Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (Schneidas) — Tue, 13 May 2008 07:01:37 GMT

Glad to be of help.
Just remember though that a 10" radius is just a little flatter to a 9.5" radius neck. I suspect that it will be choking up a bit aswell, just as the 9.5" radius you tried. The main thing about no string choking on these moderate-radiused necks is the action of the strings. Low action will definitely NOT work well if you're a crazy bender. Medium action will give you good results however.

I'm a big bender myself - sometimes I bend 4 -...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (JoeyM) — Tue, 13 May 2008 05:57:41 GMT

Wow, this thread got really drawn out. Just wanted to say thanks to Schneidas who recommended a 10" radius. I am somewhat of a crazy string bender, and the 9 1/2 I tried was choking up just a little. I'll definitely look into it.

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:14:48 GMT

> "I don't really think the whole magnet 'aging' concept holds water."

It doesn't hold any water! When folks talk about old pickups, they seem to ignore the fact that, installed in a guitar under normal conditions, magnets do not age significantly. Other undesirable things might happen to a pickup, like developing shorts from corrosion and breakages from mishandling, etc, but aged magnets is, for all intents and purposes, total bs.

So,...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:54:38 GMT

> "I'm not intelligent enough to understand why one pickup should be a bridge (because of how it's wound) and another should be a neck..."

Not really about how a pickup is wound or constructed, but more about the number of turns, because of the need for a higher output pickup at the bridge, and the main consideration not being for solos either, but rather balanced volume and tone, because of the significantly different string dynamics at the bridge...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:43:35 GMT

> "Like I said, I think the magnet stagger is an ify recommendation...to make to anyone.

Sometimes the pressure of your hand can make something go out of tune for someone else, but it plays right for you."

You seem focussed on tuning. I don't talk about magnet stagger in respect of tuning, but mainly in respect of balanced response (volume).

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:33:25 GMT

> "I didn't change anything if you're talking to me. At least anything really important, I mean sometimes I just see a typo later. Usually I edit something 20 times in progress, but then eventually reach my final draft, but that's different than what you're sayin' nocaster."

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (Emrys Wledig) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:15:13 GMT

I didn't change anything if you're talking to me. At least anything really important, I mean sometimes I just see a typo later. Usually I edit something 20 times in progress, but then eventually reach my final draft, but that's different than what you're sayin' nocaster.

Yea...

But anyhow, I know this is an in-depth topic. I'm sorting out my thoughts as I type pretty much. I think aloud a lot.

I'm also far from done when it comes...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 06:41:46 GMT

I really wish people wouldn't edit posts after they have been responded to and several days have past, especially when the posts are long and there's no indication of what's been changed.

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:13:28 GMT

nocaster's custom 7-1/4 - 10" compound radius is now available for special order from USACG, which also carries USACG's approved by Tommy award for Fender compliance. A cowboy's delight. Keith Richards endorsement applied for.

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (PeteMK1) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:09:23 GMT

FWIW, Parker uses a 10"-13" compound radius. IIRC, they have some info on their webpage on how they arrived at these numbers. Seemed pretty logical to me.

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:30:51 GMT

General rules for compound radii:

To avoid significant setup issues, it is strongly recommended that the difference between the start and end radii of a compound radius should not exceed 5". Yes, that means the 10-16" compound radius falls outside the recommended limits. While Tommy offers the 10-16" compound, because Warmoth does, to my knowledge he does not recommend it.

For optimum results and no setup issues, it is further hereby...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:16:20 GMT

Okay, maybe some simple hard and fast rules are needed as a guide? And here they are (for Fender-type projects that employ Fender-style hardware):

If one is installing a Fender-style bridge: The fingerboard should have a radius that is no flatter than 12" at the saddles, which means that a straight radius no flatter than 12", or a compound radius of either 7.25-9.5" or 7.25-10". (See below for further restrictions if one wants to retain the...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:56:21 GMT

> "maybe compund radius helps out with action around the 12th fret."

This is a common misconception. Nothing special happens at the twelfth fret. The flattest radius doesn't start there. In fact, the flattest radius only "starts" at the very end of the fretboard, and then effectively continues to flatten over the pups, until it finally reaches the saddles. This is a major consideration for Fender hardware and for pups that employ the vintage...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (Emrys Wledig) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:35:55 GMT

I would suggest a slightly higher than normal cut...on your bridge slots for the lower strings.

I really don't notice the radius of the neck, as say I do the overall length of the neck. The shape and thickness sorta means more to me too.

But something I have noticed about these Fenders...is the compromise you need to make when it comes to string buzz and action.

The compound neck gives you a little more speed in upper regions, while the...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:28:16 GMT

Yes, Tommy used to have radius blocks for 7.25, 9.5, 10, 12, 14, and 16, and could accommodate any practical combination for a compound. However, that was several years ago now, and things have probably changed. 11 and 20 are obvious "holes" in the aforementioned list.

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (Schneidas) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:19:41 GMT

I'm not sure but I don't think Tommy does a 10.5" radius. I remember wanting an 11" radius back in 2006 when I was ordering a new neck from Tommy and he said no-can-do on the 11" as he didn't have an 11" template or cutter or something like that (I forget what it was he didn't have). I had to go with a 10" radius instead as I didn't wanna go for a 12".
So I guess one can choose either a 10" or 12" but nothing inbetween (though...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:41:56 GMT

> "that dude seemed like he knew what he was doing."

I'm not saying he doesn't (for him), and he may have accepted calculated compromise, and/or likes high action, and/or fits massive strings to lessen setup issues.

Rather than a 9-1/2-12" compound, might I suggest a 10 or 10.5" straight radius?

But if you want to keep the option open for vintage-style pups, and/or low action, with little/no compromise, a 9.5" straight...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (JoeyM) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:09:17 GMT

Okay, just figured I'd ask...that dude seemed like he knew what he was doing. I think I'll stick with 9 1/2" and see if I can just have it set up a little better. Thanks for your help, Nocaster.

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (nocaster) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:32:06 GMT

> "Would this be a reasonable radius to use?"

IMO, a compound 9 1/2" - 12" radius is NOT reasonable for Fender-type bridges. Such bridges have a practical limit of about 12". A compound radius that at the end of the fb is 12" is significantly flatter at the saddles!

You'd also need to make sure to buy flat-pole pickups, not that such is necessarily a big problem, but it does exclude off-the-shelf vintage-style pups.

...

Re: 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (JoeyM) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:41:34 GMT

Okay, so I finally got to the Guitar shop today, and tried out some different guitars. I found the 9 1/2 radius on a telecaster I tried to be really comfortable to me, though it did fret out a little doing some bends above the 12th fret.

I saw this guitar that Stratnasty built a while ago on here (very similar to one I'm thinking about), and he had a compound 9 1/2" - 12" radius. It sounds like it would probably work perfectly for me. He also used the same style of...

7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius (Pros and Cons)

feeds@yuku.com (JoeyM) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:03:02 GMT

Hey All,

I am hoping to hear some opinions about the 7-1/4" to 9-1/2" compound radius that USA Custom sells.

It sounds like a great idea...are there any cons? Can you bend down lower onto the neck without fretting out as well as up by the higher notes?

Just wondering why anyone would choose other than this particular radius, or positive thoughts about it. (I'm new at building guitars.)

Thanks,
Joe