A coronary guidewire (10) includes a flexible elongated core (20) and a coil (40) comprising a plurality of helical coil turns wound around a distal end portion of the core. The coil (40) has a proximal end (50) and an opposite distal end (52). A weld joint (62) connects the distal end (52) of the coil to the core (20) and defines a distal tip (80) of the guidewire. The distal end (52) can have a flexible bend radius as small as 0.2 mm-0.6 mm.