Re-radius a fingerboard?

their straight vintage reissues are all 7.25in

but unless you think it’s more comfortable over whatever your instrument will have it really doesn’t matter. You won’t even be bending strings so there won’t be strings choking out on the radius.

 

If my math is correct, given a 2.4" wide neck (resulting numbers will be smaller for a smaller width), the edge of the fingerboard will be 0.076" "lower" than the middle of the board with a 9.5" radius.

With a 7.25" radius, that increases to 0.1" drop.

So you are thinking of pulling the frets, sanding the board for a new radius, and then putting frets back in, for 0.024" difference at the edge of the fretboard at its widest point.

Does it still seem like a good idea?

 

Yes, you can sand a tighter radius into that fretboard, but it will require a full refret and new nut. If you're planning to do it yourself, start a thread in the luthier's corner and we'll help you through it.

 

I realize you want accuracy, but you have to ask yourself whether it is worth it for such a small change that you will not be able to see the difference, and you may very well not even be able to feel the difference. Pick your battles.

But... do what you have to do. Good luck.

 

Just buy one. The 70s precision has that radius, and plenty of other ones. Im very very sure you can find one with an Indian laurel or pau ferro board. Although, it'll probably be much easier (and look and feel much better at that. That wood is ugly.) to find one with rosewood.

 

Between 7.25 and 9.5 is a huge difference. The 7.25 will feel rounder and more natural, and the 9.5 will feel wider and kind of "sharper" because of the flatness. On paper, its not much. But in your hand, it is. Of course, every hand is different. Different strokes for different folks. But in my hands, old school feels right.

 

It makes no sense to re-radius the fingerboard of a new bass.

 

Ethan, there may not be enough material on your fretboard edges to pull this off. You will need to ask a luthier for a re-fret and a radius change. The tech will determine if it's possible when you take it in. It will probably cost 350 to 500 US---a guess. Small frets were on the '65 basses, as medium jumbo frets started on the later '66 basses.

 

I got to say this is insane even for talkbass you can barely tell looking closely the difference between 7.25 and 9.5.
Now the feel,if I didnt know there are different radious fretboards I would think they are all the same.
Anyway im sure its going to be expansive and maybe will not work well.get another neck.

 

Based on other information presented here it sounds like this is possible. My only suggestion is to ignore the trolls that don't understand your passion for this instrument and build the bass of your dreams. Godspeed.

 

Add up the cost of the tools needed to do a defret, radius sanding, refret and replace the nut. It will be cheaper to seek out a replacement neck. There is also the possibility of screwing up the sanding making tour neck useless. You don’t want to buy something from Fender because you can’t try it before you buy it. That’s fine, but how can you try your bass before your “repairs”? If that makes me a troll, then I’m a troll.

 

Print this radius gauge and compare the two radii. Ask yourself if it’s worth it.

http://pickguardian.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Pickguardian-Neck-Radius-Gauges.pdf

 

I think obtaining a neck that already has a 7.25” radius is probably going to be cheaper and easier. If you go that route and the new neck meets expectations, you can sell your MIM neck to recover cost, or keep it to return your bass to original sometime in the future.

 

So you want to make a 7.25” into 16” radius? First look to see how much fingerboard you have - you could sand right through it going from 7 to 16. It would be impossible on an early 60s style rosewood ‘veneer’ fingerboard. You need a slab style.

Going the other way you have to be careful too ( will lose fingerboard at the edges. Depends what radius starting with and thickness of fingerboard.)

 

If you mean pau ferro, it’s stunningly beautiful. Often just needs some lemon oil to make it pop.

 

Get someone exceptionally qualified to pull the frets and nut and re-sand to the new radius, re-fret an re-nut, done. Not cheap, and utterly dependent on having the right guy do it. You're not going to find many of those right guys . . . . . but you may catch a break here: Our friend @Turnaround, Richard Bales, is a FIRST-class bass and guitar tech in Toronto. I'd surely run it past him.

CB&G

By far, I'd much rather wait it out and buy a 'donor' bass with the right neck, and swap to yours. This would give you the bonus of the donor bass with the 'wrong' neck is now a complete axe again and you can sell it to offset the spend. Do it right, you might break even. THIS would be my choice.

Or an aftermarket neck that's right. I know the exchange rates, manufacturer's sales policies, etc., may have put your behind and 8-ball in a way, but you're finding like most of us have, that when you really pursue small details, things just get expensive. And judging from what you've written, you'll never be satisfied until you complete this, so you may as well 'bite the bullet' and get it done: You won't be satisfied until you do.