Neck relief on acoustics?

RandallFlagg · July 2019

Do you set neck relief on your acoustics?

I find that it's critical on electrics to have a little relief to avoid rattles and fret buzz but on a typical acoustic action that is set to achieve a clean full tone with no rattles at all (typically 6 or 7 64ths low E to 5/64th high E), then I find a straight neck with little or no relief to be fine and see little gain in adding relief.

Kilgore · July 2019

I'm not precious about set ups. As long as there's no buzz and it's comfortable to play, I'm happy. I've never even considered adding relief to an acoustic.

Andy79 · July 2019

What Kilgore said. I’ve never adjusted a truss rod

GTC · July 2019

As Kilgore says, if there is no buzz and a it is comfortable to play, there should be no need to add neck relief. However, correctly adjusting neck relief, in conjunction with saddle height and the often neglected nut slot heights, can result in a guitar that plays a lot better.

There's nothing scary about truss rod adjustments. I just do it by eye, allowing for very slight movement when lightly tapping down on the low-E at the 7th fret whilst simultaneously fretting it at the 1st and 13th frets.

If a new guitar has been properly set-up at the time of purchase, truss-rod adjustment will often be necessary a few months down the line as the guitar settles down. Changing string types and gauges can also create a need for adjustment.

I had a BSG A-Pro where the seller had tried to reduce the high action caused by a high saddle by introducing way excessive negative neck relief. Easily rectified with attention to the saddle height as well as the truss rod, transforming the guitar's playability.

Lewy · July 2019

I like my action around 3/32” low E - 2/32” high E with medium strings and have never needed more than .005” relief, and have most frequently had a virtually straight neck. If there are no buzzes, I can’t see any benefit - all it does is needlessly raise the mid-neck action.

A different story I guess if you want an acoustic to play like an electric with a low action.

ICBM · July 2019

Same as for electrics, for me - as close to dead straight as possible without any rattling in the low positions, which is usually about .001" to .005", or if the frets aren't perfectly even then maybe up to .010" - but if it needs to be more than that then there's something else wrong.

I don't like them absolutely dead straight though - firstly because I think you always do need just the smallest amount, but also because it makes it difficult to tell there isn't a back-bow, which is always a problem.

p90fool · July 2019

Yep, I set all mine so I can feel when tap the string against the middle of the neck that there is SOME relief.
I don't need any more than that though, and I've never measured it.

ToneControl · July 2019

close to straight with a little relief
the tap test works for me

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Neck relief on acoustics?

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