What Determines the Fretboard Radius?

[Diane Kauffmds]

How do you determine the fretboard radius? I don't mean mathematically. Is it just user preference, or is there a standard?

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Player preference, but 16 ft. is pretty standard

[Diane Kauffmds]

Player preference, but 16 ft. is pretty standard

Thank you Kevin.

[B. Howard]

Typically folks with smaller hands or those with arthritis will prefer a tighter radius. Classical and other fingerstyle players will usually prefer a flatter fret board.

[Diane Kauffmds]

quote="Runningdog"]I think that you can generalize -- there will always be exceptions for personal preference -- the narrower the neck, the tighter the radius. So a dreadnought with a 1 11/16" neck might be most comfortable to most people with a 15 - 16" radius, while a 1 3/4" or wider neck might feel better with 16" - 18". Classicals are traditionally flat but many players are beginning to use a very large radius, like 24", for better ergonomics.

Those are generalizations and, repeating myself, personal preference rules.[/quote]
l would have thought that a smaller radius would be more ergonomic but I guess this would depend on hand size.

[tippie53]

While 16 radius seems to be a standard there is also an issue known as fretting out. The tighter the radius the more you will fret out when bending strings. Electric guitars will have tighter radii that acoustics.
Best and only advice I have is go with what feels comfortable. I don't like flat boards and use a 16 more than any other.