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They call them medium jumbo - but they are way more medium than jumbo.
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Shallow radius = flatter neck?
Also, with the Fender's, which is considered Good, Better, Best...I assume the MIA (American) are best, but what about Japan and Mexico? Are the Japanese-built better than the Mexican-built?Comment
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I've owned a MIJ that was embarassingly bad. I own a MIJ that is surprisingingly good. I've played MIM's that blew me away and others that made me laugh.
Unless your talking about custom shop, these are all huge production-line guitars - they're making thousands of them every day. There WILL be good ones and bad ones - no question.
In general, the MIJ reissues (54, 57, 62, etc) are highly regarded and my experience with them has been consistantly good. Unless they are already upgraded, expect to replace pickups, pots and switches. CIJ ("crafted in japan") are generally held to the same regard - someone else will have to fill you in on the difference - I just know the reputation.
In general, the "classic" series 50's and 60's MIM's that I have played have been nice - but I have been consistantly dissappointed in every "roadworn" model that I've tried out since they came out - fit and finish, vibe, etc. I've never touched a MIM standard series.
The latest Am Standards are very nice and the vintage reissues are killer - consistantly. Fender is hitting the ball out of the part on these - IMO. Every one I pick up has been good.
Radius = the "roundness" of the fretboard. Its measured in inches which refer to the radius of the imaginary circle to which the fretboard belongs. A vintage Fender radius is 7.5". Current Fender production is a flatter 9.5". Gibson uses 12". Etc. Some people say its easier to make chord forms with your fingers on a rounder fretboard and that its easier to bend on a flatter fretboard. I think its mostly dependent on the player.-------------------------
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Honestly, playing my 7.5" neck with the jumbos on it, and the Dave Murray with the 9.5" and the jumbos (or REAL medium jumbos) - I'm actually inclined to like the feel a little bit more than the flatter radius on my Charvels.Originally posted by toejam View Post
It could just be a familiarity thing, from playing the Dave Murray non-stop for three weeks, then picking up my ProMod SD1 - it just felt weird - all flat and stuff.-------------------------
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I played my AmStd Strat a lot when I got it and when I went back to my Jackson it felt all "right" and flat and stuff.Originally posted by Grandturk View Post
Maybe it's what you first learn on... I don't think I ever had anything rounder than a straight 12" until I got a Strat. While I appreciate it for what it is and what it does it just always feels funky to play a Strat, and a Telecaster, well, get that the hell away from me I want nothing to do with that 7.25" stuff.
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So this radius stuff still has me confused...
The larger the radius, say a 12" vs. a 7.5", will be "flatter"
What radius is a Model Charvel and what radius is a Fender strat? Is the Charvel flatter?Comment
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A larger radius makes for a more flat fingerboard. Basically, draw a 9" circle and a 12" circle. Cut a 3" wide piece out of each circle and the 12" radius one will be more flat.Originally posted by MarkThomas View Post
The Charvels use a compound radius on their fretboard of 12" (pretty flat) at the nut then gradually working its way to 16" at the last fret. (really flat!) The compound radius makes fretting bar chords easy at lower frets while allowing very wide bends without fretting out at the higher frets.
The American Standard strats have a 9.5" fingerboard radius all the way up. So the Charvel starts out more flat than the Fender and ends up MUCH more flat.Last edited by Hellbat; 07-23-2009, 02:26 PM.GTWGITS! - RacerXComment
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You're supposed to be able to get lower action with flatter fretboards. Honestly, I'm not certain that a flatter fretboard is any "faster" than a rounder fretboard. I actually think a rounder fretboard might be faster since at certain points, the string/fret is closer to your finger when moving from string to string (and also further, too, depending if you're ascending or decending - so who knows).-------------------------
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I'm pretty sure the Hwy 1's come with true jumbo frets, but you can't get a floyd on one of those. I have an '06 Am Std that is one of my favorite guitars to chord on, because of the 9.5" radius, but the action has to be a bit higher than I prefer to keep full step bends from choking out on the higher frets.Comment
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Welcome to your new Stratocaster.Originally posted by mccullpl View Post
I play a lot of legato type stuff and tend to pull my fingers way back for "teh hammer onz" so the higher action doesn't bother me so much. I'd rather it was lower, but don't actually feel that it "slows me down." I'm too slow for a Strat to slow me down.
Yngwie seems to rip it up pretty good on a Strat. Maybe it's all the gummi fish?!?Comment
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Based on the new ones I've played - I think they're more like medium jumbos. I think Fender needs to sort out what it considers jumbo and medium jumbo honestly...Originally posted by mccullpl View Post
Here:
http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Necks/FretSizePop.aspx
Charvel uses 6100 on the ProMods - to me, that's "jumbo." Anything else - ain't (even though they call them "true jumbo" or "medium jumbo" - I think we need some congressional oversight on fret size labeling).Last edited by Grandturk; 07-23-2009, 07:31 PM.-------------------------
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How about just saying what it is? :idea:Originally posted by Grandturk View Post
You know, like "The Highway One Stratocatster comes with 6105 'jumbo' frets that aren't really jumbo compared to REAL jumbo frets like 6100."
That would clear things RIGHT up!Comment
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