Free Radius Gauge

[Tedecaster]

I was surfing through various sites looking for a neck for a friend's guitar & while at USACG saw a link to a site called Pickguardian. They had this cool little PDF for a radius gauge that you print out on cardstock & then cut out. Saves you the troubles of laying out your own.

Radius Gauge

[boris bubbanov]

I've been meaning to place an order with them, just to show my appreciation for that little guage. It has come in real handy many times.

Maybe a 69 Thinline pickguard.

[e-merlin]

I've never been much good at cutting on the line. That's why I bought a set!

[mitchelguitar]

Thank You Tedecaster for the very cool link.

[martyb1]

I bet my buddy with the laser etcher could cut them out of some type of acrylic for me.

[jivetrain]

thanks for posting that, i used them to reset my action. i wonder what the importance of having the bridge radius correct is, though. is the idea just to make the distance all the strings need to be pressed down to fret the same, to make the action seem more even?

[DixieChicken]

Thanks for the tip (link)

Just an idea to make them more durable. I had a few printable cd's lying around which had burn faults in them (unreadable), so I used cd cover printing software to print the templates on them. I carefully cut them out on a fine scroll saw and finished them with a dremel sanding tube. They are slightly larger than the cd from corner to corner but you don't really miss the corners. In actual fact Dan Erlewine recommends cutting the corners off to get them to fit better when the neck is still fitted.

[Bertymoe]

Very Cool .I have some leftover pickguard material I was just ready to toss.

[Dizi]

I made one many years ago with a pencil compass and some card stock, 4 sided just like these. They are just used for quick reference, so doesn't need to be real durable. I also made one with slots cut out, to fit between the strings of a strung guitar, 7.25 on one side and 9.5 on the other, thinking I could keep it my wallet if I'm at Guitar Center and want to check a fretboard. But it's actually real easy to feel and see a 7.25 or 9.5, so it never got much use.

[porknblue]

I'm using the PickGuardian version. Printed them out and lamintated both sides in clear. Then I cut them out. Pretty durable tool.

[MondoGuitar]

i wonder what the importance of having the bridge radius correct is, though. is the idea just to make the distance all the strings need to be pressed down to fret the same, to make the action seem more even?

In a nutshell, yes. If your bridge radius matches the radius on your upper fretboard then it's all nice and even. It's not life or death though, if your radius is out by a tiny bit you probably wouldn't even notice.

Dan Erlewine has some great videos out, I recall one on Youtube where he talks about this for a couple minutes. I don't pretend to know anything, hearing Dan tell it would be the way to go.

[1962guitargeek]

I made one some time ago when I was operating a cnc laser....I was experimenting with different style necks, this let me know which ones I liked....


I'll add a pic later the entire interweb is running slow tonight....at least our end of it!

[jrfrond]

Call me extravagant, but this is WAY too much trouble to go through for an inexpensive tool, i.e. a set of StewMac Understring Radius Gauges.

The Understring version is the only one I use. The underside I use to measure fingerboard radius, and the topside to measure under the strings at the bridge to set the bridge radius correctly.

I am here to tell you that, after having worked on guitars for the past 35 years, this is one of the best setup tools I own, and it makes a GREAT deal of difference in playability of a setup to have the bridge radius match the fingerboard radius exactly, AND to not have to fool with rulers to do it.

[MondoGuitar]

I am here to tell you that, after having worked on guitars for the past 35 years, this is one of the best setup tools I own

John, I am a guitarist who is now starting to work on my own guitars. Can you please recommend the basic tools I will need and any tips you may have on not getting ripped off buying them? I would really appreciate the help, there's a lot of iffy stuff on the internet... Thanks.

[Ramblin Ray]

Dan Erlewine has a book called "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great". In the back there is a set of over and under radius gauges you can punch out. They're made of a durable plastic of some sort. The book is only 20 bucks at your local Borders. Well worth it.

[FloridaCaster]

Much Thanks!!