✅acoustic guitar saddles and ALL guitar nuts intonation tips & facts you should know about✅

this video I explain guitar nut intonating for ALL guitars and some misunderstood facts about acoustic guitar saddles and intonation facts people greatly misunderstand, also I explain string width on acoustic guitars and saddle slots. thanks for checking it out and commenting! and how about a thumbs UP if this videos helps you! :)
/ pretorious
click the above link and win yerself a guitar!

[@poperat]

I was just about to file out some slots for my strings in my new saddle as it was recommended on a video I saw last night but I’m glad I watched this one! Thank you for the informative video!

[@emjayjay7778]

Best guitar teaching knowledgeable videos on KZbin. I've learned so much from you since you've been on here. Thank you! Cheers

[@randytausch3519]

I cringe when I see these guys posting "setup" videos and recommending cutting slots in the saddle to lower the string height!!!!!! And then using a 3 corner file to cut the slots in the nut. WRONG!!!! Keep up the good work Randy!! Thanks for being there for us.

[@nerenahd]

This is precisely what I was looking for. Cheers from Brazil, Randy.

[@mikemagnum7987]

Randy, this is golden! Thanks for bringing this up. I have problems with a few of my nuts but haven't done anything to fix em yet..... this brings me back to it! Thanks Ol Buddy! I'll go back into your archives and find the one on "Nuts"...

[@Roady-13]

Great info, lotsa fun watchin'!!! Bless You, Qball! Take Care Randy!

[@mallorylangford7699]

I bought an old Yammy, action was outrageous. Neck reset wasn't reasonable. I cut the bridge, lost the break angle. So, I cut the area of the pins. There was so much meat on that bridge! Got a great break angle, nice action, neck is straight, now for the entonation. Thank you for the awesome videos!

[@63vetteman]

Enjoyed the video & Que Ball!! Thx Randy

[@sweetwilliam49]

The only compensated nut I saw was the luthier at the end of this video, who had received recompense, for working on said guitar, and his wonderful companion! From one West Virginia boy to another. Deep info, good video

[@casperghost7298]

Haha, I kept watching this video thinking that dude acts and looks like he's from WV, Must be a distinct look that us WV folks have that can tell who is who. lol I am from Nicholas county

[@smoky5833]

Great informative lesson. I think at least half the videos on Utube are people that like the sound of their own voice. Their talks go on forever with nothing being said. Thanks brother! I would behave the same way with my Wife’s dog Paddy! He was so much fun!

[@ericctheartofnoise8613]

great tips Randy.

[@nickywhitmore4350]

I always watch your videos he is always on point good teaching on things like this

[@MrRumorg]

Randy, you're the best! Thank you!

[@RandySchartiger]

thank you my friend! and thanks for checking out my videos!

[@irishwanderer4206]

Goid video mate I'm a new sub from David Winters channel liked this man

[@waynebrown1609]

love the Q Ball

[@donaldrhea1414]

Thank yeah Randy from the smokey hills of east TN.

[@suzannacrawford6447]

Always good stuff for old and newbies to know, thank you for sharing. Great to see Q-ball. Hoold Ooon:D

[@RandySchartiger]

many thanks Suzanna! hold on! :P

[@lukecrampton3613]

Them is some reflexes. Nice video man.

[@rmg471]

Really been enjoying your channel lately, Randy. New subscriber!

[@RandySchartiger]

thank you mate! and welcome aboard!

[@panman1224]

Fantastic Video! Thank you.

[@RandySchartiger]

you're welcome my friend thanks for watching!

[@casperboo5465]

Man dont you just luv that fur baby, bless so cute, Cheers my friend from across the pond

[@RandySchartiger]

thanks Casper! yes love her like a baby! she knows it too :)

[@jonahguitarguy]

Thanks Randy. There was time when I considered making the Earvana nut standard on my guitars cause I do think they intonate better and even, even out the wonky notes up the fretboard that occur from tempered tuning. But in the end I decided to deal with a problem when it occurred.

[@RandySchartiger]

I've compensated the nut on a couple of my guitars, it's a fun solution to play with if nothing else. thanks for having a look brother!

