How Flat a Radius to not fret out with low action?

[tribalfusion]

Does anyone know technically how flat a guitar's radius needs to be to bend without fretting out if the action is in the 2 or 3/64ths of an inch range like Holdsworth's action on a neck with little or no relief?

 

Is 16" a flat enough radius or does it need to be 20" or higher? Allan himself uses a 25" inch radius and his signature model is a 20" radius though he himself doesn't bend much these days...

 

Thanks

[guitarcapo]

Compound radius.

[Darkstorm]

Fret finishing is gonna play a large part in how low your action can be, its not so much about rasdius really. Though compound radius is easiest fretting for most.

[cratz2]

And obviously it goes without saying - though I'll say it anyway - not everyone can play a super low action. LOTS of guys have too aggressive of a picking technique to be able to use a guitar with a VERY low action.

I had a Parker with a compound radius (10" - 16", I think) and could get the action crazy low and could bend. I had a 87 Jackson with whatever radius they had back then. Not sure if it was compound or a straight 16" but it had a stupid low action and I could bend just fine on it. Briefly had a Carvin Holdsworth and it was very flat. 16" or 20" and I could bend on it just fine as well.

I never measure my action, but when I really liked low action, I was usually able to get it fairly easily, while being able to bend without the strings fretting out.

[expat701]

As I like to get the tips of my fingers (slightly) under a string for bending, I don't like really low action. And I don't think I'm in the minority here. It depends on your style and the type of music you play. I play rock and blues... hence bending is more important to me than shredding.

[BoneNut]

Set up correctly, you can bend and not fret out even on a 7.25 radius. Guys have been doing for years. The action doesn't need to be an inch off the fretboard either.

[ieso]

The Parker conical radius is 10-13

 

Vintage Fender guitars have experienced, in most cases, many refrets and, as such, have had the radius flattened over time.

 

12" seems to be a good compromise between comfy chording and easy, no-buzz bends.

[cratz2]

Set up correctly, you can bend and not fret out even on a 7.25 radius. Guys have been doing for years. The action doesn't need to be an inch off the fretboard either.

Yeah, Gilmour and Knopfler seemed to do OK.

Kinda like 'you can't shred on a 7.25" radius guitar... but THE shredder does just fine with it.



Of course, that doesn't mean we need to shun new options but yeah... I've always been able to bend just fine on 7.25" and 9.5" radius necks.

[ieso]

old guitars that have been played a lot, like vintage Fenders, have been re-fretted many times (you can't just do a grind and polish every time) and every time you refret the radius increases a bit. Old Fenders that came from the factory with a 7.25" radius, after 25-35 years, are out to about 10-12"

 

No surprise that Eric Johnson's sig. Strat comes from the factory with a 12" radius neck

SRV = 12" from the factory

YJM = 9.5" from the factory

 

Rock stars playing old guitars are for the most part not playing on necks with a 7.25" radius

[ILikeGuitar]

Yeah but you need a fantastic fretjob for 7.25" radius and big bends
It makes it easier having a big radius with imperfect frets