need advice on fretboard

[Stephanie Reiser]

Starting to build my second F5 mandolin and this one I want to have a radiused fingerboard. First, how much of a radius should I use, and how does one go about doing it? I thought about just getting a sanding block with the correct curve and sand away, but I dont think that is right. I think the curve changes from the nut end toward the bridge end.
Also, my first mando has 29 frets but I dont ever use all of them. I've never gone above the 19th while playing. How far should I go, and what should I do with the remainder slots?
Thank you in advance.
Stephanie

[labraid]

Hi Stephanie,
I radius mine while the fretboard is still square, before cutting to final shape. Take your block plane or something similar and get it pretty close to the proper radius that way, then take your radiused sanding block and finish her up. A fretboard which has higher radius near the nut flattening to no radius at the tip is gonna be a bit more difficult. I personally like the radius all the way down because the radius near the bridge makes it more comfortable to strum and hit only the notes I want. Personal preference. Anyone have a surefire way for a compound radius board by hand?
21 frets should do you fine, with the extra decorative bit after that you'll maybe want to scallop it.. Saw the piece thinner in the scallop, however thin you want, it'll have the maple to back it up. Then round it nicely however you can (for the scallop and original fretboard height to meet aesthetically), file, scraper, sandpaper...Slot the scalloped portion for frets, but instead of the frets slip in some strips of maple or your material of preference. Et voila.

Have fun!
Brian

[Chris Baird]

22 frets is enough for 99% of players. There is another thread on jigs for compound radii. Best thing to do is play some other mandolins and decide which radius you like and replicate it. I like the compound radius that goes from 9"-18" with a flat bridge. Or for a single radius finger board I go with 12" and a 16" bridge.

[John Bertotti]

Hey Mandoplyr why do you go with a flatter bridge on a single radius board instead of matching the radius with the board? John

[Chris Baird]

I simply can not pick well with a bridge that has a radius tighter than 16". In fact I have trouble even with a 16" but can compensate with some practice. Your right hand has to follow the radius when picking, chopping, strumming. 16" on a 12" is a compromise of bridge flatness and outside string height up the neck.

[ShaneJ]

Amanda, here's a good thread on how to do a radiused fretboard. (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=17337;hl=radiused+fretb oard+sander).

[John Bertotti]

Amanda Lyn have you played a radiused fret board before? I wonder where does the radius actually help the player the most. Ie..fretting becomes easier with a radius at the nut end or bridge end? I ask because I wonder how beneficial a radius gradually changing to a flat bridge would be? I was kicking around the idea of 8" to 16" at one time. John http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[labraid]

I was out when that discussion about the compound radius jigs were discussed. I'm thinking about changing my little siggy at the bottom of my posted messages now.. We're talking "simplifying" matters by letting some hunk o contraption do all the work? Where's the fun and challenge of lutherie if everything is handed to the dumb machine while we gulp down a soda and gain a few extra pounds? Gotta use the arms, brothers! That nice muscular form your lady will go crazy for, and all the snappy intelligence she can handle, the old fashioned way ;)
Maybe the new siggy should read "Don't thump me cause I'm grump-y"

Yours in old fashioned bad humor (too),
Brian

[Stephanie Reiser]

thank you all for the advise and knowledge. On a radiused fretboard, does the nut receive a radius as well? and even the bridge? I suppose they would have to.
Stephanie

[fatt-dad]

Warning - I am not a luthier.

I recemtly acquired a Stiver Mandoiln with a flat board and I asked Mr. Stiver if he could make it a radius board. He said, "Sure how much radius do you want". I was (am) clueless enough that I thought that there was flat and there was radius. Well, as we (at least some of us) are learning, there is alot of personal prefernce in these matters. I got everything from 10 inches to 12 inches. I talked to folks that have 20 inch radius mandolin fretboards (which is what Martin uses on their guitars - so I'm told). As cited above, then there is the whole matter of compound radius, i.e., going from 9 to 16 or whatever.

With all of this confusion, I just finally called Mr. Stiver and we talked it out. Whether he uses a machine or not, I do not know, but he does use jigs. I originally thought I would go from 9 or 9.5 to 16 inches as someone said that that is what Rigel uses for their radius. Well, Mr. Stiver did not have a 9 or 9.5 inch jig. He said that lots of folks liked his 7 ot 14 inch compound radius, though. So, that is what I went with. After all of the learning, discussion, etc. for me it boiled down to a decision, based on what was easiest for the guy doing the work. In retrospect, going with 12 inches at the nut would have likely been too flat. I do not perceive 7 inches at the nut as too curved and 14 inches at the bridge is no effort for picking.

Just my recent (pleasant) experience within the last month.

fatt-dad