20" Neck Radius! OMG - should I Freak Out!?!? Radius Explained

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  • Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024

Комментарии • 92

  • @okteej3527
    @okteej3527 4 года назад +8

    That was very informative and helpful! I was on edge about getting a new guitar with a 20 inch radius but it’s not far off from the 17 inch radius of my favorite Ibanez. Thanks!

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      Thomas Powell - well good, I’m glad it helped out. Once I drew them out I realized just how curved even a 20” still is. While no where near those Fender 9.5s its a long way from FLAT.

  • @michaelseidman924
    @michaelseidman924 4 года назад +11

    Dude the fact that this video has so few views is unreal. Best radius video I've ever viewed, period. Thanks for the information

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      Michael Seidman - thanks man! I probably didn’t name it well, there’s an art to that ya know. Properly snag all those searches. I’m glad you found it helpful \m/ and thanks for letting me know!

  • @liamphillips3061
    @liamphillips3061 2 года назад +2

    Great radius video, I was looking for a radius visualizer so I could see the difference between a 12 and 17. Thanks for posting an informative video.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      You’re welcome Liam :) glad it was helpful. Rock on \m/

  • @MrTennisgolf
    @MrTennisgolf 3 года назад +2

    Excellent description. I recently played a Yamaha 5 string bass in a store and noticed it seemed to be easier and more comfortable to play and reach the B string than the Fender and Squire 5 strings I have owned. (I don’t have a 5 currently, just four 4 strings from three different makers)I looked up the specs and noticed that it had a 21.plus radius! This discovery , along with hearing how good it sounded on the amp I was buying has moved it into first place over the two I was considering with smaller radiuses.

  • @JoeHew
    @JoeHew 4 года назад +6

    Yes, a 20" radius is no big deal. Now let's get guitar companies to more products with an infinite radius on the fretboard.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      Joe Hewitt - almost reluctant to ask, but here goes... what is an infinite radius?

    • @JoeHew
      @JoeHew 4 года назад +1

      @@oldguyjammin9732 The higher the number, the flatter. It's just a fancy way to say flat.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад +1

      Joe Hewitt - lol, gotch ya! That’s good, thanks for that, I’ll be trippin on it for a while - love it!

    • @JoeHew
      @JoeHew 4 года назад

      @@oldguyjammin9732 Haha. I'm glad you got a laugh out of it. Good video by the way.

    • @RoadkillPinata
      @RoadkillPinata 2 года назад

      OK, so you mean a flat fingerboard. I love a flat fingerboard and do wish manufacturers did offer that option, it should be easy in this era when most major and minor guitar companies are practicing the all CNC, all the time approach. I made my own flat neck by pulling the frets, squaring/leveling the fingerboard and refretting. Anyone considering this should buy flat/straight fret wire instead of wire that comes in a coil, particularly if you opt for stainless steel.

  • @1dswylde
    @1dswylde 2 года назад +1

    I have a Fender Starcaster Strat with a 20" radius and it plays great. Great video and very informative! 😎🎸

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      Very cool, that's unusual for a Fender I'd think 👍

  • @natslo26
    @natslo26 2 года назад

    I found your video, because I just found today, my strat has a 20" radius. After trying to make the action fit 9.5. And being frustrated. So I wanted to see if anyone else had the same issues. Thanks for video. It now plays great fyi.🤓👍

  • @CarbonGlassMan
    @CarbonGlassMan 3 месяца назад

    My 1991 Dean Eighty Eight seems to have a 20 inch radius. According to the Amazon radius gauges.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  3 месяца назад

      Right on, that’s pretty “flat” and yet a long way from it actually, ha ha. Probably plays really fast and easy.

    • @CarbonGlassMan
      @CarbonGlassMan 3 месяца назад

      @@oldguyjammin9732 I remember it was easy to play.

  • @bartholomeusclever
    @bartholomeusclever 5 лет назад +1

    great video, as a matter of fact, i was just wondering today about what radius actually means, and now you post this video, like you read my mind ;)
    ps. that wolf guitar looks killer !

