Brother Jones Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I'm speccing my new Krell five with Alan now and am seriously unsure as to whether or not to ask for a 20" radius fingerboard or a flat one. The flat board on my fretless ACG feels great, but the five will be fretted. I'm used to Fender boards, having played mostly Jazzes for 30 years. Any advice or experiences to share? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 If flat feels great on the fretless, I'm not sure there's any reason to worry about a radius on the fretted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 All I can really say is my experience with my 5 string fretted ACG (with flat board). I like it and will no doubt get the same on any other ACG I end up buying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I find the flat board on my ACG slows me down a bit over the slightly curved one on the ibanez. if I specced one today, it would be rounded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1450213390' post='2930684'] I find the flat board on my ACG slows me down a bit over the slightly curved one on the ibanez. if I specced one today, it would be rounded. [/quote] Interested to know why you think/feel the flat board slows you down? Cheers Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1450217887' post='2930737'] Interested to know why you think/feel the flat board slows you down? [/quote] I don't know, I just find it slower to play, seems like more work skipping over strings, which I think is down to a flat board. But I haven't got a curved neck that is the same (as nothing is quite the same) to compare it with. Maybe it is the width of the neck too, I am not sure though, as I don't find the G&L L2500 very fast either, which is obviously curved, but that is I believe because the neck is a lot deeper. I love the sound of it, and playing it, its just I can play other basses faster. To be honest I don't think you would go wrong with either, just if it was me I would pick a slight curve edit: thinking about it - I think the dingwall had a flat fingerboard, and that wasn't slow, but again it is hard to compare Edited December 15, 2015 by Woodinblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I have some of each and genuinely just don't notice the difference anymore. I'd go flat personally though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dincz Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I'd expect a 20" radius board to be barely disinguishable from flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I do a fair amount of string bending and have found that a flatter board stops full bends from chocking early - but that said, I've a 20" radius which is fine - my Fenders with a much lower radius figure choke badly, especially up the dusty end of the neck. You'll never get a minor 3rd bend out of them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Aren't flat boards one of Alan's things? When in Rome and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I've always liked flat boards...nothing you won't get used in a few hours:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='dincz' timestamp='1450294232' post='2931499'] I'd expect a 20" radius board to be barely disinguishable from flat. [/quote] This. To be honest, I don't notice too much of a difference at all really, but certainly a 20" board will feel very similar. Far more noticeable will be the Asymmetric carve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1450220806' post='2930771'] thinking about it - I think the dingwall had a flat fingerboard, and that wasn't slow, but again it is hard to compare [/quote] It would have been a custom spec if so, no Dingwall boards are flat as standard, most of the higher end ones have a compound radius, which is really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I love the flat radius personally and am totally used to it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='Kev' timestamp='1450301837' post='2931587'] It would have been a custom spec if so, no Dingwall boards are flat as standard, most of the higher end ones have a compound radius, which is really nice. [/quote] Yes, thats true. Its a while since I sold it, it was very wide but very shallow, couldn't remember if it was flat or not. [quote name='Dread Bass' timestamp='1450305440' post='2931617'] I love the flat radius personally and am totally used to it now. [/quote] can you have a flat radius? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linear Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1450308617' post='2931664'] can you have a flat radius? [/quote] A flat board has a radius that tends to infinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I've got 2xACG's one of each type of board. Can't tell the difference but I play the one with a flat board most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnozzalee Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) If you were talking about a guitar I'd understand - There's a huge difference in play ability between a vintage 7.25" radius and a modern 12", but on a bass...Where's the difficulty? It wouldn't matter either way. Edited December 17, 2015 by Schnozzalee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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