Low B tuning issues - 'sag'?

[GuitarBizarre]

Whenever I hit the low B on my guitar, it starts off at a higher pitch and then slowly lowers in pitch to a kind of equilibrium. I know all strings do this to an extent, but this is to an unacceptable level - Why, and what can I do about it?

It has done this with both .056 guage strings and .066 guage strings, so I don't think too low tension is the problem (the .066 has higher tension than a .49 low E which has no such problem...)

Anything I can do? Its kind of disconcerting to ONLY use my low B with either a feather touch or with chugging riffs.

[Algiman]

A longer scale length is probably the only cure for the problem, other than that it is just a matter of practicing until you improve your control over the low string.

[plyta]

There are two things you need to know about thick wound strings:

1. When you put on a new thick wound string, it doesn't bend or break at an angle over the nut and the bridge saddle - it arcs because of its stiffnes. This will give you all sorts of tuning instability and intonation problems. You need to push your freshly tuned string on the first fret (close to the nut) and on the edge of your bridge pickup (close to the bridge saddle) to form those breaking angles yourself. It will need 'reforming' each time you change tuning or saddle intonation.

2. Stretch your freshly put strings. Thick wound strings require the most time and effort to stretch.

[thesimo]

Originally Posted by plyta

There are two things you need to know about thick wound strings:

1. When you put on a new thick wound string, it doesn't bend or break at an angle over the nut and the bridge saddle - it arcs because of its stiffnes. This will give you all sorts of tuning instability and intonation problems. You need to push your freshly tuned string on the first fret (close to the nut) and on the edge of your bridge pickup (close to the bridge saddle) to form those breaking angles yourself. It will need 'reforming' each time you change tuning or saddle intonation.

I agree with this guy.. Once i get my string in to the bridge i bend it hard so it doesent arc up slowly and flub.

But apart from that its down to you hitting the string too hard. My low B is .59 and its fine on a floyd and 25.5"

[GuitarBizarre]

I just find it strange that no other string has this issue. I know all strings DO this, but this is the only kind I've used where its changed pitch by enough to be noticably out of tune.

And I don't think its me hitting the strings too hard, to be honest. I rarely whack the strings with a great amount of force, and even just when tuning normally, the pitch change is very evident.