WithoutRisk_BassPlayer Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Howdy folks, I'm having some problems with the intonation on my bass, its been set up professionally twice and its gone out yet again! This shouldn't happen on a bass of this quality, does anyone have any ideas on anything I can do to prevent this? I read somewhere about the Buzz Feiten Shelf nut but would like to keep this as a last resort if nothing else can be done to stop the intonation going out as it requires a modification to the bass that I'd rather not do unless its desperate. Also whilst I remember can people please recommend me some very decent luthiers please? I've been through the list of luthiers but would really appreciate some word of mouth recommendations to have some fairly extensive mods carried out to my bass. I've decided I want to get LEDs in the neck so I'm going to go to sims for that but I'd also like to get a new bridge and new tuners with hipshot fitted which will apparently require some mods because none of the hardware is standard Fender hardware! Sorry for the waffling and the ranting and thanks in advance if anyone can help Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOD2 Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Does the intonantion go all the time or just when you change strings ? And when you change strings do you change brands or change gauges ? I would expect to have to check the intonation every time I change strings. If I stick to the same gauge/brand then changes are not normally required although occasionally a slight tweak is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I think you'll need to provide a little more info if you want any help. Intonation can go out for any number of reasons, from string changes to changes in humidity. To be honest, it's not hard to re-intonate a bass as long as you know why it is out in the first place. If you don't or are not sure why (i.e., the neck relief has changed or the neck has moved in it's pocket) and you're not proficient with truss rods etc, take it to a tech but make sure the tech knows all the info (there's no point getting a tech to set the intonation by adjusting the length and height of the strings etc if the problem lies with the truss rod or neck joint). Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WithoutRisk_BassPlayer Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Problem is now solved, I was putting it in a gigbag today and i noticed the neck was bowed slightly so I adjusted the truss rod and set it up and the intonations alright now! Out of curiosity though what is it that causes necks to bow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmandan Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 [quote name='Beedster' post='167364' date='Apr 1 2008, 12:35 AM']To be honest, it's not hard to re-intonate a bass as.......[/quote] assuming all the frets are in the right place! ....... as is of course, not always the case, sometimes even at the 'top end' of the market! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Theoretically perfect intonation is impossible. Evidently. A perfect neck is set to intonate according to the natural harmonics, trouble is along came someone clever and chose equal temperment as the way ahead for Western music. So there will always be a slight difference that can't be adjusted out. Evidently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB2000 Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 [quote name='GreeneKing' post='168113' date='Apr 2 2008, 01:56 AM']Theoretically perfect intonation is impossible. Evidently. A perfect neck is set to intonate according to the natural harmonics, trouble is along came someone clever and chose equal temperment as the way ahead for Western music. So there will always be a slight difference that can't be adjusted out. Evidently [/quote] Just pull the frets out ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Intonation annoys me... I can't play the harmonics, so I intonate by tuning the open string and then seeing if the 12th fret note is sharp or flat... if sharp, the saddle is moved out a quarter of a turn; if flat, moved in by a quarter turn... retune the open note and try again... It helps a lot having a good chromatic tuner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 [quote name='Paul Cooke' post='168131' date='Apr 2 2008, 07:37 AM']Intonation annoys me... I can't play the harmonics, so I intonate by tuning the open string and then seeing if the 12th fret note is sharp or flat... if sharp, the saddle is moved out a quarter of a turn; if flat, moved in by a quarter turn... retune the open note and try again... It helps a lot having a good chromatic tuner...[/quote] Of the mains powered variety. That you can see from afar without squinting. +1 to Korgs in this respect! Intonation addicts and dusty end surveyors might wish to check their intonation at harmonic 19th vs. fretted 19th and (in extremis) 24th harmonic and 24th fretted. 19th is enough. Although it'll read as a fourth below but 2 octaves up (hence E reads as B and so on!) At least your tuners will register the note swiftlly/accurately at that pitch.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 [quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='168176' date='Apr 2 2008, 09:50 AM']Of the mains powered variety. That you can see from afar without squinting. +1 to Korgs in this respect![/quote] My Behringer TU100 is absolutely useless for tuning my B string with... it has enough trouble registering the E string and completely fails to show anything for the B... the only thing it's good for is as a mute and/or switch on my stompboard... the fact it also shows some tuning info is merely a mild bonus... I use my Zoom B2.1U for tuning with... it shows a solid 8 (plus the detected note) when in tune and moving circles when not in tune... If money were no object, then I'd consider getting a strobostomp and put it in the chain in front of the Zoom... [url="http://www.dacs-audio.com/Distribution/Peterson/strobostomp.htm"]http://www.dacs-audio.com/Distribution/Pet...strobostomp.htm[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Yep Strobostomps are the business for intonation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 And they look like posh cars. Brucey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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