radiused v flat fingerboard

[Lawrence Molloy]

can i ask for opinions on which is best, thank you.

[Fred Keller]

I'm of the opinion that it's more of a "religious" question than anything :grin:.

I think it's a matter of pure preference. I've used flat my whole life and radiused fb's feel funny to me. On the other hand, I know a bunch of folks on the Cafe here say that it has helped them play better and eased hand pain.

Best I can think is to try and get your hands on both kinds and see what works best for you.

[AlanN]

Yep, you'll find torch bearers in both camps. Me, used to flat. I once saw a lefty mando picker with a Stiver F that had a curve to the board more pronounced than a fiddle...looked freaky.

[Austin Koerner]

I like radiused, I don't know if it helps me though, all I know is ever since I started using radiused boards, flat ones feel... flat (imagine that). The flat feeling isn't bad, I'm just not used to it. My main mandolin has such a slight radius on it, It's almost flat.

I'll go ahead and say what everyone has/will say; just try both and you'll know.

[sunburst]

If you are asking for opinions, you can sure get those here; some like a radius, some like a flat board, and those opinions can be strongly held. You can also find the opinion that it doesn't matter. What you can't find is whether or not one is "better" than the other because it really does boil down to opinion.
There have been several threads here about this "debate", some pretty interesting, but I don't know what terms to search so that you could actually find any of them.

[Steve Ostrander]

I have one of each. I prefer flat, but it's really a matter of personal preference. I would try to play both and then decide.

[mandroid]

I too have some of each, I'd say the key word is, .. 'Cope'..
just play the music on what you have handy .

[gregjones]

Since it would obviously require a refret job on top of replacing or radiusing (SP?) the fingerboard, would it be best to just buy an instrument with a radiused board since I don't really own anything worth a total refret job?

[Tim2723]

I too have some of each, I'd say the key word is, .. 'Cope'..
just play the music on what you have handy .

I also have both, but to me the key word is,...'Capo'..

You'll need to have a flat capo for a flat fingerboard, and a curved one for a radiused board. Capos, BTW, will raise as much discussion as fingerboard shapes. This is even more important if you read standard notation or use tablature. If you play by ear it doesn't matter.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Purely a matter of personal preference again. I have one of each & enjoy both,but,if i had a choice
of one or the other on a particular Mandolin,i'd go for a radiused fingerboard.With the high tension on Mandolin strings,i find it easier to play barre chords with a radiused f/board,
Saska

[Jason Nagati]

I find that I can fret without touching adjacent strings more easily on my radiused fretboard mando than the flat one.

[Stephanie Reiser]

My F-5 type has a 12" radiused fretboard, with medium size frets, and I was deeply rooted in that camp. But then I built my F-4 type to follow strict historical asthetics, therefore it has a flat board and small mandolin frets. I play both just as terribly. I might experiment with more of a radius on the F-5 eventually.

[fatt-dad]

To the OP: The radiused fretboard is best.

f-d

[Steve Ostrander]

Going back to my reply and rereading it, I realized that I said exactly the opposite of what I meant to say. I prefer RADIUSED fingerboard, such as on my MT. Having both though, I can go back and forth without much trouble. If I could only have one, though, it would be radiused, and it would be my MT.

Sorry for the confusion.

[EdSherry]

I have both. I personally much prefer a radiused board (I just find it more comfortable overall), but some of my older Gibsons are flat, and they work just fine. Just takes a bit of getting used to switching back and forth.

If at all possible, try both before buying. Unfortunately, it's difficult for most players to find two instruments that differ only with respect to whether or not it's radiused.

In my experience, it usually isn't worth spending the $$$ into put a radius into an instrument that has a flat fingerboard unless (a) you're going to have a full refret done anyhow and (b) the instrument is of a high-enough quality to justify it.

[woodwizard]

I really don't know....I've only owned flat ones (mostly Gibsons) and never had a problem with them at all. I've played several radius ones but not really long enough to tell much of a difference except maybe the Monteleone I played. It did seem to play smooth and easy but so does my flat Gibson Goldrush. Guess I need to have one for several days to really check it out.

[Barry Platnick]

I think it's a matter of finding a mando that you click with and the board will become the one you like. I had a collings MT and thought I couldn't live without a radius. then I got this Gibson F5G that has IT and at first the board looked concave. now I cant even remember wht the big deal was.

[Lee]

It seems more people prefer the radius to the exclusion of flats, than the other way around. Or is that just my impression?

