I've only been playing/learning guitar for a little over a year now, and I'm gonna take my guitar in to the shop for yearly maintenance to get cleaned, new strings put on, aligned, etc. A friend of mine said that my guitar needs "intinated". I don't remember if that's the right word. But what does "intinated" mean, he said somethin like it has to do with the bridge. I have a B.C. Rich platinum Beast.
2006-11-29 06:45:35 · 8 answers · asked by Loathe thy neighbor. 3 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
Mikey, you've been playing guitar for over 30 years, and you couldn't even decipher the word I was talking about? Everybody else did lol. 30 year guitar player, and never heard of the word intonated? Hmm...
2006-11-29 07:12:56 · update #1
"Intonation" is the ability of the guitar to play in tune with itself.
Yes, this should be done when you have your guitar checked out, and whenever you change string gauges or brands.
It isn't difficult to do if you have an electronic tuner and can play a harmonic on the 12th fret....
Strike a harmonic at the 12th fret and compare it to the fretted note. If the fretted note is higher (sharper) than the harmonic then you have to move the bridge saddle towards the bottom of the guitar. If the fretted note is lower (flatter) than the harmonic then you have to adjust the saddle towards the neck. Do this for each string until the harmonic matches the fretted note. It usually doesn't take much movement to get it right!
2006-11-29 07:29:10 · answer #1 · answered by bikeworks 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think he is talking about the intonation (not sure about spelling). Checking that the bridge is adjusted so that the notes are right all the way down the fret board. You have to check the 12th fret harmonic. There are ways you can check this yourself, do a google search for it, it is a common subject and you will probably need a guitar tuner. Check it for yourself, don't rely on your friend.
Some of these stores don't know much about guitars and can screw your guitar up. My boyfriend took his in to get it set up for C tuning and now it doesn't stay in tune at all!
I certainly wouldn't take a guitar in once a year as a matter of habit, you might just need to change the strings which is really really easy to do yourself at home.
2006-11-29 15:51:32 · answer #2 · answered by wicket 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Intonation" is the adjustment of the bridge saddles to tune each individual string between point A (nut) and B (point at each saddle where the string terminates). This is usually done with a tuner and the saddles are adjusted in position by the screw that runs through each one.
2006-11-29 15:11:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nice axe!
"Intonated" means in tune- an open string plucked should play at the same pitch on the 12th fret- when it is "off", it is not "intonated". To accomplish this the bridge is adjusted.
P.S. what does your tuner tell you? Is it off?
2006-11-29 14:54:34 · answer #4 · answered by Billi Vanilli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what you mean is intonation which it may or may not need adjusting but it is not something you should ever need to get adjusted unless you really trash your guitar....! anyhoo intonation is fine tuning of the machine heads and bridge to enable an instrument to hold tune longer and produce a more defined richer tone so there ya go that's intonation for ya
2006-11-29 14:51:53 · answer #5 · answered by mwah ha haha ha ha ha haaa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know that the intonation is a bit screwed on my Warlock. I wonder if that's a BC Rich thing. Definitely can't hurt to have that checked out.
2006-11-29 14:56:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been playing for over 30 years and i've never heard that term. And i've had the same acoustic for 12 years and only had it in the shop once for new frets.
As for strings, i do those myself.
2006-11-29 15:04:08 · answer #7 · answered by mikey 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
usually when you get your guitar "set up" they will check and fix the "intonation" which is how well the guitar stays in tune to itself.
2006-11-29 14:48:03 · answer #8 · answered by az rocker 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