How to Build & Setup Guitar Kits Like a Pro

How to Build & Setup Guitar Kits Like a Pro: An Easy Guide for Bolt-On Neck Guitars

“A one-stop-shop for all the electric guitar building basics you need to know.”

Part of Jonny Blackwood’s “Easy Guide” Series, “How to Build and Setup Guitar Kits like a Pro” is a clear, concise, step-by-step guitar assembly manual written for those with little-to-no guitar building experience. Learn how to build a bolt-on neck electric guitar (or bass) with simple instructions and over 130 photos. You will gain the understanding needed to assemble and set up guitar kits with great results!

Included in the book:

A 9-step method on assembling bolt-on style guitars
Tips and tricks to save you time and headaches
Guidance on sanding, finishing & more
Proper soldering technique explained
Scale length explained
Guitar electronics explained
How to effectively shield the instrument
Popular wiring modification suggestions
Online wiring and setup methods from Fender guitars and others
Simple guitar setup instructions for strat and tele-style guitars
How to restring the guitar properly
How to adjust truss rods for optimal neck bow
How to shim necks and adjust neck tilt
How to adjust bridge angle on tremolo equipped guitars
How to adjust intonation
How to file nut slots and more!

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 5 PARTS OF THE GUITAR 6 CHECKLIST 7 SUPPLIES & TOOLS YOU WILL NEED 9 BEFORE GETTING STARTED 10 USING THIS GUIDE 10 TIPS ON SANDING 10 TIPS ON FINISHING 10 TIPS ON DRILLING 13 TIPS ON ASSEMBLING HARDWARE 14 GETTING STARTED 15 THE ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE 16

PREPARE NECK: 17 A) INSTALL TUNERS 17 B) INSTALL NUT 19
INSTALL HARDWARE ON BACK OF GUITAR 20 A. INSTALL STRING GROMMETS 20 B. INSTALL TREMOLO CLAW 21
FIT THE NECK ONTO THE BODY 22
INSTALL THE BRIDGE (rough in) 23 SCALE LENGTH – WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO MEASURE IT 23
FINALIZE NECK AND BRIDGE POSITION 26
CUSTOMIZATIONS 28
SHIELDING 29 COPPER TAPE SHIELDING TIPS 30
WIRING & ELECTRONICS 32 GUITAR ELECTRONICS 101 32 WIRING GUITAR ELECTRONICS 36 SOLDERING 101 36
RESTRING & FINAL CHECKOVER 38 GUITAR SETUP INSTRUCTIONS 39 WHAT YOU WILL NEED 40 RESTRING AND TUNE TO PITCH 41 TRUSS ROD ADJUSTMENT 44 STRING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT 47 TREMOLO BRIDGES 47 ADJUSTING BRIDGE TILT 48 NECK ANGLE ADJUSTMENTS / SHIMMING 50 HOW TO SHIM A BOLT-ON NECK 51 ADJUST STRING HEIGHT AT NUT 52 PICKUP HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT 55 INTONATION ADJUSTMENT 56 ADDENDUM 57 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & LINKS 58 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 60