Fingerboard Radius Explained: Which is Best For You?
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- čas přidán 13. 06. 2022
- Finally, Fingerboard Radius Explained. You've heard about your Fingerboard Radius, but do you know how to choose the best fretboard radius for your needs? Here's what you need to know to get over the learning curve (pun intended) about fingerboard radii.
0:52 - What is Fingerboard Radius?
1:33 - Fingerboard Radius Visualized
1:58 - What Fingerboard Radius Does Fender Use?
2:10 - What Fingerboard Radius Does Gibson Use?
3:04 - Which Fingerboard Radius Did Famous Players Use?
4:01 - Which is Right For You?
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#Fretboard #FretboardRadius #Guitarist #TheStringjoyShow - Jak na to + styl
What sort of Radius do you prefer?
7.25 no
9.5 No
10 Not really
12 It’s okay
14 Good
16 Not really
17 Good
20 Will try soon 😎
Wish you mentioned acoustic radius instead of just electric
Most of my guitars are 9.5 or 12”. My Martin is 14”.
7.25 for bass 9.25 for guitar
According to Ibanez, my RG9 guitars and BTB7 basses are both 950 mm (37.4").
Jackson guitars are the most comfortable guitars I've ever played, and they use the compound 12-16 radius. I currently only own two, but I'm always watching Reverb for the right Rhoads. And I play rock and metal
I have guitars at 7.25, 9.5, and 12, and I think that they all work well for all the styles that I play. I think that rather than there being a best/ideal radius for me, it’s all a part of how changing which instrument I grab can subconsciously change how I might approach playing the same song!
My custom has a 20" radius. Feels great. I appreciate the consistency on the neck.
I love to see Stringjoy come up early in my morning as I always learn from the videos. Thanks. And you rightly don't need to advertise your strings in the tutorials cuz ya already got me. 😊
Hi Ryan. Nice video. I knew what radius meant, I didn't know how it affected style. Thank you for that. I predominantly play a Fender American Ultra Strat. It is a 10-14 radius and I play mostly rhythm and very simple leads and fills on classic rock, a little country, and some more current stuff.
I have a Fender Strat with a 9.5” radius, a PRS SE Custom 24 with a 10” radius and an older Squier Affinity Strat with a 9.5” radius, and I’m mainly into classic rock and blues. My big thing is the nut width, like my Squier Affinity Strat has a narrower nut width than my other two guitars and so I don’t really play it.
My PRS is a 10", and my Kiesels (both guitar and bass) are radiused 14", with my Warwick bass using a 26" radius. I don't notice much of a difference in the guitars, they're both comfortable, but I do notice the difference in basses.
I get my first luthier guitar this Summer which has a 16 radius for a 7 strings neck. It plays really well and easily, i play mostly fusion jazz and modern metal. Thanks to the playability and the versatility of the pickups the guitar can cover a lot of styles
9.5" everywhere. Jazz fusion/Rock guitarist across every instrument I own.
Thanks for sharing this information. The radius has always been a mystery to me!
The majority of my guitars are compound radius necks, though I do have a few that are between 9.5 and 12. I play mainly rock and metal, and switch between rhythm and lead. That being said, I find compound radius necks to be best for me. I use the other guitars when I'm playing more blues or jazz based music. Right tool for the right job, so to speak.
Helpful thx
I play rock/metal. I have had multiple radius from 12” to 20”. For my playing style I find that the flatter the radius the more comfortable it is for me to play. So when I bought my PRS SE Mark Holcomb I didn’t realize it had a 20” radius. I had been playing a 12” - 16” compound radius and thought it was the easiest playing guitar I had ever played. I was wrong because the 20” radius is by far the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played.
Really? I bought the Mark Holcomb 6 string SE just because I liked the finish and I can't stand how flat it is lol. It just feels so weird for me. I was daily driving my PRS Custom 24(& 24-08) and I recently decided to purchase a Charvel DK24 with a 12"-16" compound radius, and MAN do I love that guitar. It is perfect to me. Rounder where I want it, as well as flatter where I want it!
My favorite electric is my well worn '70s Tele at 7.25. I like 9.5 and 10 as well. But I'm also enjoying the 8.5 of my SE Silver Sky. Oddly, my preference for acoustics is 16, but I don't like 12 on any guitar I've played. Go figure. Maybe it's really the profile of a neck that I have strong preference for?
