Matching Bridge Saddles to a Compound-Radius Fretboard

[Stange88]

Yeah, that's my question/lol...

I've learned just about enough about doing my own setup work to be dangerous and I'm curious to know how one goes about matching bridge saddles to match the fretboard radius when using a compound neck.

(My apologies for the terribly constructed sentence. This issue is sure to continue.)

Any of you have any experience with this? For my next project, I'm looking to use a 10-16 compound radius fretboard. Do I match it to the end of the neck that is closest to the bridge? The mind boggles.

[plpicher]

try and you'll see, i guess...... nut: 10
21 fret: 16
12 fret must be about 14½
so the bridge will be around 19 inches radius, that makes sense to me
hope it helped!

[ironweed]

With a compound radius fingerboard, he "string plane" gets flatter & flatter as you go up the scale. So, there should be very little curvature at the bridge -- when you rough it in. You will still have to twiddle with each string just a bit to get the best "feel" up and down the scale.

[murrmac123]

The answer is that you don't need to pay the slightest attention to what the theoretical radius should be at the saddle, you simply adjust each string until the action and intonation are correct, and the saddle radius will take care of itself.

For my next project, I'm looking to use a 10-16 compound radius fretboard. Do I match it to the end of the neck that is closest to the bridge?

I don't get exactly what you mean about "do I match it to the end of the neck that is closest to the bridge" , care to elaborate ?

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by Stange88

Do I match it to the end of the neck that is closest to the bridge?

Not exactly. Because the radius continues to decay all the way to the saddle break point. It really is much easier to do than to explain. Match the heights of the strings in the same manner you might on a straight radius board and the saddle height in relation to other saddle heights will be whatever it will be.

This can however mess up intonation. You may need saddles with more "compensation" with a highly conical radius board than you would with a 7.25 straight board neck to get good intonation but you gotta take it one step at a time. Don't change brand or type of saddles until you are certain the intonation cannot be tweaked enough and/or lived with.

[Stange88]

Yes, I can elaborate: Sometimes, my ability to articulate a thought clearly demonstrates the my I.Q. resides right around room temperature.

[KokoTele]

I never bother with using a radius gauge to set the action. I simply measure they action for each string at the 12th fret and set them all equal. Sometimes the lowest strings need to be just a hair higher to avoid buzzing, in which case I compensate as I set each string.

One friend said he preferred the feel of his guitar when he set the tops of the strings to the same radius instead of the bottom, but so far he's been the only person who's said that to me.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Stange88

. Do I match it to the end of the neck that is closest to the bridge?

I think I get what you mean now. You are asking whether the radius at the bridge should be the same as the radius at the 21st fret , right ?

The answer is as before, you don't even have to consider the radius at the bridge , it will self-determine once you set the action and the intonation.

[GilmourD]

Measure? I don't think I've ever measured a setup in my life. I just adjust until it's right. Do it enough times and you get pretty quick at it.