Guitar intonation setup generally only becomes an issue when a player starts to play chords or notes closer to the bridge of the instrument. A well tuned instrument will generally play fine within the first 5 frets of the nut at the tuning peg end of the neck. Most intermediate or advanced players however will want to move out of this fret range and so correct intonation for the instrument is essential.
When the notes played up the neck sound out of pitch, flat or sharp compared to those played lower then the instruments intonation will need adjustment. This is usually tested for by playing each string in its open state and comparing this note with the octave played on the same string but fingered on fret twelve. As each string is played then the adjustment is made so that each octave note is at the same pitch as the open stringed note.
This pitch is most often corrected by altering the length of the string between its two tension points which for a guitar is the nut and the bridge. This is relatively easy on an electric instrument because it usually has an adjustable bridge which can be changed with a small screw driver or Allen key. Acoustic instruments tend to have fixed bridges so the alteration to these is not so straight forward.
One reason for the electric instruments ease of bridge alteration position could be put down to the different playing preference styles offered by the electric instrument. Hence ease of altering the intonation set up to allow these different styles to be played has been built into these instruments. Electric players also have different string height preferences.
String height often needs to be adjusted on the electric and to a lesser extent the acoustic steel string instrument. This is to accommodate for the different playing styles or to fix a problem which is usually the string pinging on a fret between the bridge and the fret where the note is being played.This usually done by adjusting the neck tension.
The electric instrument usually has a additional string height adjustment option at the bridge. The classical guitar being the more traditional acoustic normally has a fixed neck so that string height adjustment is made by adding or subtracting height at the nut or the bridge.Once this has been done a guitar intonation setup is usually required.
After any string height change it is usually necessary to check the intonation as this has probably been altered. On some cheaper instruments it is not always possible to get the required string height and perfect pitch. Consequently a trade off between these two attributes often some has to be reached.
Simple guitar intonation setup should be able to be carried out on an electric guitar by the player if they have the correct tools. However if the user also wants to substantially alter the string height this could further complicate the process. Simple neck adjustments can be made by the owner for an acoustic steel string instrument but intonation adjustment to these and classical acoustic instruments would be best left to an expert technician.
When the notes played up the neck sound out of pitch, flat or sharp compared to those played lower then the instruments intonation will need adjustment. This is usually tested for by playing each string in its open state and comparing this note with the octave played on the same string but fingered on fret twelve. As each string is played then the adjustment is made so that each octave note is at the same pitch as the open stringed note.
This pitch is most often corrected by altering the length of the string between its two tension points which for a guitar is the nut and the bridge. This is relatively easy on an electric instrument because it usually has an adjustable bridge which can be changed with a small screw driver or Allen key. Acoustic instruments tend to have fixed bridges so the alteration to these is not so straight forward.
One reason for the electric instruments ease of bridge alteration position could be put down to the different playing preference styles offered by the electric instrument. Hence ease of altering the intonation set up to allow these different styles to be played has been built into these instruments. Electric players also have different string height preferences.
String height often needs to be adjusted on the electric and to a lesser extent the acoustic steel string instrument. This is to accommodate for the different playing styles or to fix a problem which is usually the string pinging on a fret between the bridge and the fret where the note is being played.This usually done by adjusting the neck tension.
The electric instrument usually has a additional string height adjustment option at the bridge. The classical guitar being the more traditional acoustic normally has a fixed neck so that string height adjustment is made by adding or subtracting height at the nut or the bridge.Once this has been done a guitar intonation setup is usually required.
After any string height change it is usually necessary to check the intonation as this has probably been altered. On some cheaper instruments it is not always possible to get the required string height and perfect pitch. Consequently a trade off between these two attributes often some has to be reached.
Simple guitar intonation setup should be able to be carried out on an electric guitar by the player if they have the correct tools. However if the user also wants to substantially alter the string height this could further complicate the process. Simple neck adjustments can be made by the owner for an acoustic steel string instrument but intonation adjustment to these and classical acoustic instruments would be best left to an expert technician.
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