I'm trying to set the intonation up on my Strat and I ran into a problem. Hoping you guys can help. I'm using the Strat setup guide provided on this sight.

I have strings 1-4 ready to go according to the instructions. By finding the overall length on the high "E" string and keep adding on millimeters depending on the gauge of the next 2 strings. So the 1st string is .010 guage. Next is a .013. So I lengthed the saddle 3 millimeters from the 1st. The next is .017. So I lengthed that string 4 millimeters from the 2nd.

The 4th saddle should be parallel with the 2nd. Now the tricky part. How do I determine the length of the last 2 strings. It says to follow the same guidelines as the 2nd and 3rd strings. That doesn't make any sense to me. The 4 string is .026 guage and the next one is .036 guage. Am I supposed to move that string 10 millimeters back from the .026? I hope not. The sixth string is a .046 guage.

I must be doing something wrong with these last 2 strings. Thanks-Mike

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

See if these videos helps. The last one is on intonation.

http://www.freeguitarlessononline.co.uk ... setup.html

Good Luck,

Tagg

Hi Pasloade74: you're going about it a muchly different way than I would.

It ain't really about measurements: you just need to move the saddles around till the intonation is right. Here's how I'd go about it:

Place the saddle for the top e so that it is near as damn it at the scale length for the guitar - 25.5" from the front edge of the nut for a Strat. Then "rough out" the positions of the other saddles by eye. Don't worry about measuring - the theory behind that is too difficult to use accurately in real life.

Then with an electronic tuner set all the strings to pitch when played open. Now one string at a time fret a string gently at the 12th fret and see if it is in tune or sharp or flat. If sharp move the saddle backwards (away from the nut); if flat the opposite. Always slacken the string off some before moving the saddle - metal parts risk getting damaged if you adjust the saddles under full tension.

Retune and test again. All the other strings should be at pitch whilst working on each one to keep the bridge in the correct position. When one string is right move on to the next.

In guides you will always read to test the string at the 12th fret both fretted and with the harmonic - but nobody ever seems to explain what the harmonic bit is about. Essentially, you are comparing the fretted note to the harmonic because the latter will be true. If the fretted note is sharp by comparison you know to move the saddle backwards a touch.

However, personally I'd always rely most on the electronic tuner. Frankly, it is better than my ears (though others here would hotly disagree).

Finally, note that setting the intonation should always be the last thing you do in a setup, because any other adjustments you make (trussrod, bridge float and action) will throw the intonation off, so there is no point in doing it till you have those other things sorted.

And that's it. Takes almost as long to write it as to do it.

Good luck - C

Thanks Ceri, I appreciate your advice. I actually gave up on all the measuring and decided to grab the electric tuner and was able to get it.

My Strat is set up and sounds great. Plus I managed to save a couple bucks to do it myself.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

I agree with ceri.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e