# Can any neck be straightened?



## evml (Jan 26, 2016)

My girlfriend has an Art and Lutherie Folk acoustic guitar (http://www.artandlutherieguitars.com/folkspruceburg.html) with a pretty warped neck. As a result the action is terribly high and it's a pain to fret anything. Is it possible to get the neck straightened, or is it too late? Also, on a guitar like this, is it an easy ordeal to have the action lowered (in case, say, I get the neck fixed and it's still a bit rough on the left hand)? I ask because I played another Godin acoustic (Norman something, b15 or 18 I think) and it played beautifully, i.e. it was no problem to do some lead stuff, and yet still projected well.

Basically I'm wondering if I should buy a new one or put money into fixing this one. Any help?

Thanks!


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

Welcome to the Forum! Most necks can be straightened. A bowed neck can usually be made straight (flat) by adjusting the truss rod. However, from what you describe, there maybe more wrong. Over time, a lot of acoustic guitar necks pull up and the top of the body sinks, causing very high action. The cure for this is called a "neck reset" and it is a fairly major operation that requires removing the neck from the body.
The best way to tell what you are facing is to find a straight edge of some kind long enough to go all the way down the guitar neck. Resting it on the top of the neck, you'll be able to see any bow in the neck. If your neck has little bow and you still have high action, slide the straight edge down the neck towards the bridge. The line of the frets should hit somewhere near the top of the bridge. If it hits the base of the bridge or the body of the guitar before the bridge - you need a neck reset.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I had a les Paul with a slightly twisted neck. Quite expensive repair, remove frets....shave neck to flat...refret. There will come a point of no return, where its unfixable, of course. Likely not worth it on an inexpensive guitar.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)




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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I would make sure the guitar is humidified properly at somewhere between 40 and 50 % for about a month, then see what the neck looks like after that. My EPI was super twisted and dry, my luthier suggested humidification and the neck is almost perfect after being humidified.


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