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  #1  
Old 02-22-2015, 10:22 AM
ckmurf ckmurf is offline
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Default Who makes a classical with radiused fingerboard?

So classicals have 2” flat fingerboards, crossovers typically 1 7/8” with a radius. I am looking for the best of both worlds. My Godin Grand Concert SA is 2” with a 24” radius, and it is my favorite neck ever. I would love a nice classical with a radiused fingerboard, but they are hard to find other than custom. I know of La Patrie/Godin and Bellucci, anybody know of others? I hesitate to order custom because even with fine guitars, take five off the wall at a dealer and you get five different experiences, and sometimes one really speaks to you.

This is similar to a post I started in the General Acoustic Guitar Discussion section a few years ago, if double posting is not allowed, please delete and accept my apologies.

Last edited by ckmurf; 02-22-2015 at 10:24 AM. Reason: correct word in the title
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Old 02-22-2015, 12:23 PM
Dave T Dave T is offline
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I would think a radiused finger board would, by definition not be a classical but some form of crossover. Just as a 2" nut width does not in and of itself make a guitar a classical.

By most standards classical guitars have 2" or wider nut widths with flat, 12 fret finger boards.

My $.02 worth,
Dave
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Old 02-22-2015, 06:13 PM
jmat jmat is offline
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Dake Traphagen could do this.
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Old 02-22-2015, 08:20 PM
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WaddyT WaddyT is offline
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And has on many guitars. He makes some crossover type instruments. I have worked on one that has a radiused finger board. French polish repair. Making a radiused fingerboard is not complicated.
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Old 02-23-2015, 12:45 AM
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Default Who makes a classical with radiused fingerboard?

Look at La Patrie. My Concert model has a radiused fretboard.
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Old 02-23-2015, 02:50 PM
redir redir is offline
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I've made a few with a 20in radius in the same dimensions as a standard classical. I would not consider that to be a crossover however. I think of a crossover as more SS string like in dimension and more importantly for a musician who is probably going to play not classical music on it. The only cross over I ever built was for a jazz player who wanted that nylon sound. Sort of along those lines I had also built a SS guitar that was a wider and dead flat for a classical guitar player.
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Old 02-24-2015, 05:30 AM
Rondoraymundo Rondoraymundo is offline
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Try a Cordoba C10 crossover. Might be in the "crossover" category but it plays and sounds like a classical. And you will not be disappointed when it comes to sound and projection.
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Old 02-25-2015, 09:15 PM
MrSteve MrSteve is offline
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Do yourself a favor and Do Not buy a
Belluci

You can seach the forum at decamp.net if you
Want to read endless horror stories

Last edited by MrSteve; 02-25-2015 at 09:16 PM. Reason: Oops
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Old 02-26-2015, 12:28 PM
ckmurf ckmurf is offline
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Thanks MrSteve, I've pickup up on that sentiment. A shame, nice looking pictures.
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Old 02-26-2015, 06:59 PM
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John Buscarino would certainly make one. I have a Buscarino Cabaret with a 1 7/8" nut with and a flat radius. I know he has/will make one with a fretboard radius. Fabulous guitar!
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Old 02-28-2015, 10:15 PM
Paultergeist Paultergeist is offline
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I would consider a different route for the OP:

Some time ago, I became aware of the fact that one of my higher-end classical guitars had an ever-so-slight reverse radius to the fingerboard. My suspicion is that the fingerboard wood was not adequately dried before being laminated to the neck. When the wood finally equilibrated, the center axis shrank a bit more, resulting in the reverse radius (so I suspect). The degree of reverse radius was very slight. Regardless, I found that particular guitar a little bit harder to barre at the higher registers, and I attributed part of the issue to this tiny bit of reverse radius.

At the same time, I owned. La Patrie (Godin off-shoot) classical, which has -- as has been mentioned -- a 24" fretboard radius. THAT neck seemed slightly easier to play, but the radius was so subtle that one would not necessarily notice it unless looking really closely.

Putting two and two together, I ended up having the higher-end classical repaired by re-planing the fingerboard, and -- what the heck, while they're at it -- don't just plane if flat, but add a touch of positive (24") radius. This, of course, all entailed a re-fret, but I was going to have to do that regardless.

All points considered, the OP might be able to locate a guitar he really likes, and then just commit to a re-fret with a slight re-shaping of the fingerboard radius. It is a bit more money, but probably a lot less than ordering a custom-built instrument.

Just an idea.
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Old 03-02-2015, 04:57 PM
tkoehler1 tkoehler1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paultergeist View Post

what the heck, while they're at it -- don't just plane if flat, but add a touch of positive (24") radius.
What a great idea!

Also I just picked up a 20 yr. old classical, it has the same concave frets on the neck as yours. I noticed it looked weird the it but it didn't click until I read your post!

Thanks,

TK
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Old 03-03-2015, 09:09 AM
redir redir is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paultergeist View Post
I would consider a different route for the OP:

Some time ago, I became aware of the fact that one of my higher-end classical guitars had an ever-so-slight reverse radius to the fingerboard. My suspicion is that the fingerboard wood was not adequately dried before being laminated to the neck. When the wood finally equilibrated, the center axis shrank a bit more, resulting in the reverse radius (so I suspect). The degree of reverse radius was very slight. Regardless, I found that particular guitar a little bit harder to barre at the higher registers, and I attributed part of the issue to this tiny bit of reverse radius.

At the same time, I owned. La Patrie (Godin off-shoot) classical, which has -- as has been mentioned -- a 24" fretboard radius. THAT neck seemed slightly easier to play, but the radius was so subtle that one would not necessarily notice it unless looking really closely.

Putting two and two together, I ended up having the higher-end classical repaired by re-planing the fingerboard, and -- what the heck, while they're at it -- don't just plane if flat, but add a touch of positive (24") radius. This, of course, all entailed a re-fret, but I was going to have to do that regardless.

All points considered, the OP might be able to locate a guitar he really likes, and then just commit to a re-fret with a slight re-shaping of the fingerboard radius. It is a bit more money, but probably a lot less than ordering a custom-built instrument.

Just an idea.
Flat sawn wood reacts more dramatically then quarter sawn. That's why I always strive real hard to make sure that the FB is quartered. It's not easy to do in ebony anymore since it's become more scarce. If you are able to see the the annular grain then you can position a flat sawn board such that if it dries out it actually cups in the positive direction. OF course the alternative is that if the guitar becomes too humid you get the opposite affect but drying out is almost always a worse problem. It's very difficult to see end grain with ebony. One of my very first classical guitars had the same exact problem you mention and required a refret.

It's not easy to barre a cupped surface!
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  #14  
Old 03-03-2015, 03:16 PM
tkoehler1 tkoehler1 is offline
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I was just thinking about this idea of adding a slight radius to a classical guitar fret board. I'm wondering if this is substantially harder to than it first appears. I'm guessing the repair person would not remove the neck from the guitar, but would attempt to hand plane the radius? Or would they take the neck completely off and apply the radius with some sort of machine? Or even take the fret board off the neck and replace with a radiused fret board?

I don't know enough about guitar repair, how would this be done?

TK
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