Acoustic Guitar Neck and Fingerboard
Standardization and Scale Length - The most important measurement of a guitar is it's scale length. The scale length measures the vibrating length of the string from the saddle to the nut. The standard scale length is 25 1/2 inches. There are guitars built around other scale lengths (fret-scale), but usually are fairly close to 25 1/2 inches. Guitars to avoid are 1/2 or 3/4 sized guitars. Thier shortened scale length causes the strings to "buzz" against the frets and makes tuning difficult.
Truss Rod - Virtually all new steel stringed guitars have an adjustable steel rod that runs the length of the fingerboard called the truss rod. This rod allows the luthier to adjust the neck for straightness. This is occasionally made necessary by seasonal changes in temperature or humidity. A guitar that can't be adjusted this way will likely have problems which lead to very costly repairs. In short. Don't buy a guitar that does not have a high quality, adjustable truss rod.
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