Does a lower radius = higher action..???

[LightGroove]

Hello,

Im interested in picking up a new Stingray Classic from a fellow TBer. I love everything about the bass except the old 7.5" radius they are using. I havn't had a ton of experience with lower radius basses. Im coming from a Roscoe which I bel. is 16" or something like that and concerned that the action may jump up higher than I like. I like it really low and play 100% fingerstyle...dont mind a little buzz.

Can those of you with experience/preferences please share.

Thanks and Peace

[cassius987]

Radius has nothing to do with action. If you have a small radius, you match it with the bridge saddles, so each string has the same action. I have a 10'' radius bass with 1.5 mm action on each string at the 20th fret (from the wood not from the metal). The curvature of my saddles matches the curvature of the fingerboard.

[atheos]

No. You can adjust the action yourself.

[LightGroove]

To clarify... My ass-umption was such that the lower radius may have more of an arc...thus forcing the strings to sit a little higher.

[narud]

Originally Posted by LightGroove

To clarify... My ass-umption was such that the lower radius may have more of an arc...thus forcing the strings to sit a little higher.

as posted early, you just match the saddles to the radius of the board.

[LightGroove]

So what is the benefit/drawback to a lower radius....sorry for the ignorance... I also have limited access to try various basses out so can only ask questions now.

[iamthebassplayr]

Originally Posted by LightGroove

So what is the benefit/drawback to a lower radius....sorry for the ignorance... I also have limited access to try various basses out so can only ask questions now.

String bends, especially in the higher registers where there is more give to the strings, can 'fret out' and choke the sound, stopping the sustain. Other than that, I think it is more of a personal comfort thing. Some people like practically flat fretboards, others like a little more curve

[narud]

Originally Posted by LightGroove

So what is the benefit/drawback to a lower radius....sorry for the ignorance... I also have limited access to try various basses out so can only ask questions now.

comfort and preference. a vintage radius does choke out if you bend. but we play bass, how much bending do you really need to do my old fodera had an extremely flat board and that coupled with its wide width at the nut made first position very uncomfortable. the flatter radius in the upper register made chording and soloing nice, but actual bass playing in the lower registers painful.

the nordstrand jazz bass i have has a compound 9-14" radius which is a nice compromise. when your playing bass, it feels like it and when your up in the soloing range, the flatter radius is very comfortable