[brudgers]

An untempered instrument would be one that is tuned to maintain the perfect intervals of a specific root tone.

Temperament is adjusting tuning for musical practicality. 12 TET is simply one set of compromises/benefits in a constellation of alternatives.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_temperament

[ofalkaed]

Thank you for offering something clearer than the mess I made. Been 25 years since I studied this stuff and finally learned to just accept (and love) the modern standard.