12" radius for me. My main guitar is a '91 LP Studio. I like to play and listen to a little of everything, but I gravitate mostly towards metal/heavier rock stuff.
The question of fretboard radius gets interesting when multiple scales are introduced-and I'm not talking about 25.5-26.5" 7-strings, in which the fan is barely there. By a 25 & 1/2 - 27 & 9/14" scale range for a 7-string, having a small radius would yield some interesting results.
@@jimmyjames8164 Thank you for telling me about your experience. I have a 25.5-28.2" 8-string, but it has a 20" radius, which is practically flat.
It's been a long time since I had a guitar I felt comfortable calling "vintage", but I loved 'em! (probably the 7.25" radius, I'm thinking.) Now, most of my guitars are of the 12" variety, and I'm happy with that.
PRS Hollowbody, PRS Swamp Ash Special, Gibson Les Paul DeLuxe, ES-355 and a Gretsch 6119-1962..Classic Rock
I like the 12" Gibson neck. It allows close action without fretting out on bends high on the neck. I mostly play Blues. And of coarse String Joy Strings!!!
I’m also all over the map, but 10” never lets me down.
The guitars I play regularly have 9.5", and one has 12". I plan to buy a 7.25" next, and believe I'll enjoy it more.
From 9 to 12 and Im typically a thumb wrapper - so certain guitars I use for certain songs and then it also depends on my mood :)
Thanks for this. It's pretty confusing. I have a fender roadhouse MIM with 12" radius but SRV played with a super high action, so does it matter? If you want super low action a flatter board seems easier to keep in good nick. But Vai had a tech... So it all depends on how you play and what kind of feel you prefer right?
Always wanted to try a 7.25 and a 9.5 radii neck. I gravitate toward 12 or 16 tho since I mostly play Gibson style guitars or Ibanez 7 string guitars. My tele has a 12 on the stock neck would like to try the 9.5 and see if maybe I should swap to a new neck on it? I recently saw a 20” radius fretboard. I think it was a 7 or 8 string tho.
I've always understood what the radius was, but never paid much attention to what my guitars were, I just played what felt comfortable. After this, I looked at my primary trio, they are all Gibson based, 2 Les Pauls and a Wildkat, all 12in. I do have a Player Strat that I really like, it has a 12 also. I have others that go from 9.5 -12, but the most used are my 12's. Music style is late 70's-early 90's rock and I dabble in blues.
Most of my guitars are 12”, Gibsons ES 175, 275, 335 and a Guilt t-100. I also have a strat and G&L ASAT with 9.5. A couple of classical guitars with flat fingerboards and Gibson acoustic that I’m not sure of the radius. I mostly play jazz and each guitar has the radius that suites it.
Very informative video. I play a 7.25” and mostly play Hendrix/frusciante/corgan/mccready style despite large hands lol I play a 62 fender strat avri
I do think that fretboard radius by itself does not determine the overall feel of the neck. The neckshape and the thickness of the neck as well have a big influence how your hand grips the strings. Together with hand position and wood choice you have the complete cocktail that determines the playability
Scale length is a big factor for me. I find 24 - 24.75” works best for me, Jaguars, Duo Sonics, Mustangs and Les Pauls with hybrid strings. I have mostly 9.5”, and 12” radius electrics.
@@Dian2Gig oh yeah, scale lenght also very important, thanks for mentioning. I tried 24.75 and 25.5 and 26.5. For me 25.5 is the best
I play everything from folk to indie rock to stoner rock. My 1971 Musicmaster bass has a 7.25 neck and my 2021 Original 50s Strat has a 9.5 neck. Also the Strat's neck is a soft V shape while the Musicmaster is a thick C. Works well for my big palms and short fingers.
Those 70s Musicmasters are 🔥
@@Stringjoy had her half my life. thanks!
I have a Bill Crook pink paisley with a compound radius 7.25 to 9.25. I play lead guitar in a bar band so , I have to play every thing from Country to Classic Rock. In addition a more modern C neck but that changes as well. 😮 Cheers Dallas
Please do a siilar video for acoustic guitars. I realize the principals involved will remain similar, but what about fingerpickers vs. rythm players who use a lot of barre chords? Or Flat pickers vs. floks who strum a lot o open chords?
