How do i check my guitar neck relief?

Question

im worried that i have too much relief..b/c when i play the high e, b, g strings, i get buzz.

Answer 1

with your strings on the guitar and tuned up to standard pitch, take a long straight edge and lay it inbetween your strings and let it rest flat on your frets. If it has a big gap in th middle of the straight edge and the fretboard, then you've got a problem. A very small gap is fine, but for the most part, you shouldn't have much of a gap at all.

If that checks out fine, then depending on your bridge type, you may need to raise the strings that are buzzing a little. Some bridges such as the Tune o Matic bridge, requires you raising all of the strings at once.

Another problem could be fret wear. After alot of playing, the frets will wear down, to the point that there isn't enough height left on the fret to allow the string to ring freely. This is a problem best left to the professionals. Refretting a neck is very hard, and one small mistake is the difference between a fixed neck and junk.

The last thing could be the nut. If the nut is cut too deep, then the strings will hit the fret and cause that buzz also.

Sounds like your best bet would be take it in to a shop. They usually don't charge too much, and if there is a major problem, they can advise you on what your best route to go would be.

Answer 2

I would suggest taking it in for setup,most need it at one time
or another for varous reasons.below is a summary

Many guitars, acoustic as well as electric, have adjustable Truss rods.
These adjustable rods control the amount of up-bend or back bow in the neck. This is
most often is referred to as a guitar's relief. Most guitars require minimal amount
of relief in the neck. Adjustments can be made to accommodate a players style
as well as changes in string gauge and humidity. The adjustments are made in
1/1000's of an inch and are done with the guitar in the playing position

Answer 3

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