Jackson Setup Spec's

[dinkyguitar]

Hi All,

For a Dinky, like the ones in my sig, what are the setup sepc's?

String height? Neck relief?

At what fret do you check these at?

Also, would a guitar tuned half step down typically have higher or lower action?

thanks
dinyguitar

[Newc]

IME factory specs are not the playable ideal, but rather a starting point to get sound from the guitar.
Some will find it too low, others will find it too high.

Step 1: Tune the guitar to your preferred tuning, adjusting the angle of the trem to compensate for the difference in string tension (i.e. keep it parallel to the body or angled with the neck, your choice).
Step 2: Set the neck as flat as you can with the truss rod.
Step 3: Drop the bridge until the strings are dead on the frets, or the bridge is touching the body, whichever comes first.
Step 4: Retune to your preferred tuning.
Step 5: Start raising the bridge little by little until the open strings do not die or grind out on the frets, retuning as you go.
Step 6: Once the strings are clear of the frets, or you have reached a point where open string buzz is acceptable, check fretted notes along the neck, including bends at the middle of the neck up to the 15th fret on the 1st string. Raise the bridge until these notes do not grind out. If this is going to be a non-bending shredder, don't worry if bent notes grind out.
Step 7: Loosen the truss rod by "1 hour" (when you put the tool in, assume that to be the hour hand on a clock pointing at 12 o'clock, then turn the tool so it's pointing at 1 o'clock).

[toejam]

Step 7: Loosen the truss rod by "1 hour" (when you put the tool in, assume that to be the hour hand on a clock pointing at 12 o'clock, then turn the tool so it's pointing at 1 o'clock).

That would be tightening the rod. You're supposed to look down the rod from the top of the headstock... righty tighty, lefty loosey. So you'd go counterclockwise to loosen (towards the treble strings) and turn it to 11 o'clock.

[Newc]

Depends if the board is facing you or not. I do it with the strings/board facing me.
Ergo, turning it from 12 to 1 o'clock would be going left, thus loosening.

Though ideally you should go down to 2 o'clock and then back up to 1 o'clock, to put the "grab" on the tightening (just like with strings).

And I sight from 24th up to the head like a rifle, held upright in playing position, supporting the middle of the neck to counter gravitational pull, and not with the guitar laying flat.

[LouSiffer]

I sight from 24th up to the head like a rifle, held upright in playing position, supporting the middle of the neck to counter gravitational pull, and not with the guitar laying flat.

I just throw some old dried up chicken bones into the middle of a pentagram, light some candles and wait for Joe Pesci to show and do his thing.-Lou