i know its a personal thing, but really with the small width of the CBG neck, what's a common fretboard radius to use?

I've been using a handmade radius block, not sure what it is, but its time to get serious about my fretting so I'm buying one.  What's the most common radius for the more narrow CBJ?  

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I don't know of anyone who puts a radius on a 3 or 4 string fretboard. I know I don't.

I do for my fretted ones makes them more playable

Paul,i have radius'd a few,about 18 inc rad is pretty close'i use a section of 900 mm pipe as a shooting board,just glue some 60 grit on it

Thanks Darryl.  Radius is a pain, but I do like the feel of it on the CBG, especially if electric.  Likely all in my head, but as i do eventually want to build full size guitars I also see it as part of the craft to learn.  

I'm having trouble getting my frets as level as I want.  Blocks are cheap so I thought I'd try a manufactured block and see if that improves my ability to level the frets.  I also notice that my cuts are not always 90 degrees in.  I heard that can change the height of the fret also so I might try again to build (or buy if i chicken out) a fret miter box.  My attempts to build miters in the past failed as i couldn't manage to saw straight again.

Thanks guys

 

Before you go out and buy a mitre box, try slotting your fret board while it is flat, before radiusing or glueing to the neck, by lining the saw up along a carpenter's square. I clamp the fret board down so I can use one hand on the saw and one on the square. Then I glue it to the neck. Once it is on the neck, I put a radius on it.

I also made a jig for cutting a radius with a router. I am going to use it for six strings. In this case, again cut the slotsusing a square. Then radius it in the jig. Then glue to the neck.
So if I clamp the t square and the fretboard both then I can use another t square to keep the saw a 90 degrees while I'm cutting. I can try that. I have to remember with the big box store maple I use it's just going to be as good as my naked eye can show me. Can't expect miracles of precision with the fretting, right?
I have the fret locations pre marked. I made a fret ruler for a 25.5" scale for this. Then, once fret board is clamped down, I set the fret saw so just one tip touches the fret board ie the saw is on a slant over the edge of the fret board. Then with the other hand I slide in the carpenter square, flat on the fret board till it touches the saw and straightens out the saw blade. Then level the saw blade on the board , backed by the square's ruler and saw your fret. Move down the board and do the next one.

It sounds harder than it is.
I will try. Thanks so much for suggestion.
I put a radius all the time. I generally make four string fretted instruments. I made sanding blocks for 12" and 16" roughly. I have done 12", 16", 12" at the nut working up to 16" and 12" at the nut fading to infinity, ie flat, at the box end of the fret board. I find I like 12" fading to flat. I did one for a customer with "older hands" than me. He wanted 12" straight through. It worked well for him.
Good info thanks! I'll try 12" block
Hey David, how did you make your sanding blocks?

I radius some of my high end builds. What I like to do is break that sharp edge of the fretboard with some sandpaper. It gives my builds a softer, broken in look and more comfortable to play.

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