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Old 11-22-2020, 04:52 PM
brianlcox brianlcox is offline
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Default Santa Cruz fretboard radius

Hi all,

I just got a Santa Cruz OM from 2003 in the mail. Unfortunately it will have to go back due to a required neck reset, but I have to say - DANG is this thing comfy!

I can narrow this down to a few factors:

1. There are low tension strings on it (Heritage Newtone 12s) which make fretting really easy

2. the fingerboard radius, which is quite rounded compared to my Froggy Bottom. It seems also even rounder than my Goodall. This guitar is really easy to fret and barre. I guess this is partially due to the lower tension strings, but I think it's also the smaller radius on the curve. Does anyone know the standard radius used on Santa Cruz OMs in the early 2000s? According to what I could find online, the standard seems to be 14".

3. The neck profile is really nice. I always thought that V shaped necks weren't for me, but this is really nice. It's quite shallow, but it fits my hand just right. I also really like how the edges are rounded over so there isn't an abrupt transition to the fretboard - really nice for wrapping thumb around to fret bass notes.

4. The guitar just seems friendly - It's smaller than my other guitars, but more than that all the edges are nicely rounded and soft. It really is a joy to hold.

Back to the fretboard radius: I am in the process of custom ordering a Froggy Bottom model K and have specified a wider 1 13/16" neck with a 16" fingerboard radius. Micheal Millard cautioned me away from going all the way to 14", but if I think back at the guitar necks that I have found most comfortable, they have been Santa Cruz and Bourgeois. If my internet research is correct, both of these have 14" radii. Can anyone confirm that?

Thanks to all,
Brian
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Old 11-22-2020, 05:29 PM
loco gringo loco gringo is offline
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What is the nut width and string spacing on that Santa Cruz? I guess I'm asking, have you played a 14" radius neck of the same width and string spacing as the guitar you are having built?
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Old 11-22-2020, 05:56 PM
tommieboy tommieboy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brianlcox View Post
Hi all,



I just got a Santa Cruz OM from 2003 in the mail. Unfortunately it will have to go back due to a required neck reset, but I have to say - DANG is this thing comfy!



I can narrow this down to a few factors:



1. There are low tension strings on it (Heritage Newtone 12s) which make fretting really easy



2. the fingerboard radius, which is quite rounded compared to my Froggy Bottom. It seems also even rounder than my Goodall. This guitar is really easy to fret and barre. I guess this is partially due to the lower tension strings, but I think it's also the smaller radius on the curve. Does anyone know the standard radius used on Santa Cruz OMs in the early 2000s? According to what I could find online, the standard seems to be 14".



3. The neck profile is really nice. I always thought that V shaped necks weren't for me, but this is really nice. It's quite shallow, but it fits my hand just right. I also really like how the edges are rounded over so there isn't an abrupt transition to the fretboard - really nice for wrapping thumb around to fret bass notes.



4. The guitar just seems friendly - It's smaller than my other guitars, but more than that all the edges are nicely rounded and soft. It really is a joy to hold.



Back to the fretboard radius: I am in the process of custom ordering a Froggy Bottom model K and have specified a wider 1 13/16" neck with a 16" fingerboard radius. Micheal Millard cautioned me away from going all the way to 14", but if I think back at the guitar necks that I have found most comfortable, they have been Santa Cruz and Bourgeois. If my internet research is correct, both of these have 14" radii. Can anyone confirm that?



Thanks to all,

Brian
Why did Michael caution you away from a 14" radius? I too find my FB 20" radius a bit too flat for my needs.

