Fretboard radius and playability

[Binnerscot]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

...sounds awful.

I have a story for you...

I have two old Charvel Model A's, they sound the same....one had a bad truss rod nut (frozen). I replaced the neck with a Warmoth with SS frets. They still sound the same.

....and I have pretty good ears.

[Uk Ant]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

I'm a big fan of the flatter board, I just find them easier all round and allow me to play more fluidly (and I'm no shredder).
That said they can be more tiring for chord work, especially if you have the guitar hung low and don't chord 'properly'.

[robertkoa]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

I prefer 14 " Radius for easy bending and vibrato and for chords with true medium jumbos .

But it's all preference - everyone has different ideals for what they like.

Some guys can jump from guitar to guitar with way different Radii and neck sizes and scale lengths and not even care and still play just as well on either- which is pretty amazing to me- with all the technical stuff we're supposed to be able to do now days.

[Brown Note]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

the flatter the radius, the lower the action can go without fear of fretting out during bends. Jacksons have 12-16'' compound radius and can have ridiculously low action with zero fret buzz even with really heavy bends.

[Stratman]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

Thanks for all the replies guys. I had already looked into Warmouth. I'm LH and necks (and lets face it anything about guitars) are rare and therefore hard to find and try out.

Metalblaze - I agree with you....I have an Epi dot which is surprisingly good for bending and speed playing, despite being a 'blues-type' guitar.

Try contacting Tommy at USA Custom Guitars, better necks!

http://www.usacustomguitars.com/

[TimmyPage]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

I have trouble playing chords in the upper register on a guitar without an almost flat (12 or above) fretboard, and I like the feeling of slightly rounded out in the lower frets so I think I NEED a compound radius fretboard.

As for this discussion.. I play a big jazz box with a 16 radius, completely flat fretboard but a nice big U shape neck so it sort of balances out the comfort level.

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

I'm a big fan of the flatter board, I just find them easier all round and allow me to play more fluidly (and I'm no shredder).
That said they can be more tiring for chord work, especially if you have the guitar hung low and don't chord 'properly'.

Indeed, while I do shred, I'm not a Paul Gilbert or Jason Becker type guy where I play stuff where there's heap of shredding in a song. I'm mainly play rock and metal rhythms, and then also solo, and even so, I do find that big frets and a relatively big radius helps to make the playing more smooth and fluid.

I have trouble playing chords in the upper register on a guitar without an almost flat (12 or above) fretboard, and I like the feeling of slightly rounded out in the lower frets so I think I NEED a compound radius fretboard.

As for this discussion.. I play a big jazz box with a 16 radius, completely flat fretboard but a nice big U shape neck so it sort of balances out the comfort level.

12 inches isn't even close to flat bro Compare a 12 inch radius to a classical guitar, and the 12 inches is still really round.
16 inches is getting closer to flat, but again, still not as flat as you're making it out to be.
I have guitars with a 430mm radius (16.92 inches) and there is still a definite curve compared to a flat/infinite radius fretboard.
I'm like you too, I love how chords feel with a big radius far up the neck. I'm not a jazz player as such, but I'm always dabbling in chords outside the usual rock root 5, and 1 3 5 type stuff.

That all said, what guitar are you using>? Some sort of custom made axe?
I can't think of any production line jazz box that comes with a fretboard radius that big.

[Bludave]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

Thanks for all the replies guys. I had already looked into Warmouth. I'm LH and necks (and lets face it anything about guitars) are rare and therefore hard to find and try out.

Metalblaze - I agree with you....I have an Epi dot which is surprisingly good for bending and speed playing, despite being a 'blues-type' guitar.

http://www.southpawguitars.com/

Nuff said

[Bludave]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

I like the fell of a 9.5" radii. It feels very comfortable to me. I particularly like this radii with 11's

Anything lighter it feels well...... odd!

[AlexR]

Re: Fretboard radius and playability

http://www.southpawguitars.com/

Nuff said

Thanks, just on the wrong continent unfortunately. I'm downunder as well as backwards