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  5 лет назад

      Bartholomeus Clever - lol, that’s awesome. The universe is looking out for you! The Wolf is nice; it’s going to be my keeper Telecaster. Thanks for watching, have a good one!

  • @linadecaseleycarloss5838
    @linadecaseleycarloss5838 4 года назад +1

    Nice explanation sir - thankyou!!

  • @clineyork8339
    @clineyork8339 Год назад

    Great explanation.

  • @paxonearth
    @paxonearth 4 года назад +2

    I bought a strat with 1,000,000 inch radius, but I sent it back when I discovered it was only 900,000 inches.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад +1

      paxonearth - good choice for sure...?

    • @JoeHew
      @JoeHew 4 года назад +1

      Those tricksters!!!

    • @1allstarman
      @1allstarman 2 года назад +1

      They probably thought you would not notice the difference !

  • @Lomoholga2
    @Lomoholga2 11 месяцев назад

    Never heard of a 9 inch radius but fender has 9.5 which obviously is close enough

  • @andreisevastre3659
    @andreisevastre3659 3 года назад

    Very informative, excellent video! Thank you!

  • @Lovell93
    @Lovell93 Год назад

    I normally play Stratocasters and PRS Custom 24s, so im very used to 9.5" and 10" radius. Today, I decided to break out of my comfort zone and order a Charvel DK24 with a compound radius of 12" to 16". I am very excited to try it out! It should be the best of both worlds for that smooth rhythm playing, as well as the blistering solos further down the neck! Hopefully I don't hate it!😂

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  Год назад

      I wonder if you'll even notice? I wonder if you'll experience more of a difference chording at the nut than anything else... let us know!

  • @robwilcox302
    @robwilcox302 2 года назад

    This was very beneficial!!!

  • @simonsmith2642
    @simonsmith2642 2 года назад +1

    I have a 7.25 a 9.5 10 12 and thinking of a 16 on a jazz box. I am worried about 16. I have old hard worked hands that hurt.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      You might find the larger radius more comfortable. There is really VERY little difference between them all. Purely flat, like a classical is radically different.

  • @themaggot8
    @themaggot8 4 года назад +1

    I've been playing Gibsons (12") for the last 10 years and now I saw a guitar with a 20" radius and I got a bit scared, but this videos showed me that it shouldn't be that much of a difference...hopefully.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад +2

      Juan José Fonseca Godoy - I dare say that after a just a few days you’ll hardly even notice the difference. Nothing to worry about.

  • @paulsaul3545
    @paulsaul3545 4 года назад +1

    Ty. Was helpful.

  • @GermanViking
    @GermanViking Год назад

    Thank you! I´m interested in getting a PRS Mark Holcomb which is a 20" radius.
    I´ve been playing a 13.7" radius for years!

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  Год назад +1

      well, great! 20" radius is nothing to shy away from. I hear the Mark Holcomb is one of the best, "affordable" PRS guitars you can get.

  • @julielahm7637
    @julielahm7637 3 года назад

    Very helpful - thanks.

  • @indigosoundsstudio
    @indigosoundsstudio Год назад +1

    Fingerboard radius is a very personal choice for each player and it largely depends on your playing style. If your music consists of mostly “cowboy” chords in the first position and/or playing bar chords up and down the neck you will most likely prefer a 12” or less radius fingerboard. If you play chord voicings that involve large stretches, four frets or more, a flatter fingerboard, larger radius, will probably be best for you. As an example, guitarist Allan Holdsworth, known for playing chords that involve 6 or more fret stretches preferred using guitars with a 16” or 20” radius because it suited his playing style better. I spent 25 years playing mostly Classical guitar with a completely flat fingerboard and became so use to it that I prefer at least a 16” or 20” radius electric guitar fingerboard. Bottom line: Choose the radius that best suits your playing style and needs that allows you to play your instrument without the instrument playing you.

  • @rtroiani
    @rtroiani 2 года назад

    Great visual. I just ordered a Kiesel Leia with a 20" Radius and was curious how different it would be from my 15.25" Ibanez.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      Thanks man, I doubt you notice much difference. Wow! A Kiesel... \m/ stay cool

    • @rtroiani
      @rtroiani 2 года назад +1

      @@oldguyjammin9732 my current favorite guitar is a Carvin DC150 I found in mint condition. 21 years old and outplays everything in the stable!

