The Gathering

Are there any advantages/disadvantages with a radiused fingerboard on a mandolin

One disadvantage is that it makes using a capo a little more difficult. Why use a capo? I'm in a band who sometimes sing in keys which are non-mandolin friendly, such as E or B, and it's much easier to slap a capo on. With my radiused fretboard, it's harder to get it just right.

Advantages? I don't know, Charlie. Someone else will answer, hopefully. Is this for the mandolin you're planning to make?

(30-10-2009 11:07 AM)nigelgatherer Wrote: [ -> ]One disadvantage is that it makes using a capo a little more difficult. Why use a capo? I'm in a band who sometimes sing in keys which are non-mandolin friendly, such as E or B, and it's much easier to slap a capo on. With my radiused fretboard, it's harder to get it just right.

Advantages? I don't know, Charlie. Someone else will answer, hopefully. Is this for the mandolin you're planning to make?

Yes Nigel, Got the soundbox ready to be glued and starting on the stock. Grannys old draining board has come in handy after all!!

Do you not get visits from the capo police up there in the far North then?! All mine are flat but I've something on order which is curved; I'll let you know.
Ray

Fingerboard radius is just a personal preference thing, It seems to make very little difference to the playability of the instrument. Making customer instruments I ask what they want. Most have never even considered it, and usually ask for whichever happens to be on the mandolin they are playing at the moment.

Making instruments on spec I always put a radius on - nothing to do with playability, it just looks more 'quality' some how.

One word of caution though - if you use a radius you need to keep it gentle - maybe 24" or 20" radius. If you use a heavy radius like a lead guitar on a mandolin you land up with problems getting the action right across all strings, because of the flat bridge.

Thanks for that Screech, you've summed it up very nicely. Someone also pointed out that it's mostly the 1st position fingering that is used by a beginer like me so it would'nt make much differance anyway. I do agree though, a radius does seem to add a touch of class.

New mandolin has arrived complete with radiused fingerboard. (National resophonic - banjo players beware!) I totally agree with Skreech. So far it seems to make no difference to playability but it does look tastier than a flat one. I had thought that it would make chords more comfortable but, unlike guitar, a mandolin neck is so narrow that you can bridge most of it with a single finger joint.
Ray