What is more important to you, fretboard radius or scale length?

  • Thread starter Thread starter itsgoodnow
  • Start date Start date

What is more important to you, fretboard radius or scale length?

  • Fretboard Radius

    Votes: 11 23.9%

  • Scale Length

    Votes: 19 41.3%

  • Do not give a shit at all

    Votes: 7 15.2%

  • Equally important

    Votes: 9 19.6%
  • Total voters
    46
I

itsgoodnow

Well-known member
Title says it all. When looking at the attributes of playability, what matters most to you--radius or scale length?

For Context: I went to do a PRS order and wanted a Custom 24 in a flatter radius. They won't change that. So I can either get a PRS custom 24 (25 scale) in 10" or a slightly longer (25.5) Holcomb with 20." So I am debating what to do. This made me think of the above question.
 
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Btw out of those two options I'd take the Holcomb for sure

The difference between straight 25" and 25.5" is almost unnoticeable in my experience, and I also prefer flatter radius every time
 
I barely notice any change when playing between 24.75-25.5, too many years switching back and forth between them that it doesn’t register. Also been playing a lot of 26.5 recently and even ordered my Custom OD in that length for the clarity aspects.

So, I would go off of whichever radius I preferred. But even there I don’t care as much any longer provided it’s 9.5”+. Nut width is more critical to me at this stage
 
I like really low action and to bend more than a step, so I really need a flat radius (generally about 12"). Even with really good fretwork, bends around one step will start fretting out once the action gets real low if the radius is less than that.

I'm ok with a scale anywhere between 24.75 to 25.5". Anything over that, the tension gets a bit stiff for quick bending licks and certain chords are too hard to reliably hit (for me at least).
 
I go back and forth between gibson/suhr/PRS. So scale length is probably less important. But I bond with flatter radius guitars. I was more surprised I sort of had to make a choice which got me thinking. Y'all are reinforcing my decision to go Holcomb
 
I can buy a guitar based on scale length. I don’t even look at radius lol.
 
As long as radius is 9.5” or more I don’t really care. But I tend to stay away from the short scale guitars.
 
I tend to think both too. I didn't used to, but for some reason the 25.5 just feels way more natural now. I'd go the Holcomb too, cuz it's awesome, but you may want to see if they'll do a compound radius. I had a Private Stock that was compound 10" / 14" which was pretty cool, so they should be able to do similar for a Custom 24. But if you're entertaining something like a 20", just go with the Holcomb.
 
bierbuddy said:
I tend to think both too. I didn't used to, but for some reason the 25.5 just feels way more natural now. I'd go the Holcomb too, cuz it's awesome, but you may want to see if they'll do a compound radius. I had a Private Stock that was compound 10" / 14" which was pretty cool, so they should be able to do similar for a Custom 24. But if you're entertaining something like a 20", just go with the Holcomb.
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Good call sir. I definitely am a bit frustrated. They got rid of a lot of options they used to do that are on some of my others. Example no more direct mount pickups. Things like that. I asked on the compound and said they won’t altar the specs of the model like that. I asked them to ask PRS direct haha
 
I skipped over many nice guitars, because the Interweb said I shouldn't like the 7.25" radius. Turns out I like it quite a bit. The scale length and fretboard radius just doesn't matter much to me. Same for the neck, except I cannot get along with the super thin and flat necks like on Ibanez.
 
DanTravis62 said:
Scale length is way more important. The radius is nowhere near as important as the nut width.
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👆 This is the answer, imo.

Would personally probably lean towards other features of the guitars that I liked. Would take into consideration if I planned on downtuning at all and what strings/gauges I would be happiest with at whatever tuning at a specific scale. String spacing is also important, but can be tweeked a little with a new nut and/or saddles. Though that may end up also not being comfortable with a specific neck carve/radius/width (or could end up being more comfortable). If the guitar had a specific objective in mind; Lead for me personally would generally lean towards wider string spacing and/or flatter radius, with rhythm vice versa.
 
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