Santana SE Intonation Issue

PatLikesWords

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Oct 14, 2018
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Morning All,

I play a Santana SE strung with Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms (10-52) and am having trouble getting the low E string to intonate properly; the adjustment screw on the bridge is as tight (string is as long) as it goes and the fretted 12th fret is still about 1/8 tone sharp compared to the harmonic. I've been playing guitar for almost 20 years but am new to doing my own setup, so I can hear that my intonation is off but don't know what else I can do to fix it; is there anything more I can check or adjust?

For the record, the Santanas are only 24.5" scale with 22 frets, so maybe the guitar's hardware can't compensate for that short a neck and the tension of such a thick string? The consensus seems to be PRS stock bridges are excellent, I don't suppose going aftermarket would resolve this? Open to any and all mod suggestions as well, this one will become my Frankenaxe so I'm not afraid to get into its guts.
 
Assuming the guitar has a tremolo bar, try a different string. Very occasionally, a new string just won’t intonate properly. If the guitar has a stoptail piece, 10-52 can be problematic and you may need an adjustable stoptail bridge. Either way I’d try a different string first.
 
I’m with vchizzle...try a regular set of 10s first. If it’s a trem, increase the claw tension a bit to lean the bridge back a little. That’s a cheap and easy way to steal a little intonation adjustment.
 
Even the same gauge string. I’ve gotten a “bad” string on occasion that wouldn’t intonate period. Changed that one string with a different one that was exactly the same and it intonated just fine. If it has a trem, there’s no reason it shouldn’t intonate with that gauge if set up properly.
 
I tried swapping the string and it was closer, about 1/16 step off, but adjusting the claw tension brought it the rest of the way. I've always been paranoid about playing with PRS tremolo settings because they say pretty explicitly "if you screw with this you'll screw it up", but seems my concern was unnecessary. Thanks for the help!
 
If there is a spring on the saddle like the adjustable stoptails have then you might have to snip off a little of it to give yourself more saddle travel.
I snipped the spring about in half and It worked, It's now able to intonate properly. Thanks
 
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