MAKING CRAPPY GUITARS SING!

Do you have trouble tuning your guitar? Do you often find that when it is in tune, it still sounds out of tune on certain chords? Well maybye your guitar isn't properly intonated. Some less than perfect guitars can be made alot beter sounding by just turning a few screws. Don't believe me? Read on.

Not all of us have mommy's and daddy's to buy us every expensive guitar that we want. Some of us actually have to make due with average mid-level guitars. I find that those people end up being alot better players because of the time they spend on their guitars. Frankly I find it a bit sad that alot of the good guitars are owned by neglegent people who leave their instruments floating about in the basement. They often take for granted the fact that some of us have to baby ours to keep it sounding decent. And that goes for amps too, but that's another article.

Wheather you have an Ibanez, Memphis, Squire, Slammmer or any cheap guitar (under $500) you need to keep an eye on them, maintenance wise. Most of the owners of these instruments will agree that tuning discepencies are the most common occurance for them.

Tuning problems can come from a number of different sources. The neck can be tweaked, or the strings can be dead and oxadized. Now this is something any player with half a brain could figure out. However, what alot of players don't know about is a little thing called "Intonation" Having perfect intonation is when all the strings are the exact correct length.

If your guitar has individualy ajustable bridge saddles then your in luck. I'm not into getting into TOO much detail, but some is good! Having said that I'll get right to the point. In order to get your guitar intonated nicely simply follow these 10 easy steps.

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STEP 1: Make sure you have new strings!!! Otherwise it'll defeat the whole purpose of what your trying to do.

Step 2: Run your guitar into an electronic tuner. The better the tuner, the better the results will be.

Step 3: Tune all the strings perfectly and open.

Step 4: Play the low E string on the 12 fret. If it comes out exactly the same on the tuner, than that string is properly intonated. If it is flat make the string shorter thus sharpening it by making the bridge peice go toward the neck. If it is sharp do the opposite.

Step 5-9 Repeat on all strings.

Step 10: Enjoy your new sounding guitar, and laugh at your friends who don't know how to intonate theirs.