Intonating low B string on 25" necks w/ FR bridge

[Eschatologist]

Ok, I may be getting a bit too meticulous/paranoid about intonation, but I was wondering if you guys have any tricks for intonating the low B string on B standard tuned 6 string (B E A D F# B). I'm using a .59 for the low B on my ESP LTD M1000. On my floyd rose I have the saddle all the way to the end where it can't go anymore, and it looks like the string is still slightly sharp but I can't get anymore length. It sounds ok, and maybe I am being paranoid since lots of players use 25" necks and get good low tuned tone. What does everyone else do, just to set my mind at ease, haha! :zombie:

 

[Eschatologist]

Sorry guys, I just realized this should have been posted in the Equipment thread...my mistake!

 

[006]

Is it 25" or 25.5"? I've not heard issues really with 25.5" scale guitars tuning to B and being able to be intonated properly really. Ideally you want baritone though that doesn't help your situation at all...

 

[Pxz]

Most 7 strings are 25.5 so whats its the difference ? It should be the same as intonating any other guitar to a desire tunning.
Anything below drop A should be 27 scale or more to keep good tension and that goes for sevens aswell, thick gauges alone dont usually fit G drop G stuff.
Nothing by Meshuggah ( F ?) was recorded with sevens tunned as 8strings and Fredrick told it was a nightmare to stay in tune, until the 30 scale 8strings arrived.

 

[Decimator]

Ok, I may be getting a bit too meticulous/paranoid about intonation, but I was wondering if you guys have any tricks for intonating the low B string on B standard tuned 6 string (B E A D F# B). I'm using a .59 for the low B on my ESP LTD M1000. On my floyd rose I have the saddle all the way to the end where it can't go anymore, and it looks like the string is still slightly sharp but I can't get anymore length. It sounds ok, and maybe I am being paranoid since lots of players use 25" necks and get good low tuned tone. What does everyone else do, just to set my mind at ease, haha! :zombie:

I used C-tuning on my Jackson guitar for a while. I managed to get the intonation just right with the set I wanted. But in B-tuning, never. What you could do is to try a different gauge B-string. .058 (or .056 if it's not too thin) for example.

 

[Eschatologist]

Is it 25" or 25.5"? I've not heard issues really with 25.5" scale guitars tuning to B and being able to be intonated properly really. Ideally you want baritone though that doesn't help your situation at all...

25.5", sorry....I dunno, maybe I am just freaking out too much, but its the FR bridge. I have the saddle all the way back and I still can't seem to get the gauge long enough to have it PERFECT...

 

[Eschatologist]

I used C-tuning on my Jackson guitar for a while. I managed to get the intonation just right with the set I wanted. But in B-tuning, never. What you could do is to try a different gauge B-string. .058 (or .056 if it's not too thin) for example.

You think the thinner gauge would give it that little bit to intonate properly?

 

[Decimator]

You think the thinner gauge would give it that little bit to intonate properly?

Yes, it's worth a try at least

 

[Eschatologist]

Does anyone who has a FR and tunes B or lower have the low string saddle all the way to the end and STILL not perfect? I guess that is my ultimate question, is perfect intonation possible? Its still slightly sharp...

 

[Splat88]

First things first.........have you properly adjusted the truss rod and the action before you start messing with intonation?

 

[Executioner213]

Ask Pat O'Brien! In the studio vid for Evisceration Plague, he's talking about this very thing...and he tunes lower than B on that album.

 

[006]

Most 7 strings are 25.5 so whats its the difference ? It should be the same as intonating any other guitar to a desire tunning.
Anything below drop A should be 27 scale or more to keep good tension and that goes for sevens aswell, thick gauges alone dont usually fit G drop G stuff.
Nothing by Meshuggah ( F ?) was recorded with sevens tunned as 8strings and Fredrick told it was a nightmare to stay in tune, until the 30 scale 8strings arrived.

I think you misunderstood me...

 

[Pot]

I guess that is my ultimate question, is perfect intonation possible? ...

no, becuase it depends of how strong u press the stringsu would have to compromise somewhere

 

[Metaltastic]

Well, more importantly, a guitar neck tries to impose straight frets on a very imperfect system of intervals; I'm too lazy to dig up the pic, but there's some Swedish guy who makes frets that he claims make for perfect intonation on every note, but every fret looks like a noodle!

 

[Harry Hughes]

Well, more importantly, a guitar neck tries to impose straight frets on a very imperfect system of intervals; I'm too lazy to dig up the pic, but there's some Swedish guy who makes frets that he claims make for perfect intonation on every note, but every fret looks like a noodle!

You mean this?
http://www.geigen-und-gitarren-chouard-freising.de/feinstimmbare-gitarre-fret-mobile.html

As well as this?

http://www.truetemperament.com/site/index.php

 

[Eschatologist]

First things first.........have you properly adjusted the truss rod and the action before you start messing with intonation?

Pretty sure but I am gonna take tomorrow to make sure the truss is perfect and then reset string action, and try to intonate again.

 

[Eschatologist]

Ask Pat O'Brien! In the studio vid for Evisceration Plague, he's talking about this very thing...and he tunes lower than B on that album.

Is that the bonus DVD or somewhere on Youtoob?

 

[STINNETT]

A thinner string might give slightly better results (but might not sound as good...it's debatable).

Also, the intonation on the top half of the fretboard probably won't mean that much to you on the low B, keep that in mind when you decide how anal to get!

 

[Eschatologist]

Also, the intonation on the top half of the fretboard probably won't mean that much to you on the low B, keep that in mind when you decide how anal to get!

You have raised a very valid point, sir!

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Is that the bonus DVD or somewhere on Youtoob?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrWI-aOyxew&feature=related[/ame]
~6:50

hes basically saying he had to grind the saddle down so it'd move back further because it wouldn't be intonated otherwise.