Warped neck

[Obsessive Compulsive]

So I was checking out an Ibanez Prestige 2017 earlier, and spotted how the curvature of the bass side was completely off compared to the treble side.

The curvature was out of whack but I managed to get the treble side flat to the point that the strings buzzed (downward bow). But on the bass side exactly around the area where the neck is screwed to the body, the neck bowed upward quite a bit.

The guitar played fine but I was curious if this was a sign of a warped neck. Is this phenomenon commonplace? Cause none of my guitars are like this.

 

[Gransen]

Re: Warped neck

First of all, if it's a Prestige, that means it's a multi-piece neck. 2017, we're talking 5 piece maple/walnut, right...???

That guitar is just barely two years old, and you could drive a truck over it and not break it. Neck warping takes time. It's too young, and too good of a neck to be warped.

Me, personally, I'd do a standard setup and then check to see if I've got an optical illusion going on. To me, this means using a "Neck Check" gauge (like a long ruler with notches cutout for the frets so that the ruler can lay flat against the fretboard). Put it between the D and the G strings, and adjust the truss rod so that the gauge is dead flat against the fretboard. Then it's a combination of very minor adjustments to the truss rod AND adjusting string height at the bridge in order to get the action set right. I almost never check the 1st and the 5th fret, I check the 12th fret and go with 2mm under low E, and 1.5mm under high E. If I have too much fret buzz at that point, then I'm lowering the strings at the bridge, and adding more neck relief until the buzzing is gone and I've got my string height set right at the 12th.

I sometimes wonder if I should check the 1st fret first and then move on to the 12th, but I never do it this way when I actually start turning allen wrenches.

Me, personally, I seriously question the notion that the neck is warped. I think that the problem is "Neck Relief Curvature (x) Fretboard Radius (x) Dead Straight Guitar Strings (x) Different String Spacing At The Nut And Bridge." You put that many variables together, and suddenly your neck looks warped, no matter how new or rock solid the neck is...!!!

And now I have a brand new problem. I've got 4 variable mentioned, and merely multiplication going on. That doesn't sound right. I think that I need a divisor, and then one of those variable should become a coefficient. How about the Dead Straight Guitar Strings as a divisor in an inverse formula, and the String Spacing as the coefficient. I think that's right...

 

[Gransen]

Re: Warped neck

Sorry, I forgot to add the most important part of the check to see if it truly is an optical illusion or not...

...once it's setup at the 12th and not giving you any fret buzz, then check the string height at both E strings along the entire neck. If it's warped, there's going to be a change in the difference between the two...

...and now that I think about it as I'm typing, I've been doing my own "neck warp checks" wrong. Just set the string height the same at the 12th on both E strings. The two E strings should now be equal along the entire neck. Wow, that makes sense. (In another thread I mentioned that I like out-thinking myself. I'm really super good at it!) Of course, putting the E strings at the same height at the 12th is just for the warp check.

And I'm not being thorough to insult your intelligence / ability. Lurkers and members alike bump into posts from long ago when searching for a topic, and some of them are newbies to the guitar world. Just so you know...

 

[Adieu]

Re: Warped neck

So I was checking out an Ibanez Prestige 2017 earlier, and spotted how the curvature of the bass side was completely off compared to the treble side.

The curvature was out of whack but I managed to get the treble side flat to the point that the strings buzzed (downward bow). But on the bass side exactly around the area where the neck is screwed to the body, the neck bowed upward quite a bit.

The guitar played fine but I was curious if this was a sign of a warped neck. Is this phenomenon commonplace? Cause none of my guitars are like this.

Pics?

Also, are you sure it's not just a tilted Floyd/Edge/whatever? Raise the bass side post

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Warped neck

So I was checking out an Ibanez Prestige 2017 earlier, and spotted how the curvature of the bass side was completely off compared to the treble side.

The curvature was out of whack but I managed to get the treble side flat to the point that the strings buzzed (downward bow). But on the bass side exactly around the area where the neck is screwed to the body, the neck bowed upward quite a bit.

The guitar played fine but I was curious if this was a sign of a warped neck. Is this phenomenon commonplace? Cause none of my guitars are like this.

It should fall away at the body
It may be a multi radius fretboard
It may be lifted or lifting
It may be several things other than warped

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Warped neck

Okay the neck is definitely not warped, I was just thinking too far. But there it is definitely NOT EVEN bewtween the treble and bass side. And I know what I saw, it was not an optical illusion cause I tightened the truss rod several times for about one full turn in total. I have done truss rod adjustment many times and I DO know if something is actually a curve or optical illusion.

I knew truss rod adjustment needed time to take effect so I kinda tricked trick the owner into having a little chat with me for about 1,5 hours, but there was still a curve on the bass side while the treble side is dead flat (actually with a little bit of a downward bow).

It's weird considering this is a practically new guitar.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Warped neck

Okay the neck is definitely not warped, I was just thinking too far. But there it is definitely NOT EVEN bewtween the treble and bass side. And I know what I saw, it was not an optical illusion cause I tightened the truss rod several times for about one full turn in total. I have done truss rod adjustment many times and I DO know if something is actually a curve or optical illusion.

I knew truss rod adjustment needed time to take effect so I kinda tricked trick the owner into having a little chat with me for about 1,5 hours, but there was still a curve on the bass side while the treble side is dead flat (actually with a little bit of a downward bow).

It's weird considering this is a practically new guitar.

Possibly the frets need a level and crown? Could be causing that curvature?

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Warped neck

The guitar is barely 2 years old and the frets look lackluster like it's never been played, so the frets are perfect.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Warped neck

Possibly shimmed on the bass side for some reason and not on the treble side??
Just spitballing....

 

[Gransen]

Re: Warped neck

Possibly shimmed I’m the bass side for some reason and not in the treble side??
Just spitballing....

That's actually a good thought. I wouldn't have come up with that one. Aside from taking it apart, what's the check...??? Measure the height from the top of the body to the fretboard on either side...???

 

[Gtrjunior]

Warped neck

That's actually a good thought. I wouldn't have come up with that one. Aside from taking it apart, what's the check...??? Measure the height from the top of the body to the fretboard on either side...???

I think I might try to see if I can spot a gap between the neck and the pocket.
A measurement probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either, depending on how small the shim may be.
But yeah, he may ultimately need to remove the neck to check with 100% certainty.

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Warped neck

Possibly shimmed on the bass side for some reason and not on the treble side??
Just spitballing....

I think a Neck Pocket problem is a great thought.

 

[Gransen]

Re: Warped neck

I think I might try to see if I can spot a gap between the neck and the pocket.
A measurement probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either, depending on how small the shim may be.
But yeah, he may ultimately need to remove the neck to check with 100% certainty.

I've got a digital calipers that I'm hooked on. I can get a pretty accurate measurement with it. That's what I was thinking of when I wrote it. It would be tough to do that measurement without one. I've got a small metal ruler that goes down to 1/64th inch increments, and I wouldn't even try using it for that measurement.

BUT, that thing works great as a little "carpenter's square."

How about THAT thought...!?! An RG has a flat top, unlike an S Series. How does the top square up to the edges of the neck / fretboard...??? My only "flat topped" guitar is a PRS, and my little ruler says that my fretboard is square to the body.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Warped neck

I have a pair of digital calipers too...I use them for everything!!