The intonator

axisus

Stew Mac are selling these. I think it looks ugly, I wouldn't want it on my acoustics

richardhomer

That is ugly. I wouldn't want it on one of your acoustics either....

stickyfiddle

Wow, erm, ok?!

That feels like overkill to say the least.

sev112

Very subjective I think pickups and switches look pretty ugly but I tend to keep them on my guitars. Question is does it do a useful job. Personally at first look it looks a potentially sensible idea

mellowsun

Lowden get round this problem by having a split saddle. The intonation on their guitars is spot on. I don't know why more builders don't go for a split saddle

NickL

Looks like a solution in search of a problem. Lots of extra mass where you don't normally want it, and needs a whole new bridge with no saddle slot. It doesn't look like there's any way to adjust height, which you're more likely to want to change. Why not just use a normal bridge with different drop-in saddles?

sev112

I've never thought about it before, by why don't acoustic guitars, including nylon strung ones, need intonation ?

ICBM

It's a tool to measure the intonation points before cutting the saddle slot, it's not meant to be left on the guitar!

mellowsun said:

Lowden get round this problem by having a split saddle. The intonation on their guitars is spot on. I don't know why more builders don't go for a split saddle

You don't even need that usually - just cutting the top edge of the saddle into the same shape works perfectly. I started doing this after I owned a Lowden, it seemed so obvious…

http://www.strangeguitarworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_1220.jpg

(That's not one of mine, I would at least have put a decent set of bridge pins in!)

FelineGuitars

ICBM said:

It's a tool to measure the intonation points before cutting the saddle slot, it's not meant to be left on the guitar!

mellowsun said:

Lowden get round this problem by having a split saddle. The intonation on their guitars is spot on. I don't know why more builders don't go for a split saddle

You don't even need that usually - just cutting the top edge of the saddle into the same shape works perfectly. I started doing this after I owned a Lowden, it seemed so obvious…

http://www.strangeguitarworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_1220.jpg

(That's not one of mine, I would at least have put a decent set of bridge pins in!)

As ICBM said it's a tool for measuring where the intonation points on the saddle you are making would be so you can cut the slot in a new bridge accurately. I have one and occasionally use it if resetting the location of a bridge on an acoustic that is noticeably out

sev112

Ok, I'm admitting my lack of knowledge here, but why do electrics need adjustable intonation and acoustics don't ?

AliGorie

yeah - axisus, it's a 'Luthiers Tool' to determine saddle 'break points' for scale length / string gauge.
We've used a non adjustable version of this for decades / century's i'e' little off-cuts of strings to get the position of the break angle.

Sev112, Because U can on an electric - U can introduce adjustable (metal) saddles on an electric because the 'SOUND' dosn't come from the string energy going into the saddle / bridge / soundboard / soundbox to be amplified. The 'pickup' transduce's the strings vibration which is turned into an electrical signal.

 

axisus

Ha ha! I just saw it but didn't read any blurb! Wot a dunce! 

Lucky we have intelligent people around here!

AliGorie

hey axius, post u'r original post over on AGF or similar forum in the states 'n I bet there will be folks who obsess bout bridge pins / saddles etc, saying it improves the sound of they're $$$$ guitar.

ICBM

sev112 said:

Ok, I'm admitting my lack of knowledge here, but why do electrics need adjustable intonation and acoustics don't ?

It is true to some extent that electric guitar sounds - especially distortion when you're playing two notes which then 'fight' each other - reveal intonation problems, but actually once set right, electrics very rarely need adjusting either. The difference in intonation between different brands of the same gauge and even between different gauges (within reason) is relatively small. That's why Gibson and PRS use solid stopbar bridges with only a small set-screw at each end - which usually doesn't need adjusting once set right in the first place.