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Last night when I was working at setting the string height on a guitar I built last year, I noticed that there was a big difference (like over 1/16") difference in string height at the 6th (E) string between my preview of string height with just the one string and all six strings up to pitch. Common?

It seemed as if string tension not only pulls in some relief, it also lifts the nut end of the neck. Makes sense after thinking a bit. Any suggestions as to coping with this before fully stringing up?

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Peter Havriluk

Yep, it’s common. That’s what makes compression fretting challenging.

To cope with it just set the truss rod for the proper relief after it is strung up.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

^^^ What Steve said. ^^^

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

If this is an acoustic, you will see some « top rise » under tension, which will raise the height at the 12th. It’s not just about the neck.


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Thanks, I hadn't considered the rise in the top from tension. Everything's moving...

I recall reading a quote from a WWII general to the effect that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. With guitar setup we can measure and adjust till the cows come home, and after string tension is applied we find out how that particular instrument under that amount of tension behaves which is very likely not the same as another instrument under the same tension. Please pass the wine bottle.

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Peter Havriluk

Yep that's why all adjustments should always be tuned to pitch (in the tuning used most often) and anything we do that alters this tuning should be followed with a quick retune as we continue to make adjustments. It's all connected and when I move a saddle back I may change the pitch of the note which may flatten or increase relief, etc, etc.

I do a lot of set-ups, did 15 this week and I retune perhaps 10 - 15 times while working on a single guitar.

Learn something new and surprising every day. Especially us amateurs.

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Peter Havriluk