checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
- Thread starter Snoogles
- Start date
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
What are you trying to do, see if the neck is bowed? You don't need to press down the strings for that. Hold the guitar up and look at the neck, from the back of the body, looking forwards to the headstock. Check each side. The strings are in a straight line; you'll see if the neck itself is straight, inbowed, or back-bowed.
What are you trying to do, see if the neck is bowed? You don't need to press down the strings for that. Hold the guitar up and look at the neck, from the back of the body, looking forwards to the headstock. Check each side. The strings are in a straight line; you'll see if the neck itself is straight, inbowed, or back-bowed.
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
Pop a capo on the first fret, then depress the string at the body fret (the strings should be at your normal tuning). With a set of feelers guages you should get a relief of between .008-.012" at the 7th fret. If you adjust the truss rod, never more than 1/4 of a turn and give it 24 hours to settle, before checking it again to confirm measurements as above. Any other adjustment (bridge height, nut slot depth) should be done after the neck relief is set.
Pop a capo on the first fret, then depress the string at the body fret (the strings should be at your normal tuning). With a set of feelers guages you should get a relief of between .008-.012" at the 7th fret. If you adjust the truss rod, never more than 1/4 of a turn and give it 24 hours to settle, before checking it again to confirm measurements as above. Any other adjustment (bridge height, nut slot depth) should be done after the neck relief is set.
Snoogles
Cranky-dologist
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
just want to check the relief along the tops of the frets. i didn't know if a truss rod works on the part of the neck that's attached to the body, or not.
just want to check the relief along the tops of the frets. i didn't know if a truss rod works on the part of the neck that's attached to the body, or not.
Christopher Caruana
New member
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
I use: 1st fret and 16th, check @ 8th
I use: 1st fret and 16th, check @ 8th
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
I never measure it, I go by feel. I play the guitar a little, put it thru it's paces, and see if I need to adjust the truss rod or action.
I never measure it, I go by feel. I play the guitar a little, put it thru it's paces, and see if I need to adjust the truss rod or action.
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
The numbers are a good "starting point", but as Blueman said, play it and see how it feels to you...that is the ultimate setting of the truss rod. But as Chris of Arabia said, you also need to consider the nut and bridge settings after you adjust the rod...especially if you are making your adjustments as Blueman said (and as I do)...by the way it plays and feels to you.
The numbers are a good "starting point", but as Blueman said, play it and see how it feels to you...that is the ultimate setting of the truss rod. But as Chris of Arabia said, you also need to consider the nut and bridge settings after you adjust the rod...especially if you are making your adjustments as Blueman said (and as I do)...by the way it plays and feels to you.
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
PS, I have always wanted to measure the neck relief on my guitars (over 30 of them), just out of curiosity, but I have never gotten around to it...yet. I have always, at least for 50 years, just sighted down the neck and adjusted to my own feel and playing. Ultimately you want your guitar to play the best it can, not have the correct "numbers". It's like setting your pickup heights...do you want them 1/8th inch away from the strings or do you want them to sound their best?!
PS, I have always wanted to measure the neck relief on my guitars (over 30 of them), just out of curiosity, but I have never gotten around to it...yet. I have always, at least for 50 years, just sighted down the neck and adjusted to my own feel and playing. Ultimately you want your guitar to play the best it can, not have the correct "numbers". It's like setting your pickup heights...do you want them 1/8th inch away from the strings or do you want them to sound their best?!
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
To me, it's all about 'feel'. I tweak until it feels nice and I can play everything I want. Even with the same measurements, some guitars are going to feel different regardless; a different neck thickness can change things. Maybe I got that habit from tweaking my tones for so many years.
To me, it's all about 'feel'. I tweak until it feels nice and I can play everything I want. Even with the same measurements, some guitars are going to feel different regardless; a different neck thickness can change things. Maybe I got that habit from tweaking my tones for so many years.
Kamanda~SD
New member
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
My feeler guages were used a whole 5-10 times before I went to sight/ feel/ hearing. Great learning tool but useless once you get enough experience.
My feeler guages were used a whole 5-10 times before I went to sight/ feel/ hearing. Great learning tool but useless once you get enough experience.
Bludave
New member
Re: checking neck releif on a Les Paul?
That's the way I do it it as well. Some guitars play better with more or less relief, some play better with lower or higher action. You have to take the time to find where the guitar "wants" to be played!
That's the way I do it it as well. Some guitars play better with more or less relief, some play better with lower or higher action. You have to take the time to find where the guitar "wants" to be played!
