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Determining Fingerboard/fretboard radius?


Guest Jecklin
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Guest Jecklin

Hello all,

Does anyone know a method for determining the radius of a fingerboard short of buying a variety of radius blocks and seeing which one fits?

My Yamaha RBX260f needs a little work and I can't find the radius on Yamaha website etc.

If anyone knows the radius Yamaha used that would be great.

Cheers
Thomas

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An easy way is to download and print out some radius guides. The Jerzy Drozd setup [url="http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/akcndfr54jdhrei567/Ultimate_Guide_ver100.pdf"]guide[/url] has some in the appendices. Just make sure you print them out accurately.

EDIT: Just found it, it's [url="http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=en&site=usa.yamaha.com&asset_id=35868"]10 degrees[/url]

Edited by walbassist
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Yep there is the print out way which is by far the cheapest way if you have the kit 👍
If you'd prefer to get a tool though, I picked up a small steel rule with popular rad sizes punched out of the straight edges for only a few pounds off eBay.

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Guest Jecklin

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1483802531' post='3210241']

EDIT: Just found it, it's [url="http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=en&site=usa.yamaha.com&asset_id=35868"]10 degrees[/url]
[/quote]

Thank you Walbassist,that's one of the pages I didn't bother looking at in my hunt earlier :D

Cheers
Thomas

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[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1483802531' post='3210241']
An easy way is to download and print out some radius guides. The Jerzy Drozd setup [url="http://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/akcndfr54jdhrei567/Ultimate_Guide_ver100.pdf"]guide[/url] has some in the appendices. Just make sure you print them out accurately.

EDIT: Just found it, it's [url="http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=en&site=usa.yamaha.com&asset_id=35868"]10 degrees[/url]
[/quote]

How can you guarantee that your print out is accurate though? IME all consumer level printers are between 1 and 2% off when it comes to linear accuracy.

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1483962603' post='3211385']
How can you guarantee that your print out is accurate though? IME all consumer level printers are between 1 and 2% off when it comes to linear accuracy.
[/quote]

There's a scale on the page, so you adjust print size until it matches that. I just printed the page on my printer at work and it was a perfect match.

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[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1484065411' post='3212369']
Lo-tech: Ruler, string, pencil, drawing pin, scissors, paper, responsible adult to supervise...
[/quote]
Or scalpel blade poked through a strip of stiff cardboard or thin ply, pinned down to a piece of card and used to cut a section of circle directly.

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Measure the width of the fretboard, call this c
Measure the height of the fretboard (could be tricky without verniers), call this s (sagitta)


The radius can then be found using this formula:

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]r = (4s[/font][/color][sup]2[/sup][color=#000000][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] + c[/font][/color][sup]2[/sup][color=#000000][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif])/(8s)[/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Haven't tried it myself, it's all derived from Pythagoras. Might try it tomorrow on a known radius.[/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Can't claim credit for the maths. I just enjoyed a pleasant mathematical half hour researching it.[/font][/color]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dario[/font][/color]

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[quote name='Dan_Q' timestamp='1483804157' post='3210253']
Yep there is the print out way which is by far the cheapest way if you have the kit
If you'd prefer to get a tool though, I picked up a small steel rule with popular rad sizes punched out of the straight edges for only a few pounds off eBay.
[/quote]

Just for reference the one I got was this one:
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Fretboard-Fingerboard-Radius-Gauge-Ruler-for-Bass-Guitar-Silver-BQLZR-/252505572362?hash=item3aca81440a:g:ovkAAOSw65FXtsGl"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Steel-Fretboard-Fingerboard-Radius-Gauge-Ruler-for-Bass-Guitar-Silver-BQLZR-/252505572362?hash=item3aca81440a:g:ovkAAOSw65FXtsGl[/url]

[quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1483806002' post='3210269']
A set of radius gauges is available for around £11.00, worth the cost as a set up tool :)
[/quote]

Damn i wish I'd have known- i thought they would be more expensive than that. Very handy for setting action I imagine B)

Nice maths there, niagra

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