Cool, thanks for the reply @Mike_R 
I like my flat fretboard just fine, just not wanting to put a good amount of money into the radiused without a little input. I’ve only held one that was radiused once and didn’t know much about mandolin then. It felt like I was pushing the strings off the fretboard. I think that will be an easy adjustment though, just changing where I apply pressure on my fingers. Seems like the flat boards u press more and the round boards are more of a grab-type pressure if that makes sense. What would u say as far as how your fret hand has to adjust? Since u have experience with both.
Radiused Fretboard vs. Flat Fret board
There are not any conscious changes I make. There is a difference in feel.
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I think the radiused is way to go. If you’re looking to invest in a really really nice one, I’m considering selling my Rattlesnake.
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Who builds a Rattlesnake banjo?
Mike
It’s a mandolin, built by Olin Davis who has since stopped building. Most notably played by Casey Campbell, the guy in the middle here:
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Haha I wish!! I checked my pockets and all I found was an old gum wrapper and a Weigles receipt. I should have put the word invest in quotation marks…“invest”. Under 2k to keep my marriage in tact, haha. But for sure will be getting one from the BBStore.
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Well Bela plays a radiused fretboard so… I played flat boards for years and had several Nechvilles with the co.pound radiused boards and in my opinion the radiused ones are the way to go no questions asked. I am going to have a radiused board done on my Crafters of Tennessee as soon as I can. They just feel way more comfy
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Hi @rsirl72 Rick 
to @BanjoBen 's Forum. I don’t have an opinion either way. All my banjo’s have flat fretboards. No plans to add to my collection. I wish you well with your new purchase. I hope all goes well for you.
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I have a flat fretboard on my travel/parlor Music City Belle banjo built by Dave Dillard. It has a short scale neck and 10” openback pot. It hangs in our sitting room, so I play it the most (real handy). But I have radiused fretboards on a Nechville (with a resonator—my bluegrass banjo) and a 12” openback Ome. They are more comfortable to play, but not enough to shy me away from flat fretboards.
Bela indeed plays a radiused fretboard…but not all the time.
I once heard (maybe a Bela interview ?) the radiused fretboard is a nod to guitar players, where the radiused fretboard is much more common, and thereby more suited to playing jazz. When you need to make weird jazz chords on a banjo, the radiused fretboard is the one of choice. If you want bluegrass slides & bends, perhaps the flat fretboard should be your choice.
Sooner or later, everything becomes a function of budget.
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Why not go the whole hog
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