PRS intonation

[ecktronic]

Just bought a PRS McCarty with soapbar pickups. SOunds absolutely lovely and the sustain is fekin superb.
Anyway, just wondering how you change the intonation as i cant see anything on the guitar that will let me change the intonation. Not that i need to at the moment but just out of curiosity.
Does a McCarty not need intontating?

 

[metalhead28]

That is the drawback of the wraparound PRS bridge....I've heard that someone sells a replacement bridge that matches the PRS but has adjustable saddles. Don't know who tho, you'd have to do some searching.

 

[ecktronic]

So you cant actually intonate the McCarty model? Doesnt that mean it sholdnt go out of intonation then?

 

[apl]

So you cant actually intonate the McCarty model? Doesnt that mean it sholdnt go out of intonation then?

The guitar in question has no provisions for string length adjustment. It will be in correct intonation with the strings, string height, and neck bow as intended by PRS.

Shoulda bought a Carvin!

 

[Light]

My recolection is that there are two allen screws which allow you to adjust how far back the bridge is, as a whole. The general deal with bridges like these is we intonate the two E strings, and then check the rest. Occasionally - if you use an odd set of strings, for instance; or if you use alternate tunings - we will have to compensate the E strings if some of the inner strings are way off, but that is an exception. The bridge is compensated, so that with a standard set of strings (any of the basic sets sold by any of the major manufactures), we should be able to get it very close. Not alway perfect, but close.

If that is not good enough, Schaller makes a replacement bridge. It will change the tone, however.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Light]

The guitar in question has no provisions for string length adjustment. It will be in correct intonation with the strings, string height, and neck bow as intended by PRS.

Shoulda bought a Carvin!

Get over it already. They are different guitars. If a PRS is the sound he wants, then that is what he should get. And there ARE provisions for intonation adjustment, which are sufficient for MOST people. The Carvin can not do the sound of a PRS, and the PRS can not do the sound of a Carvin. And neither of them can do the sound of a Gibson, or a Fender, or any other guitar. If the Carvin is right for you, great, but it will not be right for everybody.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[apl]

Get over it already. They are different guitars. If a PRS is the sound he wants, then that is what he should get. And there ARE provisions for intonation adjustment, which are sufficient for MOST people. The Carvin can not do the sound of a PRS, and the PRS can not do the sound of a Carvin. And neither of them can do the sound of a Gibson, or a Fender, or any other guitar. If the Carvin is right for you, great, but it will not be right for everybody.

You are quite correct. I looked for adjustment on that bridge at PRS's website, but couldn't see anything in the pix.

Sorry to bother ya, Light!

 

[ecktronic]

Cheers all. Im sure it isnt actually possible after more inspections. In E and even drop D it is pretty much perfectly intonated over the whole fret borad as you would expect with a guitar of this class. But i wonder if changing the strings from the 9s that came with it, to my usual 10s that would throw the intonation a bit. I wont bother testing it in drop C anyway.

 

[Light]

Cheers all. Im sure it isnt actually possible after more inspections. In E and even drop D it is pretty much perfectly intonated over the whole fret borad as you would expect with a guitar of this class. But i wonder if changing the strings from the 9s that came with it, to my usual 10s that would throw the intonation a bit. I wont bother testing it in drop C anyway.

I went and looked at one today, and as I said, it has adjusting screws to adjust the overall intonation. You can use .010's, and it will simply need adjustment.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[SteveK]

The McCarty bridge is a work of art! As long as you use .09, 010, or .011 strings, the 2 allen screw adjustments for the bridge will intonate without any problem as long as you're NOT using a mixed set. Personally this was a + for me...

 

[ecktronic]

The McCarty bridge is a work of art! As long as you use .09, 010, or .011 strings, the 2 allen screw adjustments for the bridge will intonate without any problem as long as you're NOT using a mixed set. Personally this was a + for me...

Yeah its a cool bridge. Simple is sometimes better. Quite a change from my last guitar. An Ibanez S series (super strat style) with floyd rose. That was a killer to detune until i tightened the spring at the back. and it was hard to intonate.
Cant see any allen screws at the bridge, just two screw driver slits for changing the height of the bridge.

 

[Light]

Yeah its a cool bridge. Simple is sometimes better. Quite a change from my last guitar. An Ibanez S series (super strat style) with floyd rose. That was a killer to detune until i tightened the spring at the back. and it was hard to intonate.
Cant see any allen screws at the bridge, just two screw driver slits for changing the height of the bridge.

The're on the back side of the bridge, next to where the strings come out, on either end of the bridge.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[travelin travis]

a.p.l., I have a carvin skin flute for sale......wanna buy it?

 

[apl]

a.p.l., I have a carvin skin flute for sale......wanna buy it?

No thanks. Those were subcontracted to Singapore, and they tend to fall apart after the first hard use.

 

[ecktronic]

The're on the back side of the bridge, next to where the strings come out, on either end of the bridge.

Yip i can see them now. Woah they are small.