Neck radius

[Styles Bitchley]

I know I should have the answer to this, but how is the radius of a neck measured? How does this play into the feel of the guitar in your hands?

[garww]

I always assumed it was the cutting radius on a lathe. My hands have changed - there is less meat in the finger tips, etc.. I am now more comfortable with a wider, flatter surface.

[paul999]

As a custom guitar builder I can tell you that neck radius is measured when you take the "roundness" or "radius" of the fret board. Picture the fret board (top to bottom) being a slice of a big circle. Let me try another way. Draw a big circle(15-22') with a big compass and cut out the center. Take a piece of the outside of the circle and put it on your fret board where there are no strings or frets. If you have a 18" radious the 18" circle slice will work.

hope this helps

[Styles Bitchley]

So the bigger the radius the flatter the fretboard? I would also presume that you could have different widths on the fretboard with the same radius, and different shapes to the back of the neck. This all started when I played an Eric Johnson strat, which seemed to have a very round but narrow feeling neck that fit into my hand very well. I was trying to equate that feel to the radius of the neck, but I guess it's a combination of things.

[paul999]

I think you've got it. I Prefer a compound radius. 17-18" at the nut and 20-21 at the neck joint. The flatter neck high make it so you can bend with lower action and not choke the strings.

The feel is definitely a combination of everything.