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: Tuning & Intonation :
Tuning and Intonation Services
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Intonation Services |
For Electric Instruments with Mechanical adjustments
- Calibrate Intonation to Perfect Octaves for instruments with adjustable saddles
- Telecaster 3 saddle intonation upgrade (without modification)
- Electric 12 string upgrade saddle adjustment for each string
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Buzz Feiten Tuning Services
Matheas Guitars can retrofit the Buzz Feiten tuning system to the following guitars.
- Electric Guitar
- Electric Guitar with tremolo
- 7 string Electric Guitar
- 12 string Electric Guitar
- Acoustic Guitar
- Acoustic Guitar with pickup
- 12 string Acoustic guitar
- Nylon String
- Nylon String with pickup
- Electric Bass Guitar ( 4-7 strings)
- Mandolin
- Nashville Tuned Guitar
- Reset Existing Guitar
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For Acoustic Instruments with single saddle
- Acoustic custom saddle
- Nylon string saddle with calibration
- 12 string acoustic with saddle adjustment for each string.
- Evaluation of instrument fret scale, nut and saddle placement discrepancies
- Corrections to fret scale, nut and saddle placement
- Calibrate To Buzz Feiten Specification (See below)
- Install & fine tune Earvana nut
- Install & fine tune Fretwave system
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Mechanical Tuning Services |
Fender style Tremolo Bridge Services
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Replace forward leaning or damaged posts
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Fill leaning bridge post holes & re-drill
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Stabilise saddle movements
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Replace overstretched springs
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Mute sympathetic vibrations with springs
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Re machine worn bridge post holes
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Stabilise tremolo arm movement
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Remove screws from rusty or ceased saddles
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Gibson 'Tune-o-matic' Style Bridge Services
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Re-cut worn saddles
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Re-bend collapsed bridge or replace
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Re-place saddles with graphite, brass, steel or synthetic to suit
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Remove forward leaning bridge posts
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Remove loose fit bridge anchors & reinstall
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Secure bridge and tailpiece to posts
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Correct string pitch and seating saddles
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Bigsby Style Bridge Services
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Locking Tremolo Style Bridge Services
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Replace forward leaning or damaged posts
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Fill leaning bridge post holes & re-drill
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Replace overstretched springs
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Mute sympathetic vibrations with springs
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Re machine worn bridge plate
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Stabilise tremolo arm movement
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Remove rusty or ceased string clamps from saddle
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Hipshot D Tuner Services
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Wilkinson & LSR Nut Services
- Disassemble nut, clean, lubricate and reassemble.
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Archtop Style Bridge Services
- Correctly shape bridge base to conform to soundboard profile
- Correct posts that are leaning forward
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Classical Guitar Style Bridge Services
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Acoustic Guitar Style Bridge Services
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Tuning & Intonation Information
When your instrument has been calibrated to your preferred preferences your instrument will be a pleasure to play. This is true of any instrument in good condition with the frets placed in correct mathematical position
Helpful Hints
In order for your guitar to sound in tune the following must first be established.
- Your preferred string guage type and brand
- Open string tuning
- Action, String Clearance Settings at nut bridge and neck relief.
When you are comfortable with your choices it is then time to have the intonation of your instrument calibrated.
Any alterations made to any of these three options after calibration will affect the accuracy of your intonation.
Dos & Don'ts of Maintaining Instrument Tuning & Intonation
In order to maintain this standard it is also important to
- Have your instrument regularly serviced
- Keep an eye on wearing frets and parts
- Make sure the strings are seated correctly in their slots
- Wipe string with a lint free cloth after use
- Replace strings regularly (one at a time)
- Keep away from dusty places
- Keep away from excessive environmental conditions
- Have a snug fitting durable hard case with an arch top
and plenty of room for the headstock and clearance for the bridge.
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Dos & Don'ts Of Tuning Your Guitar
In order to maintain this standard it is also important to
- Calibrate to your string and tuning
- Use a reference note from a tuning fork or tuner
- Restring your guitar regularly
- Replace strings when rusty
- Replace strings when excessively indented from fret
- Tune the string up to pitch when comparing to the reference
- Don't tune with open string harmonics
- Don't rest neck on bench when tuning
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Other Factors affecting Intonation
- High Frets
- Varied finger pressure on string (mainly excessive)
- Pitted wide frets
- Inaccurate technique
- Non familiarity with instrument
- Other instruments are not in tune
- Other instruments are not accurately calibrated
- Strings are to too flexible
Equal Temperament
Many guitarists ask why it is so difficult to tune the guitar and the answer lies in the system itself.
Equal temperament is a system of tuning constructed by a mathematical ratio which makes all semitones equal. The advantage of this system is that all intervals have the same value in all keys allowing musicians to modulate to any key with ease.
This mathematical construct compromises the tempered values for the major and minor thirds and sixths from a naturally constructed scale.
For example the major third interval has a discrepancy of being 14 cents (14 percent of a semitone) sharp compared to the natural scale. If your guitar is out of tune by an additional 5 cents this will sound wildly out of tune.
The strings of a guitar are tuned in intervals of fourths with a major third between the g and b strings, this is one major reason for it
Mechanical Tuning
The strings on a guitar are anchored from the machine heads (tuners) to the bridge or tailpiece. Problems occur when
- Tuners have backlash and drop in pitch
- The floating tremolo needs servicing as it is not returning to same position
- An Archtop bridge has moved from position
- The bridge anchors are not securely attached
- The tuners are not securely attached
- The strings get caught in the nut slot
- Loose struts
- Thin Collapsing soundboard
- The nut is chipped
Buzz Feiten
My workshop is an authorised Buzz Feiten retrofitter for all fretted instruments. This is due to the fact that I have undertaken the Feiten retrofitters' course in Los Angles under the tutelage of the designers Buzz Feiten and Greg Back in 2002.
The result of this training gave me valuable insights into the intricacies of the system for all fretted instruments. If you are interested in this don't hesitate to come in and try out a Buzz Feiten retrofitted guitar.
www.buzzfeiten.com
Often you may have difficulty tuning your guitar or keeping your guitar in tune. If this is the case you may want to try the following tuning method and see if this helps.
Octave Method
- Step 1: Tune the open 1st 'E' string to a tuner
- Step 2: Tune the 2nd 'B' string fretted at the 5th fret to match the open 1st string
- Step 3: Tune the 3 rd 'G' string fretted at the 9th fret to match the open 1st string
- Step 4: Tune the 4th 'D' string fretted at the 14th fret to match the open 1st string
- Step 5: Tune the 5th 'A' string fretted at the 7th fret to match the open 1st string
- Step 6: Tune the 6th 'E' string open to match the open 1st string
- Step 7: After all string are sounding in tune compared to the 1st 'E' string you can play a simple chord consisting of 'E' and ' B' notes it is an E5 chord and I find by tempering any offending notes the 'G' string helps to get the guitar well balanced across the whole fretboard
If after this your guitar still does not play in tune, bring it in for an inspection and we will be able to rectify the problem.
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