Neck Flex

[JerL91]

How much flex is normal in a set neck guitar? Should you be able to actually see the neck bow forward when pulling up hard on a floyd rose? Is it normal for the pitch to change when you move the guitar from laying down to holding it?

Am I over-analyzing the things that my guitars do? :scratchch

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: Neck Flex

How much flex is normal in a set neck guitar? Should you be able to actually see the neck bow forward when pulling up hard on a floyd rose? Is it normal for the pitch to change when you move the guitar from laying down to holding it?

Am I over-analyzing the things that my guitars do? :scratchch

No, and no. Is your truss rod nut tight?

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

I think so, I just tightened it up a little the other day because the neck had a bit too much bow in it. If I tighten it any more won't it cause it to backbow?

 

[beandip]

Re: Neck Flex

I'm wondering if there's even an effective truss rod present.

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

I'm wondering if there's even an effective truss rod present.

haha well it's a schecter, so it has a three piece neck and such. It's supposed to have a dual action truss rod. From what I've seen it does seem like these are the kind of annoying things that plague the korean made guitars.

 

[beandip]

Re: Neck Flex

Being a tech for quite some time, and worked on my fair share of Schecters, I've never had this problem with them. They're rather well made. Don't worry about back bow, we'll address that if it happens. Right now, we need to figure out why your neck is bowing whenever you pull up on the FR.

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

so I should tighten the truss rod some more, and how much?

 

[beandip]

Re: Neck Flex

Tighten the truss rod, and I never tighten more than a quarter turn at a time. Do that until things are right.

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

Alright, so I've tightened it down a little over a half turn over the course of the morning and it still flexes. I'm kind of afraid to tighten it anymore as it started creaking quite a bit on the last adjustment and it's pretty tight now anyway.

Just to give you an idea of how much it moves, I laid it in the case and had a ruler by the head stock and from resting to full up on the FR it moves about an eighth of an inch.

EDIT: I did this on my desk also, so I know it's not just the case moving

 

[j9fd3s]

Re: Neck Flex

Alright, so I've tightened it down a little over a half turn over the course of the morning and it still flexes. I'm kind of afraid to tighten it anymore as it started creaking quite a bit on the last adjustment and it's pretty tight now anyway.

Just to give you an idea of how much it moves, I laid it in the case and had a ruler by the head stock and from resting to full up on the FR it moves about an eighth of an inch.

EDIT: I did this on my desk also, so I know it's not just the case moving

that is less than a fender, those are about 1/2"

 

[tc]

Re: Neck Flex

Unless it's a SG guitar necks don't flex excessively...a friend of mine has a Damien FR (bolt on) and a C-1FR and both necks were great and the truss rods too...the trem's string locks on the other hand...but no big deal. Couple things about truss rods...don't overtighten obviously, and second, I like to "help" the truss rod by giving the neck some light pressure towards were I want the neck to move. If the rod isnt tight but it isn't moving loosen it a little before tightening. I'm no qualified tech tho.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Neck Flex

Hmmm, most of my guitars change pitch when laying them flat while a chord is ringing. Annoys the hell out of me, but only the really thick necks are halfway immune. My classical is all right, of course

Unless the truss rod is not engaged at all right now you can't just go and tighten it, that will throw off the guitar in the resting position.

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

well it didn't seem to help when I tightened it, it only made the neck backbow too much, but it still flexed. I loosened it back down so it's adjusted right now. It might not really be a problem, it's not like it moves a huge amount, just enough so that you notice it.

Necks aren't supposed to be rock solid and not move a millimeter when you push and pull on them anyway are they?

I have a PRS SE singlecut that also changes pitch when you lay it down flat, but my US Tremonti model doesn't really. Probably lots of factors that go into that.

 

[Juanhanglo]

Re: Neck Flex

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your neck. i have an RG 520 Ibby with a wizzard that does the same thing. The weight of the neck counteracts the string tension when you lay it down flat. Does it go back in tune when you hold it properly?
Also, when you pull up or down on a floyd, you radically increase or decrease the amount of string tension on the neck. therefore putting the string to trussrod balance WAY out of balance. there is only a problem if your guitar doesn't came back to proper tune after whammy bar antics.

don't worry, all is well, keep wailin' away!!!

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

It does stay in tune when I'm playing it/holding regularly now, I had problems with the FR before but it's settled in nicely. ...Then I had the balls to screw with the truss rod :smack: Oh well, it should be ok since I have it adjusted good now.

I must add, as if a white guitar isn't hot enough, I think it looks even more d@mn sexy now that I have invaders in it.

 

[Juanhanglo]

Re: Neck Flex

Sexy indeed!!! is that a carved top?

a little neck flex is normal. Dont feel so bad, I can see the headstock on my RG520 flex up and down about 1/4 to 3/8's of an inch during trem use. amazingly, it always returns to tune, so I don't worry about it anymore.

 

[JerL91]

Re: Neck Flex

Yes it is a carved top, it's quite comfortable too, the body seems to fit me a little better than other superstrats I've played.

I'm mostly over the flexing now, it just kinda freaked me out when I first saw it. It was like "wow, that doesn't look right!!" lol