Curved fretboard

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Curved fretboard

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XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

Curved fretboard

On acoustic guitars this seems to be common but i havent come across a classical/flamenco guitar that has this. The fretboard is curved in half circle-like so that the center sticks out. This provides better grip especially on barres as it keeps the natural curving of the finger. What is speaking against the use of it on a flamenco? I never played such a guitar, but i cant see any negatives of it now.

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Фламенко

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 1:09:58

aeolus

Posts: 765
Joined: Oct. 30 2009
From: Mier

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to XXX)

I bought one of the Martin's that Tom Humphrey designed for them just to try some of the features that Tom includes in his shop guitars such as raised fingerboard (not common then) radius-ed fingerboard, bolted on neck! I didn't like the fingerboard and saw no advantage at all with it. Bought it on eBay and sold it there to Dominic Frasca
whom I didn't know of at the time, and who instructed me to send it to Tom. I though this really odd though Tom did offer a service to modify the Martin as it had not been built to a very high standard or perhaps better to Tom's spec. Perhaps one of thses guitars on the video was it!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 2:11:33

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to XXX)

radius is not good for rasguedos. Flat is good

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 2:52:27

XXX

Posts: 4400
Joined: Apr. 14 2005

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to Anders Eliasson)

Yes i see, havent thought about it!
Although... hm maybe you can keep the strings (especially at bridge) flat for rasgeos and only curve the neck?? But i dont know if this wouldnt mess the tuning. So, flat strings and curved fretboard is that possible Anders??

I had the idea of curved because i have problems on barré on g and B string. My index has an audible "hole" in the middle especially if the neck thickness is small.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 4:19:57

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to XXX)

quote:

radius is not good for rasguedos. Flat is good

And a curved fretboard is for girls of course.

(sorry girls..)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 9:23:54

Alatriste

Posts: 91
Joined: Dec. 23 2009

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to XXX)

I have not seen a nylon string guitar with a curved fretboard.

Some steel string acoustic guitars will have curvature in them. This helps with the fretting supposedly. Their necks also taper, that is narrower at the head, widening to the soundhole. However, these instruments are generally played with a pick. If you have been trained on classical/Flamenco guitars, then moving to a curved fretboard will not be a major problem for you when it comes to fretting, nor will learning how to use a pick. However, the converse is not true.

I do not believe you would have a problem rasgueando on such a guitar but I would highly suggest that you don't. Steel strings and rasgueos don't get along very well. You could restring the guitar with nylon strings, however, you should never put steel strings on a guitar designed only for nylon. So again, the converse does not hold true.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 12:30:35

Graham_B

Posts: 283
Joined: Jul. 10 2007
From: Leigh, Lancashire, UK

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to XXX)

quote:

Their necks also taper, that is narrower at the head, widening to the soundhole

So do classical and flamenco guitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 12:39:14

Alatriste

Posts: 91
Joined: Dec. 23 2009

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to Graham_B)

quote:

So do classical and flamenco guitars

Yes, but it no way to the extreme that steel-string acoustic guitars do

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 22 2010 13:55:11

Graham_B

Posts: 283
Joined: Jul. 10 2007
From: Leigh, Lancashire, UK

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to XXX)

quote:

Yes, but it no way to the extreme that steel-string acoustic guitars do

Your point really surprised me because, having looked at several of the acoustic manufacturer's websites, I couldn't see an extreme taper compared to classical/flamenco necks.

I took the liberty of measuring up the 2 classicals and 2 flamencos in the house - 3 manufacturers.
The taper between the nut and the 12th fret on all 4 was 3/8"

I looked at the Martin website because they make one or two acoustic guitars.
All their necks, irrespective of profile, taper 7/16" between the nut and the 12th fret.

Not an exhaustive exercise I know, but a 1/16" difference in taper between the nut and the 12th fret is not extreme methinks

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2010 8:09:22

Alatriste

Posts: 91
Joined: Dec. 23 2009

RE: Curved fretboard (in reply to Graham_B)

You are correct. 1/16th seems minuscule. My real point is the finger crowding on the first three frets. As an example, 1-5/8" vs. 2" is what I am measuring just below the nuts between one of my nylon string student models and my only steel string model. My other nylon model is 1-7/8" just below the nut.

In the shops I have noticed that the Taylor steel string acoustics are narrow at the nut. Taylor however does have some nylon models out now. I found these very easy to play and the neck was indeed wider at the nut. However, I did not measure those for comparison.

Generally I have found that the steel string acoustics are narrower at the nut then the nylon string acoustics.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 23 2010 8:44:17