Neck Radius Question

[Preacher]

This is really dumb, but does anyone know what the neck radius is on an LTD H-208? A cursory google and checking the LTD website tells me nothing.
I have one and its super smooth and comfortable to play on, compared to my Agile 828 pro which has a rounder neck and a 15" radius. I'm wondering if the Ibby RG8's have the same profile or not. Mostly because my only complaint with the LTD is that its 25.5" scale so it my chords on the low F# get muddy. This might be fixed with better pick up's (still running stock) but I have a feeling for what I want to do to it an longer neck might be a better base, i just want something super flat really.

for reference I tune from low to high: G C F A# D# G# C f and want to change the bridge, add some locking tuners and change the pick up's to probably some Seymore Duncan's. I am well aware once I do this I will have changed a £300 guitar to a £700

 

[ceiling_fan]

Wait, neck or fretboard radius? I wasn't able to find the fretboard radius for H-208, but the H-308 has a 350mm radius (13.78") so it's probably a good bet.

 

[Preacher]

uh... showing my uselessness now, but the neck (not fretboard) I think. It was a curve and lots of flat so its very comfortable when combined with a shorter scale which makes it ideal for tuning up a bit

 

[Go To Bed Jessica]

Okay, now I'm even more confused.

The 15" radius you mention when discussing the Agile is almost certainly a fretboard radius.

People don't tend to use radius measurements when talking about the back of the neck because those shapes aren't really circular - most commonly C and D shapes are used. D shapes are more common on ERGs - particularly towards the body end of the neck.

The M80M for example starts out at the first fret with a nice round C and gradually flattens to a narrow D as you go towards the body of the guitar. The fretboard radius is (I believe) 20" - which makes for a fairly flat feeling board.

Sometimes fretboards will use a compound radius where the nut end will be radiused tighter than the body end. Round at the nut, flattening out towards the body.

Reading back over your last post isn't helping to alleviate my confusion... you seem to be describing a D shaped neck (flat on the back where the thumb rests when fretting), but then you say something about it being ideal for tuning up.... and that's where you REALLY lost me.

Wait - are you asking about the depth of the neck? ie the distance from the face of fretboard to the back of the neck?

 

[Preacher]

told you I was useless when it came to this stuff

from what you've said, the Agile is a C neck, the LTD is a D, which answers that question. I guess what I am after is the dimensions on the cross section of the neck? so when my hand wraps around it to fret the feeling on the LTD is a lot more comfortable than the Agile due to the C/D difference as well as less tretching due to scale length differences.

 

[Go To Bed Jessica]

All good

The RG8 neck is fairly flat, imo and sounds like what you are after. Fatter necks are great for chord work down low, but they can be hindrance for playing quickly higher up for me - which I don't do much of anyway.

I tend to get fret hand cramping if I play (esp full) chords with a thinner D shape neck where I'm fine with a fatter C shape.

The neck on my Schecter is quite round - pretty much C shape the whole way and I find it makes me play quite differently to when I use a guitar with a D shaped neck. Which isn't always a bad thing.