Bass intonation

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BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
edited October 2017 in Bass
Is it me or is intonating a bass harder than guitar?

Was having a fiddle with a few of my basses last night - ended up checking intonation, and for all of them getting it just right felt like a right mission compared to guitar.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    intimating a bass guitar
    Intimating? Does your wife know about this? ;)
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    intimating a bass guitar
    Intimating? Does your wife know about this? ;)
    Fixed. I like my basses a lot..
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7731
    The low E is odd as it rings out sharp and then drops in pitch right after. Plus it behaves differently depending where you fret it. Try and intonate it at the 7th fret.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    I've heard that non-12th fret intonation is the way to go.. I may well do that.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    The pitch definitely goes noticeably sharp to flat as the note decays.

    I do a bass in the same way as a guitar - by ear, using harmonics vs fretted notes on pairs of strings above the 12th fret.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited October 2017
    The low E is odd as it rings out sharp and then drops in pitch right after. Plus it behaves differently depending where you fret it.
    How old are your strings? ;) How aggressively do you play? 
    Be seeing you.
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  • All guitars have this exact same issue and it can drive me nuts at times.

    If you want it to stay more even then technique can help (eg not dragging the string when you pluck finger style), use a thinner more flexible pick

    In terms of instrument setup a stiffer setup can help - eg using a shim on a Fender and raising the saddles (there’s a balance to this though, has to be done by feel IMO).

    Using a stiffer string can help - either higher gauge or stiffer construction. For example with bass, like for like Rotosound steels are stiffer than Daddario Pro Steels at the same gauge.

    Check your low E has a positive break point at the bridge. Mostly had this on thick Bs but sometimes you have to help make the angle a bit by pressing them down just after the saddle.
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  • Winny_PoohWinny_Pooh Frets: 7731
    The low E is odd as it rings out sharp and then drops in pitch right after. Plus it behaves differently depending where you fret it.
    How old are your strings? ;) How aggressively do you play? 
    @Funkfingers , I play firmly but not enough to get buzz, rounds are 6 months and flats a year. Try playing notes open and fretted with a strobe tuner type app, it's interesting.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited October 2017
    Wood flexes. Shift happens.
    Be seeing you.
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  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    try doing intonation on a banjo, where the bridge is entirely free, sitting on the skin.
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  • peteripeteri Frets: 1283

    Isn't the easiest solution for a bass player simply to play open strings? Then you can use the other arm for pointing


    I'll get me coat

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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24578
    peteri said:

    Isn't the easiest solution for a bass player simply to play open strings? Then you can use the other arm for pointing


    I'll get me coat

    No, other arm needed for beer/kebab/etc..
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  • Or hoiking up leather trous
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    ... or escaping from your pod.


    Be seeing you.
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