Thanks for your video. Exactly as you describe I have an option to buy a guitar online which has different specs to my current one. I want to know if the neck will suit me but I can't go try it as it will come from overseas and I can't try it before getting it. Your video helped me understand what the radius change will mean. - thanks!
Glad we could help, Wayne!
I play all kinds of music. While it was always obvious that my classical had a flatter fingerboard than any of my other guitars, I’ve never really noticed the difference between the rest. That said, I don’t know that I’ve ever played anything smaller than a 9.5”. Most of my guitars are either 9.5 or 12”.
I just bought a Godin session ht. They have a 12" radius. I love to play little wing by Jimi Hendrix and it is full of thumb wrapping. I don't feel I have any trouble making it work with the large radius. I love this guitar! It does have a slightly skinnier nut than the average guitar in it's class maybe that makes a slight difference in playability
I have 7.25” and 9.5” Strats, but I have a few Hamer’s which are 14” and that’s what I prefer.
9.5 when I play electric on both my Ibanez Talman and my G&L ASAT. I was playing rhythm and slide zydeco. My P-Bass in a 9.4 too though the neck carve on it is kinda chonky. When I play acoustic I use a yamaha flamenco and that is FLAT
I have gutars with 12, 14 and totaly flat radius. I just moded my schecter omen 6 (the cheapest version of Schecter) from 14 to completely flat radius and I can say that it is very good...
I’ve had guitars and basses with 7.5”, 12” and 12-16” compound radius, I like 7.5” on my guitar and 12-16” compound on my bass though 7.5” is cool on bass the compound radius just makes it way easier to play fast and still sound good.
What radius is good for playing rhythm reggae guitar? My high E string rings out more often than I'd like. I'm playing a new Fender tele and an old strat.
This isn't something I've ever quite understood (for nearly 40 years, embarrassingly), so thank you for clarifying. My favorite guitar these days is a Gretsch with (according to the Internet) a 12" radius. I mostly play jangly and ambient alternative stuff--kind of that early '80s Buck/Marr/Edge chimey atmospheric stuff with the occasional whiff of Enoesque Frippery or a stab at Kevin Shields if I'm feeling loud and droney instead of chimey and spacey.
Glad we could be of service!
Over the years I've found flatter 20" radiuses work best with my small sausage fingered hands that dont make my hand hurt after 15 minutes of playing it, musically I'm all across the board but mostly hardrock/ metal with a bit of jazz, blues and r&b thrown in. My guitar is a kiesel zues 7 string multi scale and I'm in the process of spec'ing out a second with a trem.
Jackson compound 12-16 is the best!
i’ve always enjoyed guitars with a flatter radius mostly for feel and cuz i’m a metal player 😂
Makes total sense!
I play a Fender American Ultra. 10 - 15 inch compound radius.
Most of my guitars have 9.5” Jaguar, Jazz master, Mustang and 12” for Les Paul, 14” for Martin acoustic.
is it possible to have a 16 inch radius fretboard on a Les Paul?
I like having different radii across my collection, let's different guitars do different things. I have a Gilmour type Strat with 10"-16" for uber easy bending. I have a neck on order for an SRV relic with a radius of 7.25"-10", nice easy chording with easier bending on higher notes, 10" is what SRV's Number One was flattened to due to playing and constant refrets with massive frets.
Interesting point about SRV's Number One!
The irony is that when it comes to David Gilmour, both his black and red Strats have 7.25" radius fingerboards.
@@CristiNeagu I know! I just knew that guitar would basically be all lead work and bending for the most part so wanted to go completely modern with it. DG wasn't too afraid of going non-vintage when it fit his tone and playing, I took that to heart in this build haha.
I’m used to a 16in radius from playing martin guitars and I’m thinking I should get a 16in for my telecaster because I always thought it was difficult to reach around the rounder 9.5 with my fingers
Do they even make a 16" inch radius Telecaster? I've never heard of that lol.
@@Lovell93 Warmoth does and I think just about any custom builder would
Jackson performer ps1. 15 inch radius 22 frets. And metal.
When it comes to feel, the 12.5 radius on my Guild S100 Polara (Newark St Collection) has made it the guitar I always gravitate towards whenever I just want to play. There are probably other factors as well. But, I think the radius has a lot to do with it.
