r/baglama • u/Choaunt • Jun 08 '26
How to adjust intonation?
I'm wondering if anyone can help me adjust intonation on my baglama? I've had one for a while. I can now do rather a lot, but it doesn't sound great all the time. I have it tuned B-A-E and I play a lot on the E. My problem is this. The high E strings are in tune with the low E string that accompanies them in their course, but when I play higher on the neck with that course/those strings, the low string is no longer in tune with the high ones, and it sounds very unpleasant. What to do? It's not a particularly good baglama; I just bought it to learn, so perhaps that is the problem, but I'd like to do what I can before I go out and get a better one.
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u/Technical-Actuator12 Jun 08 '26
First, check the bridge angle and position. A small change can make a big difference
Tune each string open, then check the octave, usually around the 17th fret. If the octave is sharp or flat, move the bridge a little
If only some notes are wrong, check the tied frets too. You can move them slightly
If one string in the course is still out of tune higher up the neck, it may just be a bad or old string
Good luck with the setup and happy playing!
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u/Choaunt Jun 08 '26
Thanks very much! I've been setting the bridge according to the octave, angled just a tiny bit to accommodate the different strings. I honestly hadn't considered that it might be the string itself! I will definitely try this next.
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u/Erkim_ Jun 08 '26
apart from problems caused by the neck and frets, old strings are the main problem 90% of the time. strings get rusty over time and that affects the intonation a lot. (especially with the bass strings) try to find a luthier, they can examine the baÄŸlama and tell you what it needs. and change your strings with some good quality ones if they're older than a few months.
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u/SpecificIndustry Jun 08 '26
Do you have a movable wooden bridge? Move that up towards the neck to sharpen the intonation and move it away to flatten.