Q&A for How to Set Your Guitar's Intonation

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  • Question
    What can I do if my 12th fret note is still sharp when the saddle has been moved back (away from the fret board) as far as possible?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Take the saddle off. Remove the spring. Put the saddle back in the bridge without the spring. This should give you a bit more room to bring the saddle back and make the string less sharp. If you need more room, take the saddle out again and grind the back side of the saddle, making the saddle shorter. Leave enough threads in the saddle for the screw.
  • Question
    Why are strings offset at the bridge? Wouldn't this mean that the 12th fret is NOT the middle of every string?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Heavier gauge strings need to be slightly longer to match the intonation of the lighter gauge plain steel strings. The lower tension and larger mass of the wound strings travel slightly more when fretted. This is why acoustic guitars are offset at the bridge like this.
  • Question
    I have a brand new standard Tele, and a string is in tune open but sharp at the twelfth, then in tune at the twelfth and flat open. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Adjust the saddle so that the string length is longer. If the twelfth fret is sharp, the string is short.
  • Question
    What if the intonation is correct, but when I tune the guitar to pitch it does not stay in tune?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It may be your tuning keys/pegs not keeping proper tension on the string. It could also be an issue with the temperature/humidity levels wherever you are storing the guitar.
  • Question
    What are all of my frets up until the 6th muted or buzzing?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The strings are hitting the frets. The truss rod might need to be adjusted, or the bridge raised, or the nut may have been cut poorly. Start with the truss rod and then raise the strings at the bridge if you can.
  • Question
    What should I do if the open string and 12th fret note are in perfect tune, but the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th frets are slightly sharp (decreasingly so)?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The string height at the nut is probably too high, and needs to be lowered by deepening the groove in the nut. If too high, you will be forced to bend the string to reach the lower frets. The more the string is bent to reach the fret, the shorter the string length, and the more sharp it will be.
  • Question
    If the intonation on every string is off, should I adjust like the article said, or could something be wrong with my guitar?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Adjust like the article said. It's common for all strings to need slight adjustment.
  • Question
    What do I do if I am unable to intonate one of the strings?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    This could mean that you have old strings, bad frets, or a truss rod that needs adjustment. If it's an electric, sometimes you may need to flip the saddle on a tune-o-matic style bridge to give you more room for adjustment.
  • Question
    If I down tune my guitar, should I adjust intonation as well?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    If you're going to keep your guitar tuned to that pitch, it's not a bad idea to set the intonation.
  • Question
    Why is the 13th fret on my B string C# instead of C?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    If you have a cheap guitar, it could simply mean that your guitar does not keep its tuning at the 13th fret. Otherwise, check your tuning on the open string again.
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