Fretboard radius basic question.

relic245

I've never paid any attention to fretboard radius. I either like it or I don't.

Today I've been playing my 335 and prs se.

I'm loving the fretboard on the prs and to my uncultured knowledge feels flatter than the Gibson.

So I looked up the radius
Prs 10 inch
Gibson 12 inch

Maths was never my strong point but that seems the wrong way round. Surely larger radius would mean flatter board?

I've got myself a bit confused.

Am I right that the prs has a flatter board or am I imagining it?

floeighty2

You’re right in the first assessment that 12inch is a flatter radius. 

grungebob

Larger radius does mean flatter board but the size of the fret wire and radius of the bridge can affect the strings action and make one feel flatter or rounder than the other. 

steveh

Wide fretboards can often feel much flatter than narrower ones of the same (or greater) radius.

The old PRS "wide thin" was a good example of this - felt far flatter than 10", especially as they often sported very low actions. 

guitars4you

Not sure there is. big difference between 10 and 12 as such - Other parameters come into play when I think about the feel of. apRS v Gibson - fret size, neck profile for starters - I suppose the sum of the parts is the final deciding factor - I'm not into the 16" boards you sometimes find on 'shred machines' - But that is just me

RichAC

The fretboard radius measurement in inches (or any unit) describes the radius (or maybe diameter) of a cylinder with same curve as the board. 

Imagine a massive wide stone column, and a narrow one. If you cut a fretboard shaped slice out of the surface of each, the one from the massive column will be flatter than the one from the narrow one. That’s why flatter boards have bigger numbers.

Rob1742

I like the OP style, basically plays and isn’t all that bothered about the science.

I don’t notice neck size within seconds of picking up different guitars. I just play whatever shape they are without thinking about it 

imalrightjack

It's very easy to get hung up on numbers and not let feel decide.  I recently took an EBMM JPXI in trade and immediately intended to sell it, due to its 21" radius.

Turns out, I love it.

relic245

Rob1742 said:

I like the OP style, basically plays and isn’t all that bothered about the science.

I don’t notice neck size within seconds of picking up different guitars. I just play whatever shape they are without thinking about it 

With you on that Rob. 

Years ago I had a strat with a real baseball back neck and loved it so concluded I liked fat necks. 

After that my main squeeze was an SG with a real skinny neck. Loved that too. 

I think for me the answer to the question what is  your favorite neck profile would be - whatever is on the guitar I'm playing right now.