Relief (music)

Relief, or profile, refers to the amount of curvature in the neck of a guitar or other similar stringed instrument. When the strings of a guitar vibrate, they vibrate in an elliptical shape. Thus, in order to allow for the best possible action, the neck of the guitar must have a slight curve to allow the strings to vibrate freely. If the relief is not set correctly, fret buzz can occur.

In order to allow for adjustable relief, a truss rod is installed in the neck of most guitars. Turning the truss rod screw changes the tension of the truss rod, and thus the relief of the neck. Novice players should not attempt this, as the guitar neck can easily be damaged or broken.