How To Set Intonation

• Tune banjo to pitch using a good quality tuner.
• Once banjo is in tune, play the harmonic on the 12th fret, then check the 12th fret note against the harmonic. They should be perfectly in tune with each other as read on the tuner.
• If they are not in tune with each other, take the following action (for best results, make sure all other strings not being played are muted, as the sympathetic ringing that can occur on other strings can mess with the tuner's reading of the intended note):
• If fretted note is sharper than the harmonic, you will need to gently slide (not tilt) the bridge backward, toward the tailpiece to increase the length of the string's run.
• If fretted note is flatter than the harmonic, you will need to gently slide (not tilt) the bridge forward, toward the neck to decrease the length of the string's run.
• Retune and repeat until the fretted note and harmonic on the 12th fret are exactly in tune with each other.
• Now repeat that process for the 4th string, making sure to hold the 1st string side of the bridge in place so you don't undo what you already did for that string.
• You may need to check and make slight adjustments to the string height as you go, as moving the bridge backward or forward can sometimes raise or lower string height. If height adjustments are needed, it is best to make them and retune each time before checking and adjusting intonation, for best and most accurate results.