ES 335 uneven neck relief?

[jimb0]

Purchased a used 335 from GC, and it looks like the neck relief on the bass side is about 1.5-2mm more than on the treble side (centered around the 12th fret). It plays well, but the low E action is somewhat high compared to the rest of the strings - looking for advice on whether to return it within the window or keep it and play the fool out of it.

 

- Jimbo

[Les Paul Lover]

1.5 to 2mm is a huge variance.

What was your technic for measuring the neck relief?

 

 

I expect that if it's the case, the neck is twisted - perhaps something you can even see looking at it upward from the bridge.

 

If that's the case, I would return it. Might be the reason why someone decided to part exchange at a guitar centre....

 

If it sounds incredible, it isn't necessarily terminal - a clever fret dress adapted to the actual curve of the neck can keep it playing really well, as well as adjusting the nut accordingly.

[jimb0]

1.5-2mm is probably overstating it - here's how I came to that conclusion:

 

Sighting the neck on the bass side indicates some relief, sighting the treble side doesn't. This is complicated by the binding, frets, etc having some variance so the amount of relief is probably an illusion.

 

However

 

Capo at the 1st fret, holding the 15th (or somewhere there about) and checking relief around the 7th fret gives me about a sheet of paper's thickness on the treble side (maybe a little less), and more than a business card on the bass side.

 

So the actual variance is probably closer to .5mm - 1mm

 

Sighting the neck flat and looking at the shadow of the frets indicates a 'scoop' if you will, on the bass side with the max depth around the 12th fret.

 

Edit: I should add that the neck doesn't appear twisted - if anything there's a mild warp, headstock angle looks good.

[badpenguin]

Adjust the truss rod, and see if there is a difference. To a point, there may be a slight difference between the lower and higher strings, but that much of a difference, doesn't sound right. That being said, if it feel good in your hands, I wouldn't worry too much.

[DeepEnd]

On a typical Gibson hollowbody or semi-hollow, you can capo the strings at the 1st fret and hold them down at the 15th. There should be relief equal to or less than the thickness of a sheet of paper at the 7th fret on both sides. (http://www.gibson-talk.com/forum/es-sential-hollowbodies/15130-gibson-factory-set-up-specs.html.) If a quick tweak of the truss rod doesn't fix the problem, I'd return the guitar.

[jimb0]

Issue wasn't the truss rod - propping the guitar at an angle, and then observing it from 5-8ft away revealed an obvious twist in the neck. Returning it this weekend.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

[DeepEnd]

Issue wasn't the truss rod - propping the guitar at an angle, and then observing it from 5-8ft away revealed an obvious twist in the neck. Returning it this weekend.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

Sorry to hear it. Better luck next time.

[Les Paul Lover]

One of my Friends has a 70s Stratocaster with a slightly twisted neck.

As mentioned in my post above, a careful fret levelling made it playable again.

Mind you, I don't think the twist was that bad.

[badpenguin]

Issue wasn't the truss rod - propping the guitar at an angle, and then observing it from 5-8ft away revealed an obvious twist in the neck. Returning it this weekend.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

You can see a subtle neck twist from 8 feet away?????

[Freeman Keller]

Micrometer eyes.