Agreed, I've always set intonation at the 12th - thought that was such a given that it didn't even register Dave had suggested the 24th (or maybe it's the glasses thing again...).
I'll also second the motion for using a strobe, for tuning in general but especially for intonation. It will save a lot of time and frustration, and you'll end up doing a better job.
And as Dave says, a clean and properly lubricated bridge will make the entire experience much more pleasurable. Though personally, I'd just take the bridge off entirely and ensure that all the saddles move through their full range of travel without binding, after cleaning and oiling as needed. (I actually found some binding straight from the factory, so it's worth checking.)
To review,
- Set intonation last, after doing any other setup adjustments. Intonate any time you've changed the truss rod tension, or bridge height, or changed to a new set of strings. A new set of identical strings will usually be pretty close (still worth checking), but different gauges or brands will certainly require adjustment.
- Even if you don't change anything, you might check it (say every six months or so), because (a) you'll get better at it with practice, and (b) your playing style may change and it is somewhat dependent on how hard you fret.
- Always make the adjustments in playing position, with all the other strings properly tuned. Re-tune the string you're working on after each adjustment, and give it a little stretch in the process to make sure it has had a chance to shift and settle over the saddle.
- Be as consistent and precise when fretting the note as possible. Straight down, no bending - but just as importantly, use the same pressure and fingering angle as you would when playing normally. This makes a big difference.
- Do not assume that the saddles will all end up in a nice looking, perfectly diagonal line. Generally the higher strings will end up shorter, but you may see some variations.
- The basic rule is that you adjust the string length, by moving the saddle, so that the fretted note matches the harmonic, both at the 12th fret. If the fretted note is sharp, compared to the harmonic or tuner, then you want to make the string longer, by moving the saddle away from the neck; if the fretted note is flat then make the string shorter.
- With the standard Alembic bridge, you make the string longer by tightening the saddle screw (right to tighten, clockwise), pulling the saddle away from the neck. And vice versa.
- Even though I'm pretty comfortable with the concepts, whenever I'm actually making adjustments I have a little cheat sheet nearby that says something like note sharp, make string longer - so I don't have to actually think about it and risk confusing myself :-)
- You don't need to loosen the string enough to get it off the saddle before making the adjustment - just reduce the tension enough so that you can turn the adjustment screw easily, without forcing. (If you're making the string shorter, you can sometimes get away with just lifting the string right in front of the saddle, but you should probably detune a bit before lengthening the string.)
- You will find that there is a small amount of play in the adjustment screw/saddle threads. So look carefully at the saddle and see that it's moving, especially when you decide you've gone too far in one direction and want to reverse it. As you get close, you'll be making adjustments on the order of 1/8 turn or perhaps a little less, and you may have just about that much play in the threads.
- As the final touch, try to end up so that the last adjustment you have made on each string is clockwise, at least to take up any slop in the threads so that all saddles are being pulled away from the neck. This is analogous to tuning up to pitch, and will result in a more stable setup.
- I'm sure there are a number of ways to approach fretless... personally I move up and down the string to find the optimal position for playing the harmonic (both by ear and by feeling the vibration on my finger), and then press down directly in that same position. However, I may compromise on that position slightly, in an effort to end up with a straight alignment of fingering positions across the strings (hard to explain, curious to know what others do).
It's really a lot easier than it might sound, once you've done it a couple of times (and especially with a strobe). And since it does depend on your fingers and playing style, you can pretty quickly get to the point where you'll be able to do a better job than anyone else can do for you. I'm not sure I'd describe the exercise itself as pleasurable, but playing a properly intonated instrument is a real joy, so it's worth it.
Hope I didn't get that flat/sharp thing backwards again...
-Bob
