How To Make A Compound Conical Radius Fretboard

In this video, I give a verbal explanation of the techniques you can consider if you would like to make a compound (conical) fretboard.
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[@tsiggy]

i mean, i don't know how good a luthier you are, but you sure are a good teacher.

[@johngrant5749]

Very thorough and detailed explantion. Many thanks.

[@dembydish]

Very informative. I'm glad you explained the levelling process, I couldn't see how that was possible (using hand tools) before.

[@luisrovira2872]

Great videos! String spacing is greater at the high end of the fretboard than at the nut. Therefore, for a straight (no relief) neck, the minimum buzz-free string-to-fret spacing over the entire fretboard is achieved with a conical fretboard. Envision moving your "vertical" Christmas tree (cone) lights to a cylindrical trash can, or vice versa, and you can see the problem.

[@davidguest6051]

I would just love it, if you would make a video showing your C&C operation. Something I bet many of us out here are considering, but not sure where to start, especially for guitar build application. Thankyou, cheers. p.s. Fellows like you are so valuable to fellows like me. I am currently into my first build, and the info I am receiving from chaps like you are a 'God Send'. Thankyou.

[@HighlineGuitars]

I have many videos on the subject of my CNC process. Just visit my channel homepage and type "CNC" into the search field.

[@tuomaspietinen1485]

Great information, thank you! I dont know why but somehow his way of talking and appearance reminds me of Steve Vai:)

[@ironmikezero]

When I first heard about "compound radius fretboards", I'll admit to being momentarily mired in confusion. Then I realized it was actually a misnomer that had become generally fixed within the guitarists' lexicon based upon a miss-identified or referenced aspect of a portion of the circumference of a circle. In short, that specific section of circumference, its actual width corresponding to that of the fretboard at the nut, manifests its degree of curvature in direct relation to the radius (one-half the diameter) of the given circle; the larger the circle, the larger the diameter, and subsequent radius. Since it was easier among craftsmen and musicians to refer to such degree of circumferential curvature by referencing its relative radius, it became a commonplace application term within the genre. In terms of fretboard curvature specificity, the term "conical radii" would be more accurate, but will not necessarily supplant the currently widespread use of the term "compound radius". Does it really matter? Probably not . . . but knowing the difference doesn't hurt, either.

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

I have found, using my player's perspective, that making a 10"radius fretboard works great for chording and 1st position use but then using an old luthier's trick of doing a "conical" taper at or around the 12th fret and ever so gradually flattening it out to maybe 10.5 ish with a bit of 'fall-off' makes the action super low, super bendy and gives the 'fast' allusion to the dusty end of the fretboard as the late great Malcolm Young would refer to it as.

[@django02]

Lots of good information, very clearly presented. New subscriber here.

[@PeterHBoer]

I like the compound/conical fretboards on my basses, as the longer scale I use (36") and the need to play two handed tapping on occasion, levels out the feel low and high on the neck. I simply use a no 5 plane and follow the path of the strings on the fretboard instead of staying parallel to the center line.

[@vadimkorob2689]

I believe Grizzly has a sending machine for fretboard with adjustable radius in both sides of the fretboard

[@HighlineGuitars]

They do and it's huge and expensive for what it does.

[@scottakam]

Good info. I have one guitar with a conical radius 9-12". I like the feel but I don't really notice much difference when playing it vs. one radius. Not worth the trouble to me.

[@Nick-sh8dv]

Try like 12-16 or greater

[@stevenblake5273]

What radius cauls are available? I wonder if putting a piece of thick rubber with a fret-sized groove between the caul and the fret would accommodate the slight discrepancy in radius between the caul and the fretboard while applying consistent pressure onto the fret?

[@dalgguitars]

Matt at Texas Toast did a video a long time ago where he put a flash light under a radius gauge to show the difference between 10 to14 or something like that. The difference is so small it's hard to actually see.

[@jeffreytgilbert]

Much easier to feel though

[@dalgguitars]

@@jeffreytgilbert Rock on!

[@jonahlmoore]

It seems that if you want a locking tremolo system you need a compound radius because the locking nuts are only 10” and then bridge 12” unless you use GOTOH 14”.

[@HighlineGuitars]

Only if you’re super anal retentive.

[@justynak8606]

I prefer no radius at all, and I don't understand why do electro guitar builders even do that. I find it easier to perform bend on flat surface and with higher frets (like sintoms 4.3, they have 2.59mm crown height)

[@ИгорьГапонов-ь2ь]

if you weigh for a long time :) all the pros and cons, then you can come to a purely flat frets surface. It's not even a matter of manufacturability (obviously it's easier to make a plane and install a fret wire than a cone and other second-order curves :)). The main advantages of a flat fret surface are: non-parallel/fan frets have better intonation; when using bends, a large string amplitude is allowed. Much more difficult and, I think, more important is the problem of the OPTIMUM line of the tops of the frets under a each string. A “flatness” is fundamentally impossible here .... I think that Chapman’s experience on a stick with two anchors for different fret areas of the fretboard (“upper” and “lower”) is to some extent similar to the intonation adjustment of the scale at once both on the lower bridge and on upper bridge

