intonating

[jeffshuniak]

I have been working on my bridge placement for days. are the strings in the center of the fingerboard? should be # G strings be shifted off toward the edge of the fingerboard.

I ask this bc I dont really know how to do intonation, I use my tuner, I set the E string, I set the G as close as possible, but usually I dont get EVERY STRING EVERY FRET ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.

when my E is on, then my A, 12 fret is sharp. when the G is on at the octavbe, then the D strings come flat.

should I keep trying or take it to a set up guy to charge me for zig zagging the bridge- is there something I am missing?

should my intonation be PERFECT all the way up and down everywhere?

[Jim Garber]

Jeff:
What type of mandolin are we talking about?

Also, bear in mind that frets are at best a compromise and that on any instrument the intonation will be off according to an electronic tuner.

If it really bugs you, then do take it to a competent repair person who should be able to set it up for you correctly and to your musical taste. Hopefully it is merely the positioning of the bridge but perhaps he/she will have to adjust the intonation of the saddle.

Jim

[John Flynn]

I dont get EVERY STRING EVERY FRET ABSOLUTELY PERFECT

That is nearly impossible to do, unless you go to something like the Buzz Feiten Tuning System, which IMHO is overkill and overpriced. My recommendation: Just get the outer E and G strings on at the 12th fret. Then if you have anything in between way out at the 12th fret, get a file and do some compensating on the bridge to get it closer, without thinning out the part where the string rests too much. Or have a luthier do it. Also, you may want to have your frets dressed. Then, stop worrying about it.

If you do that and then you can actually hear a problem, versus what you can detect with a meter, then high pitched instruments are always going to be a problem for you. You could take up the bass, where no one can tell if you have good intonation, or the banjo, where no one expects you to have good intonation. Just kidding on this last paragraph, BTW! #

[RSW]

Scale length > 12th fret is exactly mid-point between nut and bridge. Perfection = what your ear can tolerate. Ok, E perfect all the way up? G perfect all the way up? A and D somewhat off, bridge somewhat crooked to get the e and g strings right? How high are your strings (action height)? Get it as low as it can go before. Fretboard must be level. Next, if you have #a 13inch scale length (+/- a tad) with your mandolin, then you must avoid certain strings that are made for Gibson scale instruments. My mandolin is setup pretty darn good right now, it wasn't in the past, but I've settled for either Dogal or Lenzner strings (or Black Diamond) and the only compensation I require is for the G string. Octaves play true all the way up the fingerboard so it must be possible. You do need to keep the action low (least amount of string deplacement possible) to make this work. Good luck.

[jeffshuniak]

I apologize, let me clarify.

I am talking about a greek (bowl back, uncanted flat top) mandolin.

un compensated bridge, nice low action

[vkioulaphides]

What strings do you have on that instrument, Jeff? Does it still have its "baby teeth" on?

[jeffshuniak]

What strings do you have on that instrument, Jeff? Does it still have its "baby teeth" on?

no he mentioned something like that, heavier strings at first to break it in.

actually I may have posted the thread a day too soon. I was concerned about the string angle so I wanted to find out fast.

dino returned my call, he has been in hospital with pheunonia, poor guy. he said the bridge can shift left or right no harm done with the light strings. (mari) how cool, he uses the same strings that I have a couple dozen sets of! I am still sitting on the dogals incase mario should contact me. maybe I sell them soon.
he said it should be perfect, and he would make me a compensated bridge, if I couldnt get results soon.

last night I did it. if nothing has creeped and creeked oout of place, I am dead on. gotta be real careful and much much grace and caution press down the string. the strings are still shifted to the bass end slightly, possibly even an illusion, as those are thicker strings, spaced slightly further, eh?

[vkioulaphides]

Glad to hear you are getting better results now; sorry to hear, however, of Dino's health. I ought to give him a call... (not to mention that I, myself, might have an instrument for him to set up and do some minor work on

To tell you the truth, Jeff, I have never quite noticed any "crookedness" of the strings in relation to the fingerboard— if I understand you correctly— on any of my mandos. Hmm...

And, finally, as regards intonation in general, I can do no better than quote RSW in [QUOTE]"Perfection = what your ear can tolerate." That's certainly my bottom-line criterion, as well.

Enjoy your new baby! (But do NOT sell off the Dogals; they will come handy later on.)