Neck Relief checking method

[Christopher Caruana]

So Ive heard two ways of going about checking neck relief

A) 1st fret and last fret (~22 - 24) and check at 7th-9th

OR

B) 1st fret and body/neck joint (~17th) and check at 7th - 9th

I know there is no "correct" answer, but why do some companies like Ernie Ball, Gibson.....swear by the body/neck joint method and companies like Fender, Suhr....swear by the 1st and last fret method?

Because .010 of relief between 1st and 17th is A LOT different than 0.010 of relief between 1st and last

-CC

 

[jeremy]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

all you are doing is using the string as a straight edge for comparison to the neck

 

[DreX]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

B) 1st fret and body/neck joint (~17th) and check at 7th - 9th

IMO the "body / neck joint" so called would be near the last fret since that's where the neck heel and truss rod end. So in that sense, both A and B are correct

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

all you are doing is using the string as a straight edge for comparison to the neck

But what the difference between using the 17th or the last fret? Because won't you get a completely different reading depending on which method you use?

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

IMO the "body / neck joint" so called would be near the last fret since that's where the neck heel and truss rod end. So in that sense, both A and B are correct

But the difference between the 17th and the 22/24th fret is quite a bit of difference is space.

 

[DreX]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

But the difference between the 17th and the 22/24th fret is quite a bit of difference is space.

No I think there's some confusion over the idea that the neck and body joint is at the 17th fret. The truss rod extends all the way to the last fret board, so I think what they're suggesting is to use the last fret, not the 17th or thereabout.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

No I think there's some confusion over the idea that the neck and body joint is at the 17th fret. The truss rod extends all the way to the last fret board, so I think what they're suggesting is to use the last fret, not the 17th or thereabout.

Oh ok, because all the companies Ive seen say to use the 17th fret because thats usually where the "neck joins the body" and the truss rod doesn't fix any bow beyond that point

For guitars such as les pauls, wolfgangs, EBMM Axis anyways...

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I use the body/neck joint myself (which on my guitars is the 17th fret). Like Jeremy said, it's all about using the string as a straight edge and not really about where the truss rod ends.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

But what the difference between using the 17th or the last fret? Because won't you get a completely different reading depending on which method you use?

i dont take readings, i just look at what the neck is doing along the length of the string. youll see a varying amount relief over the neck and if you know what you are looking for, youll know if its acceptable or needs to be adjusted

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

i dont take readings, i just look at what the neck is doing along the length of the string. youll see a varying amount relief over the neck and if you know what you are looking for, youll know if its acceptable or needs to be adjusted

I tend to be really OCD, so I like measurements. Ive been doing about 0.008 - 0.010 at the 8th fret with a capo at the first fret and string depressed at the last fret and Im pretty happy with it. I used to use the 17th fret before, but the action just felt too high in the middle of the neck

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I used to take measurements for the first decade of me adjusting. Now I can just tell from playing if I like it or not. If I were to take measurements it usually comes in right around 0.0012 or .03mm at the 7th fret on my main guitars.

 

[DreX]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

Oh ok, because all the companies Ive seen say to use the 17th fret because thats usually where the "neck joins the body" and the truss rod doesn't fix any bow beyond that point

For guitars such as les pauls, wolfgangs, EBMM Axis anyways...

I didn't realize the neck was static between the 17th and 22+ fret, I'll have to watch for that when I adjust a neck next time around. I like flat necks, so I never rally have to measure anything, I just have to see that it's straight.

I've come to appreciate varying actions anyway. If the action is low enough to feel real good, the tone takes a hit, and the higher it gets, the better it tends to sound.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I didn't realize the neck was static between the 17th and 22+ fret, I'll have to watch for that when I adjust a neck next time around. I like flat necks, so I never rally have to measure anything, I just have to see that it's straight.

I've come to appreciate varying actions anyway. If the action is low enough to feel real good, the tone takes a hit, and the higher it gets, the better it tends to sound.

I have my wolfgang set up as my shredstick, the action isn't stupid low or anything. My strat is set up with a little higher action because its a bluesy axe

 

[Archer250]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I just make the neck damn near straight (less than 0.010 at the 9th with the first and last frets depressed) and set the action high at the bridge.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

Well I did a test on my wolfgang tonight. Set it up with method B (1st and 17th with 0.010 @ 7th), adjusted the action to compensate....and HATED it. Was waaaaay too hard to play in the middle of the neck and action felt too high from frets 6 - 14.

Set it up using method A (1st and 22nd with 0.010 @ 7th), re-adjusted there action and it was so much better. The action felt more consistent across the whole neck.

So while some people might like method B, method A is much more comfortable to me

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I'm confused. Method A and Method B gave you the same result and same measurement in the same place. Keep in mind the only thing that fretting the string does is create a straight edge. Can anybody who is smarter than me tell us if there is a reason (besides psychological) why the same measurement would feel different based on where the string was fretted here?

Just for poops and giggles I just measured my two guitars I have next to me by fretting at the 17th and 1st and then on the 22nd fret and 1st. I got the same results.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I'm confused. Method A and Method B gave you the same result and same measurement in the same place. Keep in mind the only thing that fretting the string does is create a straight edge. Can anybody who is smarter than me tell us if there is a reason (besides psychological) why the same measurement would feel different based on where the string was fretted here?

Just for poops and giggles I just measured my two guitars I have next to me by fretting at the 17th and 1st and then on the 22nd fret and 1st. I got the same results.

really? Oh I don't. On my wolfgang with 1st and 17th the relief was like 0.004 and 1st and 22nd the relief was 0.010

Ill check how it is on my strat

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

Strat was the same as the wolfgang. 1st and 17th was 0.005 and 1st and 22nd was 0.010

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Neck Relief checking method

I'm confused. Method A and Method B gave you the same result and same measurement in the same place. Keep in mind the only thing that fretting the string does is create a straight edge. Can anybody who is smarter than me tell us if there is a reason (besides psychological) why the same measurement would feel different based on where the string was fretted here?

Just for poops and giggles I just measured my two guitars I have next to me by fretting at the 17th and 1st and then on the 22nd fret and 1st. I got the same results.

Depends on the guitar some, but I don't see much difference between clearance. For example, I capo at 1st and fret last and adjust rod so I get .010 clearance from E to the fret with most clearance, usually 7th or 8th fret. If I then capo at 1st and fret 17th and check clearance, I'll probably measure a hair more clearance to that same fret (maybe a thousandth). Could I tell the difference between that thousandth with bridge adjusted for same string height? I doubt it.