BYOGuitar.com JEM User manual

JEM Guitar Kit Assembly
Instructions

Parts List
Basswood body
Maple with rosewood fingerboard neck
1 Electric cord, 6 strings
Jack with 4 screws
2 chrome strap buttons, 2 screws, 2 rubber washers
Wiring harness w/ 2 pots
1 chrome vol knob
1 chrome tone knob
5 way selector switch
Rear electronics cover with 3 screws
Trem Assembly
Trem arm
3 large springs
Trem claw and 2 screws
Licensed Floyd Rose Trem with 2 posts
Rear trem cover with 6 screws
Neck
6 tuners, inline
6 small tuner screws
6 washers and bushings
Locking Nut with shim and 2 screws
String retainer with 2 screws
Truss Rod cover and 3 screws
Pickups
2 white humbucker pickups, with 4 mounting screws each
1 white single coil pickup with 2 mounting screws

Contents
Parts List........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Trem Assembly.......................................................................................................................................... 2
Neck ..........................................................................................................................................................2
Pickups ...................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................3
Installing the Bolt on Neck ............................................................................................................................5
Drilling the Mounting Holes in the Guitar Body........................................................................................5
Drilling the Mounting Holes in the Neck................................................................................................... 5
Installing the tuners ...................................................................................................................................... 6
Installing the Locking Nut.............................................................................................................................. 6
Installing the Floyd Rose Trem......................................................................................................................6
Wiring the Jack..............................................................................................................................................7
Finish .............................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
The Body .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Solid Color Finish........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
The Neck .................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Setup ............................................................................................................................................................. 8
Adjusting the Action................................................................................................................................10
The Nut................................................................................................................................................10
The Bridge ...........................................................................................................................................10
Pickup Height ......................................................................................................................................10
Intonation ...........................................................................................................................................10
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a BYOGuitar.com guitar kit. This kit includes everything you need to build a
complete custom guitar.
These instructions assume you are familiar with the anatomy of a guitar. Many of the terms used are
show in below diagram.

Here is the order of operations to complete the guitar:
Install the neck.
Install the tremolo and locking nut
Sand the body and neck.
Sand some more!
Finish the body and neck.
Assemble the guitar.
Wire it up.
Final set up and adjustments.
Plug it in and enjoy!
It’s recommended that you assemble your guitar before applying the finish. Drill all the holes to
eliminate any accidental chipping of the finish while drilling. Fit the neck and locate the bridge before
finishing the guitar. After the finish is complete all you should need to do is put it together and do some
fine-tuning.
Always center punch the hole locations before you drill; this will ensure that the holes are properly
located (very important with bridge screws). If you don't have direct access to a drill press, have a friend
with a drill press drill a series of holes through a block of wood that correspond to the holes required for
your bridge. Then put the block on top of the body and use it to guide your drill bit.

Installing the Bolt on Neck
Most o f the kits come with the holes pre-drilled. If they are pre-drilled on your kit you can skip to
section “Attaching the Neck to the Body”. Below are the instruction if you need to drill them.
Unless otherwise indicated, we strongly recommend using a drill press for the majority of drilling to
obtain the most precise results. However, an electric/cordless drill fitted with a depth stop or a drill
stand can be used if you do not have a drill press.
Drilling the Mounting Holes in the Guitar Body
If the mounting holes have been pre-drilled, skip to the next section.
1. Use the neck plate as a template to locate the mounting holes in the neck pocket.
a. The simplest way is to place the neck plate into the pocket and properly position it so it
is centered in the pocket.
2. Mark the holes
3. Center punch your marks.
4. Drill the holes using a 3/16” drill bit.
Drilling the Mounting Holes in the Neck
You should be able to fit the neck in the neck pocket by hand.
Place the neck in the pocket.
a. Make sure the neck is aligned properly with the pickup cavities and bridge.
b. Clamp the neck in place.
2. Use the same drill bit you drilled the holes in the body with to center punch the locations on the
neck.
a. Place the bit in the hole through the body and tap it a few times to make a mark on the
neck.
3. Remove the neck from the body.
4. Determine the neck mounting hole depth.
a. Place one of the neck mounting screws through the neck plate and body into the neck
pocket.
b. Measure the amount of the mounting screw that extends up into the neck pocket, and
mark your drill bit (a piece of masking tape around the bit works great).
c. Double check the depth by holding the marked drill bit to the side of the neck and be
certain the drill won’t go through the fingerboard.
5. Drill the holes in the neck with a 1/8” drill bit. Make sure you don’t drill through the
fingerboard!

