I've seen the fender guide and many other guides from "Luthiers".

Capo the 1st Fret, then......

Fret last fret and check above 8th (Fender)

Fret Last fret and check above 10th (Frudau)

Fret 15th fret and check at 7th.

Fret 14th and check at 6th

etc....

Logic tells me it should differ based on the number of frets you have. Since my 2006 MiM is a 21 fret, shouldn't it be checked different than a 22 fret or 24 fret guitar?

Capo at the first fret, then fret the 17th fret (or the last fret, or at least where the neck joins the body). Now use your feeler gauge under the string at the 9th fret. Other than this, relief is all personal preference. Factory specs are explained in your owners manual. I set my guitars up by feel. You can feel when it's right and when it's not. I only measure to get a starting point if I have had the strings and/or bridge off for some reason or another. PS, I think you fret the 17th fret and check under the 9th to get the Fender factory specs with capo on the first fret

"First, check your tuning. Affix a capo at the first fret and depress the sixth string at the last fret. With a feeler gauge, check the gap between the bottom of the string and the top of the 8th fret—see the spec chart below for the proper gap."

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... etup-guide

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Bill

Hi Indyplumber: bluesky636 has given you the correct Fender method.

Beyond that, ask yourself what it is you're trying to find out? You want to know if and by how much the neck is bending forwards. So regardless the number of frets you need to run a straight line between the first and last frets and then see if there is a gap in the middle, which will indicate a front bow on the neck.

Fretting a string at the first and last gives an adequate straight line - and running a steel rule edge on along the frets is even easier and more accurate if you are using feeler gauges (because it can't bend as you slip the gauge under). Either way, you then need to measure at a fret in the middle of the neck: it doesn't matter whether that happens to be the seventh, the eighth or whatever.

The manufacturer's recommendation for what the gap should be will vary depending on things like the length of the neck, the scale length and such. Don't worry too much about that, just go by their numbers.

Cheers - C

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