POLL: Radiused vs Flat Fretboard

[gdae85]

To make this question into a more concise example lets consider the following:

You have a reasonable amount of money (lets say $6000)and you are planning to order a custom f mandolin from a local luthier. The luthier asks a simple question: "radiused or flat FB?". What would you choose and why?

[dasspunk]

That's easy... I'd choose the one I prefer.

Why? Because I've played both and know which I like better.

[mandoJeremy]

Exactly, I don't care as long as it feels good and sounds great!

[Scotti Adams]

radiused..just feels better to me..along with bigger frets...more comfortable..

[ourgang]

I prefer the radius fingerboard, in fact I prefer the
7 1/4" radius that Laura Ratcliff uses over the more standard 12", and I too prefer the big frets.

[Hoovetone]

You don't miss it if you 've never had it. I've always played flat boards. It probably would take quite an adjustment period to get use to a radius-maybe not.
I do like the BIG FRETS though! Much easier on the finger tips.

[ira]

big frets/radius board- another vote!

[JD Cowles]

my vote is for radius and big frets. i had an F5-G years back with a flat board and it made my fingers ache. truth is you need to try to get your hands on both and see which one your meathooks prefer.
jd
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[John Flynn]

Radius/big frets for me, but it's all good.

[Tom C]

I always had a flat so I got a slight radius (12") on my *** and I like it.

[Lee]

Yepper the big frets on my ### are very nice too, but the just slightly smaller ones on the Old Wave might take my preference.
Radius fer shur. The 7-1/2" L.Ratliff is a bit extreme IMHO, the 12" Collings is nice, but the 10" <Ahem> is perfect.

I honestly have no clue which I prefer smaller frets or bigger, they both feel good as long as I've got a bit of a radiused fretboard. Ive got a mando arriving on the 18th and I chose regular frets and 14" radius.

[Ted Eschliman]

Radius...
And to get an early jump on the next equally enduser-specific poll, I prefer briefs over boxers for the same reason.
Control.
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[Zed]

Radius fer shure.

[Charlie Ayers]

Radiused (at least to 10") for moi, and big frets too http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

Charlie

[Michael Lewis]

The new batch of mandolins I just set up have a compound radius with 7"r at the nut going to about 16"r at the end of fingerboard and going to a flat bridge. The reason as discussed last year with Brian Aldrige is to make it easy on your left hand, and keep the strings in a fairly flat plane for the right hand.

[JimW]

Well, I'll come out and be completely different than everyone else so far. I just ordered my custom with a 1 1/16 nut, small, vintage style fretwire and a flat fingerboard. Hows that for bucking the trend.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Jim

[Michael Lewis]

Well Jim, some one has to uphold tradition. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[JGWoods]

The new batch of mandolins I just set up have a compound radius with 7"r at the nut going to about 16"r at the end of fingerboard and going to a flat bridge. #The reason as discussed last year with Brian Aldrige is to make it easy on your left hand, and keep the strings in a fairly flat plane for the right hand.
If the fingerboard is radiused, and the bridge is flat, you wind up with higher action for the G&E courses correct? How does that make for easier playability?

I agree that a flat sting plane is a good thing for effective pick work, and I like a radiused fingerboard, but it seems to me that the 2 together is a compromise with the left hand coming out the loser. So why not go flat all the way and make for easy building and repair?

curiously yours,
gw

[jasona]

I prefer the radius fingerboard, in fact I prefer the
7 1/4" radius that Laura Ratcliff uses over the more standard 12", and I too prefer the big frets.
Agreed, although I think I'd prefer a slightly narrower neck than my Ratcliff A has. Still, I got used to it pretty quickly.

[lownote]

I have both and prefer flat and small.

Lownote,

What do you prefer about a flat fingerboard and small frets, just curious. I am deciding this myself so wanna hear why you have this though too.

[gooseisland]

Quick question: When people say "big" frets are they generally referring to banjo sized frets or guitar sized frets?

[pickinNgrinnin]

Flat and Weber sized frets!

I've played radiused and flat and they both play well.

[Dave Cohen]

Since Michael hasn't yet replied, I'll help him out. He is describing essentially a conical fretboad. The radius of curvature changes continually from the smallest radius (7") at the nut to the largest radius (16") at the end of the fingerboard If the fingerboard were to extend all the way to the bridge, its' radius would be even larger there - probably large enough to be not easily distinguishable from flat. On that type of fingerboard with a "flat" bridge saddle, the action is not appreciably higher on the G and e strings than it is on the d and a strings. Get it? There will be a quiz on it in the morning!

[JustLearning]

I went from a radiused to flat and I prefer flat. Just feels better.

[Albert Whiting]

definitely radius

[Michael Lewis]

Thanks for beating me to the explanation Dave. There are many things about mandolin construction and set up that don't seem to make sense until you actually go through the process and 'make it so'. By the way, these mandolins are very easy to play, or so I'm told.

[wdrysd]

Do you radius the nut when you are using a small radius like 7"?

W Drysdale

[jasona]

Do you radius the nut when you are using a small radius like 7"?

W Drysdale
both my nut and bridge are radiused, yes

[Jingles]

I recently picked up a Kentucky 140S to back up my Breedlove. I've only been playing mandolin for six months, but the Breedlove (radiused) is soooooo much easier to play. I just can't get some chords to ring out very well on the Kentucky. Do you think is is due to the flat fretboard, or just operator pinhead:p ? Any advice, other than exclusively playing the Breedlove? The Kentucky is for dragging to the beach and taking to the rowdy gigs, so I would like to get somewhat profficient on it. Oh yeah, the set up was pretty bad when I got it, so I did lower the action and intonated it. But maybe there is something else I can do to increase the playability.

[strumNgrin]

I have an old Russian mando with a flat board & my right hand casts a vote for that. My Weber Fern has a radius and my left hand loves it. This is why what Michael Lewis refered to with his new'uns makes really good sense to me. I'd have two happy hands.
Daryl

[onlyagibsonisgoodenuff]

I know I didn't have a problem with flat fingerboards until I played radiused. It takes a lot more getting used to going back to a flat one than going the other way. If the flat fingerboard makes your fingers ache, then you're probably doing it right! Bill Keith once said of fingerpicks, "If they don't hurt, you don't have 'em on right."

[JGWoods]

Since Michael hasn't yet replied, I'll help him out. #He is describing essentially a conical fretboad. #The radius of curvature changes continually from the smallest radius (7") at the nut to the largest radius (16") at the end of the fingerboard #If the fingerboard were to extend all the way to the bridge, its' radius would be even larger there - probably large enough to be not easily distinguishable from flat. #On that type of fingerboard with a "flat" bridge saddle, the action is not appreciably higher on the G and e strings than it is on the d and a strings. #Get it? #There will be a quiz on it in the morning!
Well explained and I got it. I am familiar with compound radius necks. I had not considered the radius of the nut. While the bridge might appear relatively flat, the nut must really show the radius if the action is to be good.

One more thing to look at.
Thanks
gw

[ShaneJ]

Radius...
And to get an early jump on the next equally enduser-specific poll, I prefer briefs over boxers for the same reason.
Control.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Amen, Brother!

[Peakbagr]

Large(.078)frets and compound radius fingerboard whose arc diminishes the higher you get up the neck.

[gdae85]

Radiused FB is a clear winner

[Michael Lewis]

It all boils down to personal taste, but a good set up will go a long way toward comfortable playing regardless of flat or radiused.