Neck Radius on '60s Starfire

[Hennebeau]

Hey Folks:
What is the radius of the average '60s Starfire bass? I own a '66, and I'm curious how different it is from others. Best!

 

[mellowgerman]

Howdy Hennebeau, sorry to say that this is one of the few Starfire inquiries that have come up that I don't have any real contribution to... I'm suspecting it's the same deal for the others since nobody else has responded. I would measure my 1970 SFB but I don't believe I have the right tools to do so. Fretboard radius has never been something that I've been sensitive to, so I never looked into acquiring the tools for measuring it.
Just wanted to respond so you don't feel like people are ignoring your question!

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Hey Folks:
What is the radius of the average '60s Starfire bass? I own a '66, and I'm curious how different it is from others. Best!

You mean the neck and not the fretboard right? Fretboards usually have a constant radius due to how they're sanded. I don't see how you could measure a neck as they are usually a compound radius! Necks are discussed by shape, "C", "D". "V", and such. And then they measure the depth at certain frets.

 

[fronobulax]

Hey Folks:
What is the radius of the average '60s Starfire bass? I own a '66, and I'm curious how different it is from others. Best!

How did you measure yours? I'm sure folks would be willing to try but as has been said, it's not something that usually is paid attention to.

 

[GAD]

You need radius guages. I use these: https://www.amazon.com/StewMac-Understring-Radius-Standard-Stainless/dp/B01HUCLDZ6

You can print a set for one time use: printable-radius-gauge There are others out there, too. Just search and you should find plenty if this one doesn't suit.

 

[DThomasC]

Or buy direct from StewMac. No need to feed the Amazon monster.

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-too...d-fingerboards/understring-radius-gauges.html

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

You need radius guages. I use these: https://www.amazon.com/StewMac-Understring-Radius-Standard-Stainless/dp/B01HUCLDZ6

You can print a set for one time use: printable-radius-gauge There are others out there, too. Just search and you should find plenty if this one doesn't suit.

Are those not fretboard radius guages? Have determined whether the OP is looking for the neck or fretboard radius?

 

[SFIV1967]

Have determined whether the OP is looking for the neck or fretboard radius?

Well, only fretboard "radius" makes sense talking about "radius" as you already explained in your post #3 above. Just to explain this a bit more for the OP: The neck shape itself is never uniform in radius. So neck shapes are not given as radius but as shape and thickness at a defined fret (like at 1st and 12th fret). So neck "radius" makes no sense. The below is from the Fender Custom Shop for instance:

For fretboard radius it was already answered and somebody just needs to measure the fretboard radius on a 60ies Starfire bass if that is what the OP wants to know.

Ralf