INTONATION RESCUE: VINTAGE STYLE-HOLLOWBODY ELECTRIC GUITAR

Intonation Rescue: Correcting a Reversed Bridge on a Vintage-Style Hollowbody

Every guitar that comes into the workshop has its own story, and this stunning red Vintage-brand hollowbody was no exception. Its owner brought it in after struggling to get the guitar to intonate properly, particularly higher up the neck. Even after adjusting the saddles as far as they would travel, the notes still rang sharp.

A quick inspection revealed the culprit: the tune-o-matic style bridge had been installed the wrong way around.

Why Bridge Orientation Matters

On guitars with a tune-o-matic bridge, the saddle travel isn’t symmetrical. The bridge is designed so that the bass-string side offers more backward adjustment for proper compensation, while the treble side has a slightly shorter travel.

When the bridge is inadvertently installed in reverse:

• The saddles run out of adjustment range

• Notes play increasingly sharp up the neck

• Even a perfect setup can’t compensate for the incorrect geometry

That’s exactly what was happening here.

The Fix

After fully de-stringing the guitar, I removed the bridge, cleaned the posts and thumbwheels, and reinstalled it in its correct orientation. With the bridge now facing the right direction, I restrung the guitar and carried out a full intonation adjustment.

The difference was immediate—each string now had enough travel to fine-tune intonation accurately across the entire fretboard.

Final Setup

To finish the job properly, the guitar also received:

• A truss-rod check and neck relief adjustment

• Action set to the player’s preference

• Pickup height optimisation

• Nut lubrication

• A full clean and polish

By the time the setup was complete, this beautiful hollowbody not only looked its best but played and intonated exactly as it should.

If Your Guitar Won’t Intonate…

Sometimes it’s a simple setup issue. Other times, like this case, it comes down to hardware orientation or installation problems that aren’t always obvious at first glance.

If you’re experiencing tuning instability or intonation issues with your guitar or bass, feel free to get in touch. I’m always happy to diagnose the cause and get your instrument playing its absolute best.

Ryan Pearce Guitars & Basses

Professional setups, repairs, and upgrades for all stringed instruments.