Attaching the Neck to the Body
Temporarily attach the neck so you can locate the bridge. If the holes are tight, use some soap or wax
on the screw beforehand and it will drill in easier. The screws may go into the neck very tight. Be very
careful not to snap the screw! Get the neck screws snug, but not completely tightened. This will allow
some slight adjustment when you align the neck with the bridge.
Installing the tuners
Each tuner consists of the tuner, washer, and a threaded bushing. The tuners are attached to the
headstock with a small wood screw that attaches between the tuners.
To install the tuners:
1. Place the six tuners into the holes on the back of the headstock. The holes may need to be widened
with a peghead reamer or a round file. DO NOT widen the holes too much—the tuners should fit snug.
2. Slide a washer over the tuner shaft and screw the threaded bushing onto the tuner.
3. Align the tuners perpendicular to the edge of the headstock and parallel to each other. Use a strip of
masking tape to secure their position on the headstock.
4. Using a 1⁄16" drill bit in a drill press, drill 3⁄8" deep holes into the headstock.
Note—Drilling the holes deeper than 3 ⁄ 8" could result in drilling out through the front face of the
headstock. Use a depth stop or tape wrapped around the drill bit at the correct depth as an indicator.
5. Secure the machine heads to the guitar headstock with the tap screws.
Installing the Locking Nut
The locking nut is positioned at the top of the neck. Place the locking nut and metal shim in the slot with
the higher edge against the end of the fingerboard. Making sure the nut is centered in the slot, attach it
with two screws.
Installing the Floyd Rose Trem
Gently tap the posts into place using a piece of wood on top of the post so you don’t damage it. If you
feel too much resistance, stop, and make sure the hole is big enough.
Install the spring hook in the front of the bottom cavity. Make sure it’s centered in the cavity. You don’t
want the screws all the way in. About half way is good. This allows you to adjust the tension of the
springs by either screwing them in more or less.
Place the trem in place and attach the springs.

Next use pliers to stretch the springs into position. If you are using 3 springs, leave one space in between
each one on the block. If you lose grip of a spring it can fly and cause damage to the paint on the body.
Tighten the screws on the spring claw so there is a little play in the block. The block still needs to be
able to move if you plan on using a whammy bar.
Check the alignment of the neck with the bridge installed. This is done by installing the high and low E
strings (or using a piece of string). After the strings are installed check that they run parallel down the
length of the neck. With the neck aligned properly the strings should be equal distance from the edge
of the neck. If the strings are not aligned with the edge if the neck, loosen the neck and change its angle
until the strings look correct.
After the tremolo is installed you can string the guitar and get it close to being in tune. As the strings
tighten, the rear of the bridge will lift off the guitar body. Allowing the bridge to float freely (no tension
on the tremolo arm) using the claw screws in the tremolo cavity, adjust the bridge to your desired
angle—about a 1/8" (3.2 mm) gap at rear of bridge. You'll need to retune periodically to get the right
balance between the strings and the springs. If you prefer a bridge flush to the body, adjust spring
tension to equal string tension, while the bridge rests on the body (you may want to put an extra 1/2
turn to each claw screw to ensure that the bridge remains flush to the body during string bends).
Caution: Do not over-tighten the springs, as this can put unnecessary tension on the arm during tremolo
use. Finally, you may wish to apply a small dab of Chapstick® or Vaseline® at the pivot contact points of
the bridge for very smooth operation.
Wiring the Jack
The pickguard will have two wires that need to be soldered to the jack. One will have a shielded
wire and a bare wire (wire A). The other will be a single shielded wire (wire B). The colors may
differ from the below pictures. The single wire (wire B) and the bare wire (from wire A) should be
soldered to the ground tab on the jack. The shielded wire from wire A should be soldered to the
other post.

Finish
Before starting the finish make sure all holes are drilled for any remaining hardware (pickguard, jack
plate, strap pins etc).

