DIY Intonation Jig

[hilo_kawika]

Recently Grant had a thread in the main discussion group regarding the use of the Ibex intonation ruler. I'm sure that everyone in this group has had issues with intonating their instruments even with that spiffy little tool that StewMac sells. Then when you've got it right for one set of strings and decide to go heavier or lighter or to another brand, the process begins all over again.

Even we in the ukulele field have such issues. String tensions can vary by as much as 50% among different brands of strings, not to mention the whole headache of trying to intonate a tiple.

In any case, a few years ago I came up with this device:

http://www.ukuleles.com/Technology/compensate.html

It's not a pretty sight but it works extremely well and can be easily modified for any scale length instrument. Once you've put a given set of strings through their paces, you should know the intonation spot on.

Further, comparing different tension strings can also give you the implications of changing from one set to another with respect to intonation distance changes.

Craig, are you up for making a really nice looking one with all the necessary bells and whistles for steel strings?

aloha,

Dave Hurd
www.ukuleles.com

[Allen]

I remember stumbling across that page of you site a long time ago when I was first starting out. Forgot all about it, so thanks for the refresher Dave.

I'm looking forward to what Craig could do with this.

[hilo_kawika]

Thanks Allen,

I suppose my take-home message is that it's easier to make this jig than having to remove the bridge when it was in the wrong place, re-finish a portion of the top with an invisible repair and reglue the bridge to a more correct spot.

aloha,

Dave Hurd
www.ukuleles.com