Fretboard radius, do you care?

[bostjan]

Generally, I'm more comfortable with a wider spacing and a flatter radius.

My first guitar was a 1980's Hondo acoustic my dad passed down. It literally had a concave fretboard with a reverse radius. It was the most difficult-to-play guitar I've ever had my hands on. My first guitar that was made by actual guitar makers who knew what they were doing was a Washburn MG-24. 65 cm scale length (1/10" longer than standard), 40 cm radius, etc. Quite comfortable for a beginner guitar, especially for that era. I can certainly dig guitars with tighter radii, especially if everything else is nice, but my go-to is something more along the lines of 20" radius, 27"+ scale, 2" nut (7 string)...

 

[Musiscience]

I'll hop on the fret size/wire and neck shape are much more important bandwagon.

Every radius feels a bit different to me, but not worse or better. Love the feel of my Fender with a 9.5" just as much as the 16" on my Duvell.

 

[NeglectedField]

I never appreciated the importance of radius until I bought my first proper Fender Strat (9.5") after years of only really playing superstrats. I'd only thought about neck thickness and never about radii, yet I'd try a Strat/Tele and be like "great sound but gosh do these necks feel like violins or what?" It's the reason I struggle to enjoy my Strat physically a lot of the time and I wish I'd done more homework before pulling the trigger on one, perhaps looking at some of the ranges with 12" radii. My Charvel and Schecter both have 12-16" compound and I love them for it, ditto my ol' faithful Ibanez which must be 15/16" region?

Part of me wants to sell the Strat on for a flatter radius Strat or Charvel, but I've done gone customised the fuck out of it (BKP pre-loaded pickguard, locking tuners, two graphtech string trees) and made it mine. It's great sounding for funky stuff, clean stuff, classic rock (including 80s to an extent), I just have to fight it a lot more and it doesn't show me at my best. Perhaps I could replace the neck, if it's not more trouble/cost than it's worth? £300 can get you a 12" roasted maple neck, apparently.

Or I just accept Strats are just a different kettle of fish and to appreciate it for what it is? *shrug*

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I never appreciated the importance of radius until I bought my first proper Fender Strat (9.5") after years of only really playing superstrats. I'd only thought about neck thickness and never about radii, yet I'd try a Strat/Tele and be like "great sound but gosh do these necks feel like violins or what?" It's the reason I struggle to enjoy my Strat physically a lot of the time and I wish I'd done more homework before pulling the trigger on one, perhaps looking at some of the ranges with 12" radii. My Charvel and Schecter both have 12-16" compound and I love them for it, ditto my ol' faithful Ibanez which must be 15/16" region?

Part of me wants to sell the Strat on for a flatter radius Strat or Charvel, but I've done gone customised the fuck out of it (BKP pre-loaded pickguard, locking tuners, two graphtech string trees) and made it mine. It's great sounding for funky stuff, clean stuff, classic rock (including 80s to an extent), I just have to fight it a lot more and it doesn't show me at my best. Perhaps I could replace the neck, if it's not more trouble/cost than it's worth? £300 can get you a 12" roasted maple neck, apparently.

Or I just accept Strats are just a different kettle of fish and to appreciate it for what it is? *shrug*

You could swap out the neck, or have the radius increased by a skilled tech. Or maybe get it a refret with bigger frets.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I don’t mind radius so much. I had a Carvin Holdsworth signature h2t. 20 inch radius that super comfy, but I own a PRS ce24. Which is a 10 inch radius but with medium jumbo frets, I find it just as nice. Different, but neither made me stop and think “if only this were more like that.” The one that I don’t really jive with are the super thin necks and flat radius. It’s comfortable for a bit, but fatigues my hand real quick. My preference for thin necks is the style ESP makes. But if given a choice, thicker neck and a radius of 10-20. Compound radius ala Jackson is a great option.

 

[Mathemagician]

Can’t remember if I’ve commented. I really like the 14-16” range. Jackson’s 12-16 isn’t bad either. I’ve only played like one 20” but that definitely felt a bit too flat. Could have been just that one guitar/set up but my old JP7 and my Jackson’s are awesome. I waffle on my ESP’s 305mm.

 

[Flappydoodle]

Anything from Fender (7-8) to ESP (12) to Caparison (12-16) is fine by me.

