Does Your Fretboard Radius Match Your Saddle? It Should!

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[@leonardwinchester4030]

A few years ago, I convinced the store where I bought one of my acoustics of this very problem. They conceeded when I insisted they check. A marked improvement when they corrected the "flaw".

[@Natena]

Thanks for this information ✅

[@AKdon68]

This is an excellent video. I bought an expensive guitar and has this same issue. I was wondering even with v good action, 3rd and 4th string action is high.. I measured the radius and the fretboard radius is 16" and saddle (tusq) is 12".. Not a big issue just need to get a 16" radius saddle.. But poor work at the factory.. This is good information.. : )

[@Therapyxx]

Hello from Furch Red Deluxe, where Fretboard 15.75" and saddle 12" is. I heard that Maton's have same production. Thats all 3k+ guitars... Maybe they do it with something behind in mind? Maybe there is a reason? But really, I didnt understand that. Even my Yamaha FG800 with same action height is easier to play. Thank you for that vid, I already found some info related to this topic, but now I definitely 100% know what to do

[@DrewsGuitarShop]

If they have a goal in mind, they have yet to explain it to anyone in my line of work. I think it's just that the saddles they get are wrong and it would take too much time to adjust the radius.

[@rstevenhanson]

I just made a saddle with matching radius and I find it needs to be higher on the low E side to account for the thicker strings. Is there a template for this?

[@DrewsGuitarShop]

I'm not sure what you mean. If the bottom of the strings all are riding on a thing that matches the radius, the radius should be exact. The rest of the setup needs to happen with saddle height, neck, nut, possibly light fretwork etc. I just use a radius gauge to match the saddle to the fretboard. I guess that is a sort of template.

[@rstevenhanson]

@@DrewsGuitarShop New guitars and new saddles that are pre-cut and shaped are higher on the low E side, then taper toward the low E. A symmetrical radius doesn't feel right to me. Just wondering if there's a template to get that a-symmetrical shape.

[@DrewsGuitarShop]

@@rstevenhanson I think you will find that to be an optical illusion and that if you hold a radius guage to the top of the saddle, it will reflect a standard radius of some kind. If not, then yeah, Its going to play weird. There is no benefit to altering the radius like that.

[@rstevenhanson]

@@DrewsGuitarShop Just bought a Taylor micarta saddle and the treble side is 2 mm lower than the bass. There's a slope for sure.

[@DrewsGuitarShop]

@@rstevenhanson Usually the treble side of the saddle is lower by virtue of the fact that a good setup will usually have the treble side closer to the frets. The curve on top will usually be a consistant radius, as in not a parabola or more curved on one side or the other. Because of the shorter treble side and higher base side, it can often look as is there is an unevenness to the curve but it would be highly unusual for that to actually be the case. In terms of a template, the way I carve saddles most of the time is draw a curve that matches the fretboard and then carve to that to the curve, after which I'll crown, then at the last stages of the setup determine how much material needs to be ground off the bottom of the saddle on both the treble and bass side to get the numbers I want. It will usually take more off the treble side than the bass side. there is no pre prescribed shape or height because there really cant be if you are working with a raw blank. They will be unique every time depending on the guitar.

[@educationplaylists]

do you have an instagram?

[@DrewsGuitarShop]

I don’t. Been thinking about getting one.