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No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:13 pm
by Herman
My Telecasterbuild is almost ready and is strung up, but does not develop any relief in the neck.
The neck with 10-46 stings stays dead flat after one week. Anything else seems to be alright.
Consequence: The bridge has to be setup a bit too high to avoid rattles. Action is now 0.09" at the 12th fret.
What are the options to deal with this, other then warming up and pressed in the middle of the neck? The trussrod is one-way and the rodnut is about loose.
Herman
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:46 pm
by Ben-Had
Herman, if someone else has another idea besides replacing the truss rod I'd like to know as well because I am about to make the exact repair you described on another neck (a 1959 Fender Duo-Sonic) that has the same issue.
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 5:09 pm
by Darryl Young
I wonder if you pulled every 3rd or fourth fret if it would get the relief needed when the strings are at proper tension? If so, maybe you could replace those frets with a fret with a narrower tang. Just a thought. Possibly you could refret the whole neck with a fret that has a narrower tang then use your truss rod to reduce the relief.
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:08 pm
by tippie53
If you can't get a new tang you can open the slot
good idea there Darryl
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:07 pm
by Tom West
Herman : With the one way rod when you flatened your fingerboard I wonder if you put a back bow in the neck before flatening? This helps to ensure you have some adjustment after fretting.
Tom
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:20 pm
by tippie53
What Tom said. You can try this
Adjust the truss rod so you have about .007 gap at the first fret with a straight edge on the the neck. Then dress the frets flat and true and redress . This will allow you some forward movement if you back off the rod and that will get you more adjustment.
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:30 pm
by Herman
Thanks guys.
Since the neck is very nice on the fretwork and finish, I do not consider pulling out some frets now. I'll give the neck some months to setttle and see from there. Time cures a lot of things you know. The guitar is quite easy to play and better then most guitars from a store, but it still could be a little better with some relief. At the moment Johns' suggestion to level the frets with a backbowed neck is the most appealing method to me now.
I'll let you know what will happen.
Herman
Re: No neck-relief, what to do?
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 4:14 pm
by Darryl Young
If you try it, update us how well it worked.