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Not to add confusion to the mix. But the bridge pickup on the 60's Jag looks a little low.


I am sure it still sounds nice but can't imagine it will be very well balanced with the neck. You would need to replace the foam under it probably to give it any adjustment most likely.
The bridge could perhaps be slightly taller to give an even better break angle.

PROTIP: neoprene mousemats make very good replacement foam.

For ref this in mine

Hurb wrote:The bridge could perhaps be slightly taller to give an even better break angle.

and that's where the cat & mouse game can enter -- between raising the bridge to increase the angle while shimming the neck to keep the action playable/comfortable, yes?

Re:re:re:relief

Put a capo on the first fret, fret the 17th fret of the thick E with your right hand. Well, one of the fingers on it.

Use a decent ruler (or grab a little string ruler from eBay for a few quid) to scope out the relief at the 8th fret.

As per Fender's numbers, for a 9.5" radius guitar (like the VMs), it should be like .010� (0.25 mm), the teeniest number on my ruler here:



Obviously these are insanely small measurements, but you should be able to suss out how far away from this you are. I guess feeler gauges make a lot of sense here, since it's literally a "does this fit in the gap or not" situation.

You can just about see the measurement peek out from under the string here:



If it's way bigger than this, tighten the truss rod (way smaller, loosen) in like 1/8 turns, re-checking each time.

Re: pickup height, I actually found the neck pickup PROPERLY fucked with the strings until it was lowered enough; I'd never seen it in practise before. It obviously has a bigger effect the higher up the fretboard you're playing, but it's definitely "a thing".

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There's suggested heights, but it's all preference.. until you get into the weird BELLTOANZ as above.

I’m still having trouble syncing the SU’s on my Jaguar.

Feeler gauges would also be handy for nut depth, but a basic test:

Tune the guitar to pitch, the capo it on the first fret. If your new notes are pulling sharp of what they should be (i.e., one semitone higher), you've got to file the nut down. No amount of relief or action adjustment will fix a badly cut nut.

THE NUT IS THE BRIDGE OF THE HEADSTOCK

Especially if you’re nut swelled up after you got vaxed.

dots wrote:

Hurb wrote:The bridge could perhaps be slightly taller to give an even better break angle.

and that's where the cat & mouse game can enter -- between raising the bridge to increase the angle while shimming the neck to keep the action playable/comfortable, yes?

basically yeah.

I always start kinda backwards with offsets. I set the bridge height(usually based on how high the mute has to be) so that the strings stay in the slots with heavy handed playing and clearing the trem screws. Also making sure the strings don't snag the bridge screws. Then use shims to bring the lower frets of the neck at a comfy height. Then nut height adjustment. Then neck relief. then trem adjustment then pickup heights Admittedly there is back and forth to get it spot on. But thats how I approach it.

fwiw, the avri's profile. different pickup voicing and about 50 years younger, but thought i'd also show off the aging on the oly white nearly 16 years in. in the last year or so, the finish has surpassed the "aged" pickups' discoloration whereas before it was almost comical how much darker the plastic was.

anyway, the angle on mine isn't that sharp at all to my eyes, but i currently do not have intonation, fret buzz, or other issues.



EDIT: also, i hadn't noticed til examining that closeup the pickguard has begun to warp downward around the pickups. trip out.

Bacchus wrote:Those stewmac things look like an unnecessary expense. I assume they're tapered to whatever angle that says. Some random wood/fag packet, rizlas, whatever will do the same thing if you cut a smaller section.

From what I gather/have been told, having the shim fill the whole pocket reduces the warping havoc that air humidity getting in the gap can wreak on your neck.

Obviously, this is only really a problem if you're in a climate with hugely varying levels of humidity and/or you're travelling with the guitar.

saw those when i was doing the mustang build, and it's one of those ideas that makes total sense from a "here's how to solve for it the most scientifically" perspective. then there's the $10ish dollars invested versus cutting up a <1¢ business card. two guesses what ended up being used.

Hurb wrote:Not to add confusion to the mix. But the bridge pickup on the 60's Jag looks a little low.


I am sure it still sounds nice but can't imagine it will be very well balanced with the neck. You would need to replace the foam under it probably to give it any adjustment most likely.
The bridge could perhaps be slightly taller to give an even better break angle.

The foam will definitely need to be replaced, and sadly I don't have any mousemats around.
Undoing the screw just moved the screw not the pedal.

However the pickups sounded balanced to me on playing just then - on both Jaguars.

At some point I will open up the 60s one as I need to fix the rhythm switch which is very dodgy these days - but it's gonna be fun and games - the pickguard is obviously very warped and tight.

Thanks for the photos and info there Andy, I will check the relief as tomorrow's project - I have strings that are that width - do people ever do that?

dots wrote:saw those when i was doing the mustang build, and it's one of those ideas that makes total sense from a "here's how to solve for it the most scientifically" perspective. then there's the $10ish dollars invested versus cutting up a <1¢ business card. two guesses what ended up being used.

For sure, I've literally only ever used card. I'm pretty sure Fender still use bits of sandpaper as shims, as they did in the old days, I've certainly heard about it on modern Squiers.

Mike wrote:Thanks for the photos and info there Andy, I will check the relief as tomorrow's project - I have strings that are that width - do people ever do that?

No sweat, mate!

I guess it could work, but strings being flexible makes it even less of an exact science, even if you're holding it right by the end to reduce flex. At that point, I reckon eyeballing it is just as effective.

Again, these "official numbers" are to get you in the ballpark; Leo Fender isn't gonna come and haunt you, no matter what Hurb says.

You could dig out the thinnest flappiest plectrum you got, and use that as a starting point, obviously more useful if you know what size it is. Or, if you've got a decent ruler, you could fold some stiff card/paper until it's about right?

Yeah I have never really looked at official numbers and just use my eyes or ears for everything.

The pickup certainly looks low but its how it sounds that counts obviously and each guitar is going to be different anyway.

So long as any guitar plays how you want and stays in tune it doesn't really matter how its achieved. That's why I don't really understand techs, they are only going to setup your guitar how they like. Its always to better to figure this stuff out for yourself.


Leo's Ghost does visit regularly...but I would rather not say what we get up to.

something something relief
something something fast action
something something sticky G string

you forgot wiggle stick

Hurb wrote:you forgot wiggle stick

PLEASE.

We call that a reverb glandle around here.

Hurb wrote:So long as any guitar plays how you want and stays in tune it doesn't really matter how its achieved.

exactly.

mike, listen to jordan and just do it the right way, will ya?

couldn't agree more, truthfully. as long as it plays, feels, and sounds right to you, eff the h8rs.