Scalloped fretboards

mab8485 · 09-09-2003, 11:00 PM

Has anyone hear ever owned or even played a guitar with a scalloped fretboard? I'm really curious as to what it would feel and sound like, but since its fairly uncommon i havent had the chance to play one.

Stiglar · 09-09-2003, 11:06 PM

i played an yngwie model strat ages and ages ago .. and the only thing that sticks out in my mind is taht it felt weird when you slide up a note a fret or so ...

sorry not much help !

09-10-2003, 08:36 AM

I had an Ibanez Jem with frets 20-24 scalloped. I really didn't see any advantage to it that using extra jumbo frets wouldn't give you.

wahwah · 09-10-2003, 01:54 PM

scallops are for stir fry's! [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img]

**rolsguitars** · 09-10-2003, 03:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
mab8485 said:
Has anyone hear ever owned or even played a guitar with a scalloped fretboard? I'm really curious as to what it would feel and sound like, but since its fairly uncommon i havent had the chance to play one.

[/ QUOTE ]

YEa I had a strat with scalloped frets, in a word I hated it
it takes a special kinda player to play one or tons of practice, why you ask ?
cause having scalloped frets is like the same thing as having the nut to high at the first fret, the harder you push on the string the more the pitch changes so if you don't fret the notes with the same pressure each time then
they don't sound the same, you most notice this on chords
they always sound out of tune unless you master it.
and also you have to look at it this way, they have been around a long time now and if they were "all that" then everone would have them.
just my opinion [img]images/smilies/tongue.gif[/img]
Rol.

Stiglar · 09-10-2003, 04:04 PM

i remember watching an yngwie instructional video where i rolled my eyes when he said "It wasn't about playing fast i just thought it looked cool" as if !

i think steve vais jems some of them are scalloped but only the top 12 frets or something ? .. how weird would that be !

and rol is right if they were half decent everyone would have them by now !

mab8485 · 09-10-2003, 11:23 PM

I was just wondering if it gave the player any real advantage. But from looking at everyones opinions it doesnt seem so lol. It would still be interesting to try one though [img]images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]

siN · 09-15-2003, 09:52 AM

My Jems have the four highest frets scalloped.

Big deal..... No advantage IMHO.

02-01-2004, 11:18 PM

Hi guys, mind if I join the discussion?

I actually have a guitar with a scalloped fretboard. I had it made to order a while ago in India, mainly intended for playing Indian style music. I was seeking a smallish guitar-sized instrument that could be played like the Indian Veena or Sitar.

I'd say that scalloped frets are great for playing Indian style of music, allowing the strings to be pulled in ways characteristic of Indian music (the strings are normally pulled rather than pushed as in a typical guitar bend, and IMO, pulling gives much more control over very subtle nuances of the note). I switch around the order of the strings so that I'd have much of the width of the fretboard available for pulling the higher strings.

That point about the pitch being affected by the higher frets is certainly valid. Chords can sound awful unless you have a very light touch. But it's not really the same as having a higher nut which would create an extra string tension in the part of the string between your fingers and the nut. You could have scalloped frets while keeping the nut low.

In the Indian instruments the frets are positioned by trial and error to get the desired intonation. Wouldn't advise the same for your even-tempered scale, though [img]images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif[/img]

My made-to-order guitar unfortunately didn't turn out very satisfactory. For one thing, the frets have been positioned wrongly. Also, the bridge has been glued on with Araldite, which has badly dampened the sound.

I'd be interested in scalloped guitars that could be there in the market. Anyone here in Sydney know anything about that? Would greatly appreciate hearing from you guys.

mab8485 · 02-01-2004, 11:56 PM

Thanks for the information. Guitar crazy at coogee has a second hand charvel with a scalloped fretboard. Heres the adress http://www.guitarcrazy.com.au/CharvelSR.htm looks like its in pretty shoddy condition. You might have a hard time finding a guitar with a fully scalloped fretboard unless it was custom done. Im sure some other people here would know of some other models.

