Trouble deciding order of what to do on my project

[seagulc]

Hi guys, I'm working on my first build and wondering about what order I should do things.

Right now, I've got all the wiring done, but the bridge still isn't installed (although the pole pieces are put in, I forget what these are called but it's a tuneomatic bridge). The neck still isn't on the guitar. From what I can tell, my remaining steps are: screw in the neck, adjust truss rod, install the bridge (it's held in by string tension), put on strings, adjust action, adjust pickup height. And if need be, I may need to file the nut or file down some frets. I'm just at a loss for the order to do these steps. I'm thinking the order I listed them in should be okay, but I'm not really sure. Anyone have some suggestions for a newbie at this? I want to do it as straight-forward as possible without having to go back and change what I've done before.

Any tips would be great, I'm planning on screwing on the neck tomorrow.  I guess my main problem is that I'm unsure how I can know if my truss rod has been adjusted right without the strings on the guitar, but then I don't think I'm supposed to have strings on until the truss rod has been adjusted. I'm using gauge 12 strings also so I'm worried if the truss rod is left as is then it could warp the neck due to the high tension of the strings.

 

[NLD09]

i usually get everything done on the body (in no particular order) then get everything done with the neck (install tuners) before I mate the two. Then it's just putting the two together, making sure everything lines up and stringing.

As a guy who uses 12's as well, I string the guitar with the truss rod as is and leave it for about 3 days to a week. then see if it's bowing too far for my liking. My maple neck was bowing a bit, my wenge neck didn't move at all.

 

[seagulc]

You leave the truss rod as it came shipped from Warmoth? Thanks for the tips. It seems like unfortunately I will need to have the nut filed before I can string the guitar, I just realized the cuts are very shallow and definitely won't hold 12s (or even 10s) in place.

 

[jackthehack]

I use .009/.010 strings and if you order the nut installed by Warmoth that works fine. Having done a few builds/neck upgrades for others that use heavier string sets like .012's, you'll probably be needing to do some filing to the slots to get it set up right.

 

[tangent]

I use the same procedure as NLD09, get everything together and then worry about adjusting the truss after a few days.. 

both of the black tusq nuts I've had installed by warmoth were able to go up to .011 strings without modification.

i normally use .011 or .012 but the build i'm working on now is set up for .013.. on a purpleheart neck so should be able to stand the tension 

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Well - if you like an playable action the nut must be adjusted/filed. The height on the thin e-string is typically around 0,35" on a Warmoth-supplied nut. I like min around 0,10" ... so get yer nut-files out, when you have stringed the neck and the truss-rod is adjusted too.