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Intonation Of My Fender Telecaster's 1st String


Nionwa Jahi

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First just want to say I'm glad to be in a great place like this, where there are countless pros who know way more about guitar than me! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated on this issue I'm having. The 12th fret on the 1st string of my Tele is flat and I've tried turning the screw at the end of the bridge. It didn't work. The string got sharper, but the 12th fret was still flat. What do I not know about fixing the intonation on my guitar?

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The usual method for setting the intonation is to compare the fretted 12th fret note with the harmonic.   If the fretted not is flat then you need to move the saddle towards the nut.   In fact you can use this little ditty to calculate just how much you need to move it

https://www.liutaiomottola.com/formulae/saddle.htm

 

If you do not have enough travel then the bridge may be in the wrong location but that is unlikely on a factory made guitar.    Double check that the farthest forward position of the saddle is roughly at the scale length (25.5 inches)

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An easy way to remember which way to turn the screw is "always compensate for the fretted note."

In other words, if the fretted note at the 12th fret is sharp compared to the harmonic, make the string longer - if the fretted note is flat then make the string shorter.

I also suggest releasing the tension on the string before turning the screw. In the case of a three saddle telecaster bridge, release the tension on both of the strings that use that saddle - it takes a bit longer to do it that way but it avoids damage to the mechanism.

 

 

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22 hours ago, gardo said:

Are the strings fresh?  I have had old strings that did not intonate properly. Once fresh strings were installed the intonation could be set

That's very interesting gardo. The strings on this baby are in fact very not fresh. lol I will buy new ones and see if that fixes the problem. Thanks!

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1 hour ago, onelife said:

An easy way to remember which way to turn the screw is "always compensate for the fretted note."

In other words, if the fretted note at the 12th fret is sharp compared to the harmonic, make the string longer - if the fretted note is flat then make the string shorter.

I also suggest releasing the tension on the string before turning the screw. In the case of a three saddle telecaster bridge, release the tension on both of the strings that use that saddle - it takes a bit longer to do it that way but it avoids damage to the mechanism.

 

 

Wow thank you so much. I will remember that!

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