Down tuning and intonation

[John Matrix]

I'm joining a band that plays in drop A#. I don't want to buy a baritone so I am tuning down one of my guitars, a Jackson Dinky Reverse. I'm having a lot of intonation issues which I expected, but I've gotten to a point where I can't go any further and I was hoping to get some advice before I make some modifications that cannot be reversed.

I can't get the lowest two strings to intonate properly. The neck is about as flat as can be, the saddles are as far back as can be (springs removed). The string gauges are pretty fat 58, 48. It's a regular ass tremolo bridge (non locking). The guitar scale is 25.5"

My next step is grinding down the saddles so that they can move further back. Is there anything else I should try before going this route?

[aen]

Wow, I would definitely go with some thicker strings. I always did my baritone tunings on standard scale guitars with GHS 70-11 strings. Intonation was pretty good!

[gnomethrone]

Yeah if you don't wanna do stuff to your guitar just keep getting fatter strings til it works. I do drop B on a 25.5 with ernie ball "not even slinkys" and those are only 54 at the low string. Not much wiggle room but it intonates and I like the action. Maybe the extra behind the bridge helps? I dunno.

[Bassist_Diver]

Sounds like you need a 7 (or 8) string.

[waltdogg]

hebbier strings

[John Matrix]

One thing I forgot to mention. These are the heaviest strings I can use. I have locking tuners on this guitar and I was not able to get a 60 gauge string through the hole.

On some other forums people were saying that the heavier strings actually require more distance to intonate correctly...but that contradicts what y'all are saying and I don't think any of the dudes saying that shit had actually tried it.

[oscillofuzz]

Before you start grinding down the saddles, try to assess if such a marginal change in distance is going to bring enough of a change to reach the right intonation. If you're almost there then maybe it will, but if you're still nowhere near the A# when you play the 12th fret it might be a more realistic approach to try and find a wider bridge that doesn't require drilling new holes.

[gnomethrone]

Its a pain in the ass but I've seen people unwind the last bit of a string so it will fit through a tuner hole. You still have that 60 gauge string laying around?

[waltdogg]

oh. you know what. john. come to me. or the next time i'm in sac i'll help you out. i live out in oakland. and have family in sac. i understand the locking tuna dilemma quite well. all my guitars have locking tunas so the biggest strings i can use are not even slinkys or d'addario jazz light to jazz heavy roundwound.

[John Matrix]

Before you start grinding down the saddles, try to assess if such a marginal change in distance is going to bring enough of a change to reach the right intonation. If you're almost there then maybe it will, but if you're still nowhere near the A# when you play the 12th fret it might be a more realistic approach to try and find a wider bridge that doesn't require drilling new holes.

I am pretty close but I am going to try on a more accurate tuner and see what it says.

Its a pain in the ass but I've seen people unwind the last bit of a string so it will fit through a tuner hole. You still have that 60 gauge string laying around?

I do still have it. I'll try this. It actually has a really narrow tip that will fit but locking tuners are not designed to wind up the string that much so I can't utilize it.

[John Matrix]

oh. you know what. john. come to me. or the next time i'm in sac i'll help you out. i live out in oakland. and have family in sac. i understand the locking tuna dilemma quite well. all my guitars have locking tunas so the biggest strings i can use are not even slinkys or d'addario jazz light to jazz heavy roundwound.

Sweet. I may take you up on that if I can't get this shit handled soon.

[repoman]

Can you put a different tuner on the guitar or drill out the hole on the stock one to make heavier gauge fit? I think you would need something more like a 70 for the low A#

[aen]

Sounds like you need a 7 (or 8) string.

That's a standard scale guitar with a wider neck, yo. They have heavier strings on the bottom.

[Stamnes]

hebbier strings

I totally googled "Hebbier Strings" like they were a real company! Thought maybe they were French like "Hebbey-yay" or something

Bravo Sir!

[oscillofuzz]

hebbier strings

I totally googled "Hebbier Strings" like they were a real company! Thought maybe they were French like "Hebbey-yay" or something

this cracked me up