S-style
Selected part · 1
Bridge saddles
Each string rests on its own saddle. Raising or lowering it sets the action; sliding it forward or back sets the intonation.
Used in
- Lower the action
- Set the intonation
Your S-style guitar
Typical measurements for an S-style guitar. Change them to match yours.
- Scale length
- 25.5" · 648 mm
- Nut width
- 1.650" · 41.9 mm
- Fretboard radius
- 9.5" · 241 mm
- Body (L × W × D)
- 18.1 × 12.6 × 1.75"460 × 320 × 44 mm
- String gauge
- 10–46
What do you want to do?
- Full setup, in the right order Recommended
- Change strings
- Check and adjust neck relief
- Lower or raise the action
- Set the intonation
Coming soonpickup height · fretboard care · tremolo balance
Parts of an S-style guitar
Every part the 3D model labels, by view.
Outside
- Bridge saddles
- Each string rests on its own saddle. Raising or lowering it sets the action; sliding it forward or back sets the intonation.
- Pickups
- Pickup height changes how loud and full each string sounds. Set too close, the magnets pull on the strings and notes start to wobble.
- Tuners
- Wind each string to pitch. On a new string, leave about 2–3 wraps on the wound strings and a few more on the plain ones so they hold tune.
- Nut
- A slotted bone or plastic piece that guides the strings onto the fretboard. Slot depth sets the string height at the first fret. Cutting slots is a luthier job.
- Truss rod access
- This guitar adjusts at the headstock end. Use the key that fits snugly and turn it ⅛ turn at a time, with the strings tuned to pitch.
Inside neck
- Truss rod
- A steel rod inside the neck that resists the pull of the strings. Tightening it straightens the neck; loosening it lets the neck bow forward slightly.
- Adjustment nut
- The end of the truss rod you turn. Clockwise tightens and reduces relief; anticlockwise loosens and adds relief. If it won’t turn, stop and see a luthier.
- Frets and fretboard
- The 9.5" radius curves the fretboard across its width. Relief is the small gap under a string around the 8th fret while you hold it down at the 1st and last fret.
Inside body
- Tremolo springs
- Springs in the back cavity balance the pull of the strings. More spring tension pulls the bridge down onto the body; less lets it float. A different string gauge changes this balance.
- Tremolo block
- A steel block under the bridge that passes through the body. The strings feed through it from the back of the guitar.
- Neck pocket and bolts
- Four bolts hold the neck in a routed pocket in the body. A normal setup doesn’t touch them.
- Pickup routes
- Channels cut under the pickups for the pickups and their wires.
- Controls and wiring
- Volume and tone pots sit under the top, wired to the output jack. A crackling knob usually just needs contact cleaner.