Intonating a Les Paul

[defpearlpilot]

So, being that I've been listening to a lot of down-tuned stuff, I decided to get a set of 12s and throw them on one of my Les Pauls. I'm tuning to B standard. So, I'm adjusting the saddles to fix the intonation and one of the saddles won't go any further but it's still sharp at the 12th fret. So I'm guessing I need to adjust the truss rod now? Pardon the ignorance cause I've never done this. The only problem is that it's some where ass 'key' and not an allen key. Do I need some special tool to adjust it?

Thanks

 

[timbo]

So, being that I've been listening to a lot of down-tuned stuff, I decided to get a set of 12s and throw them on one of my Les Pauls. I'm tuning to B standard. So, I'm adjusting the saddles to fix the intonation and one of the saddles won't go any further but it's still sharp at the 12th fret. So I'm guessing I need to adjust the truss rod now? Pardon the ignorance cause I've never done this. The only problem is that it's some where ass 'key' and not an allen key. Do I need some special tool to adjust it?

Thanks

Yep you need a key. It's a L-shaped hex socket tool. BTW, I doubt the truss rod adjustment will solve your intonation problem.

 

[jonny toetags]

So, being that I've been listening to a lot of down-tuned stuff, I decided to get a set of 12s and throw them on one of my Les Pauls. I'm tuning to B standard. So, I'm adjusting the saddles to fix the intonation and one of the saddles won't go any further but it's still sharp at the 12th fret. So I'm guessing I need to adjust the truss rod now? Pardon the ignorance cause I've never done this. The only problem is that it's some where ass 'key' and not an allen key. Do I need some special tool to adjust it?

Thanks

Yep you need a key. It's a L-shaped hex socket tool. BTW, I doubt the truss rod adjustment will solve your intonation problem.

Yup, Gibson uses the little socket thing.
Get a nice T handle one at the hardware store.
Makes adjusting easier

 

[messenger]

You may have to reverse your saddles to get a little more room to intonate.

 

[defpearlpilot]

So, being that I've been listening to a lot of down-tuned stuff, I decided to get a set of 12s and throw them on one of my Les Pauls. I'm tuning to B standard. So, I'm adjusting the saddles to fix the intonation and one of the saddles won't go any further but it's still sharp at the 12th fret. So I'm guessing I need to adjust the truss rod now? Pardon the ignorance cause I've never done this. The only problem is that it's some where ass 'key' and not an allen key. Do I need some special tool to adjust it?

Thanks

Yep you need a key. It's a L-shaped hex socket tool. BTW, I doubt the truss rod adjustment will solve your intonation problem.

I've never attempted to do an intonation myself. So I wasn't sure if it's only done with the saddles.

 

[defpearlpilot]

You may have to reverse your saddles to get a little more room to intonate.

The string that I'm adjusting is already reversed. The highest point of the saddle is towards the bottom of the bridge. It would suck if I had to take out the saddle.

 

[kannibul]

So, being that I've been listening to a lot of down-tuned stuff, I decided to get a set of 12s and throw them on one of my Les Pauls. I'm tuning to B standard. So, I'm adjusting the saddles to fix the intonation and one of the saddles won't go any further but it's still sharp at the 12th fret. So I'm guessing I need to adjust the truss rod now? Pardon the ignorance cause I've never done this. The only problem is that it's some where ass 'key' and not an allen key. Do I need some special tool to adjust it?

Thanks

Yep you need a key. It's a L-shaped hex socket tool. BTW, I doubt the truss rod adjustment will solve your intonation problem.

+1, go down a size in strings, if I am thinking correctly.

 

[defpearlpilot]

The string that I'm adjusting is already reversed. The highest point of the saddle is towards the bottom of the bridge. It would suck if I had to take out the saddle.

Taking out the saddle and reversing it is easy to do, but if you're saddle is already turned around, you just have to find a nice balance with the intonation. What I mean is that you may just have to "settle" for being "close enough."

Another thing... I've found that I'm sometimes out of adjustment so much that I can't get it just right. In that situation, I put the saddle back in the middle and start all over again. Sometimes, that fixes it.

OK, Thanks. It's weird cause all of the other strings are just fine except for this one. I guess I'll try your suggestion and start from the middle and do the 'D' string first this time and see if I can fix it.

 

[mrp5150]

Planning on learning some Soilwork stuff in B?

 

[defpearlpilot]

Planning on learning some Soilwork stuff in B?

Exactly!

 

[mrp5150]

Planning on learning some Soilwork stuff in B?

Exactly!

 

[defpearlpilot]

OK, Thanks. It's weird cause all of the other strings are just fine except for this one. I guess I'll try your suggestion and start from the middle and do the 'D' string first this time and see if I can fix it.

