Looking for guidance on intonation

I have done many setups on electric basses and guitars in the past, so I understand the basics of intonation.

Never tried to do anything on an acoustic/uke.
I know intonation adjustments are really properly done at the saddle, but, I don't have the skills to sculpt a saddle.

My d - bari dGBE - is just a little sharp at the first few frets. I think I have room there at the nut. Would it be correct that I can slightly fix that sharpness by filing that nut slot just a bit?

Is that correct?

UkeKiddinMe said:

I have done many setups on electric basses and guitars in the past, so I understand the basics of intonation.

Never tried to do anything on an acoustic/uke.
I know intonation adjustments are really properly done at the saddle, but, I don't have the skills to sculpt a saddle.

My d - bari dGBE - is just a little sharp at the first few frets. I think I have room there at the nut. Would it be correct that I can slightly fix that sharpness by filing that nut slot just a bit?

Is that correct?

Click to expand...

If it is sharp at the first few frets then the place to fix it is at the nut because what is happening is that the string is being pulled sharp when it is fretted so close to the nut. You want to lower the slot for each string until the string does not pull sharp when fretted at the first fret. You should be able to get it to the point where each string does not register any deviation even on a pretty good tuner, and especially not on something like a Snark, unless your fretwork is terrible or the bridge saddle too low (not very common for either to be a problem except on the very cheapest ukes).

Make sure you don't change the profile of the nut. I.e. you want the string to "break" over the nut at the front edge (the edge closest to the fretboard). If you round over the slot where the string is breaking in the middle it will buzz for sure, plus make your intonation worse. You want the bottom of the slot to slant slightly backwards (down toward the tuners) to ensure that the string "breaks" over the nut at the front edge.

Often, there is still room to go a little lower even after getting the intonation good, and that will make it easier to do chords like the Bb (F on the bari).

If you go a little too deep and the string starts buzzing, that is easily fixed with just a tiny dab of super glue.

OldePhart said:

If it is sharp at the first few frets then the place to fix it is at the nut because what is happening is that the string is being pulled sharp when it is fretted so close to the nut...

Click to expand...

Wow - fantastic, super helpful post. Thank you so much. Here I go ...

That worked Really well. Uber cool.

[In the electric world, some people will yell at you for even Mentioning the nut and intonation in the same sentence.
The order is supposed to be - neck relief, nut slot height - Then intonation at the saddles.]

This is great. Thank you again.