Guitar Intonation Explained: Why Your Notes Sound Out of Tune Up the Neck

Ever tune your guitar perfectly, play a chord, and think, “Why does this sound wrong?”

That problem is almost always intonation - and every guitar, acoustic or electric, needs proper intonation to play in tune across the entire fretboard.

Here’s what it means and why it matters.

🎸 What Is Guitar Intonation?

Intonation is your guitar’s ability to play in tune everywhere on the neck, not just on open strings.

If your open strings are in tune, but chords at the 5th, 7th, or 12th fret sound sharp or flat, your intonation is off.

Open strings and fretted notes should both be in tune. If they aren’t, the guitar needs an adjustment.

🎯 Signs Your Intonation Is Off

• Open strings sound fine, but chords sound wrong

• Notes higher up the neck are sharp or flat

• Your 12th-fret notes don’t match their harmonics

• You constantly retune but still never sound “right”

If this sounds familiar, it’s not you - and it’s not your tuners - it’s your intonation.

⚙️ What Causes Bad Intonation?

A few common reasons:

• Old strings

• Changes in humidity or temperature

• Bridge saddles in the wrong position

• Neck relief that’s too high or too low

• Nut slots that are too tall

• Heavy fretting pressure (pressing too hard)

Even brand-new guitars sometimes need their intonation dialed in after shipping.

🔧 How Intonation Is Fixed

Fixing intonation is part of a professional setup.
A tech will:

• Adjust the bridge saddles to correct string length

• Set neck relief and action

• Replace old strings

• Make sure the guitar plays in tune across the neck

On acoustics, this is often done by reshaping or replacing the saddle.
On electrics, it’s done by moving the saddles forward or backward.

Either way, it makes a massive difference.

❤️ Why Intonation Matters

Good intonation means:

• Chords sound right everywhere

• Leads and solos ring properly

• Your guitar stays “in tune with itself”

• You enjoy playing more (and sound better doing it)

If your guitar never quite sounds in tune, no matter what you do this is probably the reason.