Best straight edge for checking relief? With fret notches or without?

[Balkan]

Thought I would buy a straight edge to help me check relief - don't trust my eye yet, and I have hard time measuring relief from the string bc the string always moves. I mean it works ok right now I think, but as I'm just starting to do my own setups I want a more idiot-proof method.

So . . . should I get a regular straight edge, or one with the fret notches that measures the fretboard directly? Also, how many inches long should the edge be (I'm using a regular size MM Stingray).

Thanks!

[DeanT]

Get this. It's the best $18.95 you'll ever spend.

[watspan]

Originally Posted by DeanT

Get this. It's the best $18.95 you'll ever spend.

Just got one--they are for setting string height, not neck relief if I understand correctly. You need an engineer's rule of 18" -24" I think.

[202dy]

Notched edges read the fingerboard. Flat edges read the frets. Both are handy. Notched straight edges are a great tool for diagnosing problems and setting up a neck for dressing the frets. But for setting relief the flat edge is the one you want.

[Balkan]

Thanks 202dy - any preference between 18" and 24" for a regular size bass?

And DeanT I'm definitely getting the string action thingy as well!

[202dy]

Length is personal preference. A long one can be helpful when looking at the entire neck. The shorter one is a bit easier to handle and has some advantages when trying to localize a problem. It doesn't really matter. The main thing is to choose one and stick with it. It makes it easier to see and understand measurements when you see them.

[dbcandle]

I'm just a humble hobbiest, but when I saw prices of $45-75 for a "precision straight-edge", I just picked-up a drywall square from Home Depot, and cut-off a 24" segment with a hack-saw, then filed the end a bit so it was smooth.

It is very light, and has a nice smooth finish that won't scratch the frets. Obviously not as precise as a precision tool, but more workable for me than fretting a string at the first/last frets.

[202dy]

That is a workable solution for determining relief. Most of the time. Depending on the aluminum straight edge and how well it is taken care of. If it is needed to do fret work it will not have the degree of accuracy that it needed. Most of the time. If you can lap the edge on something that you know is dead flat (which requires a precision straight edge to determine flatness) then you will be able to use it for fret work.

Don't drop it on the shop floor.

[dbcandle]

Originally Posted by 202dy

That is a workable solution for determining relief. Most of the time. Depending on the aluminum straight edge and how well it is taken care of. If it is needed to do fret work it will not have the degree of accuracy that it needed. Most of the time. If you can lap the edge on something that you know is dead flat (which requires a precision straight edge to determine flatness) then you will be able to use it for fret work.

Don't drop it on the shop floor.

I don't have any decent files, decent straight-edges, or any sort of neck jig, so I probably will go to a tech if I ever need any sort of fretwork leveling. I just wanted a little better way to diagnose my neck condition and even more, set the relief.

[Koeda]

Originally Posted by Balkan

Thought I would buy a straight edge to help me check relief - don't trust my eye yet, and I have hard time measuring relief from the string bc the string always moves. I mean it works ok right now I think, but as I'm just starting to do my own setups I want a more idiot-proof method.

So . . . should I get a regular straight edge, or one with the fret notches that measures the fretboard directly? Also, how many inches long should the edge be (I'm using a regular size MM Stingray).

Thanks!

Out of curiosity, are you using a capo to hold the string above the first fret while you measure?

[metalmariachi]

I use a 24” steel straight edge, it makes setting relief quicker, and makes a high or low fret show up.

MM

[Balkan]

Originally Posted by Koeda

Out of curiosity, are you using a capo to hold the string above the first fret while you measure?

Yeah, and then I hold down the string on the other end, but then I'm supposed to be able to just fit a credit card or whatever in the 7th fret, right? That's the part I find tricky because it's so easy to push the string up a bit when you wedge something in there, so I find it hard to make an exact measurement.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by Balkan

Yeah, and then I hold down the string on the other end, but then I'm supposed to be able to just fit a credit card or whatever in the 7th fret, right? That's the part I find tricky because it's so easy to push the string up a bit when you wedge something in there, so I find it hard to make an exact measurement.

There's no need for an "exact" measurement. If you can get the action low enough for your playing style, then the exact amount of relief is academic.

[momo]

If you are checking relief with a neck that is strung to tension, and you are sure the frets are decently leveled (on a newer stingray, I assume they would be), what you need is a set of feeler gauges. A good set is one of the best investments that a musician can make. You can find a good measure point to start with on the fender setup site, and then work from there. You will know when you are at the right relief point without having to worry if you are wedging it under the string.

A straightedge is more for checking the relief of a neck that is unstrung and getting ready to level the frets or fingerboard.

[Balkan]

Cool - I did order a set of feeler gauges last week, so I guess I'll just use those and not worry about the straight edge for now!

[202dy]

If you know where you live you know how to get home.

Exact measurements make for repeatable set ups. Makes life a lot easier during seasonal changes. It also makes for a keener awareness of fret wear. All in all, it is worth the small investment in time and tooling.