Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Keith Rearick on February 9, 2020 at 7:28am

If your bridge isn't glued down move it until it comes into tune. Usually the bridge is angled just a bit, towards the bottom of the guitar.

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on February 9, 2020 at 11:14am

Like Keith said. If you have a movable bridge try this.

If it's sharp you need to move it forward and make the string shorter

If it's flat do move it back to make the string longer.

Every time you move the bridge retune your string and try again. 

You can do this to adjust the intonation of both your first and third string. The middle string is at their mercy. You can check out vids on how to adjust the intonation on a straight bridged acoustic guitar. That's a whole new monster to do. 

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 9, 2020 at 11:27am

Hi BR, I think you may have a typo there??

Taff

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on February 9, 2020 at 4:00pm

Yep. I get em backwards. 

If it's sharp you have to move the bridge back and make the strings longer

if it's flat you have to move the bridge forward to make the strings shorter.

No wonder it takes me forever to intonate my guitars....: )

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Permalink Reply by James Pobog on February 9, 2020 at 11:34am

Listen to Taffy and Rat before you listen to me (being a noob), but I ran across that on my last build too. I ended up slanting the bridge/bolt, mine had to go about 45*, with the low string being longest, but damn if I didn't nail it on all 3, at least close enough for gov't work...

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 11, 2020 at 1:16pm

Hi Jon, this must be one of the most popular queries.

As BR suggests moving the bridge back from your initial scale length position [compensation] allows for the different string thickness and height.

Just for you to file away, here are some recommended distances back from the true scale length,[compensation], subject to string gauge and height at the 12 fret:

1st 1.49mm

2nd 2.80mm

3rd 1.03mm

4th 1.85mm

5th 3.11mm

6th 4.79 

Pictured here are a couple of ways I use to get my guitars intonated. One moves the whole bridge back, the other plots the position where I would compensate each string by filing the saddle.

The Allen key version is positioned so that the short ends are under the strings. I then position each one for good intonation on each string. I can draw a line from the first sting to the last string, so I have my saddle angle, and see where the middle string are best placed. Taff

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Permalink Reply by James Pobog on February 12, 2020 at 8:46am

Thank you, Taffy. You just confirmed my skill set as 'hack'.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on February 12, 2020 at 11:45am

Hey James, sorry about that, but that's a bit harsh mate.

I remember being a 'hack' possibly 60 years ago, and I can remember the first instruments I had possibly wrecked, or at least devalued through inexperience. But that does not last forever if one is willing to take chances, seek information,  listen and learn.

I have the first notes of the first instruments I worked on, and I say to myself "did I do that"?

Taff

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Permalink Reply by James Pobog on February 13, 2020 at 3:26am

I really am flying by the seat of my pants most of the time. A lack of tools also comes into play. I really want a jointer and a thickness planer. Just a week ago I told a volunteer on the ship about cbg's, and yesterday he shows up with pix of his first build. Still in progress, but he's even making the box. Out of Walnut. With mortise/tenon corners. I'm so far away from that...

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