I think it's a good idea to check the neck to see if it's straight. Simon generally knows better but I check the neck to see that it's straight, then check the bridge height. For me, no gluing happens without lots of measuring and testing.
You'll need something like this...which is also really useful for doing the setup later. Of course if you are a cheapskate like me, you'll buy a cheap aluminum straight edge from a big box store and notch it yourself with a file or an abrasive blade saw... ;-)