Anyone else not fond of 14"-16" radius fingerboards?

[A9X]

Nope. If all you've played is 4s set up like a Fender then you'll likely prefer a rounder one. I play mainly 6s and a round board would be horrible. My 2 fave 6s are 300 and 400mm.

 

[TrevorG]

I've got a bass with a neck that morphs from 10" to 14". While it's really comfortable I can't say I can feel the difference though the different widths will be responsible for that.

 

[micguy]

I have Warmoth necks - 4 and 5 string, that are advertised at 10" radii - as closely as I can measure them, the 5's are closer to 12". I have a Mighty Mite fretless neck, which recent ads suggest is a 9.5" radius. I recall them being advertised as 12" radius. Mine is....17". I have built a bass with an infinite radius (dead flat). I'm sensitive to string spacing, but neck radius I appear to not give a damn - they all seem fine.

 

[who]

I don't really have a preference for four strings, but for five and up I prefer a flatter radius.

 

[SteveCS]

...
...
Anyone else with me?

Not really. I prefer flatter. I had my fretless StingRay PLEKked to 15", and the Warwick Corvette is 20". With the fretted Ray34 I went to 12" - any more would have made the fret crowns uneven relative to the fingerboard radius.

(and of course the Chapman Stick is perfectly flat!)

 

[alex1fly]

Every string instrument I've ever owned has has a radius in the 9-10" range. Just happened that way.

One exception - my Gibson SG. It has a flat compound radius, 12" - 16". It was suggested to me to keep my thumb planted firmly on the back of the neck and use a softer touch with my fretting hand. This cleaned up my playing and gave me a unique way to approach this instrument. You might consider trying that with your flatboard.

 

[burgerdj]

I think my Warwick fingerboard radius is 20+, virtually flat. It’s not the radius on any given bass that gets me, rather the comfy roll of the fingerboard.

 

[Kukulkan61]

i'm with you in spirit --- maybe not in practice: i'm totally with you in terms of preferring a radius --- but i can make do on all that i've played. i keep telling myself that i'd love a 7 1/4" radius (because i played a few years ago and thought they were the bomb then), but i have none. most of mine sport 9 1/2" or so, and i have a couple that are flatter (12" maybe).

for me: i can adjust to flatter boards if other neck dimensions help me 'compensate' (width/narrowness and thick/thin) + the general "ergonomics" of the particular instrument. it's all the pieces parts and how they work (or don't work) together.

i wonder if you'd get along better with the flatter board if the neck profile changed a little --- easy to do, and it might save the ax for you. good luck with your fingerboard!

I’m good with the 7.25 radius myself!!

 

[JRA]

I’m good with the 7.25 radius myself!!

i even like the way that radius looks!

i'm sure it's real comfy.

 

[Kukulkan61]

i even like the way that radius looks!

i'm sure it's real comfy.

I even like the 10” radius, not much difference to me..

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I am a self-confessed gear whore and have been looking at or bought some new basses recently. It seems that a lot of the newer basses out there in the $1500-$3000 (maybe others) price range are going to the flatter fingerboards. I recently received a new Bluesman Vintage build and John "accidently" put a neck with a 14" fingerboard on it and I just cannot warm up to it. This isn't the only bass I've played with the "flat" fingerboards.
I CAN'T GROOVE A FLAT FINGERBOARD!
Anyone else with me?

I'm right there with you and so far opposite the "flat fretboard" group it isn't funny. My understanding is the flat fretboards were originally made for guitarists like Eddy Van Halen who tapped and bent strings like crazy. Problem with a vintage 7¼" Radius neck is that you can't bend it as far as you can with a 12" to 14" neck without choking out the string. Personally I don't normally do tapping and although I may bend a note a little bit, it's nowhere near enough to choke it out. Flat fingerboards on a bass seem like a solution looking for a problem to me.

I am firmly in the Jazz Bass width and 7.25" radius on the neck. The '65 I bought in 1966 had a 60's slim C-shape neck with a 7.25" radius. I played it through high-school, some college, toured with it for 3-years playing 5-nihgts a week, 50-weeks a year in the early 70's, and then played weekend gigs until it was stolen in 1976. I searched for the better part of 10-years to find another MIA Jazz bass that had that same neck shape, profile, and radius and found it in 1985. I still use it. I absolutely abhor flat necks and even the 9.5" radius is uncomfortable for me. So, I'm right there with you Bro! I do not like flat fingerboards at all.

 

[Cutter8]

I have a strong preference for 7.25 and 9.5 radius fretboards, and I don’t really mind 12” radius with the right neck carve, but I can’t enjoy anything flatter than that unless it’s just the top of the neck on a bass with a compound radius board.

 

[MisterFabulous]

I really don't like anything past 11".

That said, I've got a G&L that's a 12" that I tolerate.

 

[El_Charro]

I’m the opposite...

Both of my basses have a 16” radius so at this point I feel more comfortable on a 16” vs something below 10”...

That’s not to say that I wouldn’t buy a bass if it had a different radius, but I do notice the difference just a little bit when I pick up other instruments...

Interesting discussion though...Funny how you get used to something and it just “feels right” after a while...

Thanks! \m/

 

[Pedalnetics]

I enjoy my 37" radius : [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Although I'm thinking that's a typo; 6 string says 950mmr, 5 string version is 400mmr (Invalid Link Removed).

Whatever it is, it's the flattest one I own and I love it.

 

[AHaze]

Radius seems to be the neck spec. that makes the least difference to me. I currently only have 12" radius boards but have owned everything from 9.5" to 16". None of them were sold because I couldn't deal with the fretboard radius. I've never played a 7.25" radius board but would like to give it a go. Basses with that radius are generally above my price limit though.
... and I forgot about my Peavey Fury. Specced as 8" radius and I love that neck.

 

[SgtHulka]

I love the flatter boards. In fact, it's one of the things that helped improve my technique. The flatter radius lends itself to more precise fretting and takes unecessary beef off the neck, which also helps with hand fatigue.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I am a self-confessed gear whore and have been looking at or bought some new basses recently. It seems that a lot of the newer basses out there in the $1500-$3000 (maybe others) price range are going to the flatter fingerboards. I recently received a new Bluesman Vintage build and John "accidently" put a neck with a 14" fingerboard on it and I just cannot warm up to it. This isn't the only bass I've played with the "flat" fingerboards.
I CAN'T GROOVE A FLAT FINGERBOARD!
Anyone else with me?

Yup. Me neither.

 

[felis]

9.5 or go home

 

[ctmullins]

I use 20” on every bass I build.

I use 16” on guitars, helps with chording.