10-16 radius neck setup
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Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
I found this on another forum, might help you out but otherwise I have no idea.
"Those gauges are meant to be used two ways. One, to check the radius on a neck as you plane the surface, or to identify the radius on an existing neck. The other use is as an under-string gauge. Assuming you have adjustable saddles, you can match the string heights to your neck. They really only get you close - you invariably have to tweak the saddles a bit to get things perfect. But, they do speed up setups a bit.
What you're asking to do is unusual. To answer your question directly, the 16" gauge is the one to use - under the strings. But, that's not going to flatten out your strum trajectory. If you want to do that, you're better off with the depth probe on a dial caliper, and adjusting the saddles using the body as a reference. It would be a weird setup, though. Your E, A, B and E strings will end up unusually high once you get the D and G strings set right.
Adjusting to the radiused neck usually isn't hard to do, and happens quickly and almost automatically because it's so much easier."
"I read on here from one of the W guys that with the 10-16 compound you ideally want your bridge to be 20."
I found this on another forum, might help you out but otherwise I have no idea.
"Those gauges are meant to be used two ways. One, to check the radius on a neck as you plane the surface, or to identify the radius on an existing neck. The other use is as an under-string gauge. Assuming you have adjustable saddles, you can match the string heights to your neck. They really only get you close - you invariably have to tweak the saddles a bit to get things perfect. But, they do speed up setups a bit.
What you're asking to do is unusual. To answer your question directly, the 16" gauge is the one to use - under the strings. But, that's not going to flatten out your strum trajectory. If you want to do that, you're better off with the depth probe on a dial caliper, and adjusting the saddles using the body as a reference. It would be a weird setup, though. Your E, A, B and E strings will end up unusually high once you get the D and G strings set right.
Adjusting to the radiused neck usually isn't hard to do, and happens quickly and almost automatically because it's so much easier."
"I read on here from one of the W guys that with the 10-16 compound you ideally want your bridge to be 20."
ErikH
Well-known member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
Ideal radius at the bridge is 18". I haven't seen an 18" radius so start with a 20" and then tweak from there.
Here's a good explanation of compound radius.
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/a-compoundradius.html
In summary, it's like a cone. Closer to the nut and it's rounder (tip of the cone). The further away from the cone, the flatter it gets (end of fretboard and finally the bridge). So, the bridge should be set flatter than the end of the fretboard.
Ideal radius at the bridge is 18". I haven't seen an 18" radius so start with a 20" and then tweak from there.
Here's a good explanation of compound radius.
http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Neck_relief,_building_and_repair/a-compoundradius.html
In summary, it's like a cone. Closer to the nut and it's rounder (tip of the cone). The further away from the cone, the flatter it gets (end of fretboard and finally the bridge). So, the bridge should be set flatter than the end of the fretboard.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
Word of advise...if the 1-16 radius neck you get comes from Warmoth you'll more than likely never get it set up with buzzes and rattles...
Word of advise...if the 1-16 radius neck you get comes from Warmoth you'll more than likely never get it set up with buzzes and rattles...
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
How many frets?
It probably ends up at 17.5 inch or so by the time it reaches the bridge.
How many frets?
It probably ends up at 17.5 inch or so by the time it reaches the bridge.
uOpt
Something Cool
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
I'd go for a 10" radius nut, and set up the bridge with a 16" radius as a starting point, and gradually go flatter until it is right.
I'd go for a 10" radius nut, and set up the bridge with a 16" radius as a starting point, and gradually go flatter until it is right.
Low_fidelity2100
New member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
It's difficult for sure, but not impossible. A trick I've discovered.....
Based on the compound radius = cone. Idea. You'd assume the bridge would need to be radiused somewhere around 18-20", and setting the saddle height that way, is "technically" correct. But has always lead to excessive buzzing for me. Especially with what's considered "normal" neck relief.
I've found that the real trick to getting a warmoth compound neck to play/feel like it should, is to completely ignore rules that apply to every other neck.
All of this needs to be done while the guitar is strung to pitch, plugged in, with a capo at the first fret, and set at whatever volume you play at most. If you're gigging, make it loud.
First thing to do is set the relief.
You're gonna need a lot of bow in the neck. With the string depressed at the first fret, and the 17th fret, you should be able to get a small section of whatever gauge low e string you're using, under the string at the seventh fret. (not giving exact numbers cause I've found it works best to just use whatever the low e is, as a feeler, and I don't really know why)...it'll seem like ALOT of bow, and it is alot....but it works out later on.
