Just bought the Stew-Mac Neck Relief Guage.. but?

[Surfthrees]

Hi Dan,
I just bought the Stew-Mac Neck relief guage. It sounded perfect as there are so many factors to consider when taking this reading...(especially for a layman like myself) However, most information on neck relief relates to the 7th, 8th frets... And the gauge only measures relief at the 5th fret on my archtop....?
Any suggestions on how the info I've found for the 7th/8th frets can translate to the 5th fret so that my "fool-proof" guage doesn't fool me? I'm not a pro obviously, and I'm trying to start out learning from existing published measurements so I know I'm in the right ballpark. Or do you not think this difference in frets relates to any significant amount...?
Thanks much for any info! :biggrin:
Aloha, Surfthrees

 

[davebc]

Now THIS sounds like a tool I need to drive my self crazy with.
I'm a certified fanatic and completley obcess over this stuff to the point
where I'll pay more attention to one of my "problem child" guitars than those that play perfectly.

Through the years I've learn to rely eyeing the neck, feeler guages, and personal taste(a fairly straight neck with only slight relief)

That being said, Dan's refret, nut and saddle work on one of my Les Pauls, was the MAJOR wake up on those critical other factors.
So is owning a couple of newer "plecked" Gibsons, which have created a new benchmark for perfection.

From reading Dan's books I concluded (and I could be wrong) that relief at the 7th and 8th fret was the most important.
At least that's what works best for me.

Can't help you with the archtop. Buy yourself a set of feeler guages and the straight edge that Dan recommends for this application. Learn to trust your eye.

And, I'll buy that tool and REALLY make myself crazy!

 

[bigtomrodney]

Buy yourself a set of feeler guages and the straight edge that Dan recommends for this application.

I had feeler gauges on my list of things to buy for a long time. I went and bought a full set of nut files about a month ago and realised after an hour or so that they cover off some of the functionality for me....ten files between 0.01 and 0.056. Not too bad for MacGuyver jobs :bike