I'm not a super technical player (aka, I suck) but the only one which felt "weird" to me is the PRS Mark Holcomb which is basically flat across the entire fretboard.

 

[Boojakki]

Everything from 9.5 (if it's a modern C shaped neck) is ok by me. I prefer 12 to 14 (or compound 9,5-14, 12-16), too flat (over 16 in general) feels strange for riffing for me.

 

[Supernaut]

I love all the types of radii (is that how you would spell it?). When you play those old Fender necks they automatically make you want to play a certain style, same with super flat boards on modern guitars. For me, it's a different tool for a different sound.

If I absolutely had to pick one to go with.... probably a nice 12 to 14 compound radius.

 

[Kaura]

I don't really care and actually prefer smaller radius but I can't stand when bent notes choke out. But that's more to do with action I guess. I can bend for days on my Strat that has 7,5" radius (I think) compared to my Ibanez RG that chokes out unless the action is moderately high.

 

[kisielk]

Anything below 12” is basically unplayable for me. Just used to my fretboards being quite flat. My Vigier Shawn Lane has no (or infinite) radius, completely flat. Just love the feel of that.

 

[laxu]

As long as it's 9.5" or above I am good. I had a 7.25" radius fretboard on a guitar and never got along with it. Felt like action could never be set quite right and I did not find it more comfortable to play either.

 

[Floppystrings]

Neck shape matters more than anything.

So many awesome guitars out there hurt my fingers and wrist. It's closed the doors on so many cool guitars for me, it really sucks.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

I've never played a guitar and disagreed with the radius, though I do find some guitars (PRS Mushok for one) too tight in the string spacing for the complex open chords I like to use.

I love a good fat neck, though. My LP copy and the Schecter Blackjack ATX I used to have were the most comfortable in that regard. PRS, tele, and basically everything else are a little thin for me.

Both of these issues for me come down to having long skellington fingers. Narrow string spacing, my knuckles bind up on each other. Small neck, I'm pinching/stressing too many little muscles.

 

[MetalMe]

I prefer 12" to 14", a good compromise. And XL jumbo frets.

 

[Abominorg the Grotesque]

I currently play an MIM Fender Strat with HSS pickup config and I've come to really appreciate how much I prefer the 9.5 fretboard radius to the flatter radii that most metal players use. I previously had several Ibanez RG models and I can't for the life of me understand why the flat radius is so popular for metal. Once you get the bridge saddles setup to properly match the fretboard radius it seems like power chords, barre chords, and lead playing are all a lot easier with a 9.5 radius. I plan on using Fenders or Fender clones like Warmoth exclusively in the future.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I have a very strong preference for thin necks with a flat fretboard.

My guitars (Ibanez) all have a 400mm (15.75") or 430mm (17") radius. I'm happy playing on either radius, but can feel the difference instantly, without switching between them to compare. It's most noticeable on bends.

I started out with a strat copy (Cort) with a modern C neck and 305mm (12") radius, but this aggravated a wrist injury (not caused by guitar). After several years of being unable to practice regularly, and being fairly oblivious to how different guitar necks can be, someone suggested a thinner neck might put less strain on my wrist. After testing out loads of necks in stores, Ibanez (would have been Wizard II with 400mm radius) were by far the most comfortable. I bought my Ibanez Xiphos and then there was no going back. Even putting my wrist issues aside, it just felt far more natural to play.
I now have 7 Ibbys and like Prestige Super Wizard necks best (yes, Super Wizard does feel significantly different to Wizard, even though there's only 1mm difference ). Going back to my strat feels like holding a baseball bat now, even though it's not even that fat or round compared to a vintage Fender (let alone a Gibson).

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I currently play an MIM Fender Strat with HSS pickup config and I've come to really appreciate how much I prefer the 9.5 fretboard radius to the flatter radii that most metal players use. I previously had several Ibanez RG models and I can't for the life of me understand why the flat radius is so popular for metal. Once you get the bridge saddles setup to properly match the fretboard radius it seems like power chords, barre chords, and lead playing are all a lot easier with a 9.5 radius. I plan on using Fenders or Fender clones like Warmoth exclusively in the future.

I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would use anything but a flat radius (and thin neck) for lead guitar. Barre chords I can understand, but lead...