**Mr Crumb** · 02-02-2004, 01:50 AM

I prefer scalloped over mashed. [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb1.gif[/img]

Khaos · 03-31-2004, 01:04 AM

Aperson with a heay playing hand would definitely see the scalloped fretboard as being not so user friendly....U need to have great light touch to be able to play fluently with this...in other words...dexterity plays an important part when playing with this..

classalpha · 03-31-2004, 02:16 AM

[ QUOTE ]
mab8485 said:
Has anyone hear ever owned or even played a guitar with a scalloped fretboard? I'm really curious as to what it would feel and sound like, but since its fairly uncommon i havent had the chance to play one.

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely! Those scalloped necks are the cat's tushy... [img]images/smilies/rock.gif[/img]

I never owned any scalloped neck electrics myself, but since 1983 I've played countless hours on my best friend's scalloped maple neck, '79 black Fender Strat... one that he had Valdez in Hollyweed do while my friend was attending GIT. [img]images/smilies/icon_cool.gif[/img] Back then it co$t my friend $300 to have done... damn pricey in those days but I suppose that would be a bargain now and it's a LOT of work to do by hand, which is how Valdez did it. [img]images/smilies/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Lots of players hate those necks, but I find most of them press too hard with their fretting hand to begin with... then they fail to adjust to the easier playability of the neck and relax while they fret notes. [img]images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

There are even scalloped neck classicals out there... they are amazingly easy to play and shred on too, but a good classical guitar with a scallloped neck like Valdez's is very costly... most I've seen go for upwards of $2500-$3000+. [img]images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif[/img]

classalpha · 03-31-2004, 03:07 AM

[ QUOTE ]
rolsguitars said:
[ QUOTE ]
mab8485 said:
Has anyone hear ever owned or even played a guitar with a scalloped fretboard? I'm really curious as to what it would feel and sound like, but since its fairly uncommon i havent had the chance to play one.

[/ QUOTE ]

YEa I had a strat with scalloped frets, in a word I hated it
it takes a special kinda player to play one or tons of practice, why you ask ?
cause having scalloped frets is like the same thing as having the nut to high at the first fret, the harder you push on the string the more the pitch changes so if you don't fret the notes with the same pressure each time then
they don't sound the same, you most notice this on chords
they always sound out of tune unless you master it.
and also you have to look at it this way, they have been around a long time now and if they were "all that" then everone would have them.
just my opinion [img]images/smilies/tongue.gif[/img]
Rol.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hello Rol. [img]images/smilies/icon_cool.gif[/img]

I love scalloped necks... the only reason I never bought one is they were too costly to have it done on an existing guitar, and also too hard to maintain- there isn't a lot of wood left in a scalloped neck for stability, so the truss rod needs constant adjusting and is more fragile.

The Yngwie Fender Strat came out in '89 or so... by that time I had already become accustomed to my Lynch model ESPs and wasn't interested in playing anything else. As well, I tried out the first run of Yngwie Strats and almost got one; although I loved the feel of the neck (it was rosewood and not my favorite fretboard material) I wasn' t very impressed with the hardware ... that early run used the cheesy American Standard Strat type, two-pivot bridge, pot metal tuners, and Standard Strat pickguard and knobs... so I didn't think it was all that great a guitar overall.

But I see the newer issue Yngwie Strats have much better hardware like the vintage, six screw bridge block and F-tuners. The elecronics and aesthetics are nicer too- the newer model has the YJM pickups and "aged" plastic parts.

Anyhow, to each his/her own. [img]images/smilies/icon_cool.gif[/img]

¿Verdad hijo?
[img]images/smilies/icon_jam.gif[/img]

El_jalepeno · 03-31-2004, 04:45 AM

They are much easier on the hands once you get used to it, and your playing will improve as well. Think back to high school football where coach ties tractor trailer tires to you, and made you run up and down the field. Then he took them off and you literally flew down the field...? Same principle. I really like them as well, but they aren't cost effective for me.