No radious, flat necks. What do you think?

[edpal]

IT's the Jerzy Droz thing - he has the flat fingerboards. What's that like, anything it helps or hinders.?

[FrednBass]

I guess that some people think is better and others think is worst; you have to try it and see for yourself to come to a conclusion.
There's no definitive answer.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by edpal

IT's the Jerzy Droz thing - he has the flat fingerboards. What's that like, anything it helps or hinders.?

Had Drozd for a short while. Nice, unique instruments.

Nothing 'good or bad' about the flat board (and it is flat... feels like an infinite radius). Many who play a lot above the 12th fret like a flatter board for, I assume, a very consistent feel up there, and ease of chording, etc.

The entire Drozd neck, at least the stock necks that I've played on the 5 or 6 Drozd's that I played over at Dan Lenard's shop (Luthier's Access Group), were unique and felt very different than any other neck I've ever experienced. As you point out, the completely flat board, combined with a rather wide spacing at the nut, and an unusaul 'ramp' type feel to the back of the neck (think of one of those very chunky P Bass necks with the back of the neck sanded to be flat, like a 'thumb ramp'. Very different feeling neck.

Nothing 'good or bad' about it, but it is different. I had not issue getting used to it, but was moving more and more toward a more traditonally sound, look and feel for my basses. The Drozd was my last gasp at 'hippie sandwich' before I gave that all up.

[kevteop]

I've only ever played one but the neck on that felt a bit like a classical guitar.

[DiabolusInMusic]

I think I would love to try one... especially a Drozd.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by DiabolusInMusic

I think I would love to try one...

Me too. I like flatter radius boards. Super flat would be cool!

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

Me too. I like flatter radius boards. Super flat would be cool!

For me it's odd. On a guitar flat is best, in fact, necesary because I play with a bottleneck slide. So I'm used to flat necks.

And then I decided to order a bunch of pre-radiused fingerboard ebony stock for future use before the supply shut down. And the question came up: "What radius"? So I had to go through all may basses measuring the curvature and then trying to decide what I thought. Much to my surprise, I like my Alembic with the 10" radius best. But comparing to my other basses which were mostly 12" or 15" I decided that while it felt comfy, I really didn't want to go with that much curve and decided to stick with the more traditional 12 or 15. I have a 7 string that is nearly flat and I feel like it would be better with a bit of a curvature, but the flat neck doesn't drive me insane or anything.

As for a Jerzy Drozd, I'd take one of those flat neck or otherwise!

[millsbass5]

I like a playing on a flatter board, but I'd love to try a completely flat radius neck. I think I'd like it.

[Nahguavkire]

I've just finished epoxy coating my MIM fretless Jazz fingerboard and I refinished it with a flat fingerboard. Absolutely no radius whatsoever. I love it.

[Rockin Mike]

I imagine a flatter board would make string bending easier. My left hand fingers point slightly upward where they meet the fretboard. Radius makes the fretboard under the lighter strings more perpendicular to my fingers. If it were flat my fingers would tend to push the strings up out of tune more easily... once I got used to that I imagine I would like it. Bending is fun.

That's an educated guess, I never played a flat board.

Torzal seems an interesting concept to me.

[mark roberts]

I had an extended range bass with a flat fretboard. If all I played were flat boards, I might get used to it. But, I prefer a radius. Over the wide boards of an extended-range bass, I feel it is a more natural for fretboard finger placement to have a bit of radius. I suppose there may be plenty of arguments otherwise based upon playing format/style, but I will play a "personal preference" card here. To each, their own.

[Musiclogic]

I have found there to be little difference for me personally. I never liked the higher arc fretboards like 7-9-10-12, the always made me fight the neck. I have had many people in my shop play my 5 with the flat fretboard, and probably 60% or so liked the flat fretboard. I really think it's something each player has to approach with an open mind and give it a try.

[Mojo-Man]

A neck may feel different, but after playing it for say half an hour. You ajust. It's a personal thing.

[MAJOR METAL]

I love necks with flat backs.

[D.M.N.]

Personally I don't really dig flat boards. It's probably mostly due to the fact that all my basses have been 7.25" radius, but that's what feels natural to me. Flat boards just feel awkward, I'm not even a fan of the 9.5" radius on Fender standards. But, it's a personal choice, I understand that some people aren't fans of radiused boards.

Not really sure about the claim that flatter boards facilitate easier note bending, I think that has more to do with finger strength, as I have no problem note bending on my vintage radius necks.