Setup of 7.25" radius necks

[Jorge]

I see videos of professionals (Eric Johnson, David Murray, and so many others) playing short radiused necks and bending strings without them fretting out. I love that radius (7.25") to play, as I find it more comfortable than larger radius necks, but I bend strings a lot, and the fret out makes them a nuissance, really.

I like low action, and a little relief on my necks, for easier bending. My favorite guitars right now are Road Worn Strats: two Strats, one Tele.

Do the "famous" guys have their necks modded somehow, do they just live with higher strings, or other? Yes, I could have a pro luthier setting them up for me, but I would not pay lots of money if the task is just impossible, and I will be just money-less at the end, but with some kind of compromise in my guitar anyway.

[crunchee]

I dunno...the Eric Johnson model Strat comes with a 12" radius, the Dave Murray model Strat has a 9.5" radius, both are factory specs. Maybe on their personal guitars they have a compound radius?

[RobB]

Hear ya, Jorge. Nothing feels better under the fingers for chording like that classic, vintage Fender neck.

Dan Erlewine examined EJ's main Strat and found it was fretted with big frets that were dressed/crowned with a flatter radius across the top, closer to a 10"-12" radius. You CAN have low action a vintage-style, 7.25" neck by either having it plekked (not cheap) or the fretboard re-radiused/refretted (also not cheap) by a talented tech. If you like the standard radius and can live with having a copy of the neck fabricated, I would recommend a compound radius neck with similar fretwire. You can get a nice, gradual taper from 7.25"-10" or flatter. It's a compromise, but a functional one that will allow you to bend notes higher up the board, but still have the vintage feel from positions 1-5.

Think about how high action setups had to be back in the day (Buchanan, Jimi, Blackmore, Clarence White, Rory Gallagher, etc.)for players to be able to bend as they did. This was before the advent of flatter fingerboards, jumbo frets and bitchin' fret levels, no? I've no idea about popular, "Rock/Country" action setups that the pros had 30yrs ago, but it seems logical that they had to get by with heavier strings/higher action for the most part.

Blackmore played 335s exclusively and went the opposite direction when he switched to Fenders, as he liked the way they "fought" him and it forced him to improve as a player since it was "so easy to zoom around on Gibson necks."

Years ago when I was going to luthiery school in Phoenix, I went to see my older brother's Classic Rock band at a packed club gig. Of course, he called me up to jam on "Hotel California." I used the singer's vintage Tele and fell flat on my face when the solo came up. I had a great sound from the amp, but every time I bent strings they fretted out horribly. I sounded like a three year-old hitting the guitar with a drumstick. Quickly changed gears into modal, Spanish scalar playing and finally landed on my feet, but, OY, talk about laying an egg...

[JohnnyB]

I have a USA G&L ASAT Classic semihollow with the standard 7.5" radius neck. It's a 1998, long before they started PLEK-ing their fretboards. But the frets were leveled and crowned so well at the factory that I've never noticed a problem with it fretting out. Maybe I don't try to bend that hard or that high up, or maybe I'm OK with a bit higher action. I really don't know. I do agree, though, that the ultimate would be a compound radius for hand comfort at the bottom half of the fretboard, while avoiding fret-out and getting the lowest action possible.

The Warmoth Pro neck has a 10-16" compound radius.

[DaveL]

I don't believe the road worns are 7.25 but agree if you get a good one. Great little guitars. More so at $575 used than at $899.

[RobB]

I have a USA G&L ASAT Classic semihollow with the standard 7.5" radius neck. It's a 1998, long before they started PLEK-ing their fretboards. But the frets were leveled and crowned so well at the factory that I've never noticed a problem with it fretting out.

That's welcome news, though G&L's q/c and fretwork have always been excellent. More major mfrs are installing PLEK machines in their setup departments which bespeaks of the value of computer analysis of fretboards. For instance, when I got my NOS Dean V it was put on the PLEK. There was an "S-curve" in the fingerboard that you'd have a hard time seeing with a straightedge, but would result in a good amount of fretmeat being removed for low action. I like big frets, so I opted for Brawer to re-radius the fretboard and refret/PLEK with Hamer-size frets.

[Jorge]

Thanks guys. Strangely enough the '50s Road Worn Tele (as another I had previously) has pretty low action, plays effortlessly, and sounds like a million bucks. The strats would need a little work, though they fret out only on limited areas (and only two strings). They play great though, so I was trying to gauge whether the effort is worth.

All those Country style players through the years must have been playing 7.25" fingerboards all along, they bent strings like crazy, and I do not think they all did enormous mods to their guitars necks.

[RobB]

Strangely enough the '50s Road Worn Tele (as another I had previously) has pretty low action, plays effortlessly, and sounds like a million bucks.

That's not suprising, Jorge. Fretwork on midline import guitars keeps getting better and better. If you like the way it plays, don't mess widdit. Whomp on that thang.

The strats would need a little work, though they fret out only on limited areas (and only two strings). They play great though, so I was trying to gauge whether the effort is worth.

Sounds like it might need just a minor fret-mill/re-crowning to get the problem areas in line. I'm sure BCR, Ben Chafin (you're in FLA., right), et al, could do ya right.

All those Country style players through the years must have been playing 7.25" fingerboards all along, they bent strings like crazy, and I do not think they all did enormous mods to their guitars necks.

That's probably pretty accurate. I was just a kid back in the day before the advent of modern guitar setup technology. Seems players must of had to deal with what was available at the time.

[moozak]

i used to own a John English (RIP) masterbuilt 60's strat... seafoam green, big neck, brazilian board, 6105 frets and 7.25 radius (wish i still had it!)

anyway, John's fret work on this thing was unreal and it was a true joy to play... i had the strings set up for the normal 5/64's bass side and 4/64's treble side.

it was a true joy to play... and i was always amazed at how well that guitar played for a 7.25 radius.

now, i wouldn't call that setup "low action"... but it was the "standard setup" (which i like)... and i could bend the stings very well. the bends did choke out at times... but i eventually learned to bend on it and i got to where i could bend a full step and not choke out... by simply not digging in so much on the bend... so it was - for me - simply a matter of technique.

so to me, i found that if you have a 7.25 radius with a really good fret job and a good setup... it is possible to bend w/o fretting out and - on top of that - there's never been a more comfortable radius for making chords. but i will say that i don't think one could get much lower than the standard setup... but it wasn't a problem for me.

if i ever get another strat... i would not mind AT ALL if i had a 7.25 radius.