Fender '63 AVRI P-Bass Intonation/Saddle issue

[sblackburnmusic]

Hey guys,

I'm having some intonation issues with my 63 AVRI which i just can't seem to suss out. It's strung with La Bella 760M flats.

I attempted to straighten the neck a little as it was quite bowed and the intonation was way out of whack. I was able to adjust the string height and intonation on the upper 3 strings, however the E string just won't intonate properly, it's a little too sharp.

I've wound the saddle pretty much all the way back to the bridge and now the string coil is sitting on the saddle itself (see pictures 1, 2, 3). I'm wondering if the string won't intonate properly because of this?

I'm not sure if this could/would cause an issue however I've also noticed that the E string is wound way into the tuning pegs (see pictures 4, 5)

If the string winding sitting on the saddle is the issue, would putting some kind of spacer between the ball of the string and the back of the bridge be possible? (see picture 6) Or would you recommend investing in a different set of strings? I assumed this gauge/scale would work on this bass seeing as it is the 'Jamerson' set.

Thanks guys. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Sam

1. http://i.imgur.com/LGogq34.jpg
2. http://i.imgur.com/TWfV6ZD.jpg
3. http://i.imgur.com/nJnKZEq.jpg
4. http://i.imgur.com/HXn0yFs.jpg
5. http://i.imgur.com/BbcovO4.jpg
6. http://i.imgur.com/oDDN9cK.jpg​

 

[Zooberwerx]

Set your witness points. It appears as if the reinforcing wraps are passing over the bridge saddle which will make it all that more difficult.

Riis

 

[nemo]

Set your witness points.

It means pressing the strings onto the saddles (on front and behind the saddle simultaneously) so they form an angle over the saddle, not an arch. Do the same against the nut. Sometimes when new strings go over the saddle with a smooth arch, it sounds weird. Until they settle naturally or until you speed it up by pressing them onto the saddle to create a witness point.

Also, if the strings sound "chorusy" and out of tune on higher frets, you might want to decrease the pickup height. It is possible that pickup poles are too close to strings and pull the strings down thus causing the weird sound.

If all of this fail, you can put on the string some screw nut(s) of suitable size as a spacer to make the string sit on the saddle further. It can't hurt anything.

 

[Robert Bass]

Sam -- in addition to what has already been said, it looks like you have the extra-long set of La Bellas on your bass (set 0760M-XL). The E string you show in pictures 4 and 5 probably has the 38" winding length.

The standard long scale set is La Bella 0760M. This set has a winding length of 37", and is meant for basses with 34" scale (standard Fender Precision and Jazz bass scale).

I had the 0760M set on my Precision bass a few years ago, and the bare metal portion of the E string barely touched the tuner post.

 

[Pilgrim]

Sam -- in addition to what has already been said, it looks like you have the extra-long set of La Bellas on your bass (set 0760M-XL). The E string you show in pictures 4 and 5 probably has the 38" winding length.

The standard long scale set is La Bella 0760M. This set has a winding length of 37", and is meant for basses with 34" scale (standard Fender Precision and Jazz bass scale).

I had the 0760M set on my Precision bass a few years ago, and the bare metal portion of the E string barely touched the tuner post.

I agree with this. I definitely appears that you have longer strings than are correct for the bass. You have a lot more material over the saddles than normal, and although you've wrapped the tuners quite neatly, you have a lot of extra material there. I cut strings about four fingers' width past the tuner when installing them, and there's quite a bit more material there. I also see that the silks are entirely wound around the tuner, and they should not be. The silks should extend off the tuner toward the nut.