How to Intonate a Guitar 🎸

Gene, one of StewMac's techs, walks us through how to intonate a guitar. Adjusting the intonation on your guitar can be intimidating, but Gene makes intonating a guitar a simple job anyone can do. 🤘

- - - - - - - - - - - -
StewMac has everything you need to repair, build or maintain your guitars.
Everything we sell is backed by our Lifetime Promise, and we offer fast worldwide shipping.

Instagram: @StewMac_Guitar

[TFT-bpzk]

12th fretted and 12 fret natural harmonic should match.

[wbfaulk]

Some people also think changing strings is something only a tech can do.

[AlexDeLarge]

It's super easy, and satisfying when that note rings clear

[gaw]

More straightforward tips like this please. This is the kind of practical advice I love. Making the internet great again. MIGA

[kennywally]

Thank you, my friend! Great advice. I do this all the time. Some people are just intimidated by doing it but if you just spend the time I get to notes to match your guitar will sound so much better.

[frankorobinson]

I always tell people you can do anything with a little training, help from a friend, or read a book or nowadays watch a video 😊you should really know your instrument inside and out❤

[achanonymous]

I find that going for a balance between the 12th fret harmonic and the 12th fret, and the 5th and 17th frets gives the best results.
Unfortunately the guitar is a highly flawed instrument, so there's always going to be something slightly out, but this is in my experience the best compromise to make sure the whole guitar is as close as possible, rather than just the root and 12th fret.

[thespiritof..]

As a veteran instrument repair technician of over 15 years, setting up anywhere from 40 to 60 guitars per month. I can tell you from experience if you're intonation is out there's a very high probability that the saddles have not moved, but rather the scale length has become short or flat due to the truss rod going slack.. NOTE* to those learning the art of setup. Remember this one thing if you don't remember anything else! Adjusting intonation at the saddle point should only be done after truss rod has been adjusted and String height has been adjusted.. as both of these change the intonation of the guitar.. as does also changing of string gauges. Also never said intonation with old strings. All strings may not intonate due to dirt an uneven wear across the frets...

Something else to keep in mind a Gibson Les Paul with a tunimatic bridge generally only needs Intonation adjustment when string gauges are changed or string height has been changed. That's assuming you didn't flip the bridge around backwards. Which you would see a lot on a Gibson. Les Paul, make sure that is not the issue as well....

That being said, everyone has a lot to learn about guitar setup, even myself. I'm learning every day

[xer]

U can also check the 17th fret to get a little more accurate if you want

[martydibergi]

I still have my 1972 Gold Top deluxe in Excellent condition-no checking or dents. Still have my original receipt and fuzzy pink case it came with back then. Could have bought a ‘50’s back then but i knew Nothing and the store had only this one. I know pancake body blah. One son got mad because i got Albert Lee to autograph it. Oh well Albert is a friend and very kind. My little story. Thanks

[McCallEdwards]

When I interned at a luthier shop I was doing this with his strobe tuner and it was SOOO much more accurate than whatever I have at home but he had me doing it playing the 12th fret harmonic and then fretting the note

[brettmcnaueal]

So many other variables in intonation. Neck relief, how old the strings are, nut material, movement or roll over. Saddle deformation, string break angle. Is the string striking the back of the bridge, before seeing saddle height. This causing a false harmonic that shows up intonating at 12th. It’s a bit more complex than what StewMac is showing you here.

[BACYArderr]

Any Man with that lp guitar can make a revolution!!!

[thomasdye]

If flat, turn screw so saddle moves forward

Flat = Forward

[gto]

Alot of things are easy people think they cant do it and never try. Nice guitar.

[williamriordan]

My guitar teach could do it very quickly by ear I always found that impressive. He also taught orchestra I’m convinced that man could tune anything in under a minute as long as he had a reference note.

[GuitarNoize]

I agree with this video.
Harmonics don't compensate the string going slightly sharp when pushed down to fret the note .

[chrismiller]

Learn to set up a guitar online and bought the few tools I needed....like you said patience but it's actually very simple

[pimpustthugni]

This is probably the simplest explanation of something that’s seemed pretty daunting lol. Thanks for the info 🤟

[bottomsupbass]

I use 3 tone method. Include the 12th fret harmonic when testing against the fretted and open string