It’s actually a 10” radius (i have the same guitar), but i agree with what you are saying.
@DirtyDirkDiggler I've seen a few different answers to the radius question with that guitar. But, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. It's just an awesome playing guitar.
I have problems to bend my 9.5" strat radius. I took the guitar to a luthier and he told me that a 9.5" is not the best for bendings. I play rock, blues, and jazz, and sometimes metal. I played other strats they're so loose. What is the best versatile radius? I need your help!
I come from a Rock and Metal background but I'm trying to learn Jazz (one of those people). Was playing a 9.5" strat for awhile but I'm enjoying the 15 3/4" of this Ibanez right now. Maybe it's the big frets, I don't know.
Jackson's compound 12-16 just feels perfect imo... My Jackson Misha Mansoor 7 string is 20, crazy flat, but chording can become uncomfortable (even painful) after some playing
I play acoustic: Martin guitars are mostly 16, many others are 12 (like Iris), and I like the compound radius on Bourgeois guitars (16-12) until I have to put a capo on.
I definitely prefer 7.25. I play Rock, Blues, Jazz, Pop and some Country and CCM.
Very clear !!!
Faubus
Who sells guitars with the compound radius necks? I have a Fender Acoustasonic Jazzmaster with a 12” radius and my Martins have a 16” radius. Why would Martins have such a flat neck?
I really didn't notice. I have 3 guitars and they all have 14 radius. Tbh I really don't know how it feels to play on a different radius. Think it's time to get a new guitar (there's always a good reason for that :D )
A couple 9.5s / 10 / 12. I find I prefer the 9.5 ,but more importantly I feel the back of the neck shape affects my playing more than the radius
I can not find guitar with a compaund 12-16 radius under 2k-2.5k USD for blues rock like music. Fender Ultra Luxe strat has this strange noisless pickups. Will try to find Charvel rick graham signature mj dk24 in a store. Another option is some of Ibanez AZx with 12 inch radius.
This is dumb, but switching from acoustic to electric, I've issues with keeping my higher stringers, E and B, from sliding and sometimes almost off the fretboard, when I switch from C to G or E-G anything that requires my pinky/ring or both finger. Would this be a fingerboard radius issue I just have to get used to or is it technique and moving to much in a rush?
Probably all of the above, but the easiest thing to try is some heavier strings, that may well fix it.
@@Stringjoy I appreciate that feedback! Thank you
I'm fine with all of the modern radius I've ever come across. I only felt awkward playing when I took out my dad's old strat from the 70's and was like wtf??? Then I learned about this.
I love the early 60's Slabboard Stratocasters, but that vintage 7.25" radius tends to FRET OUT, I found switching the vintage 6105 frets for 6100 Jumbo's made a very acceptable difference. Also, I do not believe in removing tremolo springs to "solve" this fretting out issue, I prefer my tremolo firm with all 5 springs..
20" Radius, Kiesel 👍
I don't shred. I can't shred. I like the comfort of the 7.25 with my AVRI 62' Tele from 03'. My other more modern guitars are at 9.5 and they are fine, but they don't fit in my hand like my tele. I play spread triads up and down the neck. I like my action alittle higher than "low" just so i don't fret buzz out on things. On my 7.25" I bend notes a full step... rarely 1 1/2 step and I have zero problems. Shredder sounds aren't what I like. Give me some slight overdrive and let my strings sing on a melody line. Flat radius boards don't have any life in them.
Thanks! You have short fingers or long?
@@Mtsh196short fingers
Never had this problem as I do a ton on research playing lots of guitars before I even purchase one. Also I don't have the money to have someone make me a custom guitar LOL
Jaguar, 9.5 radius, surf music.
I have 2 Strats with 9.5 and my Newest Strat has a 12 when I was playing Ibanez I have no clue what the radius was
YJM use 9.5 dude
I'm moving from round to flat and next will go a convex radius.🤣
Meanwhile me, having a 20" radius guitar
17" and I play anything that my guirarist 's skill can handle. Ibanez RG550.
Haven’t a clue what radii my guitars are - don’t care!
So, care to talk about acoustic guitars? Yes, I know a radius is a radius but you seem to be focused on electrics here.
We'll keep that idea in the chamber for a future video!