There often appears in the swirl of the musical scoop an alien body whose dribble does not flow with the gist of what’s happening. In guitar-talk, a player is likely to say, “My axe is phucked,” or he might have it together enough to realize that “My guitar is not intonating correctly.” Whatever the case, intonation is worth knowing something about, especially if you’re considering placing* your body on a stage with an instrument.

Loosely, intonation is the guitar’s ability to be and stay in tune. Hence, to even realize that a problem exists, you have to" have a pretty good ear for pitch. If you don’t have a good ear, there’s three options open to you. One, take your guitar to a competent repairman and have him tell you how to make the necessary adjustments. Two, have a friend who has a good ear do it. Or, three, invest in some electronic gear which will suit your needs (covered in this column in January ’74).