Up bow

A neck that curves forward beyond the intended relief, so the middle of the string sits higher than it should and the instrument is hard to play in the lower positions.

The bowing is not a defect in the wood but a response to string tension, and the correct amount is a deliberate curve of a few thousandths of an inch because a string's vibration is widest at the middle of its speaking length. Too much of it, however, leaves an instrument that feels stiff and sounds slightly out of tune when fretted. Tightening the truss rod pulls the neck back and reduces it.

Example: a guitar whose action at the twelfth fret measures high while the neck looks curved is usually running too much relief,

Up bow

See also