If I knew about this fix this would have been be a get out of jail free card!
Its worthwhile mentioning that if your tremolo system is not flush to the body the angle this makes the bridge can mean it would be impossible to get perfect intonation, as will also prevents the distance the saddle can travel.
It’s never nice when in a professional setting you face these challenges, but it would be my strongest recommendation to learn the ins and outs of maintaining your instrument to prevent relying on other people. So if a curveball flies your way in a high stress environment, you are fully equipped with the knowledge and experience to resolve it.
Im having trouble with me D String being too flat and no room to adjust it screw will fall out what should i do ???
EXACTLY
@@v.royyyyy useless troll. Why do you dicks think these things are funny? To mess with people needing help?
I have the same problem if I'm understanding correctly. The original bridge on my guitar was trashed so I bought a new one. Very nice one - wasn't cheap. But it ended up not fitting just right, but I've made it work, experimenting with it over the years. It's been my main guitar all that time too, so it's not THAT bad, but definitely there...& it's my high E string...if I move the saddle forward any more than it is, the screw won't be holding it in place anymore. I have room to spare; but the screws aren't long enough. & no, I haven't yet found a longer one to replace it, despite looking for one.
...& yeah, say what you will. I was young & dumb when I replaced the bridge. But like I said, I've made it work for the most part....but it's definitely something that bothers me & I know it can be remedied... I'm just not sure how. 😂
This is me! Helppppppp
Back in the 70's , there were a whole bunch of Washburn fixed neck electrics that the bridge mounted too far forward. Not only did we remove the springs, but had to cut the back of the saddles a bit to get them close enough.
Exactly why I'm here lol
Great tip that I hope to remember if I ever run across the situation.
Good tip Ken, you're always one to find a quick and simple fix.Have a nice night!! Peace
Watching you makes me want to build my own. I absolutely love this cutting board guitar!!! I love wood and seeing all the different grains and such. I would love to find the perfect piece of wood and build my own guitar. I made myself a Diddley bow as a beginner project. It was fun painting, sanding, and creating my own instrument.
F-ing Brilliant and a huge Thank You!!! Same problem, only my G string is sharp intonation on my Electric & it's already fully adjusted back on bridge. Was just looking on Amazon to order a watch pin or metal dowels to cut to size & slide under the G string 1st fret up next to the nut. That would compensate and fix the problem I think but I love this solution better and think I'll do this for sure. 🙂 You've made me happy and can't wait for perfect intonation.
Thank you for the help.
I was over her fiddling with my fat E string intonation for about a year!!!
I was messing with the tremolo screws; put the saddles toward the neck ALL the way and started from scratch.
Going to try the spring cut right now!
Wow…how did I not think of this!?!? Thank You 🙏🏻
I lowered the action of the problem string and that worked for me.
YOU DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT SHIT
@@justinTime077 THE SHIT I KNOW WORKS
Gonna try this james
@@rygdoomed442 did it work?
This was invaluable advice, thank you so much dude 👍
Cool, exactly the type of idea I need, I had thought about removing the spring entirely or taking the saddle to the grinder and shortening it then clean up the threads with a tap. Your idea sounds a lot easier! Thanks!
Thank you for a great video! Real beautiful guitar you´ve built!
Great tip ken that will help me with my tele can’t get the g and d to intenate cheers rob
Nice tip. I've done that before myself.
Great tip! When I reached this point I was wondering the hell can I do with it. Now I need to figure out if I lose any warranty on my Fender if I do it 😐.
what would you do if its still flat??? loosen the screw, zero spring tension anymore and it's still off.
Excuse me i have the same problem, have find the solution yet?
I have the same problem, and a music exam in 3 days 😬
Great little fix!
Great job, just wondering if you have a solution for tune-o-matic bridge on an SG, I'm hoping you have a solution please, salamat po
Same here
That's a beautifull guitar.
thank you so much! purchased a multiscale guitar and the top string would not intonate. this was the solution
Mr.Manny_S550 ,Awesome I’m happy it worked out for you, peace!
🫡🔥🎸🤘 I've been playing guitar 25 years, and never did I take the time to actually learn how to combat intonation. I always knew there had to be a way and that it probably involved the bridge, but I was too lazy to look into it. Finally I decided enough is enough, it is now time to end this travesty. Enter... This RUclips video. Awesome video man! I, along with many others I'm sure, greatly appreciate this video. I had intonation problems on my favorite guitar, and now those problems are gone forever. She plays better than EVER! And what's even better is now I know how to combat intonation in the future on any of my other guitars! Thank you, sir! 😃
Great tip brother.