[@steveharris2589]

I did not know that about a nut I never seen anyone talk about it but it would work like you said!!!))) I got here late I was out mowing grass this evening the weather was great!!!)) Good video Randy 🎸🎸🎸👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😊

[@RandySchartiger]

great weather here too Steve almost like fall! I'm diggin it after the 3 month heat wave! :P thanks brother!

[@arrowspellets2728]

Hey Randy, Guitars are really new to me this past year, and the one i have is easy to see the distance between the strings G-B at the saddle. (Pre-cut slots) Now i know what to do after going through a few of your videos on replacing the saddle. Thanks my friend! "Awesome Man Cave" Cheers Ed.

[@RandySchartiger]

glad to hear my videos helped! yeah it can really mess with you then any 2 strings are farther apart than the rest, especially if you solo and need to play single note. thanks for watching!

[@arrowspellets2728]

Thank you! It stopped me from a lot of worrying too. Being a beginner at 58 is a little rough. At least i know where to come if i have anymore problems. Happy to say you have my support! Thanks again!

[@CrawfishParish]

As always a great Video..Thanks.

[@RandySchartiger]

thank you for checking it out mate!

[@bobbyh.3911]

Brother, Randy! Thank you for revisiting this topic, because it reminded me of something I have been meaning to ask you about. But every time I get so interested in watching, I forget to ask! I was wondering about increasing string spread at the nut. For instance, my acoustic guitar has a 1-11/16th nut width and a 1 -5/16th string spread. I would like to increase the string spread to 1-7/16th, keeping the same nut width of course. Is that too much, you reckon and would that affect intonation at all?

[@gavincarrollmusic7401]

Great tips , hello from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@cliveclive54]

Hahaa! Great Q-Ball fix,cheeers Randy! \m/

[@12Radius]

Wow i see dust.. mine too. Yeah some of mine w/ tail piece have slots .cool man

[@TKD187]

Lol I filed a groove out for my strings but only to lower the action . I know enough now by trial-and-error that I should have just sanded it down to make it smaller. Cuz I'm noticing now that I have new strings I have strings that sound kind of dead and it just hit me that is probably because of those grooves not letting the string vibrate all the way through 🤦🏻‍♂️ I just needed to come here for him to confirm it for me ...thanks 👍

[@yuribolognini]

Funny, I thought if u messed the nut would be the invert, like if u scrape material off of the nut to make the contact point further from the center harmonic, then u will be moving the center of the string twards the hand, and since the 12th fret is in same position it would sound sharper (considering u stretch the string to tune the same frequency lose) Am i being dumb or this logic makes sense? please share your thoughts if understand my perspective!

[@yuribolognini]

Im taking into consideration taht u tune the string back lose before checking the 12th fret, cause if u dont then it would be flat on the 12th as well, but thats just because it would be longer and thus out of tune completely, not only in the harmonic... u feel me?

[@yuribolognini]

or u are just prioritizing the octaves and harmonics and u split the middle exactly and then the rest stays slightly out of tune but equaly divided so it doesnt matter too much? im not trying to be an asshole i swear i just wanted to understand it better! thanks in advance, great video btw

[@johnc321]

Hi Randi love your videos in Sydney Australia. I have a problem with my Takamine Dragon ( D Series) I need to install a new saddle and have lost the the preset saddle and unable to buy a new one. I was hoping you could do a video on how I could make one and the process used. We love your videos here in Australia. My guitar has string pins.

[@RandySchartiger]

wow! cool someone watching my videos from the other side of the globe! :) is it a split 2 piece saddle or single piece? I think you can only buy saddles for their G series, you'll most likely have to make one for your guitar out of a bone or tusq blank. sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[@martonvarga6849]

As always, great video Randy, but I think I found a mistake. If you increase the scale length by filing away from the nut, the relative length of the string, when fretted at the twelwth fret decreases, and that means it gets even sharper. So for example, if you had a scale length of 100 units, and a distance from the twelwth fret to the saddle of 49 units, that means the fretted note is sharp. If you increase the scale length to 101 units at the nut, the distance between the 12th fret and the saddle remains 49, making the ratio of the two octave notes even farther from 2:1.

