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Neck Relief Gauge

Instructions



i-2004 Updated 04/08

The Neck Relief Gauge is a quick and easy way to measure a guitar’s neck relief/curvature when adjusting the truss rod. The two feet and the indicator tip sit on the top of the frets, and the indicator reads the amount of bow in the neck. Adjusting the truss rod increases or decreases the amount of this relief in the neck.

Step 1: Zero the Neck Relief Gauge on an accurate flat plate. Here we are using the surface of a steel jointer. A machinist’s granite plate or jointer would work well too as long as they are dead flat.

Step 2: Place the tool on the guitar neck with one end on the first fret and the other end on the twelfth fret. As you adjust the truss rod, the dial will read the relief in thousandths of an inch. A reading of “zero” means that the fret tops are flat (zero relief). The indicator is off-center so it will sit on the fifth or the sixth fret. Adjust the truss rod until you reach the desired relief.

A professional set up: The guitar is secured in our Neck Jig, and held in the playing position. Now the hands are free to adjust the truss rod while reading the relief.










Neck Relief Gauge
Neck Relief Gauge


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