What is a compound radius?
A compound radius neck is a neck that has one radius at the nut and a different, larger radius at the heel of the neck. This is meant to give a better playing experience for both rhythm playing towards the nut side of the fretboard, and soloing towards the heel side.
What guitars have a compound radius?
“A compound radius neck has a smaller (rounder) radius at the nut, and a larger (flatter) radius at the neck and body joint. As the… fretboard gets flatter……What Is A Compound Radius?
| Manufacturer/Brand | Radius | Model |
|---|---|---|
| PRS | 10″ – 11.5″ | Most |
| Fender | 9.5″ | Modern |
| Fender | 7.25″ | Vintage |
| Ibanez | 15.75″ – 17″ | RG, S Series |
What is Warmoth radius?
Warmoth offers three compound radius options: 10″ – 16″ Compound Radius. 9-1/2″ – 14″ Compound Radius. 12″ – 16″ Compound Radius.
What is fretboard radius?
The fingerboard radius is the measure of the arc of the fingerboard across its width. You don’t have to look too closely at most electric guitar and bass fingerboards to see that few if any of them are truly flat; most of them have a slight convex curvature across their width.
What fretboard radius is the best?
A rounder radius of 9.5 to 10 inches is popular for open position chords. A flatter radius of 12 to 16 inches is popular for guitar soloing and bending notes. A compound radius offers both, starting rounder in open position and flattening out as you move higher up the neck.
Why does a compound radius have a fretboard?
A compound radius neck has a smaller (rounder) radius at the nut, and a larger (flatter) radius at the neck and body joint. As the neck gets wider, the fretboard gets flatter, which is said to be an aid when soloing, especially when bending strings.
What’s the point of a scalloped fretboard?
A scalloped fretboard is one on which the wood is filed down between the frets. When viewed side-on it looks like the area has been scooped out. This effectively increases the height of each fret and removes the playing surface so that the player is virtually ‘playing the frets’ instead of the fretboard itself.
When did Fender switch to 9.5 radius?
1980s
Most prevalent is the modern 9.5” radius (241mm), which was adopted in the 1980s and is now found on about two thirds of Fender electric instruments. The next most common fingerboard radius, 7.25” (184mm), is a vintage-era spec now used on just under a third of Fender electric instruments.
Does fretboard radius affect tone?
The fretboard Radius has a huge effect on how we play. It affects the overall dimension of the neck and will change how the guitar feels.