[@geraldponce8336]

Seems like you should be able to just intuitively fan a sanding beam out from the nut width to the bridge width. Say a 1 5/8 nut and a 2 3/16 bridge. And the natural action of the beam sanding less as it gets wider should do the trick. What kind of clinical radius you would end up with would just be different every time. But who cares if you're going with the natural flow of things. Interestingly, the radius at the bridge saddles must be around 20 on 10-16 neck. How i would assume it would be done with out a CNC machine. The heck with trying to be precise just let the natural fan of the beam do the work and it is what it is.? As far as fretting I would just get the cauls 10 thru 16 and change every 3-4 frets. The level job will smooth out the tops. Probably a small beam would be better for a comic radius and just follow the natural fan. Im just assuming all the little things you would do to keep a straight radius would get thrown out the window and just intuitively go with the fan. By the way that is the beauty of a conical radius every thing just flows from the nut to the bridge. It is a strange feeling to play one. Just feel in the fingers and in the brain because the symmetry is theoretically correct. The only way something could go wrong is if you work one side of the neck more than the other. But you should be able to check it with a radius gauge at both ends.

[@ZL1LoVeR]

I agree with it being a gimmick to an extent… I have a few compound/conical radius guitars and a few single radius guitars and the difference isn’t really that dramatic past 10” - my Road Worn 60s Strat has a 7.25” radius and only issue I have is that it sometimes frets out if the truss rod isn’t tightened. Other than that I barely feel a difference

[@piptyson5512]

It may seem odd, but I prefer no radius, just a flat fingerboard. Of course it wouldn't seem odd if we were talking classical guitars...but why is there any difference between that and electrical? There isn't any, for me at least. The only reason I hear that made me test out the theory of radiused FB's was barre chords. I do those chords fine with a 7.25" radius or a flat, and it may actually be slightly easier on flat. It's something I can see as my finger stretches across the board...it stretches out pretty flat. Maybe it's my finger anatomy? Or maybe the idea of radiusing in the 1st place needs more consideration?

[@sgt.grinch3299]

Has anyone ever taken a blank and went home? Asking for a friend.

[@HighlineGuitars]

No one gets into my shop but me. Unless they tried to break in, which would be silly since my tools have value to only me.

[@randyparcels9635]

Hi Chris, thanks for another detailed and informative video. I love the details you describe and demonstrate. I always look forward to your new posting and am working through your earlier videos of guitar building and shop made tools. I made myself a 10”-16” radius tele neck that was fun and easy to make, using a linear sander and a tool from Maximum Guitar. Here’s a link describing it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ6roat-faeJiNk Thanks again for sharing your experience.

[@eddiejr540]

I’m pretty sure I speak for all guitarists that we have never ever noticed or felt the so called benefits of a compound radius fretboard…it’s basically a marketing gimmick…all the “greats” played and all the music we love was played on straight radius guitars…just saying!!!!

[@eddiejr540]

@@YaBoiJeffe …you are correct…I should not have said “I speak for all guitarists”…that was kinda thoughtless…but I’m an idiot 🫤

[@YaBoiJeffe]

@@eddiejr540 I was being a bit cheeky, you're not an idiot mate.

[@eddiejr540]

@@YaBoiJeffe thanks bro👍

[@brianmascarin3875]

I think you're splitting hairs. the word compound can mean more than 2. a chemical compound can be comprised of many elements, and so a compound radius can have many radii. on the other hand there is no such thing as a conical radius. the radius is simply the distance from the centre to the circumference of a circle. its a straight line. however. since a cone has many radii, we could say it has a compound radius. and since the surface of a conical fretboard is a section of the surface of cone we can call it a compound radius fretboard. and we should because that's what its always been called. then nobody is confused.

[@julialacey1604]

I can see how you're well equipped to spot hair splitting - you're obviously an expert yourself

[@ZL1LoVeR]

I see both points and honestly it should be fingerboard instead of fretboard 😛 I’m being a silly person don’t mind me

[@brianmascarin3875]

@@julialacey1604 maybe so, but in the honorable defense of the semantically correct term 'compound radius' from usurpation by the so called conical radius, which isn't even a thing. Are you fer us or agin us?

[@brianmascarin3875]

@@ZL1LoVeR fingerboard and fretboard are entirely interchangeable, although fretboard is fewer letters to type. On the other hand compound radius is a correct description and conical radius doesn't make sense. I could live with conical section fretboard. Or, we could just go on calling it what we've always called it and we'd all know what we were talking about. And we'd all be right! You can probably tell I'm a very busy guy.

[@Maldunn]

I agree, like everyone knows what you mean when you say tremolo arm, even though that's even more incorrect. That said he built it if he wants to describe it as conical fretboard that's his prerogative. Marketing makes up new names for things that already exist all the time