Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi guys. I am getting ready to tackle my first neck on ol number one. Questions Questions. Do all builders use a radius on there finger boards? Why or Why not? Were Vintage Martins, Gibson, Larson bros.etc radiused fingerboards? What radius works best for you guys. I read an article on the new Santa Cruz Otis Taylor model (Which is beautiful with only 14 frets) and they said its the first guitar they built with a compound radius neck. Whats a "Compound Radius Neck"

Another topic. I have seen some ol time guitars that were made with one tone bar instead of two and two finger braces rather that four. How doest this affect tone, volume and strength and is anyone of you guys doin this currently

Q) Do all builders use a radius on there finger boards? Why or Why not?

A) No. Most do but a few build with flat fret boards with Wayne Henderson being an example. As to why a particular builder does what they do I can't say.

Q) Were Vintage Martins, Gibson, Larson bros.etc radiused fingerboards?

A) I think that most were but I am not absolutely sure - hopefully someone more knowledgeable then me will answer this one.

Q) What radius works best for you guys.

A) For me I like a 16" for the feel, because I am used to it, and because all my tooling (radius cauls) are a 16" radius. I am sure I would like a compound radius too and have tried them and liked them.

Q) Whats a "Compound Radius Neck

A) A compound radius fret board will have multiple radi represented. For example at the nut it may be 16" and at the last fret it might be a 20" radius. Many other combinations would work too.

Q) I have seen some ol time guitars that were made with one tone bar instead of two and two finger braces rather that four. How doest this affect tone, volume and strength and is anyone of you guys doin this currently

A) Bracing is also dictated by the amount of top real estate that needs to be stiffened/supported/have vibration transmitted. With this said larger body styles will often have more tone bars where smaller bodies may have less. Vibration transfer is anther concern to some and is dictated by a builders notions on how a guitar top creates sound.

Good questions!