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Best Radius for a TOM Bridge?

tomroffey666

Junior Member
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Hey guys! What radius best suits a TOM bridge, and to achieve a really low action? I play mostly play heavy metal and shred. I was thinking the compound radius or a 14'+ radius. Any ideas?

Cheers
 
TOM bridges have a 12" radius, so you should either get a 12" radius neck, or get the compound radius and then file down the bridge saddles to an 18" radius. I would recommend the compound radius, but the difference is pretty small.
 
So if I just ordered a Tele with a recessed TOM and my neck is a compound radius, am I going to have any issues?
 
It's possible to play guitars that aren't set up as well as possible, but I'm a stickler for good action and I would have problems with a 12" radius tunematic paired with a Warmoth compound radius neck. I personally would either file the bridge inserts to a better match, or if you don't know how, or don't trust yourself to do so, I would get a straight 12" radius neck. I have actually come to prefer the straight 12" for other reasons - there are some partial barres you can make with your ring & little fingers that are easier on a slightly rounder neck.

The guitar company called Godin generated a great deal of problems for themselves by shipping certain guitars with a 12" radius tunematic and a straight 16" radius fingerboard. They were like the super-expensive synth-access top of the line models, and Godin didn't make their own synth bridges - oops. Schecter makes a 16" radius tunematic, but I don't think they're available separately. Filing the bridge pieces isn't a big deal if you have the tools and the measuring know-how; most any "real" guitar tech could do it for an hour's labor time. Few will charge for just the half-hour it really takes.... :-\
 
Hmm ok thanks for the tips guys. I think ill go with the compound radius and file the bridge inserts. What is the best way to file the inserts? or should i just get a guitar tech to do it?
 
I just tried my my first compound radius neck about six months ago.  I'm not all ga-ga over it, but I'm sure some folks are.  Maybe its me, but I dont seem to have all that much trouble with 7-1/4 or 12 or anything in between.  I have no issues with the compound radius, other than the TOM needs to be refit

WARMOTH are you listening.... hello.... profit alert.... you offer modded bridges for jazz/jag , how about a TOM modded for the compound radius. 
 
I have a compound neck on Billy Bo, with a roller bridge and it's a perfect fit. The action is absolutely incredible, best I can tell without any radii gauges it's around a 16" radius. I figured this being my first time building a geetar with a TOM bridge I'd run into some snags, but came out flawless...
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