[Bill Van Liere]

I have two with and two without, I really don't notice that much of a difference going between them. With out knowing the OP's situation I would get a radiused if I was looking to acquire my first good mandolin. Fretboard shape is one of the least important variables to me, really the only thing I don't like is vintage V shape necks, but I am sure I could get used to that in hurry on a fine vintage instrument.

[lenf12]

On my vintage mandolins (1916 F-4 and 1956 F-12) I prefer the flat boards. On the modern reproductions (Duff F-5 and H-5) I prefer the slight radius and on modern designs (Rigel A Plus Deluxe) I love the compound radius. I think it has to do with my expectations when playing any of these mandos. The only caveat is that playing the Rigels is slightly cleaner due to a combination of the radius and a slightly wider fingerboard. Otherwise, my preferences are driven by matching a particular instrument to a given type of music, not a particular neck shape.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Dragonflyeye]

I've got one of each. Often switch off (different sounds), back and forth within a particular practice session. From a playability perspective, I prefer the radiused neck marginally better than the flat, but the flat would have to be costly to consider re-doing the neck. (And then, what would you be "ruining" for the next owner?) Maybe I haven't been playing long enough, and with enough speed and complexity, to have a strong opinion, or maybe I never will have one.

Anita

[Erik Thomas]

I'll share a somewhat unique perspective on playability, specifically how a radiused fingerboard can reduce playability at the right hand (or left if you have a lefty mando).

I have played both flat and radiused fingerboards over the years and currently have two custom mandos with slightly radiused fingerboards, but they are almost flat at the bridge on purpose.

I had a previous custom mando with a radiused fingerboard that was about the same radius angle at the bridge as the nut and it caused me to miss pick the e string sometimes and to hit the d and a strings more strongly than the g and e because they were raised higher.

I believe having all the strings flat at the bridge makes it much easier to pick for the right-hand, but I also prefer slightly radiused fingerboard at the nut, with an ever-decreasing angle from the nut to the bridge. That to me is the most playable arrangement of all.

Just my two cents.

Erik

[Bill Van Liere]

Otherwise, my preferences are driven by matching a particular instrument to a given type of music, not a particular neck shape.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

I completley agree with that Len

[Michael Cameron]

I'll share a somewhat unique perspective on playability, specifically how a radiused fingerboard can reduce playability at the right hand (or left if you have a lefty mando).

I have played both flat and radiused fingerboards over the years and currently have two custom mandos with slightly radiused fingerboards, but they are almost flat at the bridge on purpose.

I had a previous custom mando with a radiused fingerboard that was about the same radius angle at the bridge as the nut and it caused me to miss pick the e string sometimes and to hit the d and a strings more strongly than the g and e because they were raised higher.

I believe having all the strings flat at the bridge makes it much easier to pick for the right-hand, but I also prefer slightly radiused fingerboard at the nut, with an ever-decreasing angle from the nut to the bridge. That to me is the most playable arrangement of all.

Just my two cents.

Erik

Eric,you just nailed the whole compound radius idea.Even if you start off at 7.5" radius at the nut,it should get pretty flat as it goes toward the bridge.(for just the reason you mention).

A good relationship between the nut-slot depths,fretboard/fret profile,neck relief/straightness,bridge height,is very important...as always. More important than flat or radius,IMHO.

[theBlood]

I prefer a slight radious, but if I like an instrument, then I'll adjust to the fretboard if I can. I have a couple of very old Gibsons and playing those means dealing with a thicker neck and smaller frets, etc.. After playing for a while I forget about it.

I had a Rigel for a while that had a lot of radius and a wide fretboard, and the bluegrass G chop chord seemed harder to do right. That chop chord, IMO, works best when you have a narrow straight neck for that immediate and tight sound. The pick hits everything at the same time.

For diminished chords and swing types of playing, though, the bigger radiused board worked great for me.

[Erik Thomas]

Eric,you just nailed the whole compound radius idea.Even if you start off at 7.5" radius at the nut,it should get pretty flat as it goes toward the bridge.(for just the reason you mention).

A good relationship between the nut-slot depths,fretboard/fret profile,neck relief/straightness,bridge height,is very important...as always. More important than flat or radius,IMHO.

So that's what "compound radius" means. Cool, learn something new every day. And yes, playability is affected by much more than a radiused fingerboard, and all the setup parameters you mention play a role in making a truly great, playable instrument.