Radiused Fretboards

[Fredmando]

Howdy, I have noticed that my little Weber Hyalite mando sits more than my Rigel A-Plus. So, do those of you who have mutliple mandos find you play the instrument with a "better" radius over the standard mando? I love the tone of the Weber, but my fingers are not getting any smaller.
Happy Friday!
Fred

[John Flynn]

I think everyone has an ideal fretboard/neck profile for them. For me, it has always been my Rigel A+ deluxe. A fat neck and an extreme radius. It is just a very playable neck IMHO. But for the last couple of years I don't play the Rigel all that much because I'm not so wild about the tone. It's not actually a bad tone: It's got good volume and it's very even across the fretboard. It just lacks depth and character in my mind. So I take a slight hit on playability and play my Old Wave oval and my Parsons flat-top more often, while the Rigel sits in the closet.

[Soupy1957]

Only own one now, without a radius'd neck, and love the fact that it is NOT. Of the half-dozen that I owned in the past, I preferred the ones without radius'd necks.

[Jill McAuley]

I sold my Flatiron 2M because it didn't have a radiused fretboard whereas my Weber Custom Aspen #2 did have one (which must've been one of the custom options as I don't think it's standard on that model.) The Flatiron just wasn't getting as much playing time. My new Pomeroy A4 has both a radiused fretboard and an awesome neck profile so now I think the wee Weber may start collecting a bit of dust!

Cheers,
Jill

[Jonathan Peck]

The one you like more is going to get played the most. Personally, I like a little radius, but not alot. I don't really like a flat board, but I wouldn't let that get between me and a great mando. In the end, when you really know what you want in terms of neck shape, width, string spacing, radius, hardware options vs. weight, tone etc.... it could be time for a custom build as it's very difficult to find a mandolin that is 100% the way you want it in all those areas, including aesthetics, off the rack.

This is how MAS gets started, welcome aboard!

[Lefty Luthier]

I build them both ways but if numbers mean anything, flat fretboards are preferred about 4 to 1. I think the neck profile has more effect on playability than the fretboard shape. That is why many choose custom instruments.

[jim_n_virginia]

Yep just depends on what you get used to and like.

I play only flat fretboards. I tried and tried to get used to a radiased fretboard and even own a fantastic two-pointer mandolin that is radiased but I just don't like the feel.

I suppose I'll sell the two pointer one day when I get around to it because it just sits in a case.

:mandosmiley:

[Fredmando]

Thanks for all of the input. The Weber has a different sound than the Rigel. But, I started playing the Rigel more when I got a wider nut on my guitar, I think. So, maybe that is part of it. Once I got a Collings guitar and played my Gibson more, I noticed the room for my fat fingers.
By the way, the Rigel sounds the best with Sam Bush Signature Gibson strings on it. I use those and the GHS mandolin strings that a great banjo player told me about.
I got to talk to Sam Bush once and asked him about these strings. He told me he uses them, so who am I to question a wizard of the mandolin?