Compound Radius Fingerboard

It offers you the perfect combination of an easy chord playing on the lower part (vintage radius of 9 1/2″) and lets you play the perfect easy-licks with bend-ups up to 5 semitones, on the higher part (modern flatter radius of 14″).
The best approach to both worlds. However. 


We called this development of the fingerboard “the compound radius fingerboard”. The introduction of the computer in the world of instrument building was our thing. We became very skilfull in the matter and developed software that now out ranges many competitors. The complex radius fingerboard is the final development of our compound radius. 

The surface of the fingerboard changes its height and its curve in every fret position. 
The fretboard surface is curved in various directions. The surface has a shape that leaves space for the maximum string vibration (beat-out) in every position, taking in account the Smilefrets. To achieve that, we had to develop our own software. 
It became reality thanks to the patented 4Everneck. Indeed we needed a perfectly rigid neck first, before we could even dream of such a complicated fingerboard. A slight neck movement of 0.1 mm would already dislocate all calculations .
We gave the computer the instructions to calculate the string beat-out at a certain energy. Of course this is very complex to do: every string is different in gauge and vibrates in its own frequency at any length. Every depressed string vibrates differently on every fret position.



Our software calculated the lowest position of every string in any string position. We even took bend-ups into account. So positions in-between and diagonal string positions were also calculated. The computer results gave us a totally new fingerboard surface. It was complex and very unusual.
Please notice that the picture is exaggerated in the z-axis, to visualize better.
We call it the Complex radius (TM).

The new surface could only be efficient on condition that the contact surface of the strings with the frets (crown top) is similar to the fingerboard. For that we had to develop a new method to fix the Smilefrets into the fret slots. We do not want to release how we do it but imagine somebody like “James”, a robot who does fret jobs with an accuracy of 10 microns, measured at the top of the fret crown!! No human touch at this fret jobs any more. No hammering, no filing or sanding, no fret levelling after… Faultless computer perfection. Certainly unique in the world. 
Also probably the best in the world. The result is an unbelievable low action on every fingerboard location, and with no fret buzz! Crazy – all kritz guitars, made after 2000 are equipped with a complex FB As they say in so many reviews: “plays like butter” – “the lowest action that I ever saw” – “I still can’t believe it” etc…

The Complex radius was fully calculated and developed by the Kritz engineers F & A Valcke.