It's best to check intonation in the playing position.
i have the opposite problem, my high E string is flat at the 12 fret, but in tune open. if i keep unscrewing the screw it will come out. its a fender strat.. and tips?
I have a "Player" Tele which plays great EXCEPT the low e has the same issue. I totally removed the spring and it goes all the way as far back as possible and it's still sharp. I have NO idea how to remedy this.
I have the same problem with my Player Strat
great video ken & tip !!
I'm having the issue of my string being too flat instead of sharp... I have the screw backed out as much as it can go without falling out and it's still flat!
What Guitar? Which String?
@@Yoda8945 D string on Chapman pro series guitar, strings are top heavy bottom ernie ball .10 to .54 I believe.. I took the guitar in and they said they had to get a longer screw for the bridge on the D string and file the nut down a bit.
@@jonschneider9758 It sounds as though it's been fixed. Great!
Awesome tip!
I cant get my e string intonated… the tech already messed with it and put a new string yet on the higher frets the tuning is off. Any help ?
Same problem here
Any solution?
I found the problem on my guitar. The pick up was way too high making the strings go out of tune. In my case i had to lower the pick ups
@@EM-km8em easy fix ty for your answer
what about a tuneomatic bridge...flip the saddles? and if that doesn't work...fill and re-drill? I'm asking because I have this exact problem...I want to flip the saddles on the 3 low end string because they are maxxed(to the sharp side..closer to the 12th, not away) and I still and shy of even playable intonation. advice? I am a competent woodworker and my think is I should fill and re-drill..this is a 335 style guitar...so I am worried about the look of it since it's such a pretty insturment....in any case, I probably only have to move one side of the bridge like a few millimeters or like 1/8 inch or so...
I would flip the saddles. You see it all the times with some older Gibsons, especially the last two saddles, no big deal
how about on sg or les paul?
Same issue, Sharp G string when fretted on the 12th.
(I have a short scale Ibanez PGM).
Can I try shortening the screws instead (either by filing, cutting off a portion, or use washers)?
This is because the tip of the screw is already touching the string, which stops me from moving it towards the bridge.
Please advise.
Thanks in advance.
Yes, I’ve done that before using a metal file and an electric circular sharpening stone to shorten a screw and remove the burrs. Works perfectly in certain cases.
@@basvredeling , thank you .
good tip ken i like that one :)
@boudreau guitars how do you fix this issue on a Floyd rose bridge I cannot go back any further and I am still sharp?
Same problem.
suppose it's still is not intonated after what you did?... i've seen a case like that, where even without the spring it's still is not intonated... i wanted to shorten the saddle by way of filing the saddle's back edge a little at a time
great I did the same thing but not sure why I still have intonation problem on 6th string on different frets specially 3th fret note G
Iv taken the spring out and turned the saddle around , not quite enough yet . Not my build glad to say . Any ideas ?
my first thought in the beginning of this video was to clip the spring lol whoever gets that guitar is going to be very lucky person!
how can you do this on a Floyd rose sadle?
Whenever you cut the spring, try to stretch it out a little bit before you return it into place....
What kind of wood was that guitar made of? It sure was a looker!
the back is poplar, the neck is maple that came from an old futon I was throwing out, and the top was a cutting board I found at ikea that's made of acacia
Hello Ken, My problem is my A string is to flat at the 12th but have run out of adjustment room, could you please advise, Best Wishes, Barrie.
sameee but with my g string god i rly need help w that asap
It's a bad string
Plz demonstrate the G string tuning on a Floyd.
Thanks for the video
you rre the fucin best man thank u
perfect! I have this issue now
Thank you!!
Bro i took the spring completely out and ripped the saddle back all the way and its still sharp... $80 guitar tho so what did i expect lol
I've seen factory guitars they need the springs and or the saddles reversed.
Does action matter?
No
what is the use for spring in the first place?
To keep the saddle in place and not wiggle around too much
What do you do when its too flat tho
You pull the saddle back raising the pitch
@@Eatfard_5150 u might think so but you do the opposite
@@user-kd8ji7rt4c then why did you ask if you knew?
@@Eatfard_5150 i just learned now
@@Eatfard_5150 also why did u give an answer on something u weren't sure of
Ken I’ve worked on “vintage” Gibsons that were as much as 3/8” off on the bridge stud placement, and a full INCH off on the tailpiece studs. In fact - if you bench 10 early Les Pauls or SGs or 335s - all 10 will be slightly different. Why? As far as I know it’s because they use jigs that somebody has to clamp down, and it’s not a very precise process nor is it perfectly repeatable like CNC would be. If anything, the newer ones that everyone whines about are BETTER - and certainly no worse. I think it’s cool that every Gibson or early Fender is going to be a little different. Some are mediocre but others are great - and if you get a great one - you know it. Just my .02.
