Intonating a Les Paul

[stratotone]

Is the software version as good as the hardware version?

I think so, they both seem to work fine for setting intonation. Both tuners do have some wackiness at times, because of the sensivitity - if you are touching the tuners on the headstock, you can see it go out of tune. Just have to use neck pickup, roll the tone knob down so you don't hit it with extra overtones/harmonics, and it works pretty well.

 

[stratotone]

Chris - I think the software version of strobostomp is like $49 or so - WELL worth it for setting your intonation. I have the strobo pedal too, both work well. You'll be amazed how far off your guitars are if you used a less accurate tuner like a boss to set intonation before. It's a huge difference. I have a planet waves tuner for live use, the strobo is way too accurate for quick tuning at a gig.

Pete

Yeah, I don't doubt that at all. Maybe I should look into getting an accurate tuner for setups... I feel like being cheap about it, but I'm sure you're right.

It's a small difference, but once you start doing it you really start hearing it. First thing I do now when I get a new guitar is clean it, restring it, set it up and intonate it. most factory setups or used guitars now make me cringe. Two things I do that make it more accurate, for me anyways:

1) I always set the intonation with the guitar in playing position. It does make a difference if you have it laying out on a bench or whatever.

2) When I fret the 12th fret to check intonation vs the harmonic, I hold it like I'm playing the guitar - in other words, same amount of finger pressure I'd use if I was actually playing a song. You can watch the pitch go crazy on a strobo (or real strobe tuner) on a fretted note if you press down harder, especially on the lower tension strings like the G and low E.

Pete

 

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

That's the exact set I'm using. The "Not Even Slinky" set. I'm tuning to BEADGB and the D is a 24. I think the B(56) is already very thick. I can't imagine having to go higher.

Oke Doke, which string is it that's giving you trouble?


If it's the third, check to see that it's resting in the nut slot fully, if not, you will have intonation problems, I don't know what size strings you we're using before but if the nut slot is still the stock cut it will have to be filed bigger. If it's seated fully then I don't know, try a smaller third string first, the plains are much easier to intonate. Usually when detuning the third string is the biggest problem and the 6th string when playing a drop tuning is the other biggest problem. If it's a wound one you will probably have to go bigger, or you may have a bad string.

That's just my best idea.

 

[defpearlpilot]

That's the exact set I'm using. The "Not Even Slinky" set. I'm tuning to BEADGB and the D is a 24. I think the B(56) is already very thick. I can't imagine having to go higher.

Oke Doke, which string is it that's giving you trouble?


If it's the third, check to see that it's resting in the nut slot fully, if not, you will have intonation problems, I don't know what size strings you we're using before but if the nut slot is still the stock cut it will have to be filed bigger. If it's seated fully then I don't know, try a smaller third string first, the plains are much easier to intonate. Usually when detuning the third string is the biggest problem and the 6th string when playing a drop tuning is the other biggest problem. If it's a wound one you will probably have to go bigger, or you may have a bad string.

That's just my best idea.

It depends on where you start counting. I think the problem may be that the strings also aren't stretched out enough. I had problems intonating the others until I gave em a good stretch. I'll check the nut as well. Thanks.

 

[cobrahead1030]

I think, personally for me, it's because my ear wasn't as developed then. So I might not have picked up on a chord being out of tune by a bit and it didn't bother me for the same reason! I couldn't tune by ear back then either. But now, I can easily tell if I'm out of tune and it bothers the hell out of me.

Yeah, I hear ya. I'm almost a tuning nazi at this point. I have to be in perfect tuning or I hate it. Well, as close as you can get to perfect on a guitar anyway.

+1

the more i play the more it bugs me, even tho i can usually get 99% on by ear, i rarely pick up a guitar without having a tuner handy

 

[drs448]

i just set up my les paul too
i put on a heavier gauge and tuned it down a step to d
straighten the truss rod and intonated
but my low d string is fretting out from fret 12 and up
how can i fix this?