[@arronstanfield1212]

The guitar is an imperfect instrument my guy

[@karstenheusser]

@@arronstanfield1212 Sorry, Arron, but Márton's objection is justified irrespective of the fact that a guitar's intonation cannot be 100% perfect.

[@Flatpicknation]

Nice Randy !

[@olcountryboy5485]

Good video brother!

[@RandySchartiger]

thanks for stopping in brother!

[@carroll6]

can you use a simple flat file to file down the saddle? (I was incorrectly calling it the bridge) ... I am getting needed tools for this old Fender StarCaster acoustic project. The others say to get a aluminum beam.

[@IAM_Iban97]

Nice vid bro you should make a video of different types of bridge pin sounds 👍

[@RandySchartiger]

that;s a good idea, thanks for it! I'll try to do it, I have some bone pins, plastic and maybe tusq. like to have a set of brass ones that would be a good comparison.

[@brunoCondor]

Randy strikes again ! Never knewed that an acoustic had no notched bridge ? I think that is because I and many people assumed that that was always the case ? I certainly don't go every weekend checking NEW guitars at the store. I actually can't remember or i ever saw an acoustic without notches.. probably because we are used to see or play second hand guitars with wear out. Now that i think a bit deeper on this.. a telecaster with 2 strings per saddle, compensated or not, mostly don't have notches too.. and the Vintage Strat saddles also not notched. So now i need to invent and patent bridge sauce" instead of "nut sauce".. i though always.. when a guy like Stevie Ray Vaughan would play such a tele.. those strings should go all over the place.. I'll trie my recipy from my Polinasian Tomatosause first.. LOL..

[@buailebawns2162]

Can to make a video about compensated shelf nuts such as Earvana, Hosco SOS etc & their relationship to sweetened tunings such as James Taylor tuning? I put a Hosco SOS on my Martin JC Buddy Guy & it plays sweetly in normal tuning. I note that the compensated nut in your video seems to lengthen the string whereas the shelf nuts such as Earvana & SOS shorten the string & distance to first fret. Also, compensated nuts must affect 12th fret intonation possibly requiring a saddle adjustment. Does Cueball have any thoughts on the mind boggling mathematics of nuts, saddles, intonation etc.?

[@RandySchartiger]

now that I think about it I've covered compensated shelf nuts and Taylors tuning and how they work together, but not all in one video lol I don't know if he created that tuning because so many of the big boys use it and have for years, I find it shocking so few talk about it. those compensated nuts you saw that shortened the distance to the first fret were to make the note sharper, take material away to lower it, add material (shorten the distance) to make the note higher. some people will argue it throws the rest of the frets out of intonation and to a small degree it does, but the farther away from the nut you play the lesser you notice it. lord I hope all that makes sense lol thanks for watching!

[@michaelsmilek2404]

Rock on Mo Fo

[@luanpalla3727]

what about pinless bridge, like some takamines guitars have? any disadvantages?

[@jedfiekel9809]

If you file away at the nut increasing the scale length on a string it will make the note SHARPER at the 12th fret, NOT flatter. If you increase scale length at the saddle by filing it back it WILL go flatter. Its easy to get them confused. May i suggest editing or removing the video before people mess up their intonation even worse?

[@casperboo5465]

Great video and content as always Randy, thank you very much, its appreciated Cheers

[@thebeans7846]

Awesome goodness in this video, Randy! Don't know if this works for gnats but a bowl with a little diluted vinegar and a drop or two of dish soap kills those little bugger flies around here in no time.

[@RandySchartiger]

I've heard that but never tried it, but I will! thanks!

[@patricknelson1471]

my electroacoustic stopped working when plugged in when changed saddle while it works with the old one any idea whats going on ?

[@DrBanzaiPhd]

Love the acoustic tips. My saddle needs some attention. And who's nut doesn't need some attention.

[@RandySchartiger]

haha I hear ya man! every nut should be happy! :D thanks for watching!

