Help! Setting up intonation

[coldsummer]

For many years I had my guitar set up by a really talented tech who could make any guitar play like butter, unfortunately he decided to concentrate on building guitars rather than repairs and set-ups. Since then I've tried a few others but none of them seem to get it quite right and it's becoming really frustrating. So I've decided to get some instruction books and browse various sites on the web, and try my hand at setting them up myself. I must admit, the last couple I've done have turned out really well and I'm really pleased with the results, although I still struggle to get a happy compromise between a comfortable action and lack of fret buzz but 'm hoping that will improve with practice

But I'm rambling on. I've noticed on a couple of my EBMM guitars (both with vintage style trem) that in order to get the intonation spot on, most of the saddles are pulled back to the extent that the springs are nearly fully compressed. So I was wondering, would it be possible to wind the intonation screws fully the other way so the springs have hardly any compression and start again from that position, kind of like cycling back to the start of an octave adjustment, or doesn't it work that way?

Sorry for the obvious lack of technical knowledge I'm displaying, please go easy on me if I'm completely off track here. Any advice would be very much appreciated

 

[DrKev]

...although I still struggle to get a happy compromise between a comfortable action and lack of fret buzz but 'm hoping that will improve with practice

There is no magic number. Every player picks or plucks the strings slightly differently so we all get different amount of fret buzz for the same action. Some of us need a little more action than others.

...in order to get the intonation spot on, most of the saddles are pulled back to the extent that the springs are nearly fully compressed.

Nothing wrong with that at all. Usually the low E and G strings. I've seen guitars where people cut the spring in half to get a little extra room.

...would it be possible to wind the intonation screws fully the other way so the springs have hardly any compression and start again from that position, kind of like cycling back to the start of an octave adjustment, or doesn't it work that way?

No, it doesn't, at all. There is just one position where intonation is perfect.

 

[coldsummer]

Thanks DrKev much appreciated. I thought that was probably the case but it's nice to know for sure. I'm quite a heavy-handed player so I find I need a higher action than I would like in order to avoid string buzzing as I play.

 

[DrKev]

No problem.

I'm not the lightest picker myself, I find what works by what bothers me when I'm actually playing, and not being super focused and critical when doing a setup.

BTW, I said one position where intonation is perfect, "optimum" would be a better word. Everything about the guitar is a compromise, nothing is ever perfect.

 

[TNT]

Yes, each one has it's own "thing"!!

 

[Spudmurphy]

this is a nice article on set up.
Set your intonation!

 

[coldsummer]

this is a nice article on set up.
Set your intonation!

Great link, thanks Spud!

 

[AndyK]

Best tip I can provide is get it close with the 12th fret harmonic/12th fret via electronic tuner.

THEN - fret an E barre chord at the 7th-9th frets, and check how the G and B strings sound together by doing a suspended type Van Halen "Unchained" chord. Play with the fine tuner on the G string until the suspended chord sounds perfect. Then, note where the G tuning is. Bet it wants to be more sharp. Move the saddle forward a bit, re-tune, and I bet it sounds much better!

 

[coldsummer]

Best tip I can provide is get it close with the 12th fret harmonic/12th fret via electronic tuner.

THEN - fret an E barre chord at the 7th-9th frets, and check how the G and B strings sound together by doing a suspended type Van Halen "Unchained" chord. Play with the fine tuner on the G string until the suspended chord sounds perfect. Then, note where the G tuning is. Bet it wants to be more sharp. Move the saddle forward a bit, re-tune, and I bet it sounds much better!

Thanks Andy, I'll give that a go.

Simon.