Things You'll Need:
- Electronic tuner
- Small screwdriver
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Step 1
Tune the guitar strings using an electronic tuner for accuracy. Then check the twelfth fret harmonics. If the harmonic is flat the string is too long, and if it is sharp the string is too short.
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Step 2
Adjust the saddle of any string where the harmonic is off. Using a screwdriver turn the saddle screw clockwise to lengthen the string and counter clockwise to shorten it. Move the saddle only a fraction of an inch at a time, and retune the string and its harmonic after each adjustment.
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Step 3
Examine your frets. Worn frets will throw off a guitar's intonation, as will frets that are excessively high. Worn frets can be replaced, and high frets can be made lower.
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Step 4
Look at how high the strings are off the neck. This is called the "action" of a guitar, and high action will interfere with intonation. Action is usually changed by adjusting the bridge. However, many poorly made guitars have very high action that is not easily corrected.
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Step 5
Check the straightness of the neck. A crooked neck will also mess up your intonation. Many electric guitars are intended to have a slight bow in the neck; however, too much bow will be hard to compensate for at the saddles because the action will be so different at different points along the string. Adjust the neck bow by turning the screw at the base of the neck, where it meets the guitar body.
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Step 6
Make sure that all your saddles are in good working condition and are holding place where you have set them. Sometimes poor intonation is caused by a broken or worn out saddle.