My guess was to cut the spring ....... guess I'm learning.
It's a quick fix if you don't have anything else.
I wouldn't do it if the guitar or the bridge isn't on the cheap side. The spring only rests on that tiny surface where you cut it instead of resting on a full wind without angle. If someone does it, place the cut side against the saddle. A saddle is cheaper to replace and you look more at the bridge plate than on the back of that saddle.
With some guitars I had corrosion problems on the hardware. Some companies are cheap on the springs. So I got really into what you need for that guitar based on the size, tension and how far they should be compressed. Some install springs that are so far pushed back (no wrong bridge positioning) that they deform. You often can't get them off the screw. Some chrome their springs like crazy, which doesn't matter if it corrodes below cause they did a shitty job. I replaced the springs of my guitars/bass guitars that have that bridge style. All stainless steel.
I get that you're a repair guy and shit has to work and has to be done quickly.
Us with their private guitars can take half an hour (or more) to find some replacements.
If you want to buy some, have the same wire diameter and (roughly) the same number of windings per cm or inch, the screw needs a little play but not much (maybe 0.3mm total). If it has too much play, the screw can't stabilize the spring. It will be wavy when installed (which sucks, is bad for the spring and looks crappy while it may produce noises). Make sure you can adjust it in both directions from the point you adjusted too with NEW strings. Measure from contact to contact and buy a spring that is at 2/3 of the uncompressed length when installed...it shouldn't be pressed to less than a quarter of it's original length. There'll be a measurement given by quality companies and they have tools online that help you a lot.
Nice Tele.
onpsxmember good info, thanks btw, it’s a hipshot bridge, not one I would call “on the cheap side”
If you're flat and the saddle is all the way forward you can intonate the nut....move the edge of the nut back towards headstock.
I have the this issue.....
What do you mean by move the edge of the nut
@@maliqazka8161 look at this ebay listing. ...www.ebay.com/itm/MusicianAtHeart-COMPENSATED-BONE-NUT-made-for-Fender-Squier-Strat-Tele-Guitar/111431889664?epid=1931524835&hash=item19f1dbb300:g:6KUAAOSwstxVa8X4
Notice the thin string slots in the nut.....they notch it back. (don't buy this one...make one) This is the same as moving the saddle forward towards the pickups. This deals with flat intonation. If you've moved the saddles as far as they will go you can intonate the nut....use a small drill and move the slot edge backwards for flat....sharp is more difficult to solve. If you don't understand what I'm saying you need a luthiar.
If you have a les paul type you may be able to get a wilkinson type les paul bridge.....they have extra intonation adjust via the posts. The posts have to be about 73.5mm to 74mm apart. You can get different posts online if they are not 4mm.
here's a link www.ebay.com/itm/192766439256
aliexpress.com sells the same thing for about 8 to 10.00....it's the same bridge. It's the best cheap les paul type bridge. The other cheap stuff are junk. If you get it don't tighten the saddle screws too tight...they can strip. Just snug. It doesn't have that stupid wire that makes noise like the TOM's. And you can shim up individual saddles if you need to. The slots for the posts gives you extra intonation adjustment.
@@maliqazka8161 hazeguitars.com/blog/guitar-hardware-school-nuts-ii-compensated-nuts
Scroll down on this page and look at the picture.
The edge that sits against the end of the fingerboard. Remove some of the nut with a drill...the part that sits above the fingerboard.....behind the edge of the fingerboard.
Did you make that guitar? If so, I'm surprised that you've posted a video showing potential customers that you didn't get the bridge in the right position.
howardsinclair , yes I did build this guitar. Little inconsistencies happen with hand build guitars. If I was to build everything on a CNC machine I’m sure it would be perfect. I don’t hide my mistakes, I make them a teachable moment and I believe that speaks volumes
I mean, he's a luthier - this is what they do, solve things like this. He's proving his ingenuity and expertise.
You need a Strobe Tuner.. 1000st of a semitone accuracy! Or something like that..
Fact: Just because you tune the g to pitch then make sure its in tune at the 12th fret DOES NOT mean your guitar is in true intenation. You have to play the string up the neck and make sure that the notes you are playing are at picth as well. If you play an A at the 2nd fret and its sharp of flat youre guitar is not intenated.
CUTTING THE STRING WILL UNBALANCE THE BRIDGE - BEWRE THE "PING" HARMONICS THIS CAN CAUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just did this exact thing out of frustration then went to Google to find out if I did something stupid. Nice to know I discovered a pro tip.