Fret board radius

[P Town]

My Fender Am Dlx P and J have compound radius necks. I don't really notice a difference (compared to my older Fender J) while playing them.

[Kmonk]

I have never thought much about the radius. If I like the way the bass feels and plays, I buy it. I have an American Deluxe Jazz that has a 9.5 radius and an Alembic that has a 12. They both feel great.

[Mind Eroded]

this is an interesting topic and something ive only recently began to take a real notice of after 10+ years of playing. I've noticed that the neck of my stingray is alot flatter than the neck on my MIM jazz...I realized the Jazz neck is alot more comfortable in my hands...

does anyone happen to know the neck radius of the mid 2000's MIM jazzes? I always get confused concerning the fender labeling "A, B,C," etc necks..please excuse my ignorance

[Green1]

My Nordy has a compound radius 12-20. It seems flat and is a super comfy neck

[Immigrant]

Are flatter fingerboards more common on extended range basses? My five string has a 20" radius board and it seems easier to reach the lower strings with my smallish hands.

Is easier reach and lack of bent notes fretting out the main reasons for flat boards?

[Calaverasgrande]

I like the more vintage radius. On the more curved neck I feel like I know where my hand is better by feel. On flatter fretboards it seems kid of arbitrary to me. All of the fretting positions feel the same. So I look at my hands, and I consciously think about what I am playing more. Which I happen to think is a bad thing.

[abarson]

Originally Posted by THORRR

OOooooooooKaaaaaaayyyyyyy. . . . .
I thought I couldn't be clearer.

Let me try and do better for you . . .

You know how a wooden barrel is made up of slats of wood all held together by metal straps?

Well the fingerboard is like one of those slats.

HowZat?

It follows the curve of the outside of the barrel.
If the barrel is 24" across, then 1/2 that distance is the radius measurement. A 24" barrel = a 12" radius
and that would be the designation given to that fingerboard with that amount of curve.

See?

Possibly what MD was asking is how would you measure the radius of an existing fretboard, such as the one in the picture?

[Immigrant]

Originally Posted by abarson

Possibly what MD was asking is how would you measure the radius of an existing fretboard, such as the one in the picture?

Trial and error.

1) Blow up a balloon to 15" diameter
2) Soak a string with Elmer's Glue and wrap around balloon
3) Let it dry; deflate balloon
4) Snip a section and lay it on fretboard
5) Try again with a different diameter balloon if necessary


Most idiotic answer possible.


Edit: I just Googled "fretboard radius chart" and there was a few downloadable images to print out. That would give someone a ballpark idea of their existing radius.

I'm sure someone with brains will have a correct mathematical answer.

[Munjibunga]

Dunno. Don't pay much attention to it.

[tjh]

Originally Posted by Mind Eroded

this is an interesting topic and something ive only recently began to take a real notice of after 10+ years of playing. I've noticed that the neck of my stingray is alot flatter than the neck on my MIM jazz...I realized the Jazz neck is alot more comfortable in my hands...

does anyone happen to know the neck radius of the mid 2000's MIM jazzes? I always get confused concerning the fender labeling "A, B,C," etc necks..please excuse my ignorance

if you mean 2000 MIM Standards, they are more than likely 9.5" FB radius ...

.. the A, B and C neck sizing was referring to the nut width ...

[The Birdman]

I've found that I prefer the 9.5" radius fretboard of the Fender MIM and MIA Standard models. I've had the 50's Classic P and the 70s Classic J, and I got rid of them because I didn't get on with the 7.25" fretboard.

Roger

[The Birdman]

If one would like a gauge to measure your fretboard radius:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...us_Gauges.html

There's a simple plastic gauge that comes with this book, also:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_p...ay_Great!.html

Roger

[Mind Eroded]

Originally Posted by tjh

if you mean 2000 MIM Standards, they are more than likely 9.5" FB radius ...

.. the A, B and C neck sizing was referring to the nut width ...

thanks. kinda knew that the neck sizing referred to nut width but also thought it had to do with radius aswell

[VerryBerry]

Originally Posted by The Birdman

If one would like a gauge to measure your fretboard radius:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting...us_Gauges.html

There's a simple plastic gauge that comes with this book, also:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Books,_p...ay_Great!.html

Roger

To add to this, if you want a measurement aid real quick , you can go to http://www.tunemybass.com/bass_setup/ and download a pdf of 2 radius gauges and print them out on your own printer. Flimsy to use paper as a measuring device, I know, but it'll work just the same.

The pdf link is near the bottom of that page.

When you set up your printer to print the file, be sure that "Page Scaling" (in printer setup window) is set to "none". You don't want any resizing done by the printer driver which would change the accuracy of the paper gauges.

[vin*tone]

Originally Posted by oleskool

So what do you like for the radius on a fret board? Why do you like it?
Would the radius of a fret board make you say absolutely not to a bass? Why?

Yeah. 7.25". I much prefer vintage or reissue Fenders to flatter boards.

I have a 12"r STR 5 string (modern J Bacchus) but it just gathers dust.

[MD]

Originally Posted by abarson

Possibly what MD was asking is how would you measure the radius of an existing fretboard, such as the one in the picture?

Yes. Thank you! It really doesn't matter, was just curious.

[mongo2]

My basses have fingerboard radii that range from flat to 7.25" I don't really have a preference.

My DB and NS CR4M have a considerably smaller radius.