Technically no. The scale length is defined as twice the distance from the nut to the centre of the 12th fret. You can't get away from that. But the final intonated string length will be longer than the scale length, (which is what I think McCreed was trying to say), so the saddles will always be set back a bit from the nominal scale length. The thicker the string (or central core of the string for wound stings), the longer the intonated length will be.Originally Posted by McCreed
On a standard scale guitar, the high E string will normally be set back by 0.5-1mm from the nominal scale length, depending on the chosen string gauge and the action height (higher action = greater intonated length). On a 30" scale guitar with a heavier gauge string choice, the intonated length for the top string will be a minimum of 1-2mm longer than the nominal scale length, probably nearer the 2mm mark.
As McCreed says, a tape measure isn't the most accurate way of measuring a distance (great for measuring between two points and transferring that length to say a piece of wood for cutting) and a steel or aluminium rule is best for measuring absolute distance in a situation like this. Fingerboard side of the nut top E slot to top E saddle slot.
I'd be the first to admit that the kits aren't the most accurately engineered kits in the world (made using cutting and routing jigs, not by CNC machines), and the factories can make errors in the post hole locations. But here I think you will be OK. I haven't seen anyone complaining about intonation issues before on this model, and fundamental problems do normally repeat themselves on kit types.
One other thing that can affect the overall nut to bridge length is the fit of the neck in the pocket. If they don't match up very well, then the neck can be pushed away by 1 mm or so from the body, moving the bridge position further away from the nut. Also check the pocket for small splinters or lumps in the wood that stop the neck seating fully. The end of the neck can normally be sanded to get a better fit into the end of the pocket. It doesn't have to be perfect as the screws do most of the work.
(Speaking of neck screws, you'll probably need to drill out the body holes so they just match the width of the screws. You only want the screws biting into the neck, not the body and neck, to allow the screws to fully pull the neck down into the pocket).
If you do end up struggling on intonation, one option would be to replace the kit ABR-style tune-o-matic bridge with a cheap Nashville style one from eBay or Amazon. I'd recommend a Korean-made Sung-Il bridge for a good quality vs price compromise. The Nashville bridge was the later Gibson T-O-M bridge design and it gives you a couple of mm extra total intonation travel over the original ABR design (which I believe then allowed Gibson to get away with being less precise with the bridge positioning holes as factory production volumes increased and the workforce became less skilled overall).
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