Don't all guitars have straight necks? The answer is usually yes, but the real question is will they stay that way?

Since its inception, the acoustic guitar had a major design flaw. The fretboard lacked sufficient support to remain truly straight because of top movement caused by changes in humidity. All guitars experience this phenomenon—often resulting in a slight bump at the 14th fret—but not all guitars respond to it in the same way.

In Figure 1 (right), notice that the NT Neck is built from a continuous piece of wood that supports the ebony fretboard all the way up to the 19th fret. Traditional necks lose that support at the 14th fret, relying instead on a "floating", unsupported fingerboard extension that's glued directly to the constantly-moving top. As a result, other necks may bend, literally hinging at the 14th fret. But the NT neck remains perfectly straight and stable.

Figure 2 (right) shows the NT Neck's custom-fit pocket that's inset with laser-cut spacers. There's a perfect neck angle for each Taylor, and our precision spacers create it. We're talking about measurements in the thousandths of inches, assuring that the Taylor neck is straight, the action is where it's supposed to be, and the intonation is accurate.

Adjustability is another major NT advantage. Since the NT Neck angle is created by spacers and requires no glue, adjustment simply requires a repairperson with a new set of spacers and about five spare minutes. Altering the neck angle of a traditional neck assembly could require invasive surgery to remove wood and relocate the bridge.

The bottom line: The NT Neck means a stable, easy-to-adjust neck that stands up to the pressures all acoustic guitars face.