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10
Set the action at the bridge
Adjust the action at the bridge by raising or lowering the
string saddles. Measure string height over the 12th fret,
between the bottom of the string and the top of the fret.
A good starting point is:
High (unwound) E string: 1/16" at the 12th fret Low (wound)
E string: 5/64" at the 12th fret
You can always go lower or higher depending on your play-
ing style. After setting the two E strings, dial in the remaining
strings to match the curve of the fretboard’s 16" radius using
the cut-out gauge on page 2.
Set the action at the nut
The string nut is pre-slotted for medium action, which is
comfortable for most players. If lower action is desired, you
can lower the slots using gauged nut files or needle files.
Straight neck, or a little relief?
Neck relief refers to adjusting a neck so that it has a very slight
upbow, rather than being perfectly straight. This relief allows
a little more room for string vibration, reducing the chance
of hitting the lower frets and causing fret buzz.
Depending on your playing style, and how perfectly level
your fret tops are, a neck should be anywhere from perfectly
straight to having 0.012" of relief. This measurement refers
to additional string height over the 12th fret, compared to
a perfectly straight neck.
A straight neck tends to play and sound better, but very few
guitars end up with no relief at all, and several thousandths
of an inch or more is perfectly normal.
Final setup
Turn the truss rod nut
counterclockwise to bring
the neck up, adding relief.
Measure string relief
at the 12th fret.
Turn clockwise to pull the
neck back, reducing relief.
Go slow: a little does a lot!
Install the string trees
Install the strings and mark the locations for the string re-
tainers on the peghead. These retainers maintain the proper
string angle over the nut for the D, G, B, and E strings. Use a
5/64" bit to drill 3/8" deep pilot holes.
Using a #1 screwdriver install the D/G string retainer between
the E and A string posts (approximately 2-7/8" from the nut).
Install the B/E string retainer under the D string post (ap-
proximately 3-3/8" from the nut).
