Setting intonation on St Vincent

[revmatt]

Hello, one and all.

My first post. I bought a 2019 St Vincent from a Guitar Center in Virginia. I'm really starting to dig this thing having pretty successfully set up a floating trem. I've adjusted the truss to straighten the neck, lowered the action, and currently stringing it with .09s, and consequently the intonation is out. There are pretty small slots (access holes) behind the tailpiece presumably to adjust the saddles, but they are small. Do I need a jeweler's flathead screwdriver to change the saddles for intonation or is there a way to take off the cover (which I would want to put back on afterward) for better access?

My next step is to string .08s and do the same all over again. I was also told by the EBMM shop that I'll need to replace the compensated nut for .08s.

I appreciate any remarks you may have. If I can get the trem to float easily and stay in tune with .08s, I think I'll be in heaven with this thing. For what it's worth, I've got tenosynovitus (inflamed thumb tendons) and really need the extra light strings. Thank you! Matt in ABQ

 

[NickNihil]

An Allen wrench (blanking on the size right now)-no need to remove anything.

 

[jayjayjay]

Welcome to the forum! MM guitars usually come with a pack of tools for making various adjustments - you may want to see if there's a wrench in the case that will let you adjust the saddles.

If you want to take off the cover, I *think* you have to do it from the trem cavity; I believe the screws that hold it in place are accessed from underneath. Not 100% sure of that, though - my Sabre has a similar trem w/ a cover but I have yet to mess with it, or even pull the trem cavity cover off.

Also, there's a rule around here about getting a guitar - pics or it didn't happen! ;-)

 

[DrKev]

2 mm allen wrench for intonation. No need to take the cover off. You may be fine with 8s and the current nut. The strings will have a little room to move side to side in the nut slots but it may not be a problem so try it and see. If you do need to replace te nut, call Music Man customer service and order one, and then you will need a luthier/guitar tech to do the install (the string slots will need to be filed to the right depth). Certainly, the neck relief (and possibly action) will need to be adjusted on account of the lower string tension.

 

[revmatt]

Brilliant, gang. Glad to know I can bypass removing the trem cover.

Many thanks to everyone.

On it this weekend! I'll update how it goes.

 

[revmatt]

Sorry. Pics coming. Brown sunburst with rosewood(?) neck, white pickguard, chrome pickup covers, white plastic knobs and pearlescent tuners in the meantime. Sweet looking.