  • @basenjiguitar
    @basenjiguitar 4 года назад +2

    like a classical guitar I prefer flat radius o radius more flat like a 16 o 20 inches

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      basenjiguitar - I noticed a while ago that the change in radius of my own guitars isn’t noticeable anymore; they range from 12-20. I do still notice those 7 and 9s when I play one though ;-)

    • @JoeHew
      @JoeHew 4 года назад +1

      I've been a steel string player most of my life (curved fingerboards). The flat fingerboard on a classical feels the best to me. I wish completely flat fingerboards would catch on in the steel string community.

    • @bobbyodell8676
      @bobbyodell8676 3 года назад

      Yes, I have a custom USA Strat with 12" radius and 6100 Dunlop. My HM Strat was 17"...shredder too.

  • @creepypokemon
    @creepypokemon 2 года назад

    I like comfiness, I like flat radius and flat profile neck, having big hands with short fingers is a real struggle, still until today I'm dealing with a 14 radius fretboard with a D profile neck, I'm used to it but sometimes I would like to have more space to move, and shred more hahahaha.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад +1

      Ever tried a Jackson Soloist guitar? They have a fairly flat neck that seems a bit wider than many. Maybe worth looking at..?

    • @creepypokemon
      @creepypokemon 2 года назад +1

      @@oldguyjammin9732 I had! But just in USA, I am from Costa Rica, the models that are for sale are of low quality and after that the prices are disgustingly high due to inflation. The best Jackson I ever tried was a Jackson Kelly they had on display in a store in Los Angeles near San Bernardino, it was an amazing Jackson and I can swear I've never played licks and sweeps so comfortably in my life, I've been playing for 10 years now and I really feel that I need a change... Life's kinda hard when you're a musician in a country like this 😅

  • @monitorlizard9971
    @monitorlizard9971 Год назад

    Funny at all the comments talking about getting their kiesel. That is specifically why im researching guitar specs. I want to order a kiesel. I play metal and I remember the easiest guitar ive ever had for this style was definitely my gothic gibson sg. What I remember about what made this guitar so easy to learn shred on was the fact that the damn fretboard was so incredibly flat and straight that the strings were probably only 1mm from the frets and still would never buzz out except for maybe the 1st fret high E. Not only did it feel really flat but I could play faster on it because the frets were also closer together. I looked up the specs on this old shred beast of mine and its a 14 inch radius i believe and a 24.75" scale length. Also the really hard stiff flat ebony wood also made legato and shredding arpeggios a breeze. But anyways i always felt this gibson had the flattest frets ive ever played and the radius is really only 14" or 12" and I have always related shredability with super flat frets. When i played all the fenders that had really crazy curved frets it really felt like I was fighting the guitar or was stuck in the mud. Fenders would always just frustrate me to no end, why cant i play this gdamn guitar like at all??? For sure it was the 9" radius holding me back from my style of playing. So i would be curious if a 20" radius fretboard would be even easier for me to play on than an already super flat 14" of my gothic gibson sg. Interesting topic though.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  Год назад

      Yes, interesting. The difference between radiuseses when looking at arcs on a page are pretty small but when playing you can certainly feel it. Flat however is REALLY noticeable and to me, very uncomfortable and like you said, I don't care for the smaller 9"-ish necks either. Because of the small differences I don't get the compound necks either and thinks it's a gimick more than it is actually a functional benefit... I mean 12-16 from nut to body is hardly anything. For set up purposes I'd prefer one or the other.

