Setting Intonation Question

[gemini8026]

Hi guys. Im setting up the intonation on my SL2H, but I have a question. Im fairly heavy handed, not TOO bad, but I tend to push fairly hard on the strings.

When setting up the intonation, do I want to fret at the 12th with my standard pressure, or be as light of a touch as I can? I do the standard open note, then 12th fret intonation procedure but after doing the light touch, it seems my chords are going sharp.

Im not sure the proper technique, but when a guitar tech sets up my guitar, is he using "standard pressure"

Ive never really noticed things before, but as my guitar skill has gone up, ive also noticed my ear's sensitivity to tuning issues go up.

Thanks for any help!

[jackson1]

My best advice is to do the fretted 12th with light pressure and to work on your fret hand technique, to make it lighter.
In the end, you might be better off using guitars with lower frets, which makes it harder to push the notes sharp.

[Racerx2k]

See, that's "ideal" advice, but not "realistic" advice, given that most people play differently, and this will not help him. That's like saying we should ALL set our string height exactly the same, for consistency's sake. Just not gonna happen.
In answer to your question, you should fret at the 12th, the same way you normally do. Many good techs will actually take into account an inidividual's fretting "style" when setting up their guitar. Many set up someone's guitar, using THEIR own fretting pressures, and what you get, in some cases, is a slightly less accurate intonation. As it is YOUR guitar, you do with it what you gotta do to make it as best as possible, which, in THIS case, would mean fretting in your normal fashion.