Can you have a quick look at this neck? Bowed or No?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alanfc
  • Start date Start date
I can't really tell for sure by those 4 pictures... but, it looks like it might be... unless it's a C shaped neck or something... but again, I can't tell for sure.
 
its hard to tell. there might be a very very slight bend to it. it could just be how the neck is. im not sure but, id say if it plays and plays well, leave it




freak
 
Thanks guys -

If there is a bow to it, I must try to fix it myself (very carefully), can't really afford even a setup job at a music store now. I read about people adjusting their truss all the time...I will learn.

I'm more serious about this guitar now because its now my #1 again, after taking a backseat to my Tele copy, which is my backup now.
I know the factory strings were .009's. And I've been using .010's on it now for 2 years. So with a set neck I was worried about the effects of heavier strings
 
Well, your neck is supposed to have a very slight bend. That looks slightly bent too far, though, like everybody else said, it's hard to tell. If it needs adjustment, it's probably very minute, I would suggest maybe a quarter or eight turn of the truss rod (you want to tighten it, not loosen it). Wait 24 hours, and see how it looks then.
 
OK thanks-

I've invested alot of time and reading on this, which hasn't gone to waste,
but,

I've decided that unless there's any danger in leaving it as is, I'm going to take it to a real tech.

I've just realized I've had this thing for over 2 years, and it has never had a Pro once-over.. I do all the intonation myself easily enough but =really=.
My vacation in a few weeks will be a perfect itme to leave it there. I think Larry Carlton leaves his stuff there too! I think I'm going to leave it to them. Since its never been really looked at, I figure I owe it to the guitar to have the proper care, since it =is= going to be my #1 again. (the Tele copy is now a solid #2)

thanks
 
A neck NEEDS to have some bow to it, or it will buzz with lower action. But remember, the truss rod does NOT adjust the action of a guitar. It adjusts only the bow in the neck.

As to the question of IF the neck has a bow in the neck, you do not test this by looking down the neck. The only thing you can get from sitting down the neck is the question of if there is a twist or not. And NO ONE will ever be able to figure that out from a picture. The same with neck bow, you need to see the guitar in person. You check neck bow by fretting at the first fret, and then again right where the neck starts to get thicker. This turns the string into a straight edge. You then look right about the center of the length of string, and check the gap. The gap should be about the thickness of a playing card.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
thanks Light

yes I just tried this, the playing card reference was great! (I have trouble judging .024 whatever inches with my daughter's Hello Kitty ruler)

So with my right pinky on the 12th fret, my left index finger on the 1st fret, the playing card was held in place at the 5th fret -- it did not slip through. When I released one of my fingers, it slid out (naturally). I tested this a several times. And each time the card went into the space and stayed in place.

so what does this mean?

I've read that with heavy handed right hand technique will need a bit of relief and that a slight relief like you say is OK. I am a bit heavy handed. I have no intonation issues and have no problem with my action being high as it is.

If the card had slipped through in my little test, that would be too much relief I assume.? So maybe I'm OK for now.

thanks alot for the tip
 
Don't be afraid to adjust your truss rod. You would have to tighten it way too far before you did any damage. Like what was said earlier in the thread, turn it 1/8 to 1/4 turn and see what happens. If it doesn't help, put it back.
 
Alanfc said:
Thanks guys -

If there is a bow to it, I must try to fix it myself (very carefully), can't really afford even a setup job at a music store now. I read about people adjusting their truss all the time...I will learn.

I'm more serious about this guitar now because its now my #1 again, after taking a backseat to my Tele copy, which is my backup now.
I know the factory strings were .009's. And I've been using .010's on it now for 2 years. So with a set neck I was worried about the effects of heavier strings

Unless you have the biggest piece of shit guitar ever made, moving from .009's to .010 should in no way cause the neck to go totally out of whack. I've bought guitars with 8's on em and gone to 12's with no problems, outside of a little adjustment at the bridge.
 
I'm not sure about guitars, but on bass that's a small amount of deflection. Do the string buzz? Is it comfortable to play?
 
Alanfc, goto the Schecter guitars website http://www.schecterguitars.com and see if you can find a page there telling you how to setup that guitar (I.e. Fender has a free setup booklet)... if not, contact Schecter guitars and ask them how the guitar should be setup.
 
capnreverb said:
Unless you have the biggest piece of shit guitar ever made, moving from .009's to .010 should in no way cause the neck to go totally out of whack. I've bought guitars with 8's on em and gone to 12's with no problems, outside of a little adjustment at the bridge.

A change from 9s to 10s will be noticable on any guitar. The geometry of a guitar is extremly picky, and a change from 9s to 10s is a difference of almost 20 pounds of pull. That makes a big difference on a long thin piece of wood like a guitar neck, always.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Oh, and if the card is being held in there - which is not how you check, by the way, it is an eyeball thing - then it is too tight. It would, I would guess, show little to no gap, but the card would have to slip right through. If it is being held there, then you are deforming the straight edge with the card. But like I said, it is an eyeball thing, not a thing I have ever measured, nor do any of the great repair guys I know.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
And

Alanfc said:
hi-
can you give these 4 pictures a quick look,? I want to make sure that the bow I see on the heavy string side isn't unhealthy. Or is it the high cut of the nut that gives the appearance of a bow?

its a Schecter set neck guitar, with .010's

please see here

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/al...&.done=http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/alanfc66

thanks alot if you can help me
-Alan


From what I can see from the photos the neck looks very close to where it should be.
If it plays the way you want it too then yes the neck is exactly where it should be.

Remember you have a few ways of adjusting the action.
Nut, neck bow, neck tilt and bridge saddles.
The neck bow is not always the problem.

I've seen many new guitars that require lots of help on all of the above.

If you're not sure of the proper adjustments then take it to a pro and ask questions. Most small adjustments like this can be done while you wait. Don't be afraid to ask if you can watch the process.

I work on an average of twelve guitars per day and some of them do have the customer standing over. Doesn't bother me.

C
 
CGibson said:
From what I can see from the photos the neck looks very close to where it should be.
If it plays the way you want it too then yes the neck is exactly where it should be.

Remember you have a few ways of adjusting the action.
Nut, neck bow, neck tilt and bridge saddles.
The neck bow is not always the problem.

.................

thanks-
indeed the feel and the intonation and the action are perfect for me now

It just that I noticed the relief by sight, and then started to wonder if the neck was on its way toward dangerously bad condition.
I think I'll stick to my plan and take it in in a couple weeks for its first ever checkup, and keep educating myself in the meantime
 
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