Solo JM Style DIY Electric Guitar Kit
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v1.02
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needs a very precise job not to spoil the nut. If you are not sure that you can do it properly, stay with a
factory pre-cut nut.
A higher string action makes the guitar harder to play, yet some musicians may prefer it. Tailpiece height
can regulate string pressure over the bridge, changing both tone and sustain.
Adjusting Neck Relief:
The truss rod compensates for string tension and allows adjusting the neck relief. You may need such
adjustment due to changes of humidity and temperature (or if you switch strings t o a different gauge).
Lay a straight edge on the frets of a properly tuned guitar and measure the clearance at the 8th fret
(alternatively you can put a capo on the first fret and press down 6
th
string at 16th fret
–
then the height
of the string at the 8th fret will show you the clearance). Optimal relief for an electric guitar neck must
be very small
–
around .001”
-
002” (0.25
- 0.5mm). Turning the truss rod nut (with the included Allen
key) clockwise will reduce neck relief and turning it counterclockwis e will increase the relief. Be very
careful with truss rod adjustments and never turn the nut more than ¼ of a turn at a time.
Adjusting Intonation:
The “speaking length” (or “working length”) of each string can be adjusted by turning the saddle position
adjustment screw. The best intonation can be achieved when the string fretted at the 12 fret sounds
precisely an octave higher than the open string. If the fretted string sounds sharper you need to increase
the working length of the string by moving the saddle away from the neck. If it sounds flat, you need to
shorten the working length of the string by moving the saddle towards the neck. The alternative way to
intonate your guitar is to compare a natural octave harmonic of the open string (you can get it by
touching the string exactly above the 12th and picking it) to the pitch of the string fretted at the 12th fret
and adjusting the saddle position so that they sound the same. This method is less accurate because the
fretted string sounds a bit sharper due to the height of the string, and the higher the action, the sharper
it gets.
Adjusting Pickup Height:
Before adjusting the pickup height, make sure that both the volume and tone controls on your guitar are set to
the full (“10”) position. Get your amp
set to a medium/low volume and all tone controls to the middle. You will
get a better picture of the pickup’s tone change during its height adjustment with a clear sound.
There is no
universal “optimal” pickup height position in a setup –
it depends on playing style and personal preferences of
a guitarist. Remember: bringing a pickup closer to the strings makes it sound brighter, but bringing it too close
will make the magnetic field of the pickup interfere with the vibration of a string which will, not only result in
reduced sustain, but may also cause complex harmonics sound rather unpleasant. Moving a pickup too far
from the strings will result in loss of its output signal and some higher frequencies. It’s not necessary to
maintain an even height of the pickup
–
you may find it more satisfactory sounding by setting it somewhat
angled, depending on what you are looking for in the output sound. There are a few mm of real usable range
where you can find the pickup tone that you’ll like the best.
