Step by Step Setting up your PitBull Guitar for Best Intonation

[dingobass]

Wot Mario said.
But go steady, as it is all to easy to over do it!

Give it a few swipes on 120grit, check it and rinse and repeat

[kells80aus]

Hmmm. I seem to be a dark horse here. I would never use 80 or 120 grit, UNLESS I had some serious Sh!t to fix, like a massive glue stripe across the heal of the body(refer Gypsy Dancer) generally I only use 240 Grit . If I have to use the De-Walt orbi then I'll use 180 grit, but only because thats as fine as Bunnings sells.
I am currently using 1500 grit on the "yellow"(refer Double Cut Juniors). In that case I am trying to achieve glass.... and I am this || close....

PK

[xDruichii]

Hey guys trying to set the intonation. I'm moving the saddles back because it keeps playing sharp at the 12th fret but it doesn't seem to be helping too much. Any advice?

[Pete Stanford]

G'day Gav, just trying to setup my Pitbull TL-1 (Telecaster). I've used all the standard included gear including of course the bridge. I have read and re-read your great article about setting intonation but I am a bit confused about one part.You explain about determining the scale of the guitar and thats all fine. Then you explain about the first initial intonation setting and you give specific measurements for each string eg: Low E 3.2mm longer than X, A @ 1.6mm longer than X etc. Thats fine if you have individual saddles for each string, but mine has one saddle for two strings ie Low E and A share a common saddle with only one adjustment screw. So how do I set mine?

[wokkaboy]

Hi Pete, you need to compromise and get each pair of strings as closely intonated as possible.
As we said on your other thread please tell us or take a pic of the nut/string height from the side

[robin]

Hi Pete, the internet has some very good articles on how to set the intonation of a standard Tele bridge. I can't recall them off the top of my head but Google is your friend.

Another alternative is to buy a set of compensated Tele saddles. They are a direct replacement for standard saddles but a they allow a bit more intonation adjustment.

Hope you get it sorted mate.

[Raz]

Wow, thanks for that article! Just saved me at minimum $45 (USD). At least for right now/until I set aside enough for a full set up. Turns out the PBG I got (EXG-1) has some wicked back-bow. Nothing unexpected really when you base that is traveled across the globe, going through different climate changes.

I've followed these guidelines and everything plays better, even sounds better (acoustically a powerchord sounds more pleasant). However I'm noticing one troubling spot: The 12th/13th fret area on the "A" string. Horrible fret buzz, where as none of the other strings suffer from this. It's actually ONLY the 12th and 13th fret. Nothing further down the neck has that problem. Only remedy I've found would be to make the action unbearably high. What are the chances I did something wrong, made an oversight, or is it that it needs a fret dressing?

[Simon Barden]

Sounds like a high fret to me Raz. If so, the only realistic way to cure it is to dress the fret causing the problem. It may be quicker and cheaper to take it for a proper set-up by a luthier. Tell them what the problem is and they should be able to do it fairly quickly without stoning and re-profiling all the frets. Otherwise you need to spend money on (or borrow from anyone you know who has the tools) a notched neck straight edge, so that you can get the fretboard as straight as you can to start with. Then you need a fretboard leveling file, to stone the frets flat. These are normally diamond files, so are very effective at cutting but don't make deep grooves in the frets. You can get long or short ones. Long ones are good for dealing with a whole fretboard-worth of frets, short ones for smaller problem areas. But it's important that they are long enough to bridge at least 3 or 4 frets so that only the high frets get filed off to start with. If you don't find any high frets, then the problem must lie elsewhere and it's back to adjusting the neck relief and bridge saddle heights.

With the fretboard flat, for a general stoning, mark all the tops of the frets with, with a black Sharpie (other permanent markers are available). Then start running the file up and down the frets. When all the black marks have gone from the tops of the frets, then stop. If you know that only one fret is proud, then you can file lengthways across the fret - but take it very gently and keep checking. Something like a credit card that can span at least three frets is useful for checking this - run it slowly up a flattened fretboard and on flat frets should lit it sit firmly, but if you find a single proud fret, it will teeter from side to side.

Then you need the third piece of specialised kit - a fret crowning file. These come in different radiuses to fit the size of fret fitted. 2.5mm is a fairly common size (and my file worked well on a Pit Bull neck recently). Run this backwards and forwards across each flattened fret a few times ( I tend to count ten forward and reverse strokes, but maybe a few more if the top of the fret was particularly flat) to put the roundness back into the frets. Then you need to smooth and polish the frets. Best done with something like a full set of Micromesh pads or strips, from 1500 up to 12000 grit. Run up through the grades, making sure with the coarser grits that any filing lines across the frets are removed (otherwise the strings will feel really scratchy when you bend them). It's best to use a metal fretboard protector that fits over each fret to stop you marking the fretboard when you do this (fourth piece of specialised kit). After you've done this, then I'd rub the frets with metal polish to get them really shiny (even the one's you haven't filed as it never does any harm to have really smooth frets). And after that. a general fretboard clean-up with lemon oil (on rosewood or ebony boards at least).

It takes a bit of time to do a whole board - a single fret is much quicker - but it's very rewarding once you've done it. Yes, the tools are quite expensive to buy in one go; but if you plan to build several kits, or fettle your own guitars in the future (or your friends), then they are a worthwhile investment. The cost of two professional fret stoning and re-profilings would probably cost more than the cost of the tools required.

And it isn't really difficult. I did it without any tutored instruction except from reading a few internet articles, a few YouTube videos and a bit of common sense.

[dingobass]

But first I would check to make sure the fret is seated correctly.
Usually you will see a gap between the fret and the fingerboard.
If so, support the neck with either a sandbag (easy to make with a trouser leg and two zip ties) or a caul.
Then give the fret a few whacks (gently but firmly) with a hard plastic faced hammer.
If the fret bounces back out, you can wick some thin superglue under it and clamp it down.
Then it is a matter of cleaning up any excess glue by scraping with a razor blade.

[Simon Barden]

Good point DB. Something I'd probably notice if looking at the neck in person, but I need to add it to my mental 'things to check first' list.