Quote:
Originally Posted by redir
It's an age old builders trick. I guess coming from the perspective of building a guitar, i.e. it's never had strings on it yet. In determining the proper neck angle you lay a straight edge across the fretted fretboard to the exact location of the saddle and measure that distance and set it so that the height is about 1/32nd inch over your target bridge height and to achieve the goal of getting about 1/2in string height over the soundboard at the bridge.
So I use that same method when repairing guitars as well. Just try it anyway and it will be an interesting experiment. Take the string tension all the way off and do the straight edge test. If it's now flush with the bridge or even a hair higher then imho you have a perfect thing going on, a responsive top. Most guitars are overbuilt so you hardly see any change under string tension.
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That makes sense. I have tried that experiment with a newish Taylor vs. a '70s Japanese lightly built all-lam that needs a reset and has a little belly, both with flat fretboards (to compare). Taylor GC (short scale light strings) moved a hair more than 1/64, while the all-lam (long scale light strings) moved a full 1/32. I concluded the all-lam was more lightly built, or its neck was weaker from being strung for 45 years, couldn't be sure which one. Or, it could also have been the longer scale applied more force to the all-lam. These observations are why I ask so many questions - too much to know meets lots of variables!