Successful ones do. On new guitars, I set the neck so that the straightedge is about 0.035" above the top of the bridge, with no tension. That is with the straightedge on top of the frets, and a straight neck.
On resets (1400+ over the last 36 years), I compensate for the movement by taking action and saddle measurements before loosening the strings. With the strings loosened, I then take the straightedge measurement. The desired amount of action and saddle change are added to this unstrung straightedge measurement, which is my target. The target may or may not be right at the top of the bridge. That is why I always say that the straightedge measurement is not an absolute. It can (and often does) vary from one guitar to another.
Dovetail neck angles can be checked before gluing the neck in, since a well fitted dovetail joint will hold string tension without glue.
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