How Important Is Fret Radius To You

[Blue Dog]

Hi Fellow Players, The question is How important is fret radius to You and what do you prefer.  Fender style guitars have a 9'' Fret radius which is great for picking them blues , and Gibson style guitars has a 16'' radius great for strumming . most acoustic guitar has a 12'' to 16'' radius . Fender acoustic guitar stays with the 9'' radius. But do you look at the radius of the fret board when looking at a new guitar . Squire Guitars make fender style guitars with 9'' 12'' radius necks guitar. 9'' radius necks are harder to strum you have to plow through the middle strings . I have two fender acoustic guitars that never get played due to the 9'' fret radius .  Great picking guitars but picking and strumming at the same time not to good. I seen Eric Clapton Playing on P B S to day and the fender he had was a flat radius neck and he was strumming it. it was not a 9'' radius neck. so if it matters to Eric Clapton  the neck radius .  Does it matter to you. Does player prefer A Tele over Strat Be cause of the neck radius i dont know i have not looked up the fret radius on a Tele Guitar but will  in a minute. What are your thoughts. Is that why beginner play a guitar at the store and bring it home they find out later they dont like the guitar. It to hard to strum or pick.  

[V7#5b9]

I’m used to the standard 12” radius which seems to be a good compromise for both chordal and single line playing. All my electric guitar necks except for one have 12” radius. The exception has 14” radius which seems slightly better for bending, but I don’t even notice the difference any more. My acoustic guitar also has 14” radius. I’m sure the neck radius matters as well as the other neck dimensions and the neck profile in general, but I don’t recall trying anything other than “Size 12 or 14.”

[Blue Dog]

6 hours ago, V7#5b9 said:

I’m used to the standard 12” radius which seems to be a good compromise for both chordal and single line playing. All my electric guitar necks except for one have 12” radius. The exception has 14” radius which seems slightly better for bending, but I don’t even notice the difference any more. My acoustic guitar also has 14” radius. I’m sure the neck radius matters as well as the other neck dimensions and the neck profile in general, but I don’t recall trying anything other than “Size 12 or 14.”

Cool You seem to know what you like and why . . But you know a 12'' radius guitar works for you. and if you wanted a fender guitar you would proably like the strat or tele with the 12'' Radius neck instead of the 9.5  or the 7.75  radius's they offer.  They make a 12'' radius neck for both. I think by knowing what you like can help in picking a guitar that you will play verse's one that you dont like . and that is the point .   From 7.75 '' to 16'' radius a 12'' seems to be the middle of the road . Offering the best of both worlds. A classical guitar has no Radius .Now i know the next time i am at guitar center i an going to play a strat and tele with a 12'' radius neck vs a 9.5 neck. to see with one i like better.  Thanks for your input on the subject. 

Edited March 15, 2018 by Blue Dog

[NeilES335]

7 hours ago, Blue Dog said:

Hi Fellow Players, The question is How important is fret radius to You and what do you prefer.  Fender style guitars have a 9'' Fret radius which is great for picking them blues , and Gibson style guitars has a 16'' radius great for strumming . most acoustic guitar has a 12'' to 16'' radius . Fender acoustic guitar stays with the 9'' radius. But do you look at the radius of the fret board when looking at a new guitar . Squire Guitars make fender style guitars with 9'' 12'' radius necks guitar. 9'' radius necks are harder to strum you have to plow through the middle strings . I have two fender acoustic guitars that never get played due to the 9'' fret radius .  Great picking guitars but picking and strumming at the same time not to good. I seen Eric Clapton Playing on P B S to day and the fender he had was a flat radius neck and he was strumming it. it was not a 9'' radius neck. so if it matters to Eric Clapton  the neck radius .  Does it matter to you. Does player prefer A Tele over Strat Be cause of the neck radius i dont know i have not looked up the fret radius on a Tele Guitar but will  in a minute. What are your thoughts. Is that why beginner play a guitar at the store and bring it home they find out later they dont like the guitar. It to hard to strum or pick.  

Neck radius impotant? To me, not very..  Just pick the thing up and play it!? 

[Nutty1]

I do not get the opportunity to go to guitar shops very often, so if an attack of GAS happens I usually go for a guitar with a 12" radius neck. This does seem to be pretty much a magic formula for me.

[Strings]

On 3/14/2018 at 11:17 PM, NeilES335 said:

Neck radius impotant? To me, not very..  Just pick the thing up and play it!? 

Same here.