Nick Grizzle

What does fretboard radius mean, and how does a 12-inch radius differ from a 16-inch one?—Hank Tortora The term fretboard radius describes the curvature of the playing surface of the neck. Nearly all steel-string guitars have fretboards that have a crowned center—thickest in the middle, and slightly thinner along the edges.

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Courtney Hartman discusses her evolution from flashy flatpicker to introspective songwriter, the staying power of old-time music, her relationship with Bourgeois Guitars, and shares insights from teaching music. Additional Resources: Visit Courtney Hartman’s website. Learn to play her arrangement of “Cumberland Gap” Join our Patreon community for access to more podcast episodes, lessons, and workshops.

I have two steel-string guitars, a nylon-string, and an electric. All are good brands, well maintained, with good strings, and have been set up by my local luthier. I simply cannot get them to play in tune all the way up and down the neck. No matter how carefully I try, some of the notes always just sound out, especially if I play with other instruments. What am I doing wrong? —Susan Richardson I feel your pain. So many parts of a guitar’s tone and vibe are subjective.