Official Luthiers Forum!

How many of you use a compound radius on your fretboards, and how many use a simple radius. I've been focused on improving my fretwork and trying to improve/lower the action on my guitars, and one goal is to improve the technique that I've used to radius my fretboards.

Recently I purchased the StewMac 16/20 inch radius blocks for sanding, and find that they work pretty well, especially if I'm content with a simple radius, but after a bit of research, it's clear that for the best action on the guitar, a compound radius is better.

I'd like to avoid complicated jigs, etc. Who has a comprehensible technique for imparting a good compound radius on a fretboard?? Thanks.

This is just my opinion ....

If you are using a 16-20 radius as your compound numbers, the difference in radius is so small that it wont really affect action on the neck. I use a 16 inch radius block, and then level frets in line with the Fb, as some same creating a compound radius in the fret tops ... I guess, never really measured it, not sure you couls all that accurately .. but it gives the frets a straight level plane in line with the strings.

I think you really need to go for more delta in the two ends of the FB .. like 12-20, or 9-16 to really see a benefit, in comparison to using a 9 or 12 on its own .... Gibson used a straight 12 (think they still do) on all its guitars for years and the action on those can get as low as any other .... I think its more the levelling than anything else that will determine how well the guitar plays. I use a 8 inch long piece of plate glass, 3/8 thick, and 400/600 grit paper to level. That and a good shorter straight edge ( I use a 6 inch Mitutoya rule) to locate rocking frets will get you going ....

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"