[@scottharris7222]

Another subscriber... hope to help you keep your channel a bit more viable.

[@pamhurt7126]

Gonna throw a curveball t ya,,FRAMUS TEXAN,,,strings set on top of saddle,,the nut end has ,u probably know,has a fret about a 1/4 inch from nut,like nothing I have seen,wanting to go to bone ,any suggestions on what to try,,much appreciated,u have helped me setup my Martin D-28 fantastic,,Thanks

[@kckong3]

the bridge pin of my Low-E string feels higher than the other pins ...as if it's not seated properly ... and buzzes. When I press on the pin and play a note on the Low-E or other strings (up to the G), the buzz goes away. How do I fix that? Seems to me the low-E string's fatness prevents the pin from sitting in the hole fully??? Is this fixable DIY?

[@lumberpilot]

I just watched a tutorial where the man added a piece a bone to the nut at the low E. He was trying to make the distance equal if a string is sharp. This method here is the exact opposite.

[@michalzaw5575]

which one is better/ sound being crisper? bone nut and saddle or Tuq's bone and saddle?

[@FlowforthInstruments]

Guitar chat groups and sites produces some of the worst advice. You got that right.

[@jkd185]

I've an acoustic with no saddle at all. Plays fantastic.....and the internation is spot on...have you ever seen this before ? Cheers

[@RandySchartiger]

don't believe I've ever seen that before! wow! I can see how it could happen tho. cheers! thanks for viewing!

[@jkd185]

Why not do an experiment, try stringing up an acoustic with no saddle ,see how good or how bad it sounds?? I don't know if mine is just a lucky accident ,I don't know :) anyhow cheers

[@mikehoncho2188]

Glad to see la casa that never sleeps back.

[@RandySchartiger]

I'm a little late but made the scene! :D thanks for watching!

[@RogwinMusic]

Randy.....but what if your note is flat at the 12th fret......how do you fix that with a bone nut? You cant move the saddle back on one string....right? Thank you...

[@timdillontablet3551]

Randy...only flaw I'd seen on the bridge i could slip a piece of paper under 1 end of saddle.... which I watch on your channel of things to ck.. when buying a new used but a 100$ I kinda over looked

[@jamesmorrison2063]

What do you think of those "Blueridge" guitars? I almost went and looked at one, but got a Taylor 12 string instead.

[@RandySchartiger]

Taylors are better IMO, but that;s not to take anything away from Blueridge because I've never played a bad one, you probably could have saved a large chunk of change had you gone with the Blueridge and still had a killer sounding guitar but I think Taylor are higher end than Blueridge.

[@RojazzBG]

When you say the note is lower/flat - are you saying in comparison to the harmonic?

[@raydecampos7327]

Great video but, Holy crap dude! 7 minutes on "no grooves in the saddle"!! I think I got it straight the 20th time at about 5 minutes in. LOL!

[@nickyG7515]

To the point and very concise. Bless you man. Great vid. Ps Check out Isaac Guillory, if you haven't heard of him already!

[@clarencepangburn3329]

Good Shit

[@fernandocoronel8404]

I have a question. I sand my acoustic guitar bridge saddle and now my third lower string is buzzing. Whit should I do thank you.

[@RandySchartiger]

I don't recommend shimming the saddle, so if you sanded too much away I'd recommend a new saddle that fits without shims. and thanks for checking out my videos!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

I'd prefer using an Acoustic Guitar version of an Electric Guitar Adjustable saddle so it's easier to keep in tune

[@nickywhitmore4350]

Randy my guitar brother

[@bgilley8199]

What about classical style saddles?

[@LegsON]

RANDY! SOme say it's bad having saddle break angle over 45 degress, as rotating momentum is too strong and it's gonna warp the top. What do you say about this?

[@RandySchartiger]

it's true! that's the thing, the steeper the break angle the more stress it puts on your guitar, it always makes the guitar sound better but that is the cost of a high saddle and/or steep break angle. it's kinda like Martins forward shifted bracing, it makes the guitar sound deeper and lots of power, but by moving the whole pattern forward really weakens the belly area, so there is a prices for all those little things one can do for better tone and overall sound.

