Howdy!

Anyone familiar with setting up proper intonation on an NS Stick?
I just did an adjustment on my high A string (super flat when fretted at the 12th) and realized that I don't recall ever coming across a tutorial video or manual. I figured it out, and I suppose most players will, but perhaps someone should upload a video detailing the process. Not much different than setting up a guitar or bass..just a few idiosyncrasies native to the NS Stick's unique bridge.
Did I just nominate myself?

Yes you did.

I'm having one delivered to me early this upcoming week, it is set up in I.M.R tuning but I am converting it [back] to 8 string Guitar Intervals, because that tuning just seems to make the most sense to me for that particular instrument.

Intonation should be no different than a typical good electric bass guitar, it will be nice retracting the mute so I can work with harmonics while doing my intonation work.

I'll let you know how I make out as well, probably next week late.

Good Luck with your instrument !!

By the way, Polyjaun.. your glowing review of the NS Stick was a deciding factor with me getting one.

Although this is, strangely, almost never made clear, using a harmonic to set intonation is only the method to use when you don't have a tuner.
A harmonic is used because it the only way to obtain a pitch precisely in tune with the open string against which the 12th fret can be compared.
If you have a tuner you can simply use it check the pitches of the higher frets.

Intonation is the process of making all frets along the neck as in tune as possible.
So logically, the way to set intonation is to use a tuner to check the pitches of several frets along the entire played length of the string, including the lowest fret and the highest played fret.
If pitch becomes sharper up the neck lengthen the string, if pitch becomes flatter up the neck shorten the string.

Using a tuner this way is a more precise way to set intonation than the '2nd harmonic of open string against 12th fret' method.
It will also detect if the nut is out of tune with the lowest frets.
Because the high frets are checked it will allow you to fine-tune intonation to get the highest frets more in tune: The pitch of the 24th fret is twice as sensitive to saddle movement than the 12th fret, so even if the 12th fret seems reasonably intonated, the 24th fret may still be a little out of tune.

I think they call it the railsback curve or stretch on piano, and it may well be applicable to most long scale stringed instruments. Electronics are not the end all and be all, especially if you are playing with other instruments. I think your ear coupled with a tuner is fine, but perfection is most likely unattainable.

...

FWIW..
A reasonably easy trick is to intonate not at the open and at the 12th.

If you hit a note.. let’s say the first fret. Get that in tune and then set your intonation between the 1st and 13 fret.

Then if sharp just lengthen the string by pushing towards the back.

On a stick vs an NS it is kind of a pain as you have to loosen the saddle each time you need to move forward or back.

Checking 2 notes an octave apart is actually completely unnecessary, that is just a leftover habit from the 'matching 12th fret to 2nd harmonic of open' no-tuner method of guitar or bass guitar.
Checking only 2 pitches an octave apart will also leave the high frets unchecked, which are more sensitive to saddle movements. So fine tuning the intonation will be left undone.

Everything is a compromise. Short of having adjustable frets for each string gauge it is always going to be a best effort.

If you don’t play the lowest string above the 15th fret you can intonate at 1 and 13. If you don’t play the highest string below the 5 fret you could do 5th and 17th.

Then we could also open the just vs equal temper “in tune” can of worms argument.

I'm enjoying this thread having recently joined Club NS. I am ready to change my strings too - maybe we can rastle Dean K. into the discussion or possibly Don Schiff?