Neck Relief Measurement on Strats

mrn1625 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:16 pm **Posts:** 2

Regarding the Tech Talk article "How to Measure Neck Relief", am I to depress the high E string at the last fret (21st), or the 17th fret, as they are both mentioned? Also, how do I know the neck radius on my 1964 Strat. Thanks

T2Stratman · **Posted:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:52 pm

Not sure which articles you are referring too? But I have always used the 17th fret...that is the way I was taught. Your 64 will have a radius of 7.25 as do all vintage stratocasters...unless you have had a fret job, then it could be flatter.

T2

mrn1625 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:16 pm **Posts:** 2

No fret job, it's an original stock 64
Thanks for the reply

mrn1625

Ceri · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:27 pm

Hi mrn1625: check relief on the bottom E string. Capo it at the first fret and also fret it at the last fret; that'll be the 21st fret on a '64 Strat. Then measure the gap between the underside of the string and the top of the eighth fret.

If you find it tricky accurately measuring that gap because the string moves a bit you can also simply lay a two foot steel ruler edge on along the fingerboard so that it runs from first to last fret. Using feeler gauges or a smaller rule calibrated in 64ths of an inch it is then easy to take the measurement beneath the rigid edge of the long rule.

No hard and fast laws, but on a 7.25" radius neck like yours a gap of around 0.012" / 0.3mm is a good starting point for relief. Some books may suggest slightly different measurements, but they'll be close.

Any help?

Cheers - C

T2Stratman · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:50 pm

Ceri wrote:

Hi mrn1625: check relief on the bottom E string. Capo it at the first fret and also fret it at the last fret; that'll be the 21st fret on a '64 Strat. Then measure the gap between the underside of the string and the top of the eighth fret.

If you find it tricky accurately measuring that gap because the string moves a bit you can also simply lay a two foot steel ruler edge on along the fingerboard so that it runs from first to last fret. Using feeler gauges or a smaller rule calibrated in 64ths of an inch it is then easy to take the measurement beneath the rigid edge of the long rule.

No hard and fast laws, but on a 7.25" radius neck like yours a gap of around 0.012" / 0.3mm is a good starting point for relief. Some books may suggest slightly different measurements, but they'll be close.

Any help?

Cheers - C

Ceri...thanks for correcting me...after reading your post I reread mine and I said 17th fret! I can only laugh at myself :lol:

...Guess I should have read my post after typing it. Thanks, I am sure the OP appreciated it!

At least I reread this post before and correctly typed this time that it should be the 21st fret! Well at least I got the neck radius right! :lol:

T2

Ceri · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:09 am

T2Stratman wrote:

Ceri...thanks for correcting me...after reading your post I reread mine and I said 17th fret!

Hi T2: not correcting you in the slightest. Like me and lots of others no doubt, you were just temporarily mixing up relief and action. Action is indeed measured at the 17th - so easy to say one when we mean the other!

Cheers - C

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