Does fret radius matter?

A smaller (more curved) radius is generally perceived as more comfortable for playing chords; a larger (less curved) radius is generally considered better for single-note playing and bending. Fender has a few of its own well-established fingerboard radius conventions.

What neck radius is best for small hands?

People with small hands tend to have an easier time playing on flatter, thinner necks, which means that they will often benefit from a fretboard radius that is 12“ or above. This is why shred guitars like the John Petrucci Signature series for example, have a fretboard radius of 16″.

What fretboard radius is the best?

A rounder radius of 9.5 to 10 inches is popular for open position chords. A flatter radius of 12 to 16 inches is popular for guitar soloing and bending notes. A compound radius offers both, starting rounder in open position and flattening out as you move higher up the neck.

What neck radius did Jimi Hendrix use?

9.5″
The maple neck on the Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster carries a modern fretboard radius of 9.5″. This flatter design allows for much wider string bends than a vintage fretboard. It also works much better with the 6-saddle, vintage-style tremolo. And the neck’s C-shape sits comfortably in your hand.

How much difference does fretboard radius make?

Other common sizes for fretboard radius are 9.5″, 10″, and 12″. The higher the number, the flatter the fingerboard. From a guitarist’s viewpoint, fingerboard radius has to do with feel and playability and is completely subjective; no radius is better or worse.

What is the neck radius of a Gibson Les Paul?

12″
But the new Standard also features a compound neck radius, and whereas the Les Paul Standard Traditional sports a 12″ radius from nut to the 22nd fret, the new Standard boasts a 10″ radius at the nut that flattens to 16″ at the other end of the fretboard.

What does guitar neck radius mean?

Fingerboard radius is the curvature of the fingerboard across the neck, from the lowest string to the highest string, and just like the radius of a circle, it can be described by a number. The exact shape of that arc, from rounder to flatter, is expressed numerically in inches or millimeters.