[@LegsON]

Damn it. :D Thanks!

[@hammy444u]

I made new deer antler saddles for all four of my acoustics. It wasn't as hard as I thought but I keep hearing an old old song called BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN by Roy Rodgers I think . That lasted untill I got all four guitars done and then the music stopped. Is that normal? LOL My intonation is dead on so I wont have to compensate my nuts and that's good because I think they are constipated and have been since I turned 65. LOL

[@RandySchartiger]

ah yes I'm familiar with that song, I think you're right it was Roy Rogers. I don't know tho if I would call that normal or not lol definitely something going on with it stopping the same time you finished lol cheers Hammy thanks for tuning in here!

[@juana1483]

Hey Bro, you took the baggie off of Boo Boo Bear's snout??? LOL

[@MrMikepresley]

That saddle looks like its on wrong, the high point f the saddle should be for the low E? and the low end (slant) of the saddle should be for the high E? or am I wrong?

[@buailebawns2162]

Looks like an optical illusion due to extra compensation on treble side of saddle. Break angles on treble strings tells me saddle isn't higher.

[@RandySchartiger]

nope it's on right, I made it from a tusq blank and had to file it that way to get the guitars intonation as close as I could get it, I think the video is just making it appear to be backwards. thanks for checking it out!

[@MisterRorschach90]

Well I never knew that. Looks like I’m buying a new saddle. It was a hair too small anyway.

[@juancarlosvaldez597]

how exactly would I calculate the accurate area for the saddle ??

[@RandySchartiger]

determine you string scale length, measure from 12th fret to nut, distance should be identical from 12th fret to saddle, try to leave enough room to intonate.

[@juancarlosvaldez597]

Randy Schartiger ahhh i see , thank you ! huge fan

[@jamesmorrison2063]

Man, those first two strings BLACK. Nasty!

[@RandySchartiger]

yeah lol guitar has been in storage a long time, strings are years old.

[@100amps]

Should I remove the strings before I shave the bridge?

[@RandySchartiger]

I don't see how it possible to shave the bridge with strings on, so my answer would be yes :D

[@100amps]

Damn! I should have waited for your reply. What a mess! :-)

[@johnd.447]

HELP! WHY is my saddle Beveled in sections and Not level? IBANEZ ACOUSTIC

[@johnd.447]

I've got photos

[@CesarAllGuitar]

Yep...and more that that, Intonation cannot be 100% perfect.. bloody physics! Thx Up!

[@JamesBond-kb4de]

blueridge guitar😄

[@TonyBurke100]

Your saddle isn't compensated, i.e. it doesn't have the bits cut out to allow for more accurate intonation.

[@eoincostello4634]

Legend 😀😀 i was in the kitchen sheamus thats the do is outside woooooooo

[@AngeloLuis22]

String gross?

[@jone-marievandenberg7821]

2:42 we gonna caress yo ass 🤣

[@budholloway9868]

Deer antlers are basically calcium

[@deormanrobey892]

Hang on. Does this mean people who watch your videos can be compensated? :p

[@jeffersonjcoat]

I hope thats not Tobacco......

[@markdylan8676]

I came here to learn about guitar saddles, not to have my ass caressed.

[@brucelevine6517]

At least 60% wrong I had to quit those luthier sights because they are so fucking dumb

[@brucelevine6517]

What about the truss rod after all it does effect the length of the sting ?

[@RandySchartiger]

probably so, an awful lot of shit talked over there!

[@RandySchartiger]

the truss does change the over all string scale, usually not enough to matter but on some really sensitive instruments it can make a difference in intonation.

[@teddybasterd9415]

Why would KZbin try to shut you down? Are you putting chemicals in the water to make the guitars gay???

[@RandySchartiger]

lol evidently youtube thinks so. I don't know why but they've cut traffic to this channel down to 1/3 of what it used to be, of course when asked they say youtube algorithm will eventually bring it back up, but it hasn't for going on 4 years now!

[@teddybasterd9415]

Randy Schartiger maybe the problem KZbin is having with you is that your manually compensating your nuts.