Thanks,

Tommy
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  #4  
Old 11-22-2020, 06:01 PM
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BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
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Yes, SCGC uses a 14” radius. I’ve had this conversation with them.
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  #5  
Old 11-22-2020, 06:10 PM
J Patrick J Patrick is offline
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....the Santa Cruz necks are the biggest reason that I tend to favor their guitars...I have had at least a half dozen different overall neck profiles on the 8 SC guitars I have owned but I have really liked all of them....must be that fretboard radius...
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Old 11-22-2020, 07:50 PM
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IMO, Santa Cruz guitars just play easy. I recently joked with another member that I could play my two Santa Cruz dreads blindfolded with 2 broken fingers and I’d still sound good. All kidding aside, yes the necks are perfect, but it’s the sum of the parts. The light builds, the responsiveness, the super forgiving playability, and rich harmonics just make SC guitars a joy to own and play. I love them!
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Old 11-22-2020, 11:17 PM
tadol tadol is offline
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If I were getting a custom guitar made, I’d make/borrow/buy a radius guage and check the guitars I really like. Maybe your luthier has one you can borrow?
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Old 11-23-2020, 01:16 AM
brianlcox brianlcox is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by loco gringo View Post
What is the nut width and string spacing on that Santa Cruz? I guess I'm asking, have you played a 14" radius neck of the same width and string spacing as the guitar you are having built?
The Santa Cruz has a 1 3/4" nut width, although it seems to be very slightly wider than that, almost 1 25/32", which I prefer. The string spacing is just a hair over 1 1/2". On my custom guitar the nut width will be 1 13/16", with the standard string spacing for that nut width. I guess 1 9/16", but I didn't check with Michael exactly. I did briefly own a Santa Cruz FS from 1998 that had an extremely comfortable neck. This had a 1 13/16" nut, I don't know the fingerboard radius, but I guess it must have been 14" as it wasn't a custom.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tommieboy View Post
Why did Michael caution you away from a 14" radius? I too find my FB 20" radius a bit too flat for my needs.
He told me that with 20" Froggy Bottom are fairly far to the flatter side of what's "normal". I was asking for a radius of 14-16", but I needed more data to be sure. He suggested not going too far in the other direction unless I was VERY sure I wanted that. I thought that was quite reasonable. This is one of the reasons I bought this Santa Cruz and why I'm writing this post - to be sure if I really want 14", or if 16" is good enough for me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tadol View Post
If I were getting a custom guitar made, I’d make/borrow/buy a radius guage and check the guitars I really like. Maybe your luthier has one you can borrow?
Two problems with that. The first is that I have been gathering data for a few years on guitars that I liked the feel of for a few years - most of which I no longer own. The second is that my luthier lives on a different continent. I will try and buy a radius gauge though. I currently have a Goodall TR000 with a 1 13/16" nut that is quite comfortable, so I was going to go with those specs, but this Santa Cruz reminded me that a curvier radius might fit me even better.


Thanks to all for the feedback!
Brian
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  #9  
Old 11-23-2020, 02:37 AM
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You might find this interesting, if not something you would rely on:

https://www.thaliacapos.com/pages/fr...tar-make-model
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Old 11-23-2020, 11:09 AM
brianlcox brianlcox is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RodB View Post
You might find this interesting, if not something you would rely on:

https://www.thaliacapos.com/pages/fr...tar-make-model
Thanks Rod - I've been using this. Very helpful.
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Old 11-23-2020, 02:25 PM
tommieboy tommieboy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brianlcox View Post
He told me that with 20" Froggy Bottom are fairly far to the flatter side of what's "normal". I was asking for a radius of 14-16", but I needed more data to be sure. He suggested not going too far in the other direction unless I was VERY sure I wanted that. I thought that was quite reasonable. This is one of the reasons I bought this Santa Cruz and why I'm writing this post - to be sure if I really want 14", or if 16" is good enough for me.

Brian
Thanks for the additional info Brian. Aside from my FB's, all of my Guilds have had a 12" fretboard radius.

Tommy
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  #12  
Old 02-27-2021, 08:32 AM
mathieu rancour mathieu rancour is offline
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Only reason I don’t own a froggy is the 20 ‘ radius , just can’t play it .
Collings has a great 14-18 compound radius, love bourgeois and Santa Cruz at 14. To me 14 is the perfect compromise , right in between martin and Gibson
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  #13  
Old 02-27-2021, 12:32 PM
markcrawford markcrawford is online now
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I am always hesitant to consider Santa Cruz because of neck set problems. I know they have corrected it now, but years ago, they had MAJOR problems with guitars needing neck resets in their first year
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Old 02-27-2021, 12:47 PM
sdelsolray sdelsolray is offline
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Make a gauge yourself:

http://pickguardian.com/wp-content/u...ius-Gauges.pdf

There are other DIY templates similar this on the internet.
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  #15  
Old 02-27-2021, 01:26 PM
tadol tadol is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markcrawford View Post
I am always hesitant to consider Santa Cruz because of neck set problems. I know they have corrected it now, but years ago, they had MAJOR problems with guitars needing neck resets in their first year
Odd - Santa Cruz has always stood behind their guitars unfailingly, and I’ve never heard of a problem with one not getting corrected - but I have that same hesitation with Martin -
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