Can anyone tell me what the advantage is of a radiused fretboard?
Radiused Fretboard
- Thread starter PereBourik
- Start date
Kanaka916
Well-known member
I think the one advantage is it would be easier to hold barre chords without adding increased pressure to get a clean sound because of the natural curvature of your finger(s). For most, I don't think it really matters whether it's a radius or flat FB. There are a few luthiers who have incorporated a radius FB in their build and for others it's an option. Whether one needs it really comes down to personal preference. My:2cents:
RichM
Well-known member
I find a radius makes more of a difference on a guitar fingerboard, where most steel string guitars have radiused fretboards. On a smaller instrument like a uke, I barely notice the difference.
patrickmcgill
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2010
- Messages
- 34
- Reaction score
- 0
i have one and I like it
Nickie
Well-known member
Still....it is intriguing....I'd love to try one...
soupking
Well-known member
I totally agree with Rich: I notice no difference between radiused fretboards and standard ones on ukuleles. He and I do come from guitar backgrounds, however, so maybe that has something to do with it; in that we both already had a working knowledge of how to form chords and such. I was never good at guitar and am equally bad at ukulele, but as far as chord shapes and forming them and all, I at least have a decent grasp of that, so transferring from guitar to uke, in that particular sense, was a piece of cake.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2010
- Messages
- 28,193
- Reaction score
- 28
If you have a wider fretboard or at the nut, the radiused may feel better...but on a narrower thinner neck, it would hardly be noticable.....
Last edited:
Doc_J
Well-known member
My fingers are pretty stiff and straight. So oddly, Flat fretboards are slightly easier for me to hold a barre chord than radiused ones. But as long as the radius is a large one it doesn't really matter.
Last edited:
I originally started off with steel string guitars and on those, with the high tension, and wide spacing a radius really helps with barres and feels more natural for fast passages across the strings.... plus if you fret with the thumb it also makes things a lot easier!
When I switched over to ukes, the lower tension and narrower spacing means that I don't miss the radiusing as much. When there is a radiused it's welcome but not essential for me...
When I switched over to ukes, the lower tension and narrower spacing means that I don't miss the radiusing as much. When there is a radiused it's welcome but not essential for me...
I like flat and have a harder time with radius
didgeridoo2
Well-known member
I thought for a while that I definitely needed a radiused fret board. I have no flexibilty in my thumb because of surgery and wanted as much help as I could get. I have it on two tenor ukes, one has a 1.5" width nut and the other is 1 3/8". Both play great. I recently bought a uke with a 1.5" width at the nut and no radius. It feels great. I'm wondering if neck shaping has more to do with my comfort.
BIGDB
Well-known member
If I relax your hand your fingers naturally have a bend in them which makes it more natural to play bar chords and I think it's easier to fingerpick with a radiused one
Paul December
Well-known member
Are the saddle & nut radiused like on a violin. 
blue_knight_usa
Well-known member
I notice a difference on mine for sure (Tenor's). I have small fingers and barring on a fret board with a radius is definitely easier for me to get a nice clean tone.
strumsilly
Well-known member
me too. unfortunately they seem to be on Taylor , MM , and other high end instruments, none of which my local music shop carries.
teruterubouzu
Well-known member
I suck at barre chords, so this is intriguing. Never knew what a radiused fretboard was until I read this thread. Are there any factory ukuleles that have them?
OP
OP
HMS is getting some new Pono tenors with radiused fretboards. That's what made me ask.
darylcrisp
Well-known member
i have a w wixom tenor with no radius and a breedlove american series with radius-coming from steel string guitar background, the Uke posed no problem with barre positions. both play fine for me.
anyone looking for an under $1000 USA made solid wood Uke with radius, check out the breedlove american series ukes-tons of bang for the buck
d
anyone looking for an under $1000 USA made solid wood Uke with radius, check out the breedlove american series ukes-tons of bang for the buck
d
bnolsen
Well-known member
I've personally only noticed that barring the middle strings with a chord like Eb is slightly easier radiused. I have no hope in hell of ever being able to individually finger 2 adjacent strings in this lifetime unless I were to have something (obscenely wide) custom built.
Similar threads