The Body
Sand the body and neck with #220 dry sandpaper, followed by #320. If you are applying a finish, other
than natural, you should consider using a grain filler on the body. This will fill in the valleys in the grain
and result in a nice flat surface allowing you to get a nice high gloss finish. An oil based grain filler is
recommended. For most finishes, use a natural colored filler. The dyes used in darker fillers may, over
time, find their way through the color coat. We carry a full line of Behlen Por-o-pac grain fillers that
work perfectly for smoothing out your guitar body.
Apply the filler by wiping across the grain. You can use a course cloth or your fingers to wipe the grain in.
After it has dried about ten to twenty minutes the excess can be removed with a cloth dampened with
mineral spirits. After about an hour repeat the process and let dry overnight. If you have removed most
of the excess with mineral spirits the remaining filler on the field of the wood can be sanded off (use
#220 again) in a few minutes. It is also a good idea at this time to reopen any of the screw holes in the
body. Use a toothpick or small drill held between your fingers to clean out any filler in the holes. The
body is now ready for a sand and sealer coating.
Vinyl sealer is used to give the final coat a level base. It is also helpful in filling scratches which are too
deep to sand out. We recommend Behlen’s Vinyl Sealer, available on our website.
Solid Color Finish
The last step before applying the color coats is to apply a white primer coat. We recommend Ohio Valley
Nitro’s White Primer, available on our website. This is a white pigmented shellac in an aerosol can that
will cover the grain and prevent any previous finishes from bleeding through. The white background will
also let you apply an opaque color coat with less paint. Spray on two coats. When dry you may notice
that the surface feels rough. Sand off the roughness with #320 dry and re-spray. Sand again. If the
surface now appears smooth and all grain is opaqued you are ready for the color coat.
We carry a full line of finishing products to give you the beautiful finish you are looking for, whether a
clear natural finish or a bold, colorful finish. We also carry an instructional DVD made by Behlen that will
give you step by step instructions to help you achieve the look you want for your custom guitar.
The Neck
On a maple fingerboard you can apply a clear finish to the entire neck and fingerboard. Apply several
coats and remove buildup on the frets between coats. An easy way to remove the finish buildup on the
frets is to take a nail and file a half round slot in the head about the same size as the frets. You can then
use this to easily scrape any finish build up.
Setup
Truss Rod

First, check your tuning. Put a capo at the first fret and press the sixth string at the last fret. With a feeler
gauge, check the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 8th fret—you should have
about 4/64th
Sight down the edge of the fingerboard from behind the headstock, looking toward the body of the
guitar. If the neck is too concave (action too high), turn the truss rod nut clockwise to remove excess
relief (only adjust ¼ turn at a time) If the neck is too convex (strings too close to the fingerboard), turn
the truss rod nut counter-clockwise to allow the string tension to pull more relief into the neck. Check
your tuning, then re-check the gap with the feeler gauge and re-adjust as needed.
Adjusting the Action
The Nut
Setting the string action that is right for you starts at the nut. The slots should already be close, but you
might want to make some adjustments.
Push the sixth string down between the second and third fret. The space between the first fret and the
bottom of the string should be about .006 or just about the thickness of two sheets of paper. If the gap
is wider than .006” you should deepen the slot with a small needle file. DO NOT FILE TOO DEEP! Make
sure when you file, the file is angled down toward the headstock. This will ensure the string sits on the
edge of the nut closest to the fretboard.
Repeat the procedure for the remaining 5 strings.
The Bridge
This will adjust the height of the strings over the 12th fret. Minor adjustments are made by raising or
lowering the bridge. This adjustment is a matter of personal preference. There should be a gradual
increase in height from the first string to the sixth string.
Pickup Height
Each pickup is adjustable on the bass and treble sides. Finding the best combination of tone and volume
will require some experimentation. A good place to start is to adjust the pickup height so the first string
is 1/8” over the pickup pole and the sixth string is about 3/16” over its pole.
Intonation
Adjustments should be made after all of the above have been accomplished. Set the pickup selector
switch in the middle position, and turn the volume and tone controls to their maximum settings. Check
tuning. Check each string at the 12th fret, harmonic to fretted note (make sure you are depressing the
string evenly to the fret, not the fingerboard). If sharp, lengthen the string by adjusting the saddle back.
If flat, shorten the string by moving the saddle forward. Remember, guitars are tempered instruments!
Re-tune, play and make further adjustments as needed.
We hope you have enjoyed building your guitar! If you have any questions along the way please email
us at [email protected]m.