Neck Relief and 594 and 24.5 inch scale length

[Colin Humphrey]

As above, as these are shorter than the normal 25, 251/4 and 251/2 inch scale length does anybody know what the neck relief at the 8th fret should be please ?

 

[Warmart]

I don't bother measuring, I set a very minimal relief with a 1st fret capo, hold the string down where neck and body meet until there's a little tap on the 7th/8th fret.

 

[Nozzle28]

As above, as these are shorter than the normal 25, 251/4 and 251/2 inch scale length does anybody know what the neck relief at the 8th fret should be please ?

Proper neck relief, like action height, is a personal preference. Scale length plays a part but so does string guage, tension placed on the strings by headstock and bridge brake angle, and playing style. If you are a light player you might get away with lower relief. Heavy-handed players might need a little more. A pretty standard range is .010" - .012". If you don't have a machinist ruler or a set of feeler gauges, I would use Warmart's technique and adjust from there to dial it in.

 

[Davey]

Colin,
Here is the PRS truss rod/neck relief settings
https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/e...058459-PRS-Double-Acting-Truss-Rod-Adjustment

And here is the setup guide
https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/e...y-specifications-for-my-U-S-PRS-guitar-setup-

These are factory specs, as stated above, you can adjust to personal taste.

 

[BrianC]

I prefer more relief. The needs to be balance between low action for ease and speed but more relief makes bends better.

Why you ask?? - when the action is very low the string you are trying to bend is being pushed by a smaller part of you finger than when the action is higher. Higher hits it closer to the middle than low. More meat of the finger on the bend. This has make MY playing better.

 

[László]

I prefer more relief. The needs to be balance between low action for ease and speed but more relief makes bends better.

Why you ask?? - when the action is very low the string you are trying to bend is being pushed by a smaller part of you finger than when the action is higher. Higher hits it closer to the middle than low. More meat of the finger on the bend. This has make MY playing better.

I'm glad you mentioned this. Sometimes a really low action actually makes a guitar harder to play - for some players.

At a clinic before Robben Ford was playing PRS, we were talking about action, and he handed me his guitar. Though he set it way higher than I would, he said he found he sounded and played better with a higher action.

I've discovered that the PRS factory spec is about right for me. I've had my dealer set them up occasionally with lower action/strighter neck, and found I was a bit better off the way they came, and for the very reason you mention.

 

[Colin Humphrey]

I prefer more relief. The needs to be balance between low action for ease and speed but more relief makes bends better.

Why you ask?? - when the action is very low the string you are trying to bend is being pushed by a smaller part of you finger than when the action is higher. Higher hits it closer to the middle than low. More meat of the finger on the bend. This has make MY playing better.

Yep but that is dependant on fret height !

 

[Colin Humphrey]

Colin,
Here is the PRS truss rod/neck relief settings
https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/e...058459-PRS-Double-Acting-Truss-Rod-Adjustment

And here is the setup guide
https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/e...y-specifications-for-my-U-S-PRS-guitar-setup-

These are factory specs, as stated above, you can adjust to personal taste.

Yes the PRS guide varies , 10 thou in top illustration and then bottom specs anywhere between 4.7 thou and 9.34 thou if you convert the figures, also seen PTC video guide where the guy says between 5 and 10 thou then says I set at 7 thou at 8th fret ! OK I am nit picking but can make a big difference how the guitar plays and I am not talking about action, that is another subject !