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You might also try a combination of:
-Shims
-Raising the bridge
-Raising the saddles
With projects (where parts werent' built to go together) or cheap imports, it is usually a combination of those 3 elements. Add a shim, play it, raise or lower the bridge, play it, raise or lower the saddles, play it, just keep monkeying with it until you get closer and closer. It doesn't take a really long time, just some patience. Personally, I'd rather get it there with truss/bridge height/saddles and avoid shims if possible -- but if you have to go in that direction, go for it. I just like a super tight neck pocket but shims don't ruin the world.
Remember to keep testing the relief during each adjustment (fretting the first fret and 14th fret) just Google "truss rod adjustment" for thorough instructions on how to continually check the neck to see which direction it needs to go in --- see what the guitar is doing through these adjustments.
If you are up for it, do this off and on for a few weeks. By the end, you'll likely end up with one of your best playing guitars (action-wise). Back around 1984, I had a cheap Hondo Strat that I put through all of the above for about 6 months. Some guy who owned a Fender Strat picked it up to plunk on it, and his first comment was that mine played much better. 5 Stars!
Also, remember with projects -- if you take a guitar neck that hasn't been used for a while -- and string it up to playing tension -- it might need a little while to "settle in" to where it wants to be. That's why it might be a few days or weeks to get it to primo playability.
But I think it's worth it and a lot of fun.
-Shims
-Raising the bridge
-Raising the saddles
With projects (where parts werent' built to go together) or cheap imports, it is usually a combination of those 3 elements. Add a shim, play it, raise or lower the bridge, play it, raise or lower the saddles, play it, just keep monkeying with it until you get closer and closer. It doesn't take a really long time, just some patience. Personally, I'd rather get it there with truss/bridge height/saddles and avoid shims if possible -- but if you have to go in that direction, go for it. I just like a super tight neck pocket but shims don't ruin the world.
Remember to keep testing the relief during each adjustment (fretting the first fret and 14th fret) just Google "truss rod adjustment" for thorough instructions on how to continually check the neck to see which direction it needs to go in --- see what the guitar is doing through these adjustments.
If you are up for it, do this off and on for a few weeks. By the end, you'll likely end up with one of your best playing guitars (action-wise). Back around 1984, I had a cheap Hondo Strat that I put through all of the above for about 6 months. Some guy who owned a Fender Strat picked it up to plunk on it, and his first comment was that mine played much better. 5 Stars!
Also, remember with projects -- if you take a guitar neck that hasn't been used for a while -- and string it up to playing tension -- it might need a little while to "settle in" to where it wants to be. That's why it might be a few days or weeks to get it to primo playability.
But I think it's worth it and a lot of fun.
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