i have a '96 YJM Strat with the truss rod nut in the heel. i've had it since '96. i used to use the 9's it was factory set up with. then 8's for many years. when i switched to the 8's i never checked the relief cause it played great with the 8's so i didn't care. then i went to 7's and at that point i checked the relief cause i was sure i'd have to loosen the rod due to the lower tension. with a proper relief check (1st and 21st down) with the 7's the high E was on the frets. i checked the truss nut and it turns out it was fully loose and so not causing any effect on the rod.
so, i thought that was weird cause while with 7's i'd've expected to have to fully loosen the nut due to the very low tension, it made me wonder how it could've been fully loose with the 9's and 8's i had on it previously, cause with 8's on my other strats, i need a bit of tightening on the nut, so when this Strat had 9's, surely it would've had excessive relief if the nut was loose - but i recall it playing fine. admittedly i think prefer a bit more relief than the average guy, but i think with 9's even at E flat, the nut would've needed a bit of tightening.
so, today i went back to 8's from 7's and at E flat, with the nut still fully loose, with a proper relief check, the high E string is on the frets. no relief i guess you'd call it. when i look down the neck it looks nice and straight. no back bow, so i know the neck isn't warped in a back bow, so that's not the explanation for why i have no relief with the nut loose.
anyone think this is normal? that with 8's at E flat and the nut loose, that there's no relief? that the string tension from even 8's doesn't cause any front bow with the nut loose?
i wonder if anyone ever heard of a neck so darn ridged that with 9's the nut could be loose and still there be no front bow, no relief.
i'm tempted to take the 9's or 10's i use for my other guitars and put them on this Strat to see if i can get the neck to front bow..... sheesh!
so, i thought that was weird cause while with 7's i'd've expected to have to fully loosen the nut due to the very low tension, it made me wonder how it could've been fully loose with the 9's and 8's i had on it previously, cause with 8's on my other strats, i need a bit of tightening on the nut, so when this Strat had 9's, surely it would've had excessive relief if the nut was loose - but i recall it playing fine. admittedly i think prefer a bit more relief than the average guy, but i think with 9's even at E flat, the nut would've needed a bit of tightening.
so, today i went back to 8's from 7's and at E flat, with the nut still fully loose, with a proper relief check, the high E string is on the frets. no relief i guess you'd call it. when i look down the neck it looks nice and straight. no back bow, so i know the neck isn't warped in a back bow, so that's not the explanation for why i have no relief with the nut loose.
anyone think this is normal? that with 8's at E flat and the nut loose, that there's no relief? that the string tension from even 8's doesn't cause any front bow with the nut loose?
i wonder if anyone ever heard of a neck so darn ridged that with 9's the nut could be loose and still there be no front bow, no relief.
i'm tempted to take the 9's or 10's i use for my other guitars and put them on this Strat to see if i can get the neck to front bow..... sheesh!
