Compound Radius

[David L]

When I build guitar #2, I would like to start to ease away from totally serviced parts and do some of that stuff on my own. While I try to learn about the different prcedures for serivcing my own parts and the tools required and to see which areas I think I may be skilled enough to venture into, I run across compound radius finger board. I can't remember anyone talking about this. I looked at my FB that came with my HD-28 kit and it appears to be the same radius the entire length. I read up a little on it, the advantages of it, the mathematics of it and the angle of the dangle and la-di-da-di-da, and so on and so forth. Do any of you guys fool with this? I even read a little thing that explains how to do it (by hand), do-able but I don't like to free-hand stuff. Just wondering.

David L

[tippie53]

I just sand them by hand on a belt sander. I do have a jig to compound fretboards. I think this is more of a feel thing and is a personal choice

[Herman]

At the moment I do radius-sand my fingerboards. 12" up to the 5-7 fret and 16"above that.
If you want to keep the side of the fingerboard the same height from nut ot rosette, the compound radius helps to keep the middle of the fingerboard also a steady height overall.
Some player say they can tell the difference. I think I cannot. But I play lots of barre-chords. A bit flattened board where the neck is thicker and wider gives an easier feel. 2ct