buzz flippin feiten intonation offsets

[Matt77]

I've had the buzz feiten on my old Gibson LP Studio for years now, but I'm thinking of getting it replaced by the Earvana system.

I regularly swap string sizes on this guitar e.g. it's been set up for slide, but I'm now putting some 10's back on and taking the action down again. The problem is I don't know the intonation offsets required at the bridge and it really needs sorting. I don't want to buy a new tuner or take it to a Buzz Feiten qualified installer every time I do this. Can anyone give me some hints of how to correctly adjust the intonation?

[Ben_W]

Not sure if you've seen, but here is what Fourth Feline said when he was helping me.

The gist of it is - that with the guitar in tune ( and the new strings settled in ) - sound an open string and check it is in tune. Then hold down that same string at the 12th fret. If the note held down at the 12th fret reads a little bit sharper than the open string on your tuner - then turn the intonation screw about half to one turn ( at a time ) - so the saddle on which the string sits is moving away from the fretboard.

Likewise, if the note fretted at the 12th is reading a little flat, turn the intonation screw for that string - so that the saddle is moving towards the fingerboard.

Repeat until open and 12th fret notes read the same on the same string.

The time consuming thing is not that it is a complicated process, but that unless the strings have been on and played for a few hours, the actual open string may have gone a bit flat with stretching, or sharp / flat with changes in the room temperature. I tend to play the 'new' strings in for a day or so, then set the intonation, re- tuning the guitar's open strings periodically during the process and checkig the results / adjusting where necessary about 2 or 3 times.

Do bear in mind however, that you do not have to set the intonation straight away ( unlike the truss rod ) when fitting new strings, only to ensure that the guitar is playing precisely when you have found the gauge you like.

Think of it as being like setting pickup height, in that it is a very simple process, but the time is taken by checking for ever smaller and smaller improvements.

Once you find a gauge / alloy / brand you want to stick with, the intonation can then be left alone, as it has been 'set' for those strings.

Hope that helps! It helped me, but not sure if it was what you were looking for, but hey, may help you out!



Ben.

[Philly Q]

So it's the same as adjusting intonation on a regular guitar?  :?

I thought the intonation had to be adjusted according to Feiten's "Patented Pitch Offsets", but I have no idea what that means in practice.

[Pete24v]

I did my N4 using this

http://www.petersontuners.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=550

but i have got a strobostomp to enter the offsets in.

Pete

[Matt77]

Thanks for the info
I'll try setting it tomorrow

[FELINEGUITARS]

Buzz Feiten basically moves the nut forward in a straight line and makes you tweak the intonation to make up the difference
This means that you are forcing certain strings to be slightly flat etc in ways that will be much less noticeable but makes most other things sound better.

The Earvana moves the nut forward in a wiggly line that has offsets built in for each string.
When you set the intonation for the earvana you make the 12th fret note the same as the open/harmonic note as per normal, which some people prefer to do

Neither system is perfect but both help.
I enjoy supplying/fitting & using the earvana system myself......but don't have any problem with the Buzz Feiten system.

[Matt77]

Hi Jonathan.
Having now used both, I think Earvana is better in the areas you use the most on the neck. It's also much more simple to set up.