Gearhead
Yeah well like anything, StewMac has these radius gauges. If you're going to have those, go for the 'undersaddle' type, they also measure fretboard radius on the other side.
Alternatively, you can have them laser cut locally. If there's anyone interested I'll make a .dxf to send to the local laser joint.
Another way would be to sand a piece of wood to the right radius, it's easier than you think. Comes the question on what this radius should be: you're best off with a range of radii so you can measure AND adjust.
To assess the right radius, measure the nut and the fretboard. Those, and the bridge, will normally all have (more or less) the same radius. More expensive guitars might have a 'compound' radius, going from short (say <12") to long (>16") towards the bridge. If you want to know the spec of your guitars, I'm too lazy to Google it for you, sorry ?
The height is a different topic altogether. There is no 'right' height, it's a personal preference about string 'action'. Action is determined by four factors: nut height, truss rod adjustment, neck angle and saddle height. Neck angle has a lot to do with the height between frets 9-18, bridge with 12-24, nut with 1-12 and truss rod with 4-14 but this is no hard and fast rule. People with shredding aspirations tend to want low action, people with slide aspirations have high action and the rest of us are somewhere in between. When I say 'want' I mean it takes a bit of understanding and experience to adjust so most people have it done.
Assuming your setup is perfect otherwise, you could start out adjusting your saddles so the height at the 12th fret of 1/16"-3/32".
AlanRatcliffe
G-Series: 12" Radius
Ibanez (most models): 16" Radius
Action is as GH said, personal preference, but the lowest possible action depends on how accurately the specific neck keeps to the radius when under tension. I use my eyes to judge both action and radius and keep an ear out for any buzzes.
nick_D01
hi guys
thanks for the info, am siftin through. in the meanwhile though, what about 'factory default' saddle height settings? i suppose those would be a great default to start with. i work in a music store so was thinkin of just copyin readings off a squier stratocaster we have in.
Gearhead
You would be assuming that the height of the fretboard over the top of the body is the same in both guitars - I'll put my money on there being more than 0.5mm difference. If you want to take a shortcut (and it really is) just adjust the G-string to the height I mentioned over the 12th fret and adjust the other strings to have the same difference like on the Squier.
If I were you I would go and buy a book on setups and some tools. In fact I do not work in a music store and I've gotten both ?
