Intonation adjustment for just one string?

Jazzaferri · December 2013

LOL...at times in big band my teeth get on edge....trumpets....particularly trumpets....seem to have a very different idea of Piano and mP than the rest of the world...and sitting right in front of them when they blast out the high notes and often with lots of quavering in the pitch...a.rrrrghhhhh....makes the guitar sound perfectly in tune by comparison.

Wind quartet, most every note sticks out so if one is pitchy ...well...best not to be.

I can only tell you that my fan fret guitar is very easy to play and is very very responsive ...... anything more than a light touch on the strings and it sounds way out of tune...i don't notice any difference in fingering as the way Michael fanned the frets it seems to go with the natural tendancy of the wrist to move side to side as it goes up and down the neck.

I wish I had had him do my ufox that way too.

Metallichris · December 2013

Before you alter anything at all, do this: ...

Thanks Jeff, that's a useful tip too.

Metallichris · December 2013

I was watching a ebay auction for an Archtop Jazz Guitar Rosewood Bridge W Roller Saddles Adjustable Height

I was wondering how this would sound.

Has anyone ever tried one on a G J Guitar?

I was thinking about one of those before I posted the original question. A bridge like that would make things much easier, but I imagine they affect the sound quality in some way on a purely acoustic instrument, otherwise people would be using them. Perhaps heavier and/or less effective at transferring the vibration of the strings to the body.

Jeff Moore · December 2013

That roller bridge wouldn't give much volume on an acoustic. All an acoustic guitar has for energy is the vibration of strings and that hunk of steel or brass won't transmit much, not to mention that every vibration would have to move down the post that the thumbwheel spins on. It would work but just not sound like much. Being adjustable, t would be a nice way to find the bridge geometry we've been talking about. Sort of a testing bridge.

pickitjohn · December 2013

Thanks Jeff, wish I was around MN. again. Your post about bridges has help me a lot to venture into an unknown territory. I had lots of success I'd have to say I believe a Bridge can make or break a guitar. A good bridge with proper marriage to the guitar top has vastly improved all my Guitars.

Jeff said:

Being adjustable, it would be a nice way to find the bridge geometry we've been talking about. Sort of a testing bridge.

That's what I was thinking. :-c

pick on

pickitjohn

Al Watsky · December 2013

bluetrain wrote: »

It is possible to adjust the intonation for each string but it depends how wide is the top of the bridge.
If you end up doing this I suggest that you order a new Dupont bridge that is bit higher than the original and then sand the top of the bridge down to a height that you prefer and then you have some working area on top of the bridge where you can make the individual string intonation adjustments.

This is a good suggestion and would be effective.
With reasonable care a DIY type could make this approach work.

Jeff Moore · December 2013

Al, You bet.
You can always add a little material to the bottom of a bridge too.
When I'm making a bridge, though, I leave the top wide and a little tall, until I get the intonation as good as I can.
The trick with every bridge (bought or made) is to get all three dimensions just right. Even tiny differences in string height can be felt and heard. I've glued thin pieces on the bottoms of the feet to raise the top, when I've screwed up and sanded the top to far, or cut one string slot too deep.

I went to the extreme of the DIY thing long after I blew my wrists to bits (milking cows) and couldn't play at all for many years, so getting things "just right" felt like a necessity. Much later in life I had the time, inclination, and tools to just experiment.
But even a careful and determined novice with minimal tools could turn out a dandy, if maybe ugly, bridge after a couple dud tries after thinking through the order of steps. It's all subtraction! Successive approximation! Getting gentler with the tools as you near the finish line.

bluetrain · December 2013

Here one modified Dupont bridge. The top wasn't very wide so i could make only 2mm adjustments but it was enough for my guitar. Other things you can try is to loosen the trussrod a bit. That helped for me atleast.

Al Watsky · December 2013

Metallichris wrote: »

I was watching a ebay auction for an Archtop Jazz Guitar Rosewood Bridge W Roller Saddles Adjustable Height

I was wondering how this would sound.

Has anyone ever tried one on a G J Guitar?

I was thinking about one of those before I posted the original question. A bridge like that would make things much easier, but I imagine they affect the sound quality in some way on a purely acoustic instrument, otherwise people would be using them. Perhaps heavier and/or less effective at transferring the vibration of the strings to the body.

I would avoid the adjustable bridge for 2 reasons , well perhaps 3. Weight, top fit (the feet would not fit well) would require lots of adjustment and last but not least , esthetics.