Radiused fretboard

Wdh777

Active member
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
28
Reaction score
6
I notice some ukues offer standard or an up charge for a radiused fretboard. I assume the ukes I have been playing have flat fretboards. Is this a worthwhile option to include? I always thought that a ukulele fretboard is small to begin with and the strings are soft so you wouldn’t need a radiused fretboard?
 
It very much depends on the player, playing style, hand size etc. I like them, but don’t find them essential. Like them when I play them, but don’t feel I’m missing one when I don’t...

Some very well regarded builders use them so they must have their fans.
 
A radiused fretboard makes it a little easier for me to make barre chords without muffled notes. It is not a deal breaker, but I have and will continue to pay the upgrade if it is an option.
 
I'm getting a little arthritis in my hands. A radiused fretboard, as rainbow21 said, makes it a little easier to barre clean chords. But I still play flat ones as well.

I find that setup and action have far more effect on the ease of playing barred chords. But every little bit helps.
 
My favorite ukulele has one, and I love it. I just learned that there are different degrees of radius.
 
Regarding radius fretboards...

I still insist on the ideology that a radius fretboard on a 4-string nylon string instrument serves no apparent advantage.
In fact, for my personal tastes I consider it a detriment.

If radius fretboards for nylon strung instruments is clearly superior, then Classical guitar should incorporate the design too as standard.
But Classical guitars are flat fretboards on purpose, as it is suitable for the playing characteristic of classical guitar.
Ukulele is more closely related, both structurally and playing-style wise to classical guitar than steel string guitar.
Thus why radius fretboard is a "feature" in an ukulele beats me.

Yeah sure, it's supposed to make barred chords a little easier.
Makes sense when you have higher tension steel strings across a 6 strings.
On a low tension nylon 4 string?.. seems a bit unnecessary.
 
It comes standard on some custom ukes.

If you have to pay for it, check out the other things you could get for the same money.

I had the chance to try two ukes of the same model (Clara) and found that I liked the radiused fretboard. Barre chords were definitely easier. When I pick up my ukes without the radiused FB, I have more difficulty forming a good sounding chord. There might be good reasons not to get it radiused, especially if you are a very accomplished player, but it is worth the cost to me as somewhat an "intermediate" player.
 
I like radiused fretboards as well. Both of my ukes' fretboards are radiused.

I have three nylon string guitars (all 'crossover' guitars) and they all have radiused fretboards. I don't have a non-radiused uke to compare with, but I agree that the radiused fretboards on my nylon string guitars are much easier to play.
 
I find that on my three ukes with radiused fretboards it is easier to play barre chords up the neck than when I play the same chords on my ukes that have regular fretboards.
 
I find that on my three ukes with radiused fretboards it is easier to play barre chords up the neck than when I play the same chords on my ukes that have regular fretboards.

Which three of yours have the radiused fretboard?
 
Two of mine have a radius. The Moonbird has a minimal 22 inch radius. The Cocobolo has a 12 inch which I think is more of a standard radius. They are comfy to play, but I can’t say that I notice the difference all that much.
 
It matters to me only in the sense that it is something "special." The curse makes it easier for some people to barre chords, apparently. I would never pay extra to have a curve in the fretboard, but I wouldn't avoid buying a uke that had a radiused fretboard.
 
I find that on my three ukes with radiused fretboards it is easier to play barre chords up the neck than when I play the same chords on my ukes that have regular fretboards.

I am a radius fretboard fan as well for ease of barre chord playing. It is a personal preference and many other players are fine with out it.

Thirteen of the twenty ukes in my signature have radiused fretboards. Every custom uke has had a radius specified and I have bought ukuleles (that I was interested in) just because they had a radius fret board. The Mya Moe baritone being one. Again all personal preference
 
Last edited:
I think classical guitar is usually played as a fingerstyle instrument. When playing fingerstyle, does one usually form barre chords? If classical guitar was a strumming instrument, would more folks use radiused fretboards? Although flamenco guitars are flat too, and they are certainly a strumming instrument.

Regarding radius fretboards...

I still insist on the ideology that a radius fretboard on a 4-string nylon string instrument serves no apparent advantage.
In fact, for my personal tastes I consider it a detriment.

If radius fretboards for nylon strung instruments is clearly superior, then Classical guitar should incorporate the design too as standard.
But Classical guitars are flat fretboards on purpose, as it is suitable for the playing characteristic of classical guitar.
Ukulele is more closely related, both structurally and playing-style wise to classical guitar than steel string guitar.
Thus why radius fretboard is a "feature" in an ukulele beats me.

Yeah sure, it's supposed to make barred chords a little easier.
Makes sense when you have higher tension steel strings across a 6 strings.
On a low tension nylon 4 string?.. seems a bit unnecessary.
 
What would be a good radius for a 1-3/8 inch fingerboard? Some makers use a 12 inch radius. I'm leaning toward a 16 inch radius. I have a classical guitar with a 16 inch radius and it is easier in the left hand.
 
IMO, a 16" radius on a fretboard as narrow as 1 3/8" is starting to get close to the point where the curve is so flat it doesn't make much of a difference - it's going to be very subtle. But if you like it on your classical guitar, at least you have that as a point of reference.
 
A have had some great setups from HMS and Mim and a local setup person, but after buying a Pono with a radiused fretboard and HMS setup, I'm planning to never buy another flat fretboard again. It's not only more comfortable on these older, getting more arthritic hands, but it also made me a better player. For example, I couldn't completely cleanly play UncleRod's boot camp chord changes at 82bpm (One strum per chord at Choirguy's web site) across all five keys until the Pono. The slightly less pressure needed on the barre chords seem to make all the difference.

Regarding the radius, here are a few builders & manufacturers that I've noticed or asked about:
Ibenez -> 15.7 (on UEWT5)
Enya -> 19.6
Pono -> compound 12-16
Cocobolo -> 12
Mya-Moe -> 12 optional
NFC -> 10
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom