Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

[Diminished Triad]

I see this advertised with a few Fender guitars (and I'm sure others do too) but I've still not bought one or knowingly played such a guitar. Can you let me know the difference between rolled and non-rolled edges? Does binding on the neck soften the feel of sliding up and down the fretboard while playing chords or is it purely decorative? I'm not sure if both binding and rolled edges can happen on the same guitar, but would appreciate any information you can share about these features and what the real difference is in the feel and play of the guitar. Thanks!

 

[CTN]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

rolled edges are just smooth over edges on the wood between frets. It's so that when you're reaching over the edge of the fretboard, the base of your fingers, your palm, whatever, or your thumb if you reach over the top like Hendrix and a lot of those older players, you don't encounter a sharp edge on the wood, just a rounded over "rolled" edge.

Binding is made of pretty hard plastic, normally. It's probably just as hard as wood to your palm. Makes no real difference sliding up or down. It is decorative though. Depending on how it's installed in relation to the frets, it can also be used to cover the fret tangs, so you don't ever have to deal with the possibility of fret tangs poking out the side of the fretboard and tearing up your hand, on the off chance that your neck experiences some major shrinkage.

You could, I suppose, roundover the edges of the binding, but I haven't ever seen it.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

I tell you, it''s a gimmick.

 

[CTN]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

no, rolled edges do actually feel really nice and smooth.

But the huge upcharges and hype are stupid. It's just a little extra shaping of the fretboard.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

"Rolled edges" just means that the side edges of the fretboard are rounded over. You can definitely have rolled edges with binding. It's just rounded over binding instead of rounded over fretboard material.

FWIW, Musikraft does it on any neck for $25 extra. I can't see paying much more than that for it, since it is so easy to do yourself. I'm refinishing an all-maple Strat neck at the moment, and it was no chore at all to round over the edges a bit.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

I think its a similar process to rolled oats

 

[Archer250]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

no, rolled edges do actually feel really nice and smooth.

But the huge upcharges and hype are stupid. It's just a little extra shaping of the fretboard.

That's the thing. For all its hype and upcharge, it doesn't feel all that different. At least to my hand, but then again I'm that guy who prefers vintage specs to modern ones.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

Rolled fretboard edges don't count for much if the fret ends are not also filed smooth with the sharp edges rounded off.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

I think its a similar process to rolled oats

View attachment 57245

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

Rolled fretboard edges don't count for much if the fret ends are not also filed smooth with the sharp edges rounded off.

Yep. Or, you can take the stoic route and let your fret hand wear down metal fret ends. Because that's so quick and painless.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

Yep. Or, you can take the stoic route and let your fret hand wear down metal fret ends. Because that's so quick and painless.

I prefer to speed up this natural process by wearing a gauntlet (vintage, of course).

 

[CTN]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

That's the thing. For all its hype and upcharge, it doesn't feel all that different. At least to my hand, but then again I'm that guy who prefers vintage specs to modern ones.

don't you also play with 1 mile high action?

It does feel different. I guess you need to have your senses tuned into minute details, but if you're tuned into it, it does make a big difference.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

don't you also play with 1 mile high action?

It does feel different. I guess you need to have your senses tuned into minute details, but if you're tuned into it, it does make a big difference.

Hey, it's just 2.5-3mm at the last fret! (And .010 relief)

Then again, I don't really play with my thumb "over" the neck as much as ON the neck shelf with the rest of it overhanging (but not touching) the edge.

 

[CTN]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

i never play with my thumb over the neck.

but with rolled edges on the low side that my fingers/palm are in contact with from time to time, makes a difference, trust.

What I'm saying is that some places make a big deal of rolled edges like it's some painstaking art that has been developed over the course of thousands of years, handed down from one artisan to another, by vellum manuscripts, delicately inscribed with the blood of sacrificial emus, closely guarded secrets of the magii from the Atlantean forefathers, so you can play guitar better.

BS.

It's just a simple roundover. You can literally do an entire neck in about 5 minutes with a screwdriver shaft or if you want to actually remove wood instead of pressing it in, use a razor blade, but either way, it takes no time, little effort, and relative consistency can be achieved with a minimum of specialized training or measurement using some sort of round-over gauge.

 

[Archer250]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

It's just a simple roundover. You can literally do an entire neck in about 5 minutes with a screwdriver shaft or if you want to actually remove wood instead of pressing it in, use a razor blade, but either way, it takes no time, little effort, and relative consistency can be achieved with a minimum of specialized training or measurement using some sort of round-over gauge.

Yeah I actually did that to my no.2, but that's partly because I did a hack scallop job on it.

Anyway, if you are of the belief that it makes a noticeable difference, then more power to you

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

The bangkok scallop is never a good idea bruz.^

Its a way of making a new neck feel more played in.

 

[InbredJunk]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

I like the rolled edge. I have small hands and from time to time I use my thumb for those Stevie Ray type chords. It makes it a lot easier for me. And they are right, it doesn't take 5 minutes to do it. I just use bits of progressively finer grit sand paper after I dress the fret ends. Gives the frets a more rounded edge too.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

My old Music Man Sabre IIs have rolled edges, the first guitar I'd ever played set up like that. The old Deans had them too. It's a very nice comfort feature.

Bill

 

[uOpt]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

Old guitars tend not to have really sharp fretboard edges.

I like it, whether it is made with the neck or old age.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Guitar Necks - ROLLED EDGES

I can't form chords with my thumb over the neck. Classical training. My thumb remains firmly rooted to the apex of the neck.