Then set the saddle height with the strings still depressed at the first fret (this is where the capo becomes helpful).
I normally start with 3/32" (at 12th fret) on every string. But sometimes it's best to just start at whatever height you have to be at, to stop the low e from buzzing.
Once you find the spot where the low e stops buzzing, measure, and set the height on every other string exactly the same.
Play every string, on every fret, up and down the entire neck, making sure to hit them about as hard as you would while strumming a chord. You're not looking for zero buzz, just zero buzz through the amp. (a tiny amount of buzz unplugged isnt horrible as long as it doesn't get amplified)
If a string buzzes, raise it.
Once you get it so every single string is no longer buzzing. Then you start adjusting for comfort. Alotta back and forth. Playing a string, lowering bit by bit until you find a buzz and then backing off tiny amounts till you get no more buzzing. Just goig back and forth, till you find the optimum height. (low enough to be comfortable, but high enough not to buzz, at Least not a noticeable amount.
You'll end up with a low E that is noticeably higher than the high e, and a radius at the bridge that is completely different from what it technically should be.
(Yes, most everything up till now is super obvious, and sorta just standard. Cept for the neck relief.)
Once you find the perfect height for each string, then, and only then, do you start removing relief from the neck (ie tightening the truss rod)...which has always seemed backwards to me (and is on any non-warmoth neck from my experience), but works best this way on warmoth necks for whatever reason.
Make a tiny turn, check every string at every fret for buzz, then make another turn, check again, etc... When the strings start buzzing through the amp, back off 1/8 of a turn.
Once you get it dead on, you should have relatively low action, zero buzz, and a easy to play neck.
And now is when you remove the capo from the first fret, and fine tune the string height at the nut. If all else was done right, once the nut is fine tuned, the neck should play just as well as it did with the capo in place, except for having even less buzz than before (if there was any), because the nut will be slightly higher than the string was fretted at the first fret.
The end. Haha
I know that was long. But that is literally the only way I've ever found to setup a warmoth compound neck, and have it feel right, and not buzz. Which is why i tend to steer clear of warmoth. Just too time consuming. But it works. I have no idea why it works. But always has for me.
It's difficult for sure, but not impossible. A trick I've discovered.....
Based on the compound radius = cone. Idea. You'd assume the bridge would need to be radiused somewhere around 18-20", and setting the saddle height that way, is "technically" correct. But has always lead to excessive buzzing for me. Especially with what's considered "normal" neck relief.
I've found that the real trick to getting a warmoth compound neck to play/feel like it should, is to completely ignore rules that apply to every other neck.
All of this needs to be done while the guitar is strung to pitch, plugged in, with a capo at the first fret, and set at whatever volume you play at most. If you're gigging, make it loud.
First thing to do is set the relief.
You're gonna need a lot of bow in the neck. With the string depressed at the first fret, and the 17th fret, you should be able to get a small section of whatever gauge low e string you're using, under the string at the seventh fret. (not giving exact numbers cause I've found it works best to just use whatever the low e is, as a feeler, and I don't really know why)...it'll seem like ALOT of bow, and it is alot....but it works out later on.
Then set the saddle height with the strings still depressed at the first fret (this is where the capo becomes helpful).
I normally start with 3/32" (at 12th fret) on every string. But sometimes it's best to just start at whatever height you have to be at, to stop the low e from buzzing.
Once you find the spot where the low e stops buzzing, measure, and set the height on every other string exactly the same.
Play every string, on every fret, up and down the entire neck, making sure to hit them about as hard as you would while strumming a chord. You're not looking for zero buzz, just zero buzz through the amp. (a tiny amount of buzz unplugged isnt horrible as long as it doesn't get amplified)
If a string buzzes, raise it.
Once you get it so every single string is no longer buzzing. Then you start adjusting for comfort. Alotta back and forth. Playing a string, lowering bit by bit until you find a buzz and then backing off tiny amounts till you get no more buzzing. Just goig back and forth, till you find the optimum height. (low enough to be comfortable, but high enough not to buzz, at Least not a noticeable amount.
You'll end up with a low E that is noticeably higher than the high e, and a radius at the bridge that is completely different from what it technically should be.
(Yes, most everything up till now is super obvious, and sorta just standard. Cept for the neck relief.)
Once you find the perfect height for each string, then, and only then, do you start removing relief from the neck (ie tightening the truss rod)...which has always seemed backwards to me (and is on any non-warmoth neck from my experience), but works best this way on warmoth necks for whatever reason.
