Official Luthiers Forum!

Al, thanks for sharing the plans. One question; what did you mean by "nut end of board should be as close to small radius as possible" when talking about using it for a compound radius?

             Thanks, Paul Harrell

Yes. When making a compound radius, the actual starting radius will be a function of where the fretboard is located on the table. The minimum radius will be right over the short arm, and the max will be over the long arm. If one wanted to an extra set of pivot holes could be drilled to allow greater taper, or a more precise taper.

Al

Thanks for the answer and thanks for taking the time to post the plans for everyone.

                Paul

Here is my version of a similar radiusing fixture. I think it is about a 14" radius on the nut end and about a 20" radius on the saddle end.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Looks real good John....I assume that it's the male of the species right?

Cheers Kim larkim38845.4600694444

Thanks a lot Al! This will be in my future plans. Nice drawings too

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Thanks for the plans Al! I'm gonna have to build one of those. Radiusing is pretty slow just using the blocks from Stew Mac.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

John I like your jig. Just goes to show that it's rare to come up with something totally origional.

Al

I didn't come up with it either, I found it on Bo Walker's site. So there ya go. Don't know if it was his original idea or maybe he saw it somewhere else as well.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

       Hi. I am still learning and would like to know why and when to use a compound instead of a straight radius. On my first fretboard I just cut a scraper matching the radius on a guitar I have and it worked fine. Of course it wouldn't work for a compound though.

I notice some of the jigs seem to be more complicated than necessary but must somehow make production work faster and more accurate. I like to avoid using a router whenever possible in favor of simpicity and noise avoidance.

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"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

Early Fender guitars had a very tight radius to the fretboard, and followed the natural curve of the fingers. The problem came up when players would bend the strings especially higher up the neck. As the string is bent sideways the arch of the fretboard would cause the string to fret out on the next fret. Gibson guitars with their flatter fretboard were not as prone to this problem. Thus the compound radius was born to provide the best of both.

Al

Somebody build me one, let me know what it will cost and send it to me. I feel like Fred Flinstone sometimes living in the prehistoric times when I look at some of these jigs and tools you guys make.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Mike, you got a PM!