Do you have a specific method for inonating a bridge from scratch?

[BlueSky1963]

I expect I'm going to eventually replace the bridge and/or saddles on my AVRI Jazzmaster with a Mustang bridge and/or saddles. Either way I'll have to set the intonation basically from scratch.

 

Does anyone have a method for doing this, or do you just play around with the saddles until you get the intonation set?

[Bro Blue]

It is always the same. Check, adjust, check. Repeat as necessary.

 

Do you know how to check and adjust?

[BlueSky1963]

 

It is always the same. Check, adjust, check. Repeat as necessary. Do you know how to check and adjust?

 

 

Yes, but I've only done it when I was changing string gauges or after a truss rod adjustment. Never done it from scratch.

[smorgdonkey]

One guideline that you can start with is on the heavy E string. If your intonation is good on your current bridge, take measurements (yes, with a tape). You can just measure from the last fret to the saddle contact point. Set your new bridge to that measurement. You can take six measurements or, if your saddles fallow the typical 3 stepped configuration then the next 3 offset and stepped, you can just set by sight and be pretty close. Then your adjustments will be minimal.

[smorgdonkey]

The above will apply because intonation has to do with string length and core thickness, not bridge type.

 

Measuring will save you a lot of grief and probably a fair amount of time.

[DaleH]

Tune up then one string at a time.

[BlueSky1963]

 

One guideline that you can start with is on the heavy E string. If your intonation is good on your current bridge, take measurements (yes, with a tape). You can just measure from the last fret to the saddle contact point. Set your new bridge to that measurement. You can take six measurements or, if your saddles fallow the typical 3 stepped configuration then the next 3 offset and stepped, you can just set by sight and be pretty close. Then your adjustments will be minimal.

 

 

Thanks, knew there was something other than trial and error.

[tiltsta]

This link has approximate saddle distance offsets to add to the scale length measurement. This gets things close, then you can do the adjust/test/fine tune.

 

http://www.guitarattack.com/repair/intonation.htm

[Angry Tele]

measure from the nut to the saddle of the high E should be 25.5" , that is, the take off point of the string on the saddle should fall at 25.5"

 

then just move each string away from the nut (toward the bridge) the width of the string. (eg if the high E is at 25.5 then B will be moved .011 back (or whatever guage it is), and the G .016 etc;

 

usually I just measure the E and eyeball the rest.

 

this is dan erlewines "roughing it in" method and works fairly well. an easier way for teles is to move the low E as far back as it can go before bumping the hieght adjustment screw up againts the bridge screw, then move the rest up (toward the nut) from there

 

this may help visualize. the high E is scale length (25.5) the rest are gradually moved back the width of the string. if all strings were the same width they would all be in the same spot the high e is, if that makes sense.

[smorgdonkey]

Just don't 'flub' the A string like that ^^^

[1001gear]

I check the 12th fret. A perfect octave will sound flat but works well for harmonically based playing like playing chord tones in that zone. For melodic playing I always sharpen till it doesn't sound flat at the octave and the fifth beyond. (No ruler or tuner. Just earparison.) This is noticeably sharp in comparison to the harmonics but it seems to work.