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Fretboard Radius Explaination Please?


sporka

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So, I understand that the fretboard radius determines the curve on the fingerboard of a guitar, but this is what doesn't make sense to me:

 

a 12" Radius will be flatter than a 7.5" Radius?

 

But how is that possible?

Logically, I think that the bigger half of a circle would have a bigger curve, or something.

 

Anyone care to explain?

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Originally posted by walfordr

A bigger circle is less curved than a smaller one.


The earth looks flatter than a golf ball doesn't it?

 

 

Now THAT'S a great explanation! Easy to picture...................perfect..........

 

If you want the lowest action possible, you need a bridge that can independantly raise and lower each string.......that way you can actually "match" the radius of your neck and each string will be the same distance from the neck making extremely low action if you want it that way. A Kahler Tremolo has a 6 way adjusting saddle that does exactly that. If you don't like tremolos, Kahler makes a non-trem bridge with the same 6 way saddles.

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Originally posted by SKYNETRP

If you want the lowest action possible, you need a bridge that can independantly raise and lower each string.......that way you can actually "match" the radius of your neck and each string will be the same distance from the neck making extremely low action if you want it that way.

Except ...that on a neck with a sharp curve, say a 7.25 inch radius vintage Telecaster, bending notes will move the string sideways into the curve, making the string fret out. (deaden by touching the frets.)

 

I am hoping to purchase a 7.25, so I'm not down on sharply curved fretboards.

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Originally posted by guitarNed

Except ...that on a neck with a sharp curve, say a 7.25 inch radius vintage Telecaster, bending notes will move the string sideways into the curve, making the string fret out. (deaden by touching the frets.)


I am hoping to purchase a 7.25, so I'm not down on sharply curved fretboards.

 

 

Yes, he is correct......I forgot about that Fender radius on the older guitars.........it will indeed fret out........so you want at least a 10 inch radius, but a 16 inch radius is VERY flat and works great with trems and extremely low action.

 

I have a "compound radius" on my Les Paul that goes from a 10 inch radius at the nut and works it's way up to a 16 inch radius at the 22nd fret........very good for all types of playing.

 

But you say you are not down on sharply curved fretboards.......why would you buy a sharply curved fretboard like a 7.25 inch radius?

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Originally posted by SKYNETRP





But you say you are not down on sharply curved fretboards.......why would you buy a sharply curved fretboard like a 7.25 inch radius?

 

 

It's easier to slide around and play chords on. Bending isn't everything

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Originally posted by guitarNed

Except ...that on a neck with a sharp curve, say a 7.25 inch radius vintage Telecaster, bending notes will move the string sideways into the curve, making the string fret out. (deaden by touching the frets.)


I am hoping to purchase a 7.25, so I'm not down on sharply curved fretboards.

 

 

Well, the only "fretting out" is not nearly as bid a deal as the shredding crowd makes it out to be. Let's remember vintage Strats are highly sought after, were played by Hendrix, Gilmour, Clapton, and many others, and they all have a 7.25 radius. And all of those guys bend a lot, and didn't seem to have too many problems with fretting out. Its only a problem if you try to set the action extremely low - which none of those guys did. I've never found it to be an issue with my Strat - and in fact I've found I prefer the vintage neck to the newer ones. I don't know if that just because I'm used to it after all these years or if I just really like it better.

 

So, just another thing to consider.

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Originally posted by onbongos

eh? i didn't say i was staying away from anything, just saying why people tend to like the 7.25 radius

 

 

Oh {censored}, I was talking to Guitar Ned at first, then you posted and I thought I was still talking to Ned........ooooops........

 

I also think there is a communication breakdown here as well...........Ned said that he is not "down" on the 7.25 radius.......I thought he meand he's not "down with it" meaning he doesn't like it (you know.....African American slang).......LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally posted by sporka

So, I understand that the fretboard radius determines the curve on the fingerboard of a guitar, but this is what doesn't make sense to me:


a 12" Radius will be flatter than a 7.5" Radius?


But how is that possible?

Logically, I think that the bigger half of a circle would have a bigger curve, or something.


Anyone care to explain?

 

 

 

OK, if you measure the arc that the curvature of the fretboard makes, and you kept extending that arc until it came to make a full circle, the radius of the circle would be the fretboard radius. So, if the circle is bigger, the arc is longer and flatter....hence the fretboard is flatter

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Originally posted by Iceman7511



Pi is Pi my friend.
;)




That is why the metric is the RADIUS of the circle that is made....because pi is constant.....or think of it this way....a larger circle, more arc is traversed for the same number of degrees changed....

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Originally posted by Iceman7511



So a bigger circle is NOT less curved than a smaller circle. Any object that is perfectly round will have the same ratio of circumference to diamater, also known as...Pi
:)



Sorry mate, but you have no idea what curvature is.

If we confine ourselves to extrinsic curvature (in Euclidean space) then the curvature of a circle is inversely proportional to it's radius. Nothing to do with Pi or any other ratio.

Look it up. :)

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Originally posted by Iceman7511



So a bigger circle is NOT less curved than a smaller circle. Any object that is perfectly round will have the same ratio of circumference to diamater, also known as...Pi
:)



WRONG...............the bigger circle is FLATTER. so easy to see and understand.....why can't you see that?

OK, her it is, VERY SIMPLE....the earth is round right? OK.......go out and look at the ground.....looks perfectly flat in places right? Well it is NOT, because the earth is round........so if your fretboard is shaped like the ground, it is very flat compared to a 7.5 inch radius..........plain and simple. You can draw a circle the size of a basketball, and take 2 inches of that circle and look at it...........looks a LOT flatter than a circle the size of a quarter right?? YES!! Because it IS flatter...........see??

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Originally posted by walfordr



Sorry mate, but you have no idea what curvature is.


If we confine ourselves to extrinsic curvature (in Euclidean space) then the curvature of a circle is inversely proportional to it's radius. Nothing to do with Pi or any other ratio.


Look it up.
:)



This and our other comparisons should make you see that bigger radius is FLATTER........if it doesn't, then you just want to argue and we are once again wasting our time.

And you think Pi R Squared? Pie are ROUND, I eat it all the time..........LOL!!

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Guest Anonymous

If you got close to J-Lo's ass, it would look flatter than Paris' ass. The bigger, the flatter, apparrently. Trust me.

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