Hey,
I've been trying to understand the neck radius on my strat so I can adjust the neck relief properly. Can someone explain in plain English how to determine the neck radius? The Fender tech sight explains it in terms of tying a pencil to a string with a thumb tac on the other end and drawing a circle to represent the neck radius. WTF? I guess I just don't get the visual on this. Any help would be much appreciated.
R

hi , what age and model of strat do you have ? i use a set of radius gauges for doing settups and they can be handy for determining the radius , but if you let us know what model you have you should get the answer in no time . cheers
Alan

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You don't realy need to know the radius. It is not a must . I adjust my guitars , vintage or modern close to .011 inches . You playing habit tell what you need .
I have all precise gauge from StewMac for this work.
What Fender suggest , .010 for modern radius and .012 for vintage is an average.

Modern guitar ; 9.5 radius , Vintage 7.25..

Your question made ​​me smile : " I have a problem with my Stratocaster, can you help me ?"

No details, nothing to help us. Fender built so many Strat model. Unfortunately you're not the first nor the last.

The radius is a measurement of the arc of a circle. From the center of a circle to the outside edge, to be precise.
So a circle with a radius of 3" has quite a steep arc. A circle with a radius of 8 ft has a very shallow arc.

It plays no part in your neck relief. Your playing style has significantly greater impact on how much relief you'll need in your neck.

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No no and no

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Thanks for all the help. I have 2003 standard strat with a rosewood fret board, nothing unusual about it. In trying to adjust the intonation I noticed that when I fret the 12th fret with out plucking the string, there are 2 notes audible. The obvious note that sounds is the pickup side of the fret (an octave above the open string yes?). but the other note, created be the distance from the 12th fret to the nut, is a 1/2 step above the open string. Are you with me? What I'm hearing are 2 notes a 1/2 step apart, a dissonance if you will. Is this normal? It seems to me that this could actually cause some real harmonic problems such as phase cancellation or intonation maladies. I hope I explained this clearly. Thanks.

You're worrying too much and hammering the string a little too vigorously. My guitars all do it if I play with over enthusiasm.

You're hearing both sides of the string. Usually you'd only hear the fret to bridge side. But you're also hearing the fret below to nut side of the strings talk length.
It won't be audible when amplified. Because the pickups are at the bridge side so only see that side of the strings talk length.

Nothing to worry about at all.

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No no and no

Wow
Interesting
Maybe, someday someone will put pickups
on the 2nd 3rd & 4th frets for double reverse tones and a half?

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Thanks nikininja!

FWIW, you have a 9.5" radius.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

hi , topscore , Frank Zappa used to mic up the neck of his guitars when recording , he was way out there cheers
Alan

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Good to know.
Any pictures of Zappa's guitar neck?
Toppscore

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Thanks for that alanssaab! I've seen a picture of Frank Zappa playing a special guitar with pickups in the neck. Can't remember what magazine it was in..something to do with the history of rock and jazz coming together...I'll find it and post it when I do.
R

RBlooz! That would be great.
Start a thread with it so we can comment and not miss it.
Toppscore

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