Flat vs arched neck

[Dan Sleep]

I am sure it is probably personal preference, but how many folks prefer a flat fingerboard as compared to the more classic slightly arched version? Does normal fingering vs slide fingering factor into it?

Is there any easy way to get the fingerboard arched, short of making a template and spending hours with a rasp and sandpaper?

[Doc Oakroot]

I always make flat fingerboards - which is really classic since it's how a classical guitar fingerboard is made :o) Why? Because I grew up playing classical guitar and it's what I'm used to.

It also makes it easier to play slide, but lots of great slide players play on radiused guitar necks, so it's not essential.

I've been considering making a hurdy-gurdy, which has to be radiused - at least at the bridge. My thought on that is to cut the bridge, fingerboard, and rosin wheel from the same stalk of bamboo (I have some 4"-6" diameter bamboo lying around).

[Dan Sleep]

Cool...then for simplicity sake, I will make the next one flat, and maybe venture into radius on a future build. I may experiment with tilting the head back using a scarf joint...or I may not...lol...I got so many ideas floating around in my head!

[Mark Werner]

I agree the effect is probably not noticeable on 3-4 string instruments. I see some of the commercial guitars are now being made with "compound radius" necks, which feature a slightly-more-abrupt curve under the bass strings. This allows for the strings to be more level to the fingering hand.