Make a tiny turn, check every string at every fret for buzz, then make another turn, check again, etc... When the strings start buzzing through the amp, back off 1/8 of a turn.
Once you get it dead on, you should have relatively low action, zero buzz, and a easy to play neck.
And now is when you remove the capo from the first fret, and fine tune the string height at the nut. If all else was done right, once the nut is fine tuned, the neck should play just as well as it did with the capo in place, except for having even less buzz than before (if there was any), because the nut will be slightly higher than the string was fretted at the first fret.
The end. Haha
I know that was long. But that is literally the only way I've ever found to setup a warmoth compound neck, and have it feel right, and not buzz. Which is why i tend to steer clear of warmoth. Just too time consuming. But it works. I have no idea why it works. But always has for me.
Snake Aces
Singlecut Slut
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
Hmm, once i get back from vacation I will check mine. I play a Warmoth compund radius and set the string height individually using a precise ruler so I have not used a radius guage in years but I do have one so I can check to see what it's set at. As far as relief goes, I play mine at .004, which is almost straight, so no, a lot of relief is certainly not needed (and will only make you hate the set-up because it will feel stiff).
Hmm, once i get back from vacation I will check mine. I play a Warmoth compund radius and set the string height individually using a precise ruler so I have not used a radius guage in years but I do have one so I can check to see what it's set at. As far as relief goes, I play mine at .004, which is almost straight, so no, a lot of relief is certainly not needed (and will only make you hate the set-up because it will feel stiff).
jumble jumble
New member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
Do it by putting a capo at the first fret and then setting string height at about the 17th fret. This will give you a conical radius to match your fretboard.
Depending on whether you take 21 or 22 to be the point at which the fingerboard hits 16" radius, then your ideal bridge radius is either 18.54" or 18.34" respectively. Maths here:
http://www.jumbleguitar.com/2012/04/17/bridge-logic-revisited/
You can calculate the radius at various points along the guitar with this handy tool:
http://www.jumbleguitar.com/neckRadius.html
Do it by putting a capo at the first fret and then setting string height at about the 17th fret. This will give you a conical radius to match your fretboard.
Depending on whether you take 21 or 22 to be the point at which the fingerboard hits 16" radius, then your ideal bridge radius is either 18.54" or 18.34" respectively. Maths here:
http://www.jumbleguitar.com/2012/04/17/bridge-logic-revisited/
You can calculate the radius at various points along the guitar with this handy tool:
http://www.jumbleguitar.com/neckRadius.html
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
Why not just set it at the 21st or 22nd fret using a 16" radius gauge? Wouldnt this be more accurate than setting it at the bridge?
I ask this because I am trying to set up my tele with 10-16" neck from warmoth.
Why not just set it at the 21st or 22nd fret using a 16" radius gauge? Wouldnt this be more accurate than setting it at the bridge?
I ask this because I am trying to set up my tele with 10-16" neck from warmoth.
Rand-O-Monium
New member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
Yikes!!!
Yikes!!!
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
your ears and time are all you need. The intonation you can set with a tuner.
your ears and time are all you need. The intonation you can set with a tuner.
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
I have a Warmoth compound radius neck with a Schaller Floyd Rose. Honestly, I've never taken a ruler to it to set any of it up. The stock Floyd radius (14") feels fine on the 10"-16" radius, and it has the lowest action out of any of my guitars and it doesn't have any fret buzz whatsoever. It plays great, and I was worried about the compound radius at first, but really you just don't want to overthink it too much.
I have a Warmoth compound radius neck with a Schaller Floyd Rose. Honestly, I've never taken a ruler to it to set any of it up. The stock Floyd radius (14") feels fine on the 10"-16" radius, and it has the lowest action out of any of my guitars and it doesn't have any fret buzz whatsoever. It plays great, and I was worried about the compound radius at first, but really you just don't want to overthink it too much.
Archer_of_Fish
New member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
I have 3 guitars with the 10-16 from Warmoth and they dont buzz
I have 3 guitars with the 10-16 from Warmoth and they dont buzz
DinoTrousers
New member
Re: 10-16 radius neck setup
My advice is to try one of the compound radius necks if you can before you order one. And if you can't, try playing a Jackson or an Ibanez with a very flat radius at the top to see how you like it. A lot of people like them, but I could never get along with one.
My advice is to try one of the compound radius necks if you can before you order one. And if you can't, try playing a Jackson or an Ibanez with a very flat radius at the top to see how you like it. A lot of people like them, but I could never get along with one.
