Rolled edges - ooh!

[redbandit599]

Hi all

I'm loving the rolled edges on the fretboard of my Dingwall NG 5. Great for me being small of hand and large of bass, and just really comfy.

Got me wondering what other basses out there have a bit of a rounded/rolled edge on the fretboard? I'm tempted to have a little shuffle of the herd 😀

Cheers

[Dood]

Off the shelf basses include Maruszczyk and Sire basses. Some Ibanez basses offer a "premium fretboard treatment" but its is less pronounced than some rolled F/B's I've tried. I've also found that pretty much any premium Fender Japan bass I have played has always had a really excellent fretboard treatment, whereas some, such as the Nate Mendal (Mimsy) bass doesn't (Which is odd as the Steve Harris P bass does have a great feeling "edge") 

There are of course many more, but they are the ones that came to mind immediately!

 

[TheGreek]

First time I encountered this phenom was on a friends Fender USA Deluxe Jazz - amazing!!! A Fender that I actually liked!!

[Chris2112]

Loads of basses feature it to varying degrees these days. Moreover, I can't remember the last time I felt a neck edge with poorly finished fret-ends sticking out. 

[nilebodgers]

Interesting thread. My old Yam BB1100s has a rolled edge and I'd never played a bass that didn't until I got a 2012 MIM Fender P - that had a very square edge and I found it quite uncomfortable to play. I took the the sharp edge off when I was tidying up the fretwork and it is great now.

[dannybuoy]

It’s not just about the fret ends, it’s the sharpness of the fingerboard digging into your left hand. I had a MIM Classic 50s Fender P that had a pretty sharp edge to the wood, which combined with the wide nut width, made it uncomfortable fretting a low F. Some rolled edges on that neck might have made a difference!

[chris_b]

The only bass I've owned that didn't have rolled edges was a Musicman. It wasn't a big deal, just not my favourite for that reason.

The rest, Lakland, Wal, Rob Allen, Lull, Sadowsky, Fender felt much nicer to play.

[redbandit599]

I think that most basses do have a slight rolling, but the ones I'm referring are much more pronounced. 

My Sandberg, Warwick, Yamaha and others have a degree of rolling but not to the extent of the Dingwall. Worth trying if you get the chance as it's different to most of those named above 😀

Edited September 7, 2019 by redbandit599

[drTStingray]

You mean like this? 

I can see this helping a lot on a bass with a wide neck and string spacing - I have never got on with, for instance Fender 5 strings (and in the early 70s, Precisions) for their comparatively wide necks.

I can imagine this would make these types of basses feel better to play. 

Everything's a compromise but i prefer a narrower string spacing with lightly rounded fretboard edges on 5 strings. The hand finishing on a Musicman results in basses which feel great to play. 

chris_b, I can't imagine what era/model you we're playing, but I don't think many people would find the more recent offerings much less than exquisite!! (I've said in another thread, I have an early 90s Stingray with a chunky feeling neck).  

Edited September 7, 2019 by drTStingray

[redbandit599]

Yep, that's what I mean DrT. Properly rounded off. That Sire looks even more rounded than my Dingwall, which is rounded but still with some edge. Might have try one of those Sires when I get the chance.

[nilebodgers]

That Sire is really extreme. I just like it rounded to the point that there isn't a sharp edge that digs in to my fingers.

[HazBeen]

Maybe I have big hands, but I’ve never felt the edge on any bass I’ve owned to be an issue. Interesting to see some basses that have such rounded edges.

[TheGreek]

Looks nice...

https://www.sire-usa.com/shop/bass/sire-marcus-miller-v10-5st-ash/

[redbandit599]

2 hours ago, HazBeen said:

Maybe I have big hands, but I’ve never felt the edge on any bass I’ve owned to be an issue. Interesting to see some basses that have such rounded edges.

I have quite small hands and also never really felt it to be an issue. There were some basses I've tried where the edge was more noticeable and I didn't like those (e.g. the one and only Rickenbacker I've ever held - horrid!) and then when I tried my Sandberg I thought 'What a great neck!' It still is a great neck, but the extra little roll off on my NG5 is something else. 

I suppose when you consider how sensitive your hands are little differences on the neck make a big difference to feel. My Sandberg still has a great neck, but I can see that (for me) a little rolling like the NG5 would make it a little better still.