    • @gitarman666
      @gitarman666 Год назад

      Had my Kiesel headless Zeus for 5 months now
      I am a Charvel neck through player since the 80s
      Model 5
      Then added some Jems
      But my older 24.75 SGs and Pauls are so easy to play and bends are a breeze
      So my Zeus is 24.75 with a 20” radius
      I thought it might be too flat but it’s my primary shredder now
      I’m playing pieces I struggled with like
      “Mables Fatal Fable” and “Altitudes” on the longer scales without the ouch or micro hand shift reach for the bigger reach arpeggios
      Also plenty of other challenging pieces out their that are on my buckethead list
      I also was worried about the medium jumbo frets since the Charvel’s are jumbo but I’m really happy with the Zeus and I wouldn’t change anything but the pick ups
      The polarity actives are muddled, bland
      And not much difference in sound from position to position, frankly my ‘87 model 5 has active Jackson made by EMG?
      That sound great, very versatile

    • @monitorlizard9971
      @monitorlizard9971 Год назад

      @@gitarman666 sounds like fun. I ended up getting a schecter reaper elite frs in blue, because I wanted a sustainiac. Playability is about a 7 although the floyd rose 1500 is absolutely stellar. Id rate it amongst the best floyds out there right next to the ibanezes edge lo pro which i love so much. And so is the sustainiac it comes with VERY AWESOME pickup. Makes playing very fun for hours on end. Took a couple weels to get used tonit now i never turn it off. Im either letting chords swell on the non harmonic channel or bending wide vibrato with it on harmonic mode it just always sounds killer. Theres a lot of beautiful sounds you can get out of it. Like just playing some movie sound tracks i can make my playing feel like a full production musical with that pickup. Although i dont tackle the harder shreddy stuff and with the 25.5 scale neck the arpeggios below the 7th feet are a major pain to get clean. Im thinking of having a tech see if he can get the action a bit lower via leveling frets or w.e. it took a week to set it up just right i can do almost every 2 step bends anywhere so i compromised action and playability for maximum versatility options. Really love the guitar though. Maybe someday i will be able to get a kiesel. I want a swamp ashe wood grain raw tone aries 2 but with a sustainiac which isnt an option at this point. I do have to say the korean made scecters have came a long way. They are practically mij standard from back in early 2000s. I did have to send 2 different indonesian reaper elites back because they all seem to have this issue where the high e will slip off the fretboard making it almost unplayable. The reaper elite didnt have this issue to the same extent but it is still a slight issue where i must play with heavier gauge strings. Id prefer 8s but im using the factory standard 10s. I bought 4 different string gauges to see how they would work on the guitar and it seems i can really only use the slightly standard or heavy gauge strings because the high e will just slip off. Still like the guitar tho the pup it comes with is also extremely full and with great note separation when doing those big fat chords.

  • @GMec78
    @GMec78 4 года назад +2

    Vintage Fenders are actually 7.25 not 9.5. Someone better tell Eric and Jimmy you can’t bend on a 7.25 radius

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      Grant Mecozzi - Wow, I knew they got round and have seen some 7-ish but dang, that’s pretty round. Good point on the bends.

    • @jdl2180
      @jdl2180 3 года назад

      Bending isn't the problem. The problem is the other strings make noise when bending.
      Even a 9.5 inch radius makes noise when I bend in some spots. Now I have guitars with compound radius necks. Problem solved.

  • @nickcirillo6191
    @nickcirillo6191 Год назад

    😎thanks!

  • @derred723
    @derred723 4 года назад

    a fender strat is normally 9.5. A vintage Strat is a 7.25. John Mayer's, a vintage strat lover, made the PRS 7.25. I don't find it that hard to bend on honestly on a 7.25 and fretting out on the low strings isn't really an issue, and most of my blues heroes have played that sort of guitar and they seem to bend just find. I personally am not fond of things more than a 9.5. Even on a 9.5 i'm looking to put a 7.25 on my next strat cause it's easier to chord at the top and i'm not a shredder. Though i'd love to have the skill to play some van halen stuff.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      Der Red - Cool info :) I’ve been looking at a Pete Anderson Chambered Tele. The Reverend guitars have a progressive radius of 10” at the nut and 14” from the octave up. I do appreciate some good curvature at the nut and find chording quite a bit easier than with a flatter neck.

