Ah - makes sense. Thanks.
A smaller radius makes is slightly easier to bridge the strings to play chords or for certain riffs where is it easier to play when you bridge with your index finger.
It will make it easier then a bigger radius which makes the board seem flatter, but only a little bit difference.
My advice as this is called “BEGINNER bass neck radius” is not to worry about it. Try out a bass. If it feels good, sounds good, and you like it, then go with it. You can worry about finding the optimum bass neck shape and radius later down the road as you are bound to want to get a new bass at some point. Right now, the key is to get a bass that you enjoy playing and to play it.
Also, for what it is worth, I’ve never really noticed a difference in different neck radii. If I go from a 7.25" guitar to a 10" bass, it feel basically the same to me. Neck shape matters much more in my experience.
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Ya I really like the Bello bass U shape, and the satin finish on it.
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Top notch advice.
doesn’t really matter what the shape is, it only matters if it feels good to you. The only reason to know what the neck profile is, is if you want to get another bass, and want to keep the same shape, otherswise, it only matters if the other bass feels good in your hands as well.
I prefer several neck profiles, with different width and thickness to them. I rotate thru several sizes and shapes, and it keeps things familiar yet, different.
Also, you may find a neck profile you absolutely can’t stand. good to know what that profile is, so when shopping basses, you avoid bothering with ones with that profile.
But like the quote said, don’t worry about it.
Best to get basses in your hands to see what they feel like. If you buy a bass, used or new from a place like Guitar Center, they have a hassle free, 100% return and refund policy. At one time, when covid first started, it was a 6 month window. I think its down to 45 now, but better check. This way, if you find a bass you want, you can buy it and play it, and take it home, and if you don’t like it much after a month, you can take it back, and pick a different one, or get your money back and shop elsewhere.
Its a pain, but with Covid and everything mail order, they kind of force you to buy and try, and return, because they certainly don’t have everything in the store to try out, and they won’t even bother to bring one to your local store, they make you buy it, and return it if you don’t want it.
Just some info that can be handy, YMMV
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