That Sire is pretty extreme, I'd like to know what it felt like though.

Edited September 7, 2019 by redbandit599

[Stub Mandrel]

My Squier VM Jaguar SS has got properly rolled edges, very nicely done and much more marked than any of my other basses/guitars but not as extreme as the Sire. Feels great.

Here you go, more of a rounded bevel than the sire:

Edited September 7, 2019 by Stub Mandrel

[thegummy]

On 06/09/2019 at 18:19, Dood said:

Off the shelf basses include Maruszczyk and Sire basses. Some Ibanez basses offer a "premium fretboard treatment" but its is less pronounced than some rolled F/B's I've tried. I've also found that pretty much any premium Fender Japan bass I have played has always had a really excellent fretboard treatment, whereas some, such as the Nate Mendal (Mimsy) bass doesn't (Which is odd as the Steve Harris P bass does have a great feeling "edge") 

There are of course many more, but they are the ones that came to mind immediately!

 

I emailed Maruszczyk asking if the fretboard edges were rolled or if it was possible to request that and he didn't seem to know what I was talking about.

[Dood]

9 hours ago, thegummy said:

I emailed Maruszczyk asking if the fretboard edges were rolled or if it was possible to request that and he didn't seem to know what I was talking about.

To be fair, they are in Poland, maybe something was lost in translation! - I can confirm that the basses I have reviewed from them have all had "really rounded edges" if we weren't to call it "rolled"!  Very nicely finished too without being able to feel the fret edge.

[luckman67]

First time I knowingly felt a rolled edged neck was on the neck of my 2014 Am.Std Precision 😎.

[krispn]

A rolled fret board just makes a bass feel more inviting and most folk who talk about a neck feeling 'sublime', 'buttery' et al will probably be describing the 'played in', rolled fret board feel as much as the other dimensions or at least I would! Both my main basses have rolled edges and combined with flat wound strings they fell super smooth and very comfortable to play!

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, krispn said:

A rolled fret board just makes a bass feel more inviting and most folk who talk about a neck feeling 'sublime', 'buttery' et al will probably be describing the 'played in', rolled fret board feel as much as the other dimensions or at least I would! Both my main basses have rolled edges and combined with flat wound strings they fell super smooth and very comfortable to play!

I wonder if the edge treatment on the Jag SS (plus the satin finish) is behind why it 'feels' so much better than most budget basses and it's popularity?

[drTStingray]

I'm sorry but call me old fashioned or purist (if there can even be one who doesn't own an upright or a 60s Precision, which I don't) but I thought the idea of these rolled edges were to make the neck feel played in - like a well used vintage instrument.

The quadrant radius on the Sire and chamfered arrangement on Stub Mandrel's bass are surely way beyond that?

Do they not facilitate or even encourage that technique error which involves grabbing on to the bass neck as if it's a baseball bat? Rather than pivoting the thumb behind the neck? 

I haven't tried one of these basses shown but am now very curious to the extent I might go to Andertons to try a Sire - problem is I'll probably end up buying a pink (fuschia) sparkle Bongo (if they have one) or a natural special Stingray or some other extravagance I don't need 😁😯

[Stub Mandrel]

12 minutes ago, drTStingray said:

Do they not facilitate or even encourage that technique error which involves grabbing on to the bass neck as if it's a baseball bat? Rather than pivoting the thumb behind the neck? 

Perish the thought 🙂

[thegummy]

6 hours ago, Dood said:

To be fair, they are in Poland, maybe something was lost in translation! - I can confirm that the basses I have reviewed from them have all had "really rounded edges" if we weren't to call it "rolled"!  Very nicely finished too without being able to feel the fret edge.

Nice one, great to hear that as I've always really liked the idea of a Maruszczyk with their website letting you customise everything.

[pineweasel]

7 hours ago, drTStingray said:

I thought the idea of these rolled edges were to make the neck feel played in - like a well used vintage instrument.

The quadrant radius on the Sire and chamfered arrangement on Stub Mandrel's bass are surely way beyond that?

I'd agree with that assessment. I don't think you could describe the Sire as simply having rolled edges, it's a fully rounded edge profile. Probably feels quite nice though!