Problems with intonation setting on Fender Precision

[LITTLEWING]

[quote name='Adethefade' timestamp='1484986190' post='3220141']
A couple of observations; when you adjust a saddle screw, if the string is under tension sometimes the saddle won't actually move. You need to lift the string from the saddle seating to free its movement up. Also, I have, on a couple of occasions, found that the pickup being set too high can mess with intonation; probably because of the magnet 'pull'.

When you fret the note at the 12th, it's important to apply the sort of pressure you'd realistically use when playing the instrument. If you press too hard, the note will be 'bent' out of tune. I [i]always[/i] set intonation with the instrument in the playing position, not on the bench, because the readings will be different.

As has been said, it's important to get your head around the direction of adjustment - moving the saddle away from the neck will flatten the noise, and towards the neck will sharpen it...and remember that any adjustment is applied to the [i]whole string[/i]; you have to retune the open note after every movement, before checking the fretted note.
[/quote]

Totally this. Beats me why in tutorial videos by so-called expert luthiers they have guitars laying on their backs on supports adjusting string heights and pickups. Gravity always wins and the strings will drop towards the neck and pickups ruining any adjustments and will inevitably be different when standing up playing. ALWAYS set up sitting in the playing position. And one more little tip on intonation, check out the 19th fret octave with the previous string and make the final sweet adjustment.

[3below]

Much good advice above, particularly about saddles not moving when the string is under tension. Another possible 'gotcha' is defective strings (even when new). I had a bass that would not intonate on the G string, I even got to the point of wondering was the bridge located correctly. Eventually I tried new 'new' strings and the issue was solved.

[squire5]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1484555281' post='3216193']
The relative pitch between the fretted note and the harmonic at the 12th and 19th fret will get sharper, yes.

I meant the act of shortening the string will lower the pitch overall until you retune it after you finish and recheck.
[/quote]

Shortening the string by moving the saddle closer to the pickup will raise the pitch of the string,not lower it.

[rmorris]

[quote name='squire5' timestamp='1485380646' post='3223611']
Shortening the string by moving the saddle closer to the pickup will raise the pitch of the string,not lower it.
[/quote]

+1 - assuming the tension is constant then a shorter vibrating length will give a higher frequency.
It'll be out of tune now of course.
But in reality you'll need to slacken the string off to move the saddle so just tune back the open string to pitch from there and check the resulting intonation @ 12th fret ...

[gelfin]

I think that when you move the saddle toward the neck you will actually lower the tension on the string as you are changinging the break angle.

[Ghost_Bass]

How's your action?, if it's set too high the string will raise it's pitch as it's considerably streched to reach the fret. Depending on the bass/strings/etc the height of the action may be so high that you can't intonate it inside the saddle screw's reach.

Knackered strings are also an explanation.

[only4]

It's worth going through the 4 steps in this series of videos.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=te44eWXd9pc

[HowieBass]

@lacopo San - have you managed to resolve the intonation problem yet?

[FinnDave]

If the pitch at the 12th fret is sharper than the harmonic, you need to lengthen the string, so move the bridge further away from the nut. Seems to me (having just read this after a bit of a session in my local) that you're going the wrong way.

[Lozz196]

Yep that`s how I read this, the adjustment screws for the saddles need turning clockwise to make the saddles go nearer to the bridge.

[Iacopo San]

Hey, just read the last answers after months, I forgot about this post.
I never really managed to get the intonation right that time, but I now got new strings (D'Addario Balanced Tension 50-120) and did a full set up, including intonation, and it seems to be fine. I think I know thought what was wrong then. I believe all my saddles were way too close to the neck (almost fully extended). I pull them all back toward more or less half of their length and work from there, and they were almost all perfect from the beginning.
is it possible that fully extended saddles (towards the neck) can cause this problem, maybe by moving too much when vibrating?

[Norris]

It's possible. The further forwards your saddles are, the less the break angle is and therefore there is less downforce on the saddles. In other words they won't be pressed as firmly onto the base plate