Clarky Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Hi I have read the threads on intonation today (wish I had read 'em before!) but have seen some recommend using a tuner at the 12th fret for matching the note and harmonic and others say the 19th. I still haven't got the intonation right on my newly installed Badass III - I was doing it by ear from string to string (playing high riffs eg opening of Ceremony by New Order) and have spent an unnecessarily long time trying and failing to get it right. So which fret should it be? Thx in advance, Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 i've always used the harmonic and fretted note at the 12th fret. mind you, i never do it by ear, i always use a tuner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 [quote name='ahpook' post='252177' date='Jul 31 2008, 05:17 PM']i've always used the harmonic and fretted note at the 12th fret. mind you, i never do it by ear, i always use a tuner.[/quote] And me - I guess by ear then get it bang on with a tuner. 3 f's. If the Fretted note's Flat move the saddle Forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='252183' date='Jul 31 2008, 05:23 PM']And me - I guess by ear then get it bang on with a tuner. 3 f's. If the Fretted note's Flat move the saddle Forward.[/quote] Thank you gents. I like the 3Fs, even I can remember that ... assuming I don't substitute an expletive Edited July 31, 2008 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cernael Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Clarky' post='252140' date='Jul 31 2008, 05:16 PM']Hi I have read the threads on intonation today (wish I had read 'em before!) but have seen some recommend using a tuner at the 12th fret for matching the note and harmonic and others say the 19th. (...)So which fret should it be?[/quote] Both should work, and give the same result; you could use one and then check it against the other. 24th fret would work too, if your bass has that many. If they don't yield the same result, it may be because of issues with action, string stiffness, and/or the nut being in a slightly "off" position (which is what the "Buzz Feinten system" is all about); neither of them are things you really can do much about, and oughtn't be noticeable enough to really bother you anyway. If it does anyway, and you don't use open notes much, you might consider putting a capo on the first fret and intonate at the 13th, 20th and/or 25th fret instead; that will concentrate all the bad intonation on the open notes. OTOH, IMO this fall into the category of "overzealous nitpickery". EDIT: Someone in the pinned Badass thread on top said that the 19th fret position is preferrable, because, being of a higher pitch, the notes are easier for the tuner to pick out correctly. Makes sense to me. OTOH, a natural (overtone/harmonic) 12th (octave + fifth) should be 1902 cents (100ths of a semitone) while the equal-temperament 12th is 1900 cents, or, one fiftieth of a semitone flatter. Of course, that is not a difference that is perceptible by humans (I think the treshold lies somewhere around 20 cents, generally), but, yeah. 24th fret wouldn't have that problem, and is even higher in pitch, for the benefit of the tuner. (Overzealous nitpickery, sure. Or you can view it as amusing trivia.) Edited July 31, 2008 by Cernael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 yeah i just tune the open string then fret the note at the 12th fret and move the saddle accordingly, rinse and repeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 [quote name='Dr.Dave' post='252183' date='Jul 31 2008, 05:23 PM']3 f's. If the Fretted note's Flat move the saddle Forward.[/quote] Splendid. I tend to use 19th for me Jazzes Badass II... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 i've always used the 12th...does it really make a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted July 31, 2008 Author Share Posted July 31, 2008 Well I used the 12th and the 3Fs and it worked a treat - thanks all! Now if only someone could tell me how to play the bloody thing ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 IIRC only the 12th fret harmonic should be exactly the same as the fretted note. The 19th fret harmonic isn't quite the same as the fretted note, and of course the whole point of the exercise is to compare two notes that should be identical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cernael Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Yup, as I said, it's 2 cents off, in theory. The 24th fret one should be dead on (in theory). Of course, if you go into too simplified theoretical abstractions, you shouldn't need intonation at all...and the 12th fret is better in that case, as it makes it rightest around where you play the most; lower 12 frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Well there you go, back to the 12th then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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