Neck twist - how much is normal?

I wanted to post a pic of the neck-twist scene for 'Exorcist,' but after Googling the pics they scared me too badly to do it.

As many times as I have watched them set necks at Custom, I have never seen them check to see if the headstock is level/square/plum or whatever you want to call it with the body. I have always seen them check the relationship of the fretboard to the body. Sighting up or down the neck, if the headstock is at a different angle than the fretboard, it may give the appearance that the neck is twisted when it is actually not. The plek should make the fretboard square with the body and will not take into consideration that the headstock may be a few degrees off. Just looking at the nut and headstock can be misconceiving as the depth of the strings cut into the nut give the appearance of it being crooked. Other than the plek, these are all hand made and not cookie cutters like some other manufacturers and the angles can be off due to sanding or adjusting. A twist that develops over time should be noticeable in the action/setup. You can drive yourself nuts with these things. Photos are too hard to judge because depending on the lens used, if it is a wide angle, normal or telephoto, the straight lines will be bent at different degrees and not true. (I used to teach photography way back in the "film" days)

If you have an excellent luthier, he will know. If you don't have a good relationship with a luthier, try to get 3 or more in-hand opinions and see what the majority says.

Tommy Tourbus said:

... I've looked at it so many times, I'm not sure what I'm seeing anymore. Not sure if I'm dealing with a twisted corkscrew, or just a tilted headstock with a straight board, or something in-between :##

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I know the feeling, I had the same thing with a 2013 R9, something was up but I just couldn't figure it out and was beginning to see double every time I checked the neck angle again. Eventually I figured out it had a lopsided headstock, probably confused the guy setting the neck and also the plek machine, but it sounds great and plays well with low action..

I imagine the bass strings exert much more stress on the neck and headstock than the treble strings do, thus causing the headstocks to twist a bit.

27sauce said:

My '07 was twisted and it took me 4 years to notice, it played great. I also had an '04 that was twisted, but I was able to correct it. I took the strings off,and let off the truss rod for about a week. After setting back up, it was corrected.
Heres the '07 on a flat surface.

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My new 2018 60' Historic has the same twist, just like all my other guitars acoustic and electric. May have something to do with the truss rod under tension.

GeetarGoul said:

I imagine the bass strings exert much more stress on the neck and headstock than the treble strings do, thus causing the headstocks to twist a bit.

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Strings generally have the same relative tension regardless of gauge.

Victory Pete said:

Strings generally have the same relative tension regardless of gauge.

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My relatives all cause tension. Regardless of age...

I think the truss rod twists as it is tightened. When you finish tightening it this twist wants to settle back and forces the neck to twist the opposite way.