First build - TL1 Ian Rodness

[ianrodness]

so now I think that the reason for the low volume on the G and e strings is the height of them. At this point, if I lower the saddles, they start buzzing, or even laying on the frets. Is is possible that I need to route out the neck pocket to solve this issue? Is this a regular thing that needs doing with this kit? thanks

Photo of the bridge https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4...GZSbzdnaWxuQTQ

[wokkaboy]

Hi Ian, looks like the bridge saddles are quite high. When you drilled the neck screw holes did you remove the neck and get rid of excess wood shavings and sometimes the neck heel needs a light sand so the neck heel fits flush in the pocket ? The neck heel looks a little high so this could be the reason. The pickups are way too low from the strings so raise the pup heights closer to the strings. Also look down the body and check the neck looks fairly straight or put a straight edge over the neck when it is in tune. Could be other reasons too like a high nut or a tweak of the truss rod if the neck has back or forward bow.

[Simon Barden]

What woks said. The pickups are a long way from the strings which is why it's sounding quiet and unbalanced. If you can't get the string height lower, then the pickup height needs to come up. Both could come up by around 3mm.

[ianrodness]

thanks Wok - yep, saddles are really high, along with the strings. I figured this is why the volume on certain strings was lower.
There's no debris in the pocket, and it's sitting flush. I purchased a notched straight edge to determine the bow of the neck, and it's as straight as it can be. The nut is quite low as well.
I've been out to the local shop to check some other Tele's and those necks sit much deeper in the pocket - I'm guessing 1/8" ( 2 or 3 mm I think?). Instead of raising the pups, do you think I should deepen the pocket. I really don't see an alternative. You can see in the pic that the neck is sitting way high from the body. I can send a pic of the nut if that helps
I'd like to go ahead with this, but need some assurance that this won't completely destroy the guitar.

[Simon Barden]

A picture of the neck sitting in the pocket showing the relative heights would be useful.

Personally I don't mind high saddles on that kind of bridge. It gives you a good break angle and you don't get the height adjustment screws sticking into your palm. The only downside is the subsequent upwards angle of the long intonation screws, which I'd be tempted to cut back a bit as they don't need to be that long.

[ianrodness]

you were right. I was wrong......there were a couple of shavings in the neck pocket just like you said.....
It sits a bit better now, but I still feel like it's too high. Do you think I need to angle the neck down, and bow the neck at this point. All the measurements I have match standard neck and pocket depths, so I don't want to route the pocket any deeper. I do think the action is a bit high for me, but maybe that's something I need to get used to?

[Simon Barden]

Some more photos would be useful - one along the neck showing the current amount of neck bow, and a close-up of the nut area, showing the nut and string height at the 1st fret.

It sounds like the truss rod could do with tightening, and the standard kit nut normally neds deeper slots or the base sanding down, but without seeing what's going on, it's very difficult to suggest anything.

[ianrodness]

here's a couple. At this point, I've shimmed the neck pocket on the body end to angle the neck down a bit - that explains the slight angle you see. What do you think?

[Simon Barden]

I think I can't see what I asked to see. I still have no idea what amount of neck relief you have or what the string height is at the nut.

The action certainly looks high over the last frets, but those two pictures don't give me any clues about what's happening at the top and middle of the neck.

[ianrodness]

apologies.....