And of course, I have no idea if starting over will help you. But I have had success with that in the past. It's worth a try, right?

Good luck! I hate to play on guitars that aren't intonated well. I never understood how that worked when I was younger. I had some guitars where the open G chord sounded perfect, but then the open D chord would be all out of tune. I didn't realize that's the intonation that fixes that. I used to just tune to where it sounded "close" with both the open G and D chords, but neither were perfect.

Chris

I think, personally for me, it's because my ear wasn't as developed then. So I might not have picked up on a chord being out of tune by a bit and it didn't bother me for the same reason! I couldn't tune by ear back then either. But now, I can easily tell if I'm out of tune and it bothers the hell out of me.

 

[stratotone]

What are you using tuner-wise to set the intonation? I wouldn't use anything less accurate than a strobostomp, personally. If you're using a boss tuner pedal or the like, you're already screwed.

Pete

 

[defpearlpilot]

What are you using tuner-wise to set the intonation? I wouldn't use anything less accurate than a strobostomp, personally. If you're using a boss tuner pedal or the like, you're already screwed.

Pete

I use the tuner on my MPX G2. Seems pretty accurate to me.

 

[stratotone]

What are you using tuner-wise to set the intonation? I wouldn't use anything less accurate than a strobostomp, personally. If you're using a boss tuner pedal or the like, you're already screwed.

Pete

I use the Boss tuner pedal and I have no doubt it's not perfect. But honestly, it works well enough for me for the time being. I have a hard time spending $200 or whatever on a tuner for some reason.

Chris - I think the software version of strobostomp is like $49 or so - WELL worth it for setting your intonation. I have the strobo pedal too, both work well. You'll be amazed how far off your guitars are if you used a less accurate tuner like a boss to set intonation before. It's a huge difference. I have a planet waves tuner for live use, the strobo is way too accurate for quick tuning at a gig.

Pete

 

[stratotone]

What are you using tuner-wise to set the intonation? I wouldn't use anything less accurate than a strobostomp, personally. If you're using a boss tuner pedal or the like, you're already screwed.

Pete

I use the tuner on my MPX G2. Seems pretty accurate to me.

Yeah, that is .25 cent accurate I think (from a quick lookup on the web). Strobos are .1 cent, which is 2.5x, but you're splitting hairs at that point. I believe the boss stuff is +/- 3 cents, which is ok for tuning at a gig but sucktacular for intonation.

Pete

 

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

You will have to use heavier string's, is it the third string giving you the problems? A friend of mine had a guitar in the short scale tuned to AEADF#B and it would not intonate until we used a 70 for the bottom and a very heavy set for the rest, which I can't recall exactly right off hand, he also had to go with a wound third which sucked. There is a set with a plain 21 or 22, I think, that's made by Ernie Ball( I think they're called not even slinky's in a dark green pack) it works very well, and depending on your paul would probably work, some are more finicky than others.

Later on,

-Nick

 

[defpearlpilot]

You will have to use heavier string's, is it the third string giving you the problems? A friend of mine had a guitar in the short scale tuned to AEADF#B and it would not intonate until we used a 70 for the bottom and a very heavy set for the rest, which I can't recall exactly right off hand, he also had to go with a wound third which sucked. There is a set with a plain 21 or 22, I think, that's made by Ernie Ball( I think they're called not even slinky's in a dark green pack) it works very well, and depending on your paul would probably work, some are more finicky than others.

Later on,

-Nick

That's the exact set I'm using. The "Not Even Slinky" set. I'm tuning to BEADGB and the D is a 24. I think the B(56) is already very thick. I can't imagine having to go higher.

https://www.shopatron.com/product/part_ ... 6037.0.0.0

 

[defpearlpilot]

What are you using tuner-wise to set the intonation? I wouldn't use anything less accurate than a strobostomp, personally. If you're using a boss tuner pedal or the like, you're already screwed.

Pete

I use the Boss tuner pedal and I have no doubt it's not perfect. But honestly, it works well enough for me for the time being. I have a hard time spending $200 or whatever on a tuner for some reason.

Chris - I think the software version of strobostomp is like $49 or so - WELL worth it for setting your intonation. I have the strobo pedal too, both work well. You'll be amazed how far off your guitars are if you used a less accurate tuner like a boss to set intonation before. It's a huge difference. I have a planet waves tuner for live use, the strobo is way too accurate for quick tuning at a gig.

Pete

Is the software version as good as the hardware version?

 

[Jordon]

For Standard B tunings, try: .013, .017, .024w, .038, .052, .060 or a plain .022 or .024 if you dont like a wound G.

I play in drop B and different open variations of that and I use Everly X Rocker strings: .012, .015, .022p, .038, .052, .060 and that's even a bit too slinky for me.