Need some insight on tuning and intonation stability
- Thread starter Duraesu
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wheresthefbomb
Well-Known Member
PSA for whoever needs to hear it, clean your fucking guitar
Feet cheese aside, there are other tricks for better intonation BUT the guitar is by nature not a perfect instrument and your intonation is always going to be somewhat off somewhere on the fretboard.
First culprit for your stability issues would be the nut as with heavy gauges, you need to recut the slots to avoid pinching. Also, factory nuts are almost always cut way too high and that sucks for intonation.
For stability then, it's just a compromise. Find out what you need from your guitar and set it up for it. If you play with a heavy right hand, mostly lower register with bare chords, you could set your intonation doing that at like the 7th fret. If you are a guitar hero, set your intonation around the 15th fret on the high strings with a lighter touch. Some people do that and it serves them well. But pressing down differently on a fret will change the note (considerably), neck movement due to the weather as well, etc. The slight sharp on the attack will likely somewhat be present with thicker strings etc.
But please don't pick too lightly it sounds like shit
First culprit for your stability issues would be the nut as with heavy gauges, you need to recut the slots to avoid pinching. Also, factory nuts are almost always cut way too high and that sucks for intonation.
For stability then, it's just a compromise. Find out what you need from your guitar and set it up for it. If you play with a heavy right hand, mostly lower register with bare chords, you could set your intonation doing that at like the 7th fret. If you are a guitar hero, set your intonation around the 15th fret on the high strings with a lighter touch. Some people do that and it serves them well. But pressing down differently on a fret will change the note (considerably), neck movement due to the weather as well, etc. The slight sharp on the attack will likely somewhat be present with thicker strings etc.
But please don't pick too lightly it sounds like shit
Rubbishplayer
Well-Known Member
I hope it was "feet cheese"...
BillCartESP
SS.org Regular
Good thread; minus cheese feet…. Ug
That Hipshot bridge looks great. I have one guitar that can benefit intonation length that’s in drop a. It’s slightly off, and very playable. Crowds don’t notice it but I certainly do.
Next chance I get I’ll give this bridge a try.
OP; lighter picking does help loads. Also how hard the strings are pressed on the fretboard. If xtra jumbo frets it’s gonna bend for you if pressing down too hard.
I feel you on the intonation though. I’ve had many that just didn’t like going below C on the lowest string. Sometimes compromise is needed.
But this hipshot seems to have cause for improvement on lower tuning intonation. If you’re not pressing down hard, and your pick technique improved, yet still have intonation problems. Then give this bridge a try. If it doesn’t work out you could always return for refund.
Hopefully all works out for you. I can sympathize with how frustrating this can be. Been there far too many times myself.
That Hipshot bridge looks great. I have one guitar that can benefit intonation length that’s in drop a. It’s slightly off, and very playable. Crowds don’t notice it but I certainly do.
Next chance I get I’ll give this bridge a try.
OP; lighter picking does help loads. Also how hard the strings are pressed on the fretboard. If xtra jumbo frets it’s gonna bend for you if pressing down too hard.
I feel you on the intonation though. I’ve had many that just didn’t like going below C on the lowest string. Sometimes compromise is needed.
But this hipshot seems to have cause for improvement on lower tuning intonation. If you’re not pressing down hard, and your pick technique improved, yet still have intonation problems. Then give this bridge a try. If it doesn’t work out you could always return for refund.
Hopefully all works out for you. I can sympathize with how frustrating this can be. Been there far too many times myself.
