Are there any tricks/tips to adjusting the intonation at the 12th fret of a tele(any guitar)? Is it easier to do it when changing the strings or when the strings have been on awhile?

TIP: Here are some general guitar tips I have used before: The guitar strap knobs/buttons on my tele were very loose/stripped. I read on the 'net that if you take one or two wooden toothpicks, stick them in the hole and then snap them off inside, you can then screw in the strap knobs and they will stay fast. It works great!

When adjusting the intonation the strings should be new. At most, they should be worn in for an hour or so. Old strings often give faulty readings. Here's how to do it.

With an electronic tuner, tune the string to the proper note by playing a harmonic at the 12th fret. Then fret the string at the 12th fret and compare the notes. If the fretted note is sharp, adjust the saddle away from the neck. If the note is flat adjust the saddle towards the neck. Then repeat this process until the harmonic and the fretted note are exactly the same. Then you repeat on the other strings.

This is usually the last thing I do in the setup process. You need to make sure your truss rod is adjusted and the string height at the saddles and the nut are also adjusted properly.

Teles with the vintage style 3 saddle bridges are a little tricky because you have to compromise on the intonation because each saddle adjusts 2 strings at once. Several companies make compensated saddles that address this problem. Here's a link:
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electri..._Bridge_Saddles.html

That's how I set intonation, too. The only things I would add:

Do it with the guitar in playing position. Not laying flat. It actually does make a difference.

Also, take a sharp pencil, and scrape some of the pencil "lead" into the nut's string slots. It will help lube the string slots, and help to keep you in tune.

I've always been afraid to touch the truss rod-heard too many horror stories.

Sweet set-up tips! Thank you very much!

Don't be afraid to adjust the truss rod. Just use a 1/4 turn at a time. If it was stuck, and you turned it very forcibly, then you may have a problem. It should be a little snug, when you adjust it. But really, I've only ever seen 1 truss rod break, while being adjusted. And the guy doing it, was totally cranking on a very old POS guitar. It was stuck. And he just tried to force it.

I like my necks to be ruler straight. I know experts say you need a little relief in the neck. But, I don't want any relief. Just straight.

After you tighten it (or loosen it), put the back of the neck across your thigh, and push a little on the headstock, and the guitar's body. Just a little pushing. This will help the neck's wood to adjust to the new truss rod adjustments, a little quicker.

You may need to adjust the truss rod again, after a couple of days. Sometimes it takes the wood a little while to "catch up" with the truss rod's adjustments.

What do you use to measure the flatness of the neck? Do you eyeball it or use a straightedge?

Just eyeball it. It's all about how it feels when playing, that it doesn't buzz, and that it plays in tune, anyway.

Looking down the edge of the fretboard, you can compare the fretboard to the string. The strings are going to be straight, as they're under tension.

The best way to measure the relief of the neck is to put a capo on the first fret. Then with your right hand, fret at the last fret of a bolt on neck(acoustics and set neck electrics would be fretted at the neck/body joint). You will be able to see the gap between the underside of the string and the frets. Look around the seventh to ninth frets. The gap will be the largest there. On a good guitar you can get the neck pretty straight( as in very little gap). On a shitty guitar you need more relief to compensate for bad frets. If you can barely slide a Fender thin pick under the gap you would have about the right relief for most better quality guitars.

If you are interested in setting up your own guitar, you should get the Dan Erlewine book from Stewmac. Here's a link: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_plans/Building_and_r...er_Repair_Guide.html

It's invaluable for anyone that wants to learn how to set up guitars. That book and a lot of experimentation will get you close to a perfect setup.

Which way do you turn the truss rod? Does it close the gap or even out the gap? Will the gap be the same on either side of the fretboard?

THis is interesting.

The gap should be the same on both sides of the fretboard. Looking down the neck, from the headstock, turning clockwise will cause backbow. Turning counter-clockwise will cause relief, usually.

I had a PRS at one time that required the truss rod be adjusted to force relief into the neck, but that is uncommon. The nice thing was, once the neck was adjusted, it never needed a truss rod adjustment again because the rod held it in place.

I also like a very straight neck, maybe .004". I think it helps with consistent intonation throughout the entire fretboard. Think of this. The more relief you have, the farther the strings have to strecth to be fretted, causing a higher pitch in the fretted note.

Speaking of stretching. I set intonation with fresh strings, but I do stretch them a little, gently and evenly up and down the fretboard first.

thanks for the tips...great stuff

I like my necks to be ruler straight. I know experts say you need a little relief in the neck. But, I don't want any relief. Just straight.

If you want the best action, it can't be straight. There needs to be a tiny relief with the strings tightened. Also the tops of the frets need to be rounded properly, not flattened. There are special files for doing that job.
Adjusting intonation? with a strobo-tuner, not a normal guitar tuner. And new strings. adjusting the truss rod is normal to get the correct slight bow.
the height of the strings at the nut must be correct, otherwise fingering at the first fret will throw the intonation off, or make the thing sound like it's out of tune. That's a definite art to getting all that stuff just right.
waxing pickup coils anyone?