{"id":1728892,"date":"2017-04-13T19:55:04","date_gmt":"2017-04-13T19:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/?post_type=articles&#038;p=1728892"},"modified":"2022-08-10T13:55:29","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T13:55:29","slug":"guitar-setup-the-tap-test","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-the-tap-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Guitar Setup: The Tap Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-part-1-adjusting-the-truss-rod\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1734235\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Adjusting-the-Truss-Rod-Button-150x150.png\" alt=\"Adjusting the Truss Rod Button\" width=\"201\" height=\"101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Adjusting-the-Truss-Rod-Button-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Adjusting-the-Truss-Rod-Button-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Adjusting-the-Truss-Rod-Button-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Adjusting-the-Truss-Rod-Button.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-part-2-setting-action\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1734237\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Setting-Action-Button-150x150.png\" alt=\"Setting Action Button\" width=\"201\" height=\"101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Setting-Action-Button-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Setting-Action-Button-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Setting-Action-Button-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Setting-Action-Button.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-part-3-intonation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1734236\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Intonation-Button-150x150.png\" alt=\"Intonation Button\" width=\"201\" height=\"101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Intonation-Button-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Intonation-Button-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Intonation-Button-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/03\/Intonation-Button.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<p>Not sure if there\u2019s too much or too little neck relief on your electric guitar? The Tap Test will allow you to feel and see how much relief your neck has. Over time, you&#8217;ll be able to see this by simply sighting the neck but the Tap Test is fast and easy way to get an idea of what your neck is doing.<\/p>\n<h5 class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Performing the test<\/h5>\n<p class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Let\u2019s put what our eyes are seeing to the test. We\u2019ll do this by holding the guitar in playing position and creating a straightedge with\u00a0the low E-string, or, the highest string in relation to your body.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1729974\" style=\"width: 385px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1997.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1729974\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1729974\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1997-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Tap test without a capo\" width=\"375\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1997-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1997-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1997-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1729974\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Tap Test performed without capo.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"western\">Depress the strings at the first fret. You can do this with your hand or a capo.<\/li>\n<li>Next, depress a fret on the opposite end of the fretboard close to where the\u00a0neck joins the body. Use the pinky finger of your picking or strumming hand to do this. The string now acts as a straightedge. More on this later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1729975\" style=\"width: 385px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1996.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1729975\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1729975\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1996-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Tap test with capo\" width=\"375\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1996-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1996-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/MG_1996-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1729975\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Tap Test performed with capo.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"western\">Now, let\u2019s see how much or how little relief we have by extending our pointer finger to one of the frets in the middle of the neck. The mid point between your pinky and the first fret (usually around the 7th fret) will reveal the maximum amount of relief across the entire fretboard. Take a look\u00a0and see if there is any gap between the top of the 7th\u00a0fret and the bottom of the string. If you tap the string above the 7th\u00a0fret, can you hear the string click against the top of the fret?<\/li>\n<li class=\"western\">If the string doesn\u2019t click at all, you\u2019ll either have\u00a0a very straight neck, or, it could potentially be\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/media\/2017\/04\/too-little-relief.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">backbowed<\/a> as well. If you were experiencing\u00a0abnormal fret buzz on any of the lower frets near\u00a0the nut, this was likely the cause and you\u2019ll want to\u00a0loosen the truss rod in order to add some relief.<\/li>\n<li class=\"western\">If there is a barely visible gap between the fret\u00a0and the string, your truss rod may be set correctly\u00a0and there&#8217;s probably no need to adjust it -don\u2019t ruin a\u00a0good thing. Most players want a bit of neck relief to avoid fret buzz.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Over time you&#8217;ll get a feel for how much relief you prefer so don&#8217;t be afraid to experiment. For a more accurate measurement of relief you could get out a set of feeler gauges and check your manufacturer&#8217;s specs but what matters most is that your guitar is comfortable for you.<\/p>\n<h3><b>Helpful Links<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-part-1-adjusting-the-truss-rod\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guitar Setup Part 1: Adjusting the Truss Rod<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-part-2-setting-action\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guitar Setup Part 2: Setting Action<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-part-3-intonation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guitar Setup Part 3: Intonation<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-what-is-neck-relief\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guitar Setup: What is neck relief? <\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-how-much-string-buzz-is-normal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Guitar Setup: How much string buzz is normal? <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[54242,118696,117191,56884,81248,117553,81250,56883,58294,71445],"storecat":[],"itemids":[],"manufacturers":[33340,33357,33392,33439,33645,33750],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out the Guitar Setup: The Tap Test page at Sweetwater \u2014 the world&#039;s leading music technology and instrument retailer!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/guitar-setup-the-tap-test\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Guitar Setup: The Tap Test - SweetCare\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Not sure if there\u2019s too much or too little neck relief on your electric guitar? 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