  • @naka3339
    @naka3339 2 года назад

    The historical reason why electric guitars have a radius is purely marketing, it had nothing to do with being "easier". When american companies like Gibson started building guitars they started employing different designs to compete with established luthiers ( who had workshop building guitars for hundred years by then ). One thing Gibson started to do is adopting violin aesthetic to mandolin and later to guitars. That's why we have archtop, F-holes and fretboard radius and smaller nut to bridge ratio and etc ... Because these designs became extremely popular and american guitars ( steel ) became synonymous with those characteristics while flat radius, same nut/bridge and etc ...

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      That’s cool, love learning new things, thanks for sharing. I have to admit though that playing a “rock guitar” is much easier than playing rock on a classical guitar with its purely flat radius... don’t you think?

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      I think I’d agree with much of what you say though, like the 12-16 variable radius necks... the difference isn’t even worth talking about ~ that might make a great video!?!? Thanks for the info.

  • @DP-ly3zx
    @DP-ly3zx 4 года назад

    Thanks!!

  • @stephena4472
    @stephena4472 3 года назад

    Very informative video.
    I'm considering a nylon guitar ( I currently play Steel stringed - 12 inch radius - also played a 16 inch no problem. ). The La Patrie Collection nylon sounds fab.. It has a 24inch radius.. Do you think the adjustment required to play a 24 rad is doable?

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  3 года назад +1

      I’m sure you’ll manage it fine, especially if you’re finger picking, or plucking. You’ll definitely notice the ‘flatness’ :-)

  • @j-mo2453
    @j-mo2453 2 года назад

    On a tele which often has 7 1/4 lol

  • @claymationwaves
    @claymationwaves 4 года назад

    only 1000 people needed help with information radiuses radiusy radysusamunga.. i think not sir

  • @richardsyoutubechannel995
    @richardsyoutubechannel995 3 года назад

    7.25 is the only one for me on a strat or tele

  • @johnkorth4048
    @johnkorth4048 10 месяцев назад

    What's the radius of the Earth

  • @petermartinaitis8166
    @petermartinaitis8166 3 года назад

    So applying that to acoustic guitars the larger the radius the better for fingerstyle as obviously there is less curve on the strings at the sound hole ?

  • @bobbyodell8676
    @bobbyodell8676 3 года назад

    If radius is just the fretboard, what's the back of the neck called? How do slim down the back of the neck?

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  3 года назад +2

      Bobby O'Dell - the back of the neck is defined by a letter related shape, i.e. U, C, Thin C, or D. The letters are kind of useless imo but after a long while a player learns to equate them to standards like old Teles (U) or Vintage Les Pauls (D) newer stuff like ESPs have the C (draw a line threw it, top to bottom) and Ibanez with the Thin C - super thin and hella fast they say, but I find them too thin. You could probably reduce your neck profile with a belt or rotary sander. I’d take the neck off the guitar and then be ready to make truss rod adjustments as well.

  • @richardsyoutubechannel995
    @richardsyoutubechannel995 3 года назад

    20 radius omg no thank you

  • @dratonbalat3423
    @dratonbalat3423 2 года назад

    After 30 minutes listening over and over the hum in the background has to be a washer.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  2 года назад

      Our dryer’s drum bearing is going out, lol. If it would just break I’d go ahead and fix it :)

  • @angelotero7117
    @angelotero7117 4 года назад

    Which guitar companies make 20" radius necks?

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад +1

      angel otero - Wolf brand sold by AIO Guitars So California and probably others. Many acoustic guitars are that flat and classical guitars are even flatter.

    • @rickkrainak
      @rickkrainak 3 года назад +1

      Strandberg Guitars

    • @terouy8732
      @terouy8732 3 года назад +1

      Prs

    • @musicman700
      @musicman700 3 года назад +1

      Kiesel

  • @user-be9ey4jb3c
    @user-be9ey4jb3c 3 года назад

    Totally flat is better.

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  3 года назад +1

      For finger picking classical perhaps, but I prefer something around 12 - I like me a little curve :)

  • @iremanguitars
    @iremanguitars 4 года назад

    Lost me at a minute 58

    • @oldguyjammin9732
      @oldguyjammin9732  4 года назад

      iremanguitars - hang in there til 3:24 and maybe it’ll make more sense... or is it something having to do with living in California!?!? Peace out \m/