I got to buy a straight edge for looking at neck relief

I don't want a notched straight edge. I got a straight one. If my guitar technician would have lived he could have sawed off a couple inches of a straight edge I've had for years. But that won't be happening now. I gotta straight one which is really nice and proper.
 
I do not hear anyone saying a straight edge is wrong to use. What I am hearing is it is just as easy to use your eyes. Training yourself to use your eyes to assess neck bow or relief is a good thing seeing a straight edge is not always available. After a while the straight edge will not be used, needed or wanted. If there is a twist in the neck the straight edge can be a valuable tool, for a simple truss adjustment it is not necessarily needed.
 
There are very few Luthier specific tools that cant be easily built or modified at home or accomplished by using another method,

and I think it's totally fine to purchase cool more expensive luthier specific things that may save some time or effort -but if you are not a professional luthier with a necessary throughput speed to make your money, probably aren't a necessary choice and for some not a good use of money.

For me, Im not trying to spend more money on this kind of thing -because everything you chose to buy is also a choice NOT to buy something else you might want.

But there is absolutely no harm in buying the cool right tool if you want it, at least my response was just to give alternatives to spending that money that can accomplish the same result (perhaps a little slower at times)
 
I'd suggest the notched. Specifically, the one that is notched for both Gibson and Fender. Philadelphia Luthier Tools has them priced at $32.99.
 
One thing folks aren't talking about is 'problem' necks. I use the string to set relief all the time, but not every neck makes a smooth and even curve like we want them to. There can be small imperfections because of the nature of wood itself that make the response to the truss rod non-liner, as well as truss rod issues in installation or operation. It's when you're trying to sort out one of those that higher-precision tools become valuable.

I built a number of guitars with a 36" ruler from Home Depot, and always got them playing well eventually. Having precision machined straight edges (.0005 per running foot accuracy) in several sizes now lets me make necks with fewer issues to begin with, and to decipher problem necks more quickly.

Like most jobs, there are proper tools for the 'standard' fix and more sophisticated tools for the complex cases.

Larry
 
larryguitar said:
One thing folks aren't talking about is 'problem' necks. I use the string to set relief all the time, but not every neck makes a smooth and even curve like we want them to. There can be small imperfections because of the nature of wood itself that make the response to the truss rod non-liner, as well as truss rod issues in installation or operation. It's when you're trying to sort out one of those that higher-precision tools become valuable.

I built a number of guitars with a 36" ruler from Home Depot, and always got them playing well eventually. Having precision machined straight edges (.0005 per running foot accuracy) in several sizes now lets me make necks with fewer issues to begin with, and to decipher problem necks more quickly.

Like most jobs, there are proper tools for the 'standard' fix and more sophisticated tools for the complex cases.

Larry
Click to expand...

But if you've got one of those "problem necks", the best solution is to take the frets out and redo/straighten/flatten the fretboard first. In which case a slotted/notched straightedge doesn't help.
 
GuitarDoc said:
But if you've got one of those "problem necks", the best solution is to take the frets out and redo/straighten/flatten the fretboard first. In which case a slotted/notched straightedge doesn't help.
Click to expand...

And if the straightedge shows the frets are level, how would you know you have a problem neck? It's entirely possible to get frets level without addressing the underlying causes of a problem neck, at least for a while. The notched edge can help with that.

Larry
 
larryguitar said:
And if the straightedge shows the frets are level, how would you know you have a problem neck? It's entirely possible to get frets level without addressing the underlying causes of a problem neck, at least for a while. The notched edge can help with that.

Larry
Click to expand...

If the frets are level and the guitar plays fine, it doesn't matter if there are some irregularities in the wood. You "know" if there is a "problem neck" if you have a problem with the way it plays, and/or with a straight edge.

If the frets are level (and have been level) then you don't have a "problem neck", even if there is a bow in the neck itself. I have had necks where the frets have been leveled even though the neck had a slight bow. They were perfectly stable.

But IF you do have a neck where there is a bow in the neck (or a back bow) and the frets are not flat then you either need to just level the frets or do a refret after straightening the neck. In either case you don't really need a slotted straight edge. With a straight edge on top of the frets you can determine if the frets are flat and if the neck is straight.

I've been working on guitars to some extent for over 60 years, been making and repairing guitars for nearly 20 years and have NEVER had the need for a notched straight edge. I've thought about getting one several times, but after giving some reasonable thought, realized that I couldn't imagine any scenario (even the one you just gave) when I could actually use one.

You can either believe the advertising hype or you can use your logic and reason. Think about it.
I'm perfectly fine with whatever you choose. I choose not to buy one.
 
Last edited:
GuitarDoc said:
If the frets are level and the guitar plays fine, it doesn't matter if there are some irregularities in the wood. You "know" if there is a "problem neck" if you have a problem with the way it plays, and/or with a straight edge.

If the frets are level (and have been level) then you don't have a "problem neck", even if there is a bow in the neck itself. I have had necks where the frets have been leveled even though the neck had a slight bow. They were perfectly stable.

But IF you do have a neck where there is a bow in the neck (or a back bow) and the frets are not flat then you either need to just level the frets or do a refret after straightening the neck. In either case you don't really need a slotted straight edge. With a straight edge on top of the frets you can determine if the frets are flat and if the neck is straight.

I've been working on guitars to some extent for over 60 years, been making and repairing guitars for nearly 20 years and have NEVER had the need for a notched straight edge. I've thought about getting one several times, but after giving some reasonable thought, realized that I couldn't imagine any scenario (even the one you just gave) when I could actually use one.

You can either believe the advertising hype or you can use your logic and reason. Think about it.
I'm perfectly fine with whatever you choose. I choose not to buy one.
Click to expand...

Amazingly, I'll use logic and reason (such as 'a neck which can be made to play with level frets can STILL have serious issues') AND consider a notched straight edge useful in specific cases.

Larry
 
I can turn most nuts with an adjustable wrench
but you would be amazed at how much easier task is when you use the correct tools

If you want to use a steaight edge without notches
Cool as long as you are happy with the results
Who are we to fault you

If you find it easier tonuse a notcjed straight edge
Sweet there are people who find this easier as well
i am one of these people

I find i can use the notches to check the fretboard with the frets installed
or move it so the notches dont align. And che the top of the frets

the notched edge isnt much more than the flat one

Its up to you

Have fun

Turn up loud
 
No newbie to intermediate guitar tinkerer is going to do jack crap with a notched straight edge. Say a newbie uses a notched straight edge and finds the neck has a slightly different bow than the frets. What then is he going to do with that information? Lol. The only possible use is the one Ehd mentioned where before you begin a fret level, you want to make sure the neck itself is perfectly straight.
 
If the frets are flat, and you can play without fret buzz, and you need a notched straight edge to see that the neck is not straight (because you can't see it by looking down the neck), then the amount that the neck itself is bent is so slight that it is insignificant and it doesn't need straightening.

Now I admit that I'm OCD about things being perfect in a guitar, and I would personally want the neck to be absolutely straight/flat when the frets are perfectly flat, but really, for most "normal" people, that tiny amount (that you can't even see with the naked eye) is not in need of fixing.

Now, if the neck is warped and out of flat by 1/8" or more, then YES, absolutely fix the neck before doing a fret job. BUT, you'd easily be able to see that without a notched straight edge.

Look, I'm not trying to force my opinion an anyone, I'm just trying to explain my reasoning. I certainly respect anyone's desire to buy the darn thing if he wants to and knows how (and when) to use it.

So I have to admit that I totally agree with Clint on this one.
 
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