Author Topic: Scalloping (Read 5929 times)

Jonesy · « **on:** April 17, 2006, 12:38:50 PM »

I know there are benefits to it, such as smoother bnds and faster trills and hammer ons, but are there any negative effects to it?

magma · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2006, 01:59:25 AM »

I haven't played a scalloped neck before, but was reading about it recently so I thought I'd add my tuppence worth.
Apparently it takes a while to get used to applying the correct ammount of pressure with your fingers.
Because you don't press against the fingerboard to fret notes it takes practice not to bend notes & chords sharp while playing. Some people can't get on with it.... so it would be best to borrow or get alot of practice on a scalloped board before laying down a chunk of cash or modding yr favourite instrument.

JamesHealey · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2006, 07:01:13 PM »

i scalloped a fender strat of mine when i was 16 and obessed with yngwie malmsteen lol (im so glad that obession disapeared), but yea i must say it's a weird feel but u deffinatly have more "control" over the notes they're actually in your fingers and vibrato and bends are smoother and more controlable.

My old guitar tutor used to play a scalloped neck but he's recently after about 15 years gone back to playing a normal neck. I wouldnt scallop another guitar again but i'd quite like to buy my strat back off the dude i sold it to or have a go on it again to see what i think of it now.

Ratrod · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:09:49 AM »

It's great for shredding/soloing n' stuff. I played a friend's Malmsteen Strat. You really have to be easy on pressing the strings for chord work. It feels very weird sliding a barre chord over five frets.

headtheball · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2006, 09:09:05 PM »

My teach plays both scalloped and non scalloped so my tuppence worth is...

Do it on a guitar with a rough fingerboard to begin with. That way you lose nothing. It's just like having really feckin big frets.

clivey · « **Reply #5 on:** May 15, 2006, 10:03:36 PM »

One of my main guitars has a scalloped fret board - I like it so much I'm thinking of getting the rest of my guitars scalloped too. Some of my mates that have tried it didn't take to it at all though: I guess it's either something you love or hate.
Once you get past the fact that your fingers don't come close to touching the fingerboard at all (which does feel a litte weird at first), there are no real negatives, as far as I can tell. Bending and vibrato are so much easier to control, but I wouldn't say it's any faster to play. Well, maybe it is a bit easier to move around.
The only real negative I can see is if you want to get one of your own guitars scalloped. I've talked to Jon at Feline Guitars about it, and he told me it's one of the hardest and most time consuming modifications to make on a guitar. It's not cheep either - he quoted me £240 to do a full 24 fret neck.
At the risk of stating the obvious, it is also an irreversible procedure, so make sure you like the feel of a scalloped board before going out and cutting up your favourite guitar....

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #6 on:** May 16, 2006, 01:50:45 AM »

Or have a neck scalloped from the 13th fret up like i just did for phil King.
My own axes have this and it means that you have a regular fretboard for chords and riffs and scallops for soloing and string bends.

Scalloping is a challenging and time consuming job, and if someone has anb easy shortcut - i wish they would let me know.

I typically charge about £10 per fret which reflects the time it takes

lifted · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2006, 04:07:41 AM »

Why the 13th fret up and not the 12th up?

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2006, 10:03:06 AM »

It was an arbitrary decision - could have been from the 15th or from the 10th

I chose to give myself up to the octave unchanged and scallop after that.

Ibanez JEMs have just the last 4 scalloped

PhilKing · « **Reply #9 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:24:14 PM »

I can recommend it, I was not sure what to expect but I had played Tim's Foster and that has the same thing. When I got the neck back it was transformed. It is not as sensitive to pressure as I thought it would be and it is very comfortable.

I had left the bottom of the neck for chord work, though chords on the scalloped frets sound fine. I also had Jonathan refret with 6000 fret wire. The neck is really easy to play - I'll post some pictures this week (if I can prise my Holy Diver out of Ben's guitar that is :shock: )

hunter · « **Reply #10 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:27:00 PM »

I find the approach on the LAG The Beast interesting, scalloping is on the upper strings only and fades to normal fretboard on the bass strings.

JamesHealey · « **Reply #11 on:** June 21, 2006, 10:18:38 AM »

the extra grip and control over the strings around the 19th fret + is an absolute god send in my opinion, great idea on the JEM's and that LGS beasty thing.

I'd love to do it to my strat at somepoint just dont ahave the cash to do so atm, theres a few picking runs around that area of the neck and huge big zakk wylde style bends that would benefit from a bit of scalloping.

headtheball · « **Reply #12 on:** June 21, 2006, 10:25:54 PM »

Didn't the Blackmore strat have a half-scalloped board? Right enough, it only had two pickups too. And not even good ones at that.