Intonation

[buzzboxguitars]

Looking for feedback.

I have been using the usual bolt for a nut on standard and baritone ukes. I found the first couple of notes were out - meaning, when the instrument is tuned up, the first couple of fretted notes were out of tune. Not being too scientific I moved the bolt back by about 1/16 and the notes were much better. I figured the curve of the bolt did not give a defined point for the nut.

Has any one found the same? What have you done to rectify? Any formulas?

[Randy S. Bretz]

The tone is in the bone...bone nuts and saddles will give you a better sound....hands down!!!

[Skeesix]

Technically, a circle (bolt in profile) should give you one point of contact for the string. Having more points of contact would cause a buzz, not notes out of tune.

The only reason I can think of for notes near the nut being out of tune when fretted is that the nut is too high.

Usually intonation problems have to do with the bridge, and moving the bridge so that the thickest (lowest) string has a longer length should fix that. Also with this type of problem, the strings would sound more and more out of tune the farther up the neck you go, not at the nut.

[LJ]

Skeesix nailed it. If all your other frets are in. And your first